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Like the other ships in the PONANT EXPLORERS series, Le Bellot has been designed to provide absolute comfort for its passengers, even at the heart of the world's most remote and isolated regions.
Racy lines, state-of-the-art equipment, a refined design, a softly muted and at the same time convivial ambiance together with a deliberately restricted number of cabins all contribute to the modernity of Le Bellot, a unique ship in the world of cruising.
We enjoy small ship cruising and desired to try a ship/cruise line new to us and we’re taken with starting on the Thames. The ship is new. The physical plant is excellent. The excursions are average to excellent depending on the sites and guides. We had two average and one excellent guide on at three excellent sites. The food is average. The service is impersonal. Waitstaff’s English is spotty at best. Unless you are clear and specific anything may be served. I asked for waffles and received a toasted bagel. Unless you buy the premium wine pass you will never see the sommelier. The waitstaff know nothing about the wine. The buffets are excellent for fruit and salads. The eggs at the breakfast buffet are always cold. If you want scrambled eggs the waitstaff point at the buffet. The bacon is barely cooked. Room service is excellent. The Wi-Fi is spotty, inconsistent, with terrible downloading capability. It is very frustrating. In the end we enjoyed our trip because we went where we wanted to go. The on board experience was between three and four star.
This was our 14th cruise, the second on Ponant, and we sought it out because we are tired of the large ship cruises. Ponant offers expeditionary experiences, rather than the traditional "rest, relax and party" cruise, so we approached our time with that expectation. We were incredibly impressed. The ship is graceful, beautiful and very comfortable. Appointments are sophisticated and of the highest quality. Cabins are a bit smaller than you might encounter on a huge ship, but actually better laid out than most and are attractive, comfortable, with plenty of storage, and very luxurious beds. (The toilet might have felt a little cramped, if you are a larger person, but was still quite functional.) We were very happy. The entire Ponant team, from the Captain on down, were friendly, personable and attentive. The food was very, very good - especially the deserts - and the "always available" menu was good too, if you didn't care for beef cheeks or some of the other more exotic offerings. The poolside luncheon options were really fun, also. There were a couple of options that still make me salivate, just thinking about them. The ham & egg galette is one example. Wine offerings were wonderful too. Bartenders remembered your drinks and were happy to try something they'd never heard of before. Here is the real Ponant differentiator: There were onboard naturalists who gave daily lectures about the following day's schedule and accompanied us, on Zodiacs, on every day's activity - whether exploratory or recreational. These folks were absolutely knowledgeable, spontaneous, informative and fun to be with. Wonderful.
We wanted to see Maya sites and wanted to try Ponant. We have sailed on Cunard, Celebrity, Oceania, Windstar, Seabourn, Holland America and Viking - 20+ cruises in all, 6 on Seabourn. I would say 80-90 percent of the passengers spoke French as their primary language. We enjoyed that. The officers are French, the staff Indonesian or Filipino. We were rather taken aback to see the captain and some officers having cocktails before and wine with dinner. I have never seen that before; some other passengers also remarked on this. Our cabin steward was very good. The service in the dining room was spotty. I wonder if they needed more staff. Sometimes I had to get up and ask for someone to bring us beverages. Unlike any ship I have ever been on, they expect you to order the entire meal at once, including dessert. I find that I don't know if I want dessert until after I have eaten the intial courses. But that is a minor point. The food was generally good, sometimes very good. Soups are good, but not served hot enough. Breads, as on all cruise linesI have been on, are very good. there was exceptional selection of French cheeses with descriptions of each cheese at the buffet. I tasted many types of cheese I have never had before. Excellent desserts, and the best ice cream I have had on any ship - intensely flavored, both the creams and the sorbets. The ship is small and has very little space to stretch your legs. Our cabin on deck four was comfortable but tiny. Plenty of space for clothes, however. Furniture aboard, while fashionable and elegant, seemed to be designed for short people - the sofas and armchairs are too low, though deep enough. They do provide plenty of cushions to help one adjust. The bar service in the main lounge was excellent. Ponant offers free alcohol, but only the basic brands. You have to pay quite a bit extra if, for instance, you want Hendricks gin in your martini. You do get high quality mixed nuts served along with your drinks, which is a nice touch. Why don't all premium lines provide them? The outdoor pool is tiny, but we enjoyed it. It was a refreshing temperature and had a strong jet enabling a sort of "endless pool" experience. We usually "swam" twice per day. The gym is tiny with the usual stuff. I never saw anyone there. The sauna looks nice, but too small except for a couple; one sauna for both men and women. Not my cup of tea, but the French, I think, don't mind. Might be nice in a colder part of the world! There was a Paris Match (the sort of Life Magazine of France) theme to this cruise. There were about 10 people from the magazine on the ship running around, partaking in photo shoots in self-regarding poses. They seemed to be especially catered-to by the staff. I suspect it was all an advertising gimmick for Ponant. I don't see that their presence offered any benefit to the regular passengers. We got to visit some terrific Maya archaeological sites. I thought the excursions were a bit overpriced. The guides were local, rather amateurish and occasionally contradicted each other's narratives of Maya culture. Would have been a lot better if there had been professional archaeologists/Maya historians to lead the tours. But I understand why they would use local guides as tourism is a huge part of the econmies of Mexico and Central America. A couple of the excursions included lunch. The food wasn't good at either one. On one excursion. we were taken 20 miles up the New River in a speed boat and most passengers were out in the rather intense sun for over an hour without any overhead protection. Not well thought out. That said, the river was nice to see. I thnk this was the first time Ponant has offered this cruise, and they hopefully will work out some of the kinks. We generally avoid the shows on ships. Went to one which was silly and way too loud. They had a French classical pianist on the ship who I heard was quite good. The only child on the ship was her daughter who was an obviously bright and happy child, poised around adults, and carefully brought-up by loving parents. Overall, I would say that Ponant delivers a good product in elegant surroundings. And it was fun to be immersed in a bit of France. I suspect we won't return to Ponant, except maybe the Paul Gauguin for a Polynesian cruise. I would say that Seabourn provides a superior experience with better food, drink, service and space, for a similar or even smaller price.
A warm and contemporary design
All the 92 staterooms and suites onboard Le Bellot are equipped with private balconies or terraces. Like the rest of the ship's spaces, they have been designed to be exceptionally open to the exterior. Brightness and radiance, discreet luxury, ethnic touches, contemporary design and unparalleled levels of comfort add the finishing touches to the all-round voyage experience.
An essential component of French culture, gastronomy naturally has a place of honour onboard this PONANT EXPLORER.
Marvel at the sun rising over the pristine glaciers of Spitsbergen, set out to discover the mysteries of Scotland, enjoy enriching encounters in Alaska∘ or just relax, take your time, and choose a sun kissed journey through the Mediterranean.
The trip of a lifetime, a romantic getaway or a family holiday: cruising the PONANT way allows∘ you the freedom to organise your Odyssey∘ as a unique experience and tailor it according to your desires. Whether you have the spirit of a refined adventurer, a meditative mind or you love the great outdoors, Ponant will fulfil all your travel desires.
Take the time to extend the pleasure of a stay in a country before boarding your yacht, get to the heart of a culture or simply have fun for a while: the guides, lecturers and travel advisers are there to assist you. Music, golf, gastronomy; from port to port, the themed cruises allow passengers∘ to live their hobby to the full - or to discover a new one.
Carefully designed itineraries, quality guest speakers, attentive service: for more than 25 years, on land and at sea, or teams and their crews have been there to help you get the most out of your cruise.
The common areas onboard Le Bellot
Our ship Le Bellot features a number of spaces designed and arranged to serve your needs and requirements whilst at the same time preserving the privacy of each passenger.
Whether you choose a Mediterranean cruise or an expedition journey to the heart of icy Antarctica, you can be sure of exceptional comfort on board our ships. Our bespoke, attentive, excellent service will make you feel like you're travelling on a private yacht.
Leisure and well-being
Enjoy a moment of tranquillity at the spa or around the pool, work-out in the fitness room, enjoy a theatre show with your travel companions. Our ships have a variety of well-designed spaces to offer you space for relaxation or shared enjoyment to enhance your journey.
Kit De Bienvenue
Year-round, on all the company’s ships and voyages, children will receive a welcome kit that includes reusable water bottles, pencils and games, plus a book by Maud Fontenoy suited to each age group with key messages that are dear to the Foundation.
