French luxury yacht line Compagnie des Iles du Ponant has changed its name to Compagnie du Ponant. After twenty years the Marseilles-based line felt it needed to have an easier to remember and understand name for more global recognition. Yes, it’s shorter, but why not name it something people can really remember like Pepe le cruise? (That would have done it for me)

All kidding aside, the company is positioning itself to stress its luxury position given the line’s smaller and truly unique vessels. Compagnie du Ponant’s fleet includes the three-masted sailing ship Le Ponant (64 passengers), the yacht Le Levant (90 passengers) and Le Diamant (220 passengers). Under construction are a pair of 284-passenger luxury yachts, L’Austral and Le Boreal due for delivery in March and July 2010.

The company made news last year when its vessel Le Ponant was seized by Somali pirates. The pirates held the ship and its 30 crewmembers hostage for three weeks –the vessel was released when the company paid $2 million dollar ransom.

With the deadly attacks last week in Mumbai, the city’s cruise business has taken a direct hit with four ships cancelling scheduled calls.

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas dropped its Sunday visit to Mumbai.
Azamara Quest canceled its December 7 thru 8 stop
Seabourn Spirit its December 7 stop
Oceania Cruises Nautica its December 9 thru 10 stop

All aforementioned cruise lines state they continue to follow the situation closely.

The French three-masted sailing ship Le Ponant was hijacked by pirates on Friday morning in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. The luxury ship was carrying 30 crew and no passengers. The vessel was on the way from Seychelles to the Mediterranean to board passengers in Malta for its next voyage.

The ship’s owner, the Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, said the 30 crew members were from France and Ukraine. Compagnie des Iles du Ponant says the ship was a “victim of an act of piracy” as it was sailing between Somalia and Yemen.

France’s Defense and Foreign ministries have been mobilized and the warship, Le Commandant Rouen, has been diverted from NATO’s Afghanistan operation to join the Yemeni coast guard in the hunt for and rescue of the captured cruise ship. The 290-foot long, 32 stateroom Le Ponant, is a luxury sailing vessel fully equipped with lounges, bar and restaurant, is one of three operated by the Marseille-based firm, which describes itself as France’s leading cruise provider. With a capacity for 64 passengers, it offers cruises in the Gulf region, including between Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan, and off the coast of Oman.
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Pirates seized more than 25 ships off the Somali coast last year and leisure craft are advised to give the area a wide berth. The International Maritime Bureau, has reported that global pirate attacks rose 10 percent in 2007, marking the first increase in three years. The last attack on a cruise ship occurred in November 2005 when the Seabourn Spirit was attacked by pirates firing automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the cruise ship. Fortunately the crew took evasive action, repelling the attackers without returning fire. No passengers were harmed, but one crew member was slightly injured.

Read more about Le Ponant.