ex-hippie

Would love to hear some reviews of the ship and tours. Please give us your thoughts! Looking to go in Dec. 2023.

I'm so happy that you have opted for a Regent cruise. We love the line, having travelled in the Mediterranean, Baltics and Spain with them.

You might consider looking into Tauck for future small ship cruising or land tours. They definitely cater to a slightly older crowd, but the level of comfort and luxury is unparalleled. They take care of so many details of travel, while allowing the guests to just enjoy, explore and learn. Fellow guests are well travelled, interesting but not stuffy or snooty. Land tours aren't for everyone - they involve lots of moving of hotels and a combination of busy days touring and long bus rides. The good thing is that you rarely have to lift your bags once the tour starts! Enjoy!

Just finished our Tauck Ponant Panama Canal/Costa Rica cruise on Le Bellot.

While we had a really great trip, it was more about the off ship experiences, which Tauck coordinates fully. There is a Tauck ship liaison who manages all of the excursions and I'm sure lots of other details. 
 

The entire ship (around 165 guests?) was a Tauck charter - all inclusive. We paid extra for NOTHING. The only thing one might spend extra on is special bottles of wine, the spa or the one boutique. Our tour included 2 nights in Panama City and 2 nights in San Jose, Costa Rica. Most of our onshore meals were included.

We had some really special and unique experiences which would have been more complicated to arrange on our own: visiting the rainforest, the biodiversity museum, a village of the Embera tribe, zip lining, hiking with a naturalist, snorkeling. 
 

It was a nice, cohesive group. While some people preferred to keep to themselves, others were more social. We were divided into 5 groups - we travelled together by bus when on land. Some folks opted to relax on the ship, while others were off 2x a day for sightseeing and adventure. 
 

About the ship:

Le Bellot is a petite ship. We had cabin 419 - rather small with a very small veranda. We spent very little time in the room. Plenty of storage with a good sized bed (queen/king?). Everything worked fine - room was serviced 2x/day.

Food: good but not memorable. Sometimes very good - seafood lunch at the outside grill was delicious. Enjoyed cappuccino is the mornings at the pool deck bar. Main dining room had better food and service than the grill at dinner, but these areas seemed understaffed. 
 

I believe that this ship and this cruise in particular was more about the whole experience. We learned a great deal about the Canal, the wildlife and culture in these two countries. Our tour directors were very knowledgeable about the area - we had daily briefings and lectures, including wildlife BBC producer Tim Martin. This was similar to expedition cruises we've done in the Galapagos and the Arctic on Silversea. Dress code was quite casual and became even more so as time went on.

We did not use the spa but we did go down to the Blue Eye Lounge for a timed visit. Very uneventful - the bar was closed. It's a quiet, meditative space. We went to the first night of musical entertainment. While the performers were talented, we didn't feel the need to return another night. We were tired after a whole day of outdoor activities, dinner, wine. 
 

I'm not sure I would book another Ponant cruise if it wasn't with Tauck. We like the way they organize the tours and vet the local companies. 

We went with Hurtigruten back in 2008...not luxury but very good excursions. We saw their ships in Norway this summer, so it might be worth checking them out.

Fletcher - you are so right! We cruise based on itinerary. I see you were on the Silver Galapagos in 2019 - we did it in 2018 and it is still one of our best trips ever. I even preferred it to Antarctica (mostly because I got to snorkel up close to those juvenile sea lions!). We did Iceland/Svalbard this summer on the Silver Wind - great trip, too.

We will take our first Ponant/Tauck Panama Canal cruise on the Bellot in January. Tauck has the whole ship - the date doesn't show up on Ponant's site. We're doing it with Tauck because it's all inclusive - also includes a land tour in Costa Rica. We've travelled with Tauck before. We feel they offer a very comprehensive trip and have a well deserved reputation for quality travel. That said, their cruises are more expensive than the published Ponant cruises. There are no hidden costs; all excursions are included.

20 hours ago, carefreecruise said:

June 28th. I guess I should have looked at what day of the week it falls on...

Just wanted to be sure I had my schedule correct - see you then!

7 hours ago, carefreecruise said:

Thanks for the outside picture.  We will see her Monday. 

Monday or Tuesday? Reykjavik?

Guess I'm going to have to pack my mini dresses! Thanks for the info!

No need for appointments...if you purchase the Binax testing kits (with on line supervision included), you can do it at your leisure.

We are on the Wind Reykjavik to Tromso Expedition in  2 weeks. We rented waterproof boots directly from Silversea for this trip - I fear that the waters in the Arctic are too cold for Keens or open sandals. I may throw hikers in my backpack if we go out for long hikes.
 

While pricey to rent,  I know that I don't need this kind of boot in my permanent East Coast wardrobe (snow boots are more common!), and I don't want to bother packing high rain boots.
 

I think that ultimately it will depend on whether landings are wet or dry. Either way, I suspect they'll be chilly!

Thank you so much for the reports!

I'm still a little surprised about the formal night - maybe because it was the inaugural sailing?

Looking forward to more reports from the Wind - 28 days to go!

Yes, you need to give it a little time. The first passengers on the refurbished Wind have only begun their trip.

We are on the June 28th sailing from Reykjavik to Tromso (going up to the Svalbard). I'll be happy to share my experiences with you at that time!

Hi Laurie!

We did a Silversea Galapagos trip in 2018 and loved it so much that we booked a London ➡️ Lisbon expedition that was ultimately cancelled.

Now we're going in June on the Wind for a Reykjavik ➡️ Tromso expedition. Getting very excited! It's a long time to be on a ship where you spend a lot of time on the water; most of our other cruises have been very port intensive, where we used the ship as our floating hotel as a means to visit many cities. One other exception was Antarctica with Hurtigruten in 2008.  Seems like a lifetime ago! We are a bit older and realize we need to squeeze in these expeditions while we are still physically able!

Really curious about reviews of the newly refurbished Wind and other thoughts on Arctic Expeditions on Silversea. There isn't much info on line. Constantly rethinking my packing decisions with regard to wet vs. dry landings, and what I'll need onboard and on shore. 
 

It was easy in the Galapagos, because you can leave things on the beach, and change from hiking to snorkeling gear. In Iceland and the Arctic, I imagine the terrain is quite different. In Antarctica, it was all mushy snow!

Cheers!

I was also offered a choice by Ponant for my Aug 5 Iceland trip: 1) switch to a different Iceland cruise leaving the same day (which involves a flight from Paris-Reykjavík- how are we going to manage that from NY?) or 2) take a credit good for 24 months. 
 

I asked my TA to please work on our behalf to push for a refund. I already have two  future trips planned through this agency; hoping she has some clout. 
 

Ponant's behavior is very disappointing. I have a pretty full schedule for the next two years, including professional travel plans. I don't want a credit. I want a refund. Feeling very discouraged!
 

On 7/8/2020 at 2:19 PM, navybankerteacher said:

The deterioration of standards to keep fares down has taken virtually all mass market lines off our list.  Our first NCL cruise (on Norway) was a pleasure - later ones (repeated only because of great itinerary: Boston to St. George, Bermuda for several days in port) became less and less worth the fare. HAL, which used to be superior to other mass market lines, has joined Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Celebrity in cheapening the experience while increasing the crowding.  Only Cunard retains some interest - largely because of QM2’s trans-Atlantic service.

 

Low price alone, while great, does not warrant spending ANY amount on a shoddy product. The lines did not resist inflation - they simply cheapened their product.

I love your last paragraph! Frankly, people seem to complain at every level, be it economy or luxury.

I am an optician employed in a small, private practice. People are constantly asking me, "when did glasses get so expensive?" My response... "when did glasses get so CHEAP?" Our prices haven't gone up in ten years. They buy garbage on line and expect me to fix and adjust them. And to pay nothing for services rendered by professionals. People expect so much for so little.

When I was hungry and broke, I learned how to cook. We all deserve better than fast food. Now I choose my cruise lines carefully, and I travel when it's in the budget. Small ships, luxury lines, great itineraries. Perhaps fewer trips than I'd like, but better quality!

Having sailed on large and small ships, Regent is still my favorite. Took a trip from Barcelona to Lisbon last spring on the Explorer- it really is a beautiful ship. Surprisingly, the same category cabin on the Voyager had a king bed rather than a queen, and a larger bath with tub and shower. Still, it was the itinerary that mattered most. Unfortunately, most European routes on their schedule stop in Rome and Florence...cities that many cruisers have been to already (and not really close to the ports you dock at).

Just be aware of groups that may occupy much of the ship. On that trip, there was a large corporate group that somewhat took over the boat. I didn't notice it initially, but later other guests mentioned to us how it changed the dynamic of the trip. If you prefer to keep to yourselves, I guess it wouldn't matter much, but if you prefer to socialize and meet new people, it might. I plan on checking this with future bookings, especially on smaller ships.