A Visit Onboard Ponant's Le Champlain
I was delighted to be invited aboard Ponant’s Champlain on her recent visit to Rosyth.
The Ponant Line
The Ponant line was founded in 1988 by retired officers from the French Merchant Navy, although no longer in private ownership – the original French chic lives on. The ships crew are largely (multilingual) French and, as one would expect from a French line, Ponant ships take cuisine seriously and offer the highest standards in their menus and accompanying wines. The French 'art of living' runs through Ponant ships, wherever in the world they are cruising.
Ponant is a premium cruise line; think high end with an air of quiet luxury. Ships are small with guests in the hundreds rather than thousands. The emphasis is on providing customers with an exceptional experience. Staff are attentive and expert in their field, with a staff:customer ratio of circa 1:2 one could almost be on a private yacht. Cruise with flagship Le Ponant and, with only 32 passengers onboard you practically are on a private yacht!
What’s on board
To help passengers in their relaxation, each of Ponant’s ships has a bespoke spa onboard. The spas offer a wide choice of top-of-the-range treatments provided in association with Sothys™, Clarins, Biologique Recherche or Algotherm, massage cabins are available on all ships with Turkish baths, saunas or a snow room provided on some.
Each ship has a library, theatre and pool area – there is no possibility that you could be bored on ‘at sea’ days. Champlain has a wonderful hydraulic platform on Deck 2; making it easier to disembark and embark the zodiacs on an expedition cruise and also giving a wonderful opportunity for swimming in the sea and enjoying kayaking and paddleboarding. All of that activity builds up an appetite - Champlain has two onboard resaurants; panoramic Le Nautilus and the beautifully relaxed Grill Restaurant. There is an exceptional wine cellar on board.
Last, but by no means least, Champlain has The Blue Eye – this really needs to be seen to be experienced. I don’t think that any attempts to describe it here will do this bar area justice. Located at Deck 0 the Blue Eye is an underwater lounge which seats just 40 passengers. It’s a beautiful space and it’s also completely fascinating as the windows give you a glimpse of the sealife in the waters you are cruising. It’s hynoptic and quite breathtaking.
Interested in finding your perfect Ponant cruise ... contact us and let's explore your options.
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The accommodation
The 92 staterooms and suites of Le Champlain are beautifully designed and furnished, with the facilities you would expect in a 5* hotel. All come with 24 hour room service. The Bose Bluetooth speaker is a nice touch for this music lover!
Where can I go?
When it comes to itineraries, Ponant has an inspiring and enticing range of options. From the sunny shores of the Mediterranean to the mysterious coasts of Asia, from the lush banks of the Amazon river to the majestic Antarctic glaciers, Ponant has you covered. Their smaller ships mean that passengers are able to experience exceptional destinations, which larger cruise ships simply can’t access. It would remis not to mention Oceania and French Polynesia here, Ponant are masters of the game when it comes to cruises in the southern oceans and French Polynesia.
Sustainable Travel
If sustainable travel is important to you, as it is to me, you will be pleased to know that Ponant takes sustainability seriously. The Line has 5 strategic commitments including the elimination of single use plastics (you won’t find any onboard a Ponant ship) and collaborative work with all service providers and ports to ensure recyclable waste like cardboard, tin cans and packaging are being recycled and reused. Their targets (and performance against each) are transparent and commendable. Ponant actively works to promote sustainable tourism and to encourage conscious travels; supporting and working with the communities that they visit on each voyage.
Contact us to plan your cruise.
When it comes to itineraries, Ponant has an inspiring and enticing range of options. From the sunny shores of the Mediterranean to the mysterious coasts of Asia, from the lush banks of the Amazon river to the majestic Antarctic glaciers, Ponant has you covered. Their smaller ships mean that passengers are able to experience exceptional destinations, which larger cruise ships simply can’t access.
Le Champlain has 7 decks (5 are guest decks) is 430 ft long, has a gross tonnage of 9,976 UMS and a cruising speed of 12.5 knots. There is a guest capacity of 184 (there are 118 crew members) and carries 9 Zodiacs for expeditions. The ship was built in Norway and undertook her maiden voyage in 2018.
At PONANT, the "all-inclusive" includes:
- accommodation in stateroom,
- the full meal plan,
- the Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day. Certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar,
- free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day*,
- activities offered during expedition cruises (see section "Expedition cruises"),
- access to all the common areas:
- on board our sister ships and Ponant Explorers: fitness room, steam room, hair salon, swimming pool (sea water, heated), solarium, lounges, theater, boutique & leisure area.
- on board of our three-masted Le Ponant: Solarium of 400 m², marina, lounge, Boutique & leisure area.
Spa treatments, excursions and door-to-door transfers are NOT included.
