Ponant - Le Bellot - Review
In a nutshell
The ship: Le Bellot is deliciously petite, with only 90 cabins across three accommodation decks. Everything is just a few steps away.
The vibe: Quiet, understated luxury. Think first class, not business class. Ponant doesn't shout, and it doesn't need to.
The service: Immaculate French staff, multiskilled and personal. In 14 days I never saw more than two people waiting at reception.
The highlights: The aft-facing infinity pool, the observation bar, a French cheese extravaganza, and the spectacular Blue Eye bar below the waterline.
The verdict: Ponant is like fine wine. Is she for you? Read on and I'll let you know.
NB: This blog post is video and image heavy, that is why it may take a while to load.
Petite
Petite is a word I'll use throughout this review: refined, delicate, intimate, exclusive.
That's the first impression on boarding any Ponant ship.
Le Bellot, with a complement of only 90 cabins, seems deliciously and intriguingly petite when you gaze up at her from the dock.
With only three accommodation decks, there are no more than 15 cabins visible on each. This is both a revelation and a revolution for those stepping up from mid-range mega ships that might have almost 2,500 cabins. But even if you're used to sailing on other 6-star brands such as Regent, Silversea and Explora, you'll still be in for a surprise. Their larger ships can now carry 900 passengers with up to 16 decks.
So, to be clear from the get-go, Ponant is in a league of its own.
I can't overstate how decadent it feels, and how privileged you feel, to experience such a small footprint. We were on Deck 5, and virtually all the public areas, such as the restaurants, bars and pool deck, were rarely more than one deck up or down, just a few steps away. If, like me, you lean into stress-free cruising, this might be one element you haven't considered or experienced to date. Take it from me, you should.
Boarding
You board Le Bellot on Deck 3 and step straight into the central reception area, which sets the tone for the cruise and aptly sums up the brand's values. The design aesthetic is bespoke and understated, with a refined and distinctly European air. Think crisp contemporary blond wood, a touch of chrome, expensive curved lines and a sharp, subdued lighting scheme.
The two floating, abstract desks at reception exude a very expensive, serene day-spa vibe.
Immaculately groomed French staff in richly tailored navy suits, crisp white cotton shirts and lipstick-red scarves and ties welcome you aboard in evocative accented English.
This is no hotel reception experience. Oftentimes staff will walk around in front of the counter to engage in conversation. Throughout the full 14-day voyage I never saw more than two people waiting to be served.
Many staff are multiskilled due to the size of the ship. Monique, who greets you at reception, will be the same person who answers your room service or maintenance calls, or indeed anything else for that matter. This is distinctly different to most other lines with larger ships, and again it's a breath of fresh air.
Filling out this central space is a surprisingly well-stocked boutique, which feels completely in keeping with its French name, along with an unobtrusive excursion desk.
What Ponant Is (and What She Isn't)
While writing up my thoughts on this trip, I've taken some time to ponder how Ponant fits into the top end of the luxury segment. So before we explore the rest of the ship, it's important to understand the broader brand values and how they mesh with the rest of the industry.
Luxury brands are my stock in trade (how lucky am I?). Luxury means different things to each of the high-end brands, as it does to each of us.
Having spent decades with a premium airline, working across both first and business class cabins, I've observed a thing or two about the lifestyles of the rich and famous: what they want, what they don't, and the true meaning of luxury. The definition I've personally settled on is likely not what you'd expect.
Those who travel in business class, the new moneyed class, want everything. Literally. The full monty and the kitchen sink, to mix a few metaphors. They want luxury of the extreme kind, with all the bells and whistles, the good china and polished silver. "Putting on the Ritz" is a phrase that, if it wasn't coined for them, has certainly been appropriated by them. They want (correction, they need) labels, and lots of them, and these need to be seen: on bags, cars, towels, whatever.
First class, on the other hand, is quite literally another world. Another vibe. On the whole, first class passengers want for little, and many times for nothing at all. Labels are not their thing. If you have it, you don't need to flaunt it, and it's rather unsavoury if you do.
You'd be surprised how often those who've paid $20,000 for a suite up in the pointy end, which includes free-flow Dom and unlimited caviar, will whisper quietly on boarding (they always tend to whisper) if they may please have a glass of water and nothing else. Literally: no meal, no fuss. They settle in, perhaps read a book, watch a movie and then sleep the rest of the way.
Whereas if you head aft, beyond the curtain of demarcation to business class, all hell will invariably be breaking loose. I want a scotch before take-off. Now. Give me this, get me that, all in sync with a symphony of call bells going off.
This is why so many people who book business class adore Emirates. It's ritzy and glitzy, with high-gloss rosewood veneer and gold highlights. It's all very Mar-a-Lago-ish, which certainly makes for some mesmerising Instagram content.
Don't read me wrong. I do love me a bit of Emirates kitsch. Their sky bars really are as sexy as they look, and who among us doesn't love a bit of subservient service, an ever-increasing rarity these days, especially in aviation. Or indeed anywhere else.
The reason I've taken this little luxe detour is not so much to describe what Ponant is, but what she isn't.
The essence of the Ponant style book is sleight of hand and a deft touch with labels. This is what true luxury looks and feels like. It doesn't try too hard. It doesn't shout. Ponant doesn't need to. Those same content creators who are so happy snapping away on Emirates won't find the same scroll-stopping backdrops or interiors on Ponant.
But by the same measure, those from first class, who know true luxury and don't want or need it slammed down their throat, will be delighted and feel very much at home.
That quiet confidence goes back to how Ponant began.
On 1 April 1988, 14 young French Merchant Navy officers, set out to start their own cruise company. Their first ship was Le Ponant, a three-masted barque launched in 1991, and she remains in their fleet to this day. Since 2021 the company has been privately owned by the Pinault family.
Our Cabin
As you can see from the images above, the design is fresh and contemporary, but not cold. Warm and European. Amenities include a minibar with spirits and wine replenished daily, along with still and sparkling water, and my personal favourite, an espresso machine. A few high-end lines like Silversea and Explora have started rolling these out, and there is nothing better than having a great cup of coffee whenever you want. A great feature of all Ponant ships is separate toilets and bathrooms, which is nice even when travelling with your long-term partner.
Ponant ships are narrower than most 6-star brands, which means the cabins are not as broad as some, such as Seabourn and Silversea, who are able to provide a separate sitting area and walk-in robe. However, we were very comfortable and space was never an issue. I should flag that we were in a wider accessible cabin. Usually I loathe these, as most come with hideous grab rails and white, hospital-grade shower curtains. The Ponant design team, however, has created a bathroom with a walk-in shower that avoids the need for a curtain. So instead of being upset with our allocation, we appreciated the extra space. These can be requested closer to departure if they have not been booked.
A Quick Tour of Le Bellot, Bow to Stern
So come with me on a quick tour of the whole ship, from the keel up.
Starting forward on Deck 3 is the theatre, a space not dissimilar to most high-end expedition ships. Due to the small passenger count there are only five or six rows, so everyone gets a great, unobstructed view. It's here that the Captain's welcome aboard is held, along with enrichment lectures and screenings of documentaries exploring the remote ecosystems that are a hallmark of the brand. On many evenings there are shows performed here. We had three dancers onboard who I believe came from a ballet company in Paris.
From here it's no more than a two-minute stroll aft towards reception and the boutique mentioned above. Moving just a wee bit astern, you'll pass a discreet set of elevators and stairs, not, as on many ships, a cavernous central staircase. Then just a couple more steps and you enter the main lounge, which by day and night is the beating heart of the ship.
The main lounge and pool deck
There's always a barista on by day who becomes a mixologist by night and can create your favourite cocktail. Every time I called in for coffee I was asked, "The usual?"
It's here too that high tea is served most afternoons, French style. Think crepes with Grand Marnier, dainty ladyfinger sandwiches, or scones with double-thick clotted cream. You get the idea.
This lounge is also home to the daily trivia competition, along with a huge range of events throughout the voyage. One night it could be a formal VIP event such as a caviar tasting and a chance to meet the senior officers, or a solo meet and mingle.
Large glass doors open onto a casual alfresco dining venue serving an array of culturally focused meals, be it a seafood buffet or regional dishes based on each itinerary. This includes a grill where hatted executive chefs cook items to order.
The focus out here is a Ponant signature: an aft-facing infinity pool with a glass wall looking out over the wake. As I've mentioned several times already, Ponant is an understated lady, without the glitz and glamour of some other brands. But this setting, this pool, really is straight out of superyacht territory. Around the pool and at the back of the deck are decadent day beds and bespoke leather sofas, and it feels for all the world as if you're cruising on your own superyacht. In terms of size and appointments, that's exactly what this is.
Of all the pool deck configurations on the ships I've sailed, I always feel the aft-facing pools win out every time. There's nothing better than sipping a piña colada in the pool, looking out over the wake. It's very special, and to me much nicer than the central pools favoured by most of the bigger ships.
Sweeping down either side of the pool, stairs lead to another unique Ponant innovation: an aft water platform with a newfangled contraption that can extend down to water level for expedition operations. On voyages like ours, it's instead a very stylish, very civilised platform from which to board tenders ashore. No assembling in dark, dank corridors and exiting through a hatch in the side of the ship, as 95% of ships require. Instead you wait in luxury on the day beds or in the adjoining lounge, coffee or cocktail in hand. Très chic.
Back to our tour. It's just a few steps from the lounge, up a single flight of stairs, to Deck 4. Head aft again and a glass-walled wine cellar announces that you've reached the entrance to a high-end restaurant.
Off to the left is a salad bar of sorts that evolves during the day, from a breakfast sideboard of fruit, fresh-squeezed juices, baguettes and pastries, to lunchtime fare of soups, salads and cold cuts, to specialty dinner smorgasbord spreads.
One memorable night the entire space (which isn't small) was taken over by a French cheese extravaganza. Oh my golly gosh, vive la France! It was a stinking mess of gooey triple-cream bries, runny Camemberts, unwashed rinds, rotten ash-covered mouldy blue vein, and a zillion other cheesy delights only the French would have any idea about.
The décor of the restaurant is warm and contemporary without being cold. The feature I like most, and which is unique here, is that because it's on a high deck rather than down low, as the main restaurant is on most ships, there are full-size windows along every side and doors at the rear opening onto the aft deck. Whether we were in port or at sea, you had a real sense of being part of the environment and knowing where you were, instead of having small porthole-style windows that let in limited light and displace you from the outside world. Again, this is a big plus and shows how carefully Ponant has designed its ships and deck plans.
Back to the tour. The forward corridor off the restaurant is reserved for cabins, so it's up another flight of stairs to Deck 5, which is exclusively cabins. After a final flight of stairs we come to Deck 6. Again it's predominantly cabins, but head to the bow and you come to the observation bar.
It has the same design aesthetic as the rest of the ship, with a warmer resort twist, which to me is a hybrid of a Noosa beach house with a touch of French. To the right is a library-cum-conservatory of sorts, while the rest of the space is a collection of beautiful chairs in intimate groupings where you can read a book, chat with friends, snooze in the sun, or simply watch the world go by.
Outside is an expansive wraparound deck, the perfect place to be coming into port or during any scenic cruising. We were especially fortunate to sail through the Cape Cod Canal, with the entire passenger complement and a number of the ship's officers on deck to watch the transit, cocktails in hand. It was also the place to be as we sailed into New York Harbour at six in the morning, and again when we sailed out at 11 o'clock at night.
On our voyage this bar was the meeting place for pre-dinner drinks and gorgeous cocktails. Charlie, the resident mixologist, knew us all by name. As we walked in each night he'd say, "Would you like the usual, or would you like me to create something especially for you?" This is one of the joys of sailing on a ship with an open bar: you get to try a smorgasbord of incredible cocktails you'd never be able to afford back home.
Finally, there's a day spa, sauna and salon on Deck 7.
So that's it. That's a full tour of Le Bellot. There's not much difference between her and the other five Explorer-class sister ships in the fleet, certainly not in interior design and floor plans. They all look and feel essentially the same. The biggest difference is the pool, which moves up to Deck 6 along with the casual dining restaurant.
The Blue Eye Bar
Whoops. Big whoopsie. I've just realised I neglected to mention the famous, intriguingly different Blue Eye bar way down on Deck 1.
There is no other space or bar as spectacular or unique on any ship outside Ponant’s Explorer fleet.
It's well below the waterline, which is immediately apparent on entering, as there are two huge panels cut into the hull, one on each side of the ship. During the day you can see sunlight streaming through the water. At night, lights transform it into a completely different experience, with ribbons of bubbles dancing like a ballet as we stream to our next port.
The design brief was obviously to emulate and celebrate a blue whale. The curved white ribbing on the ceiling is reminiscent of whale bones or, more on point, a whale's eye. It's dark, rich and glamorous down here, with very dim lighting and wraparound LED screens on which incandescent jellyfish and marine plants compete for your attention.
As you're way down in the hull, effectively on the keel of the ship, the floor and walls are all curved and sculpted. Built into it all are sunken sofas in white leather, very reminiscent of Bond. James Bond. As if all of that wasn't evocative enough, most nights the playlist was Frank Sinatra.
My only complaint is that this bar wasn't open every night. You really need to look at the photos to understand what I'm talking about.
Full video tour retracing all of the public areas as detailed above.
Should Ponant Be on Your Short List?
So that's the end of my little tour. Hopefully it conveys something of how delightfully different she is, and how privileged you feel to sail on such a ship.
I tend to be a passionate, blue-sky sort of person, while my partner Jack is much more refined and reserved. Actually, he is very Ponant, and has amazing taste (after all, he did marry me). Anyway, I asked him for his honest opinion on how I'd explained the Ponant point of difference and our experience onboard. He concurred with my thoughts, which doesn't happen every day.
As to things I didn't like, there really wasn't anything of note, which is noteworthy in and of itself.
If pushed, what would I change? Maybe the bath soaps. But Jack explained that Diptyque is a very expensive French brand, and I fully realise this might have just come down to the individual scent. These things are very much down to personal taste. Soaps don't really rock my boat, and nor do they influence who I cruise with, or don't.
So, should you try Ponant? Should Ponant be on your short list?
I'm not sure I'd recommend Ponant for your first cruise. I'd suggest sampling the broader smorgasbord of options out there first and working out what you like and don't like. For more seasoned cruisers and old sea dogs who know exactly what they want, I'm sure you'll love and appreciate the Ponant point of difference, especially the smaller-ship vibe, just as much as we did.
It's obviously not a product for those who want big musical cast shows and non-stop activities to fill every minute. Ponant is more chilled and relaxed.
Ponant Deals
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Solo Deals
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Website: www.6star4less.com
Fleet Captain James
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