ente_09

we are pretty much sold a cruise on Ponant

problem is this will be the inaugural trip of a brand-new ship.
I therefore wonder if this will be at a higher risk for minor mechanical problems or lack of crew/ service experience.

do you think I'll be okay or it is going to be a " shakedown cruise"?

https://en.ponant.com/le-champlain-ec-2

deant

First, you will probably have more issues than a "normal" cruise just because it is the first cruise for the ship. You may also encounter some service problems - again because the crew is not familiar with the ship etc.

The bigger issue in my mind is that it appears your cruise is a year off. Will the ship be ready in time? Delays happen.

farbster

Just did a shakedown cruise on the new Silversea Muse.

A couple of wrinkles...they couldn't find any pretzels or whatever for the bars.

par for the course for shakedown cruise.

I was free, so no complaining from me!

Randyk47

If you scan through Cruise Critic for inaugural cruises you're going to find everything from "never again" to "best ever". My personal experience is not inaugural cruises but a first cruise coming out of a major dry dock and I'm in the "never again" camp. You typically get mechanicals that are not quite right and usually new crew and staff working out their jobs....usually at my expense. I can understand and appreciate wanting to be one of the first, like that new car feeling but personal I'd rather have a first rate cruise. Ponant is not well known to the American cruise market so there aren't a lot of American bias passenger reviews out there. That's not a bad or good thing just makes it harder to know what their cruises are like in terms of service so hard to say what to expect on a regular cruise much less an inaugural. I've seen their ships in the Med and they're beautiful and seeing them actually made me do some research. Have to say their less than all inclusive nature turned me off. The thought of paying luxury cruise prices then being charged to death doesn't entice me.

Kagehitokiri

IIRC farbster has done 'first' cruise(s) that were not bookable by / sold to public

there is also shipyard to wherever to cruise destinations (staff before cruises?)

ente_09

I got the last of the lowest price cabins on this cruise.
The fact that a cruise, 18 months out, has booked up this fast, makes me think that no one is really worried

ente_09

Ponant is French owned and over half the clientele are French.
In booking my cruise with them,I already sense a little bit of French attitude. Maybe certain Americans are reluctant to cruise on a boat where English is not the primary language.

I confused by what you mean by less than " all inclusive". The only thing it seems is not inclusive are the land tours, and from what I can gather the only cruise line that includes them at no cost is Regent Seven Seas.

I'll get back to you in 18 months with a report . I agree with you; the boats are beautiful.

By the way this new boat seems to have a very smart but minimal decoration scheme. A friend who went on Regent said the décor was kind of Las Vegas like. What you think?

Randyk47

I had read, or thought I had, that there were a lot of upcharges for premium liquors, some of the better dining venues, etc. I may be mistaken as I can't find that or those reviews now. I do remember that the intineraries and length of cruises weren't interesting to us considering we could do longer cruises on Seabourn or Silversea for the same or less. Never been on Regent but looking at Ponant I'd the interior design is Las Vegas like if you're thinking Aria versus say Bellagio.

farbster

You are correct Kagehitokiri

I was the guest of my travel agent. I help him out on various things and his wife stayed home with their young child.

We took the Muse from the Genoa to Barcelona.