PONANT , France's number 2 cruise company and world leader in polar expeditions celebrates 30 years of existence. It was on 1 April 1988 that the adventure began in Nantes, where 14 young Merchant Navy officers aged 23 to 29, including Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée, still active as CEO, and Philippe Videau, decided to create the company, which first took the name COMPAGNIE des ÎLES du PONANT (it became COMPAGNIE du PONANT in 2009 and simply PONANT in 2014). PONANT is the only cruise company in France flying the Tricolore. by Earl of Cruise based on an article by Vincent Groizeleau at Mer et Marine LE PONANT in the port of Bonifacio, Corsica - Sourece: Wikipedia ( original seize ) The first ship, built in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, was born in 1991. It is the sailboat and cruise vessel LE PONANT , a modern three-masted ship of 85.5 meters long with 32 cabins, still in service. LE PONANT´s sails became the logo of PONANT. LE LEVANT - Source: Wikipedia ( original seize ) ...
One of the icons amoung the cruise ships and liners is EUGENIO C. of LINEA C, later COSTA CRUISES by Earl of Cruise tn EUGENIO C. of LINEA C. steaming in her first years on the South Atlantic at full speed, 27 kts EUGENIO C. was one of these samples of pristine Italian design and quality, what was referred to as: "Give an Italian a piece of steel and he is forming the most beautiful art of." Unfortunately EUGENIO C. ended as so many liners and to cruise ships converted vessels in Alang in 2005. The Coasta family had its origin in the olive oil business and started its shipping business with a tanker. Even if not a success from the beginning, the family did stick to its move into the shipping busines. The first passenger ship was integrated into the fleet when there was a flood of enigrants wishing to leave the country destroyed by WWII. It was a chance for the Costa family and so they decided in 1946 buying three ships from LUCKENBACH STEAMSHIP Co. for ...