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After completing its acquisition of Aqua Expeditions in January 2025, Ponant Explorations Group is taking a major step in unifying its guest experience with the launch of a Status Match initiative across the loyalty programs of its entire brand portfolio.
Historically, Ponant Explorations, Paul Gauguin Cruises, and Ponant Yachting have shared a unified loyalty program—the Ponant Yacht Club—while Aqua Expeditions operated its own, Circolo Aqua, launched September 2025. With this new Status Match initiative, Ponant Explorations Group brings all its loyalty programs under one framework, offering guests enhanced recognition and benefits across the Group’s brands.
Building on the success of its Circolo Aqua global loyalty program, Aqua Expeditions introduces reciprocal privileges through the Ponant Explorations Group status-match program.
For Circolo Aqua members, this means access to tier-matched privileges when booking with Ponant brands, including additional onboard credits of up to €50 per person (approximately $55 USD), priority services, and dedicated support from the Ponant Reservations team. Circolo Aqua members will enjoy these benefits from their first sailing with Ponant, maintaining their status tier across future voyages.
Circolo Aqua Members will be matched to their respective Ponant Yacht Club tiers as follows:
- Navigator → Major
- Explorer → Admiral
- Legend → Grand Admiral
To enjoy these benefits when sailing with Ponant Explorations Group, Circolo Aqua Members must identify themselves and their Circolo Aqua status when contacting Ponant to place a booking, a dedicated reservations team will assist in applying the respective status match.
Exclusive Access to Aqua for Ponant Yacht Club Members: This distinction is available exclusively to Ponant Explorations Group guests, as no other cruise company offers such recognition.
Ponant Yacht Club Members will be matched to their respective Circolo Aqua tiers as follows:
- Major → Navigator
- Admiral, Grand Admiral → Explorer
- Commodore → Legend
Depending on the matched tier, guests will receive the allocated Circolo Aqua loyalty benefits accordingly. In addition, guests will also receive $50 of onboard credits on their first sailing
To enjoy these benefits on an Aqua Expeditions cruise, guests must first obtain their Circolo Status equivalence by contacting the Aqua Expeditions team via the contact form. Once guests have achieved their Circolo Aqua status, they will earn Miles on eligible bookings, calculated based on the applicable earn rate and their share of the booking value. Accumulated Miles will allow guests to reach higher status levels and unlock additional benefits.
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