We joined Ponant’s Le Bellot in a rather soggy London at the Tower Pier where she was waiting to take us away from the wet UK weather to warm and sunny France on an overnight press trip sailing. At only 131 metres in length, this ship is one of only a few that can fit under Tower Bridge and into this prestigious berth in the heart of the city of London.

Le Bellot is the fifth of six ships of the Explorer class of expedition cruise ships in the Ponant fleet. Each ship in the Explorer class has been named after a famous French explorer, and Le Bellot is named after Joseph Rene Bellot, a French naval officer and Arctic explorer. Le Bellot was delivered to Ponant in March 2020 but because of the pandemic, is only now being put to service, with her christening taking place in Honfleur the day after we boarded, in a small intimate ceremony including members of Joseph Rene Bellot’s family.

Deck 3:

Entering the ship on deck three, you are greeted by a spacious and beautifully modern reception area, which includes a reception and concierge desk, an excursions desk, the ship’s administrative services, a future cruise sales office, and a generously sized boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various Ponant branded apparel. Through to the front of the ship on deck three is the theatre, which unusually for a cruise ship, can accommodate every one of the 184 guests if the ship is at full capacity. It has an LED wall at the back of the stage and hosts port and expedition talks as well as evening entertainment.

At the rear of deck three is the Main Lounge which can also accommodate every passenger at once. The lounge had a sophisticated, beach club vibe, offering a variety of seating options, all of which we found very comfortable. At the rear of the lounge is a large bar which is open throughout the day serving complimentary cocktails and drinks, as well as real coffee and a selection of the poshest teas we’ve ever seen on a ship, as well as delicious snacks appropriate to the time of day.

To the side of the bar are a set of double doors leading to a beautiful sun deck and outdoor seating area arranged around the stunning infinity pool. There is also an outdoor bar and grill serving al fresco lunches and dinner which can be enjoyed on the expansive terrace.

Deck 2:

The pool overlooks a huge marina on deck two which boasts a hydraulic platform that can be height adjusted to allow for zodiac embarkation on expedition cruises or lowered below the water line for paddling in the sea or easy access to water sports toys like kayaks and paddle boards. It’s the most beautifully designed marina deck we’ve seen on any ship and it’s what Ponant does exceptionally well across its fleet.

Deck 4:

Up the outside stairs to deck four there is another outdoor seating area, which brings the adjacent restaurant outside for alfresco dining on warm weather cruises. Doors on the terrace wings lead into the Restaurant, the charming main dining venue that like many of the venues, can accommodate ever single guest at once. We were lucky enough to sample breakfast, lunch and dinner here, including a delicious tasting menu dinner, and as one would expect their collaboration with Ducasse Conseil, a catering centre of excellence run by Alain Ducasse Entreprise, results in carefully crafted and perfectly executed menus, using the finest ingredients, to deliver delicious dishes.

Deck 6:
The rest of deck four and all of deck five are given over to staterooms and suites with more on deck six, as well as two public areas. The Art Gallery is home to the on board professional photographer and videographer where passengers can view and order their expedition photographs and videos. Next door to the Art Gallery is a small children’s club area complete with a cosy gaming lounge.

At the front of deck six is the Panoramic Lounge, which has a fabulous 180 degree view over the bow of the ship. The lounge houses a bar and indoor sofa seating as well as an outdoor terrace area with a few outdoor sofas for sitting out during scenic sailing. This was where most of the guests on our sail away came to enjoy a glass of champagne and enjoy the views as we sailed under the iconic Tower bridge in London.

Deck 7:

The other outdoor area is on deck seven at the very back of the sun deck. Like other Ponant expedition ships the middle of the top deck is given over to storing the ship’s zodiacs and equipment. Also on deck seven is the spa and fitness area which is unfortunately rather small and lacks any resistance equipment or free weights, having only cardio equipment. The spa, however, is very nice indeed with a couples massage room with a view and this gorgeous curvy sauna overlooking the sea.

Last, but definitely not least, is the ‘below deck’ Blue Eye lounge, that is not on any of the ships wall plans and only accessible from one special elevator. Entering here is entering a world under the sea! The first of its kind, the multi sensory lounge is all curves and arcs, with oval windows looking out into the vast underwater seascapes and lozenge shaped Body Listening Sofas from which to relax with your favourite drink as you watch the sub aquatic world around you, feel the subtle vibrations that move in unison with the sounds of the underwater world from up to five kilometres away being relayed in from outside microphones. Wow!

All 92 staterooms on Le Bellot have a balcony, a separate toilet and bathroom with panoramic windows for gazing out to sea as you relax under a warm shower. The design is contemporary but comfortable with an emphasis on ergonomic shapes with very few sharp edges and lots of curves. There is plenty of storage and each stateroom has a fully stocked minibar, a coffee station and comfortable balcony furniture. Below is an entry level Deluxe Balcony Stateroom on deck 3.

At the other end of the affordability scale is one of the largest suites on the ship, the Grand Deluxe Suites, one of four large suites located on decks 5 and 6 at the aft of the ship. We were allocated Suite 620 for the night. this suite has two toilets, one located off of the main living area for visiting guests to use and the other through the dressing area, in the exquisite bathroom, complete with a whirlpool bath, a large shower, and double sink. There’s even a TV hidden behind this mirror so you can watch a movie whilst soaking in the tub, although why would you with the utterly gorgeous picture window spanning the length of the bath.

On entering the suite there is a small living area which can be separated off from the bedroom and dressing area with sliding doors. There is a large sofa and separate armchair and a large TV above a small desk area, with balcony dorrs leading out to the balcony. Next door to the guest bathroom is the cupboard housing the coffee station and fully stocked minibar.

The bedroom is located on the side of the ship giving it wonderful views out to sea from both the side windows and the balcony doors leading out onto the extensive balcony. There is a large TV which drops down from the ceiling, operated by a car key type remote control, for perfect bedtime viewing. In the corner is a gorgeous little tub chair and bedside tables with USB charging.

For me the main highlight of this suite was the wonderful, extensive corner veranda with a generous selection of seating and loungers, perfect for lounging and dining with wonderful mood lighting, making it the perfect setting for a romantic evening at sea. We really didn’t want to leave!

If you would like to make an enquiry about a cruise on Ponant, or any other cruise line, simply click here and someone will be in touch with you soon.

Thank you to Ponant who invited us to join them on this overnight press trip sailing from central London to Honfleur in France and a massive thank you for accommodating us in the fabulous Grand Deluxe suite, we really didn’t want to leave!

Sailing under Tower Bridge knowing you’re holding up all the traffic was a bit of a thrill. You can see much more in our Slow TV special of the full real time sailing out of London on Le Bellot to the sea.

If you enjoyed this blog why not take a look at our Ponant L’Austral ship visit blog.

If you are interested in booking a cruise with these or any other luxury cruise lines then we would recommend contacting a connoisseur at our trusted cruise partners Panache cruises - please mention that you have been referred to them through Visit With Us.

If you would like to receive notification of any new blog posts, updates of our travels or links to our vlogs we would love for you to sign up to our mail list below. Thank you.