Environmental
While some guests are happy to explore every facet of the local climate and culture, others are particular about the type of trip they’re looking for. “Even within the expedition segment, there’s many different types of experiences. I think people are sitting at home and studying [a lot more],” Ponfoort says. “When people learn about travel they speak to their friends and they do their research, and we’re seeing a lot more of that. When people are calling us, they’re very knowledgeable and they know what they want.” Invariably, the ships that venture into these remote locations need to be careful to avoid any damage to local ecosystems. This is particularly true in the polar regions, where expeditionary outfits must ensure that they don’t come aground and risk fuel spill. “One of our key missions is to take guests on our voyages and educate them to make them ambassadors for the places they visit,” Ponfoort says. “We have to keep a minimum footprint and travel with respect for everywhere we go. We are conscious of all aspects of sustainability, from looking after our ships through to introducing special citizen science programmes where guests can actively be involved.”
The path forward
New technologies are helping expeditionary teams avoid such mistakes. Aurora’s second purpose-built adventure ship, Sylvia Earle, named after an acclaimed marine biologist and oceanographer, is being built to world-class polar standards and is due to be launched in Ushuaia, Argentina, in October 2021. The vessel, which has a capacity of 126 passengers, also has a Tier-3 engine that is said to deliver an 80% reduction in emissions. It can also utilise virtual anchoring to hold its position instead of dropping an anchor onto the sea floor.
Other cruise lines are following suit. Set to launch this year, Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot will become the world’s first electric-hybrid polar exploration ship. Named after French polar scientist Jean-Baptiste Charcot, the ship is classed as a Polar Class 2 icebreaker, making it capable of reaching the geographic North Pole. It also uses liquefied gas in transit and relies on battery power when stationary. Ponfoort isn’t worried about Aurora’s competitors, though. Instead, her focus is on collaborating with her team of experts to deliver on a growing list of exotic itineraries. “You don’t have to look far in our company for a wealth of knowledge. And that’s what we do really well,” she says. “We sit and design every single part of the day-by-day itineraries, we discuss them and challenge them. And then we find these beautiful outcomes.”
Despite the chaos and complications caused by Covid-19, Ponfoort envisages a bright future for expeditionary cruises – but operators will need to weather the storm before the sunshine comes. “It’s been difficult for cruise operators,” she says. “It’s been very hard, but it’s about finding a pathway forward and being optimistic, determined and resilient.” ●
32 World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
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