Edie Rodriguez is now with PONANT

COMPAGNIE du PONANT announced it has hired Edie Rodriguez as its new Americas Brand Chairman and Corporate Special Advisor.

Ediue Rodriguez - courtesy AP / PONANT

PONANT was founded a group of adventurous Philippe Videau, Jean-Emmanuel Sauvé, and other officers of the French Merchant Navy. Ponant started out with one ship, LE PONANT, a three masted Barque built in 1991. LE PONANT still operates with the company today.

by Earl of Cruise

Eight years later in 1999, PONANT inaugurated its second newbuilt, LE LEVANT, a yacht style cruise vessel. After 13 years in service with PONANT, LE LEVANT was purchased by PAUL GAUGIN CRUISES in 2012 and became TERE MOANA. The name TERE MOANA translates into `Ocean Traveller´ in Tahitian. In August 2015, PAUL GAUGIN CRUISES sold the TERE MOANA to GRAND CIRCLE CRUISES. The ship was renamed CLIO and began sailing for GRAND CIRCLE CRUISES, under the flag of Malta in July 2016.

LE PONANT in the port of Bonifacio, Korsika - courtesy PONANT

In 2004, PONANT purchased LE DIAMANT, a luxury cruise ship. LE DIAMANT transferred to QUARK EXPEDITIONS in 2012 to become OCEAN DIAMOND. The once top rated cruise ship started its life as freight vessel BEGONIA in 1974. 1985 FEARNLEY & EGER bought the Ro-Ro freighter to be rebuild in Bremerhaven into EXPLORER STARSHIP. In 1986 she emerged as expedition cruise vessel in the 5star market. In 1989 she was sold to SKAUGEN MARINE in Oslo, who renamed the ship in SONG OF FLOWER. SKAUGEN chartered the ship out to RADISSON later REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES. 2003 to PONANT. 2011 the ship was sold to EXPLORER PARTNERS Ltd. in Marseille. Since October 2012, after a refreshment, the ship, now registered in the Bahamas, has been managed by QUARK EXPEDITIONS under the name OCEAN DIAMOND.

PONANT initially was based in Nantes for the first 18 years. In 2006 the company headquarter was moved to Marseille, following its acquisition by CMA CGM. In 2012, CMA CGM sold PONANT to Bridgepoint Capital. With the new owner a fleet restructuring started, selling off the older cruise vessel, except the sailing vessel LE PONANT. The new ships of the LE BOREAL class apeared in the market. The yacht styled expedition cruise vessels with their fresh and contemporary interiors found very easy their market and followers in the luxurious expedition market.

Within a short time period they dethroned the self claimed top luxury expedition cruise company HAPAG-LLOYD KREUZFAHRTEN, now HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES, to get lost of the German language image and to open up for the international market.

On October 9th, 2015, PONANT announces its acquisition by ARTÉMIS, the holding company of the Pinault family. In March 2016 Ponant ordered four new ships with about 10.000 GT at VARD, a subsidiary of FINCANTIERI. They will be delivered in 2018 and 2019. The ships will be named after French explorers: LE LAPÉROUSE, LE CHAMPLAIN, LE BOUGAINVILLE and LE KERGUELEN.

LE LAPÉROUSE, LE CHAMPLAIN, LE BOUGAINVILLE and LE KERGUELEN, the four new VARD ships- courtesy PONANT

Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO of PONANT and Navin Sawhney, CEO of PONANT Americas said in a statement they pleased that she is joining the team. Rodriguez was most recently president and CEO of CRYSTAL CRUISES.

She will be responsible for increasing PONANT´s brand awareness in the Americas, especially with professional networks including travel agencies, media and prospective passengers.

With her more than 30 years of experience in the cruise industry, she will act as a corporate advisor for the company, PONANT said.

Sawhney said: "For the last several years now, PONANT has been building a solid strategy for the American market and has the means to achieve its objectives. Given our strong ambitions and the real potential of this market, I am happy to see our team strengthened by the arrival of Edie Rodriguez."

Sauvée added: "With two great seasoned Cruise Industry Experts like Navin and Edie in our team, I’m convinced that PONANT in the USA will achieve its full capability in terms of market share. PONANT should not only be known as a French luxury expedition cruise line, but for what we really are: The World Leader in Luxury Expeditions and the Best Cultural International Cruise line with that special French touch!"

Edie Rodriguez (formerly Edie Bornstein, born August 29, 1961) an American businesswoman Until September 2017, Rodriguez was the CEO and president of CRYSTAL LUXURY CORPORATION, Ltd. - CRYSTAL CRUISES. The World’s Most Luxurious Hospitality and Lifestyle Brand Portfolio™ whose holdings include CRYSTAL CRUISES, The World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line™, CRYSTAL YACHT EXPEDITION CRUISES, CRYSTAL RIVER CRUISES, The World’s Only Luxury River Cruise Line™, CRYSTAL LUXURY AIR, a private jet charter service, CRYSTAL AIRCRUISES featuring lavish 15 to 29-day global adventures in the extreme comfort of a Boeing 777, and CRYSTAL Exclusive Class™ ships with CRYSTAL RESIDENCES. Following the acquisition of CRYSTAL CRUISES by GENTING, Hong Kong, in May 2015, she was promoted to CEO and President of CRYSTAL CRUISES.

L´AUSTRAL and LE BORÉAL of COMPAGNIE du PONANT - courtesy PONANT

Edie Rodriguez unveiled the blueprint for a major brand and fleet expansion for CRYSTAL, which has been dubbed by the travel and hospitality industry as the largest expansion in history for any luxury brand.

Knowing Edie Rodriguez as a manger eho brings a company to new standards, or implement new technologies and opening new markets, I would predict that in first place HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES will finally become a me-too product, as the company has lost its position as the leading luxury expedition cruise company lang ago, and the newbuilds won´t help, only to step further down the luxury ladder.

Rodriguez noted: "I have known PONANT for the last 10 years as they have led the global expedition cruise industry expansion and I have always thought that their ships are perfectly appointed to deliver an unmatched cruise experience. I am proud to help the PONANT brand achieve recognition and realize its ambitions for growth in USA and the Americas at the level it deserves. As well, the passion of PONANT´s founder, coupled with the strength in the global Luxury marketplace of their ownership ensures the brand’s success going forward."

Discovery Deluxe - PONANT names his new expedition vessels after famous French explorers

Expedition - PONANT´s world first undersea lounge

Discovery Deluxe is going head to head

Edie Rodriguez is leaving CRYSTAL CRUISES she resigned for new opportunity

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