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.