We chose this cruise because of the destination of the Northern Scottish Islands. In addition, they in theory had a strong Covid protocol.
The ship, the cabin, the crew, the food were all ok. Clear limitations because of the size of the ship. Less flexibility in dining, entertainment etc. but we expected that.
What stunned us was that the ship was half booked wit a bus tour company called ...
This was a Smithsonian Journey and on a previous cruise we met a lovely couple and we became good friends. They had booked this trip and asked if we would consider doing so and enjoy a holiday together. Sadly this trip did not compare in any way with our previous experience while cruising with Ponant. The only special part was meeting our friends.
Our cabin left a lot to be desired, ...
Having taken 25+ cruises, I was excited to try “luxury” Ponant Cruises for the first time. The newness of their ships and their “all included” luxury positioning was appealing.
Upon boarding the ship, first impressions were strong - everything was clean, contemporary, and crisp. Solid cabin design, with separate compartment for the toilet and other thoughtful design elements.
The quality ...
I simply booked the cruise to Croatia because it was one of the only possible options to go on a cruise and there was no single supplement. Being Belgian the French language was not a problem at all . In view of the actual pandemic great care was given to the medical aspect , passengers had to send quite a long and detailled questionnaire , partly to be filled in by your own GP. Also a covid test ...
We had such hopes for this trip. The ship & itinerary fit our needs on paper but in reality we were disappointed with the execution of this cruise.
Not only did embarkation change from Puerto Morelos to Cozumel after booking our flights but the trip was advertised to include diving in Honduras. On boarded we learned Puerto Cortes was a dirty shipping port with no diving. The water was green ...
Le Champlain is a lovely ship with only ninety-two cabins, 165 passengers and 115 crew members. We felt the on-board experience was excellent in almost every respect and were impressed that most crew members knew us by name, or at least by cabin number and preferences midway through the cruise.
Ponant has had difficulties with the local Mexican government and they have been unable to embark ...
Ponant Cruise Line – The Cruise Line from Hell
In October my wife and I boarded Ponant Le Champlain at Boston USA for a 2 week cruise to Mexico. My description “the cruise line from hell” relates to the “campylobacter” food poisoning I suffered. Food poisoning/upset stomachs is not necessarily unusual but in this case I became seriously ill.
The food poisoning in my case can easily be ...
Le Champlain is a beautiful, small, expedition ship. We sailed on her from Cayenne to Lisbon-had a wonderful time! Only 43 guests on this voyage and 120 crew-the 11 day crossing felt like a party on your best friend's large yacht. Nationalities of the guests: 5 Americans; 5 Australians; 2 Canadians; 4 from the UK; 1 German; and the rest French. All were well-traveled and everyone mixed well. ...
This ship is beautiful. It’s like being on a private yacht, especially when it is nowhere near full. It’s so easy to get everywhere and the decor is very soft aqua with neutrals. Our cabin was lovely and beautifully kept by our steward Manshuri. It’s really nice to have coffee capsules and different teas available and the mini bar has spirits, soft drinks and water. We were greeted by the Captain ...
We chose this cruise because of our prior good experience on Ponant’s Le Lyrial, as well as the promise of an expedition cruise in the exotic Amazon on a new, small ship. We were not disappointed.
Le Champlain is a beautiful boat, elegantly finished in light woods and simple decor. There is no bling, a huge positive for us. There is ample seating inside and out, and even below water in the ...