Le Lapérouse
Le Lapérouse in the Kiel Canal, 31 August 2018
History
Wallis and Futuna
NameLe Lapérouse
OperatorPonant
Port of registryWallis and Futuna Mata Utu
Builder
  • VARD Tulcea, Romania (hull)
  • VARD Søviknes, Norway (outfitting)
Yard number848
Laid down1 March 2017
Launched18 December 2017
Sponsored byMaryvonne Pinault
Christened10 July 2018
Acquired15 June 2018
Maiden voyage19 June 2018
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typePonant Explorers-class cruise ship
Length430 ft
Beam59 ft
Draught15 ft
Decks5
Installed power6 400 KW
Propulsion2 X 2 000 KW PEM
Speed6 400 KW
Capacity184 passengers

Le Lapérouse is the lead ship of the Ponant Explorers-class of cruise ships operated by Ponant. Each member of the class has been allocated the name of a famous French explorer, and Le Lapérouse is named after naval officer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse.[1][2]

History

Built by VARD, Le Lapérouse had her keel laid down at VARD's Tulcea yard in Romania on 1 March 2017.[3] She was floated out on 18 December 2017, and was then finally outfitted at the builder's Søviknes facility in Ålesund, Norway.[4][5] After successful sea trials that began in May 2018,[6] she was delivered to Ponant in Ålesund on 15 June 2018.[7]

The following day, 16 June 2018, Le Lapérouse departed for Reykjavík, Iceland, where she commenced her maiden cruise on 19 June 2018.[8] She was christened by Maryvonne Pinault, the wife of French billionaire businessman François Pinault, at a ceremony in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland, on 10 July 2018.[9]

2021: New Zealand

In late January 2021, it was reported the New Zealand-based tourism company Wild Earth Travel had chartered Le Lapérouse to run small expeditions around the country commencing 30 January. The cruise ship applied for visa exemptions to enter New Zealand due to COVID-19 border restrictions. While Immigration New Zealand granted the ship and essential crew visa exemptions, 60 hospitality staff were denied visa exemptions on the grounds that they needed to hire New Zealanders. Though the hospitality crew were denied visa exemptions twice, Le Lapérouse still sailed for New Zealand. In response to media interest, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi defended Immigration New Zealand's decision, stating that Le Lapérouse should have waited for the department to process its crew's visa applications before sailing for New Zealand. The ship was instructed to return its hospitality crew to New Caledonia in order to re-enter New Zealand.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ Gibson, Rebecca (15 September 2017). "Ponant names four newbuilds after French explorers". Cruise&Ferry.net. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  2. ↑ Cooke, Andrew (13 November 2018). "Newbuild of the Month: Le Lapérouse". Shipping Today and Yesterday. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Groizeleau, Vincent (4 July 2017). "Ponant : Mise sur cale des Bougainville et Dumont d'Urville" [Ponant: Staging of Bougainville and Dumont d'Urville]. Mer et Maritime (in French). Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Le Lapérouse Heading to Norway from Tulcea". Cruise Industry News. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Le Laperouse Arrives in Norway for Final Outfitting". Cruise Industry News. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  6. ↑ Gibson, Rebecca (5 June 2018). "Le Lapérouse successfully completes first sea trials in Norway". Cruise&Ferry.net. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Le Lapérouse Delivered". Cruise Industry News. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  8. ↑ James, Lindsay (18 June 2018). "French cruise company Ponant takes delivery of Le Lapérouse". Cruise&Ferry.net. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  9. ↑ Gibson, Rebecca (13 July 2018). "Ponant names Le Lapérouse in Hafnarfjörður". Cruise&Ferry.net. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  10. ↑ Vance, Andrea (29 January 2021). "Government halts cruise ship, insists crew must be Kiwi". Stuff. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Covid 19 coronavirus: Cruise ship Le Lapérouse refused entry to NZ waters". The New Zealand Herald. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.

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