Ponant Extends Serenity Policy Through May for 2026 Bookings
Requests must be filed at least ninety days before departure, and the replacement cruise must sail in the same calendar year or earlier at an equal or higher fare.
Ponant has extended its Serenity Policy through the end of May, keeping penalty-free cruise changes and postponements available for bookings made from April 1 through May 31, 2026. The May 19 website statement expands a program first introduced for April bookings and applies it across Ponant Explorations Group brands, including Ponant, Paul Gauguin Cruises and Aqua Expeditions.
The extension gives guests another month to book under flexible terms. It does not make deposits refundable. Ponant said deposits paid at booking remain final and non-refundable, although they may be transferred under the program.
Conditions restrict when guests can move a sailing
Guests may change their bookings more than once, provided they meet the policy’s timing and fare requirements. Requests must be filed at least 90 days before the original departure, and the replacement cruise must operate in the same calendar year as the initial sailing or earlier.
The new booking is subject to availability and must carry a fare equal to or higher than the original cruise. Ponant said pricing is not guaranteed, meaning guests moving to a different sailing may face a higher total cost if fares have changed.
Deposits may also be assigned to a third party if the policy’s conditions are met. The program does not cover flights, pre- and post-cruise transportation, insurance, visas or other land-based and additional services.
Policy spans three group brands
Ponant operates a 12-ship fleet on itineraries and expeditions worldwide. The groupwide application also brings in Paul Gauguin Cruises, centered on French Polynesia and the South Pacific with the single ship Paul Gauguin, and Aqua Expeditions, whose river and ocean vessels sail in destinations including the Mekong, Amazon and Indonesia.
The April version of the Serenity Policy coincided with the Middle East conflict, which was putting pressure on airfares and raising the possibility of flight disruptions in regions including Europe. Ponant did not include a named executive comment with the extension.
Other operators are adding booking flexibility
Other cruise operators have added similar booking-protection terms to 2026 sales. Windstar Cruises launched its Peace of Mind Promise for eligible 2026 and 2027 sailings departing through March 31, 2027, with coverage for new reservations and existing bookings already under deposit.
Windstar’s program allows guests to cancel up to seven days before departure and retain most of the trip value as a Future Cruise Credit. The company said the coverage applies to the Windstar-booked journey, including cruise, shore excursions, hotels, air and transfers.
“Travelers are paying close attention to the headlines as they plan their vacations, and advisors need flexibility and reassurance,” said Janet Bava, Windstar Cruises’ chief commercial officer.
Atlas Ocean Voyages also introduced an Assurance Program for new, fully paid bookings on 2026 Arctic, Mediterranean and Northern Europe expeditions departing through Aug. 31, 2026. Eligible guests may cancel for any reason up to 15 days before departure and receive 100 percent of the cruise fare value as a Future Cruise Credit, with government taxes, airfare, travel insurance and select third-party services excluded.
For Ponant Explorations Group, the affected 2026 program includes itineraries in Europe, the Arctic, Australia, the South Pacific and the Great Lakes. During the upcoming winter season, group vessels are scheduled for Antarctica, South America and Africa.
