Expedition cruise - Belize City to Belize City (Dumont d´Urville Nov 2023)

[Charmar78]

I just joined Cruise Critic and I am so excited to finally find useful information and trip reviews from travelers on Ponant! I am considering booking a tropical exploration cruise to Belize/Honduras, has anyone done that one? It looks like they have 5 departure dates between Nov 14th and Dec 19th and I am wondering whether this is a new itinerary that they have not done before? Anyone has experience with Ponant cruises in that region? 

 

It will be my first cruise, I am not normally attracted to cruising but because it is an expedition going to very remote places that I would have a very hard time getting to by myself, I am very tempted (+ the food and boat look wonderful). I have a few questions on this itinerary if anyone has experienced an expedition cruise and could help as the Ponant website is not super detailed:

 

1) With most (if not all) excursions outings being done by tender, is it likely that we will have a shorter excursion time that on a normal cruise so that they have enough time to rotate boats and groups? I am wondering if we may end-up with limited 2-hour trips and having to spend the rest of the day on the boat.

 

2) I am French, and actually looking forward to meeting people from other countries (rather than 100% French), In your experience is there a good mix of nationalities on Ponant? I assume it vastly depends on the itinerary, but this is also an important element of my choice.

 

3) Has anyone stayed in one of the slightly larger accessible Deluxe rooms on deck 4 (431)? This is the one their website is offering for my date and although bigger I am wondering whether I may be close to a lot of traffic (on the map I see it is closer to an outdoor access (maybe to board the zodiacs?) Does it have the same overall decoration and furniture, just bigger or is there a significant difference?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[AussieBoyTX]

@Charmar78, welcome!

 

I have sailed on Ponant through this area, but this itinerary is new, as are most of the stops on it. I was on Le Champlain in 2019 on a Cozumel-Cozumel trip that covered Guatemala, Honduras & Belize -- the only overlapping stops are Belize City, Half Moon Caye & Water Caye.

 

This is also an Expedition, which suggests that 1) there are Ponant naturalists on onboard 2) excursions are by Zodiac. In my experience, excursions led by Ponant's naturalists are generally included in the price on Expeditions. I don't think the excursions will necessarily be shorter. There are enough Zodiacs (and tenders) for everyone to be off the ship at the same time -- it really comes down to how much there is to do at each port-of-call. Perhaps there's an organized activity in the morning and free time in the afternoon? Just a guess based on experience.

 

Our cruise was focused on ancient cultures and the major excursions were actually flights to some of the major ancient cities in the region. They were quite expensive, IMO, and I did not take them. This cruise seems focused on more coastal experiences and the Discover the Scouting section with José Sarica and Captain Simon suggests that Ponant has learned a lot about the region since I went.

 

The scuba diving in the region is excellent and Ponant does a good job with their dive activities. Lighthouse Reef at Half Moon Caye is spectacular, as is Water Caye (Utila). Half Moon Caye is also the location of the Great Blue Hole -- a dive that is on many bucket lists, but is a pain to get to from Belize City. It was quite luxurious to have Le Champlain at anchor 15 minutes away instead of taking the beating of a three hour speedboat ride each way to get there!

 

Do note that Ponant requires PADI Advanced Open Water certification to dive on this itinerary.

 

Given the region, I would guess no more than half the guests to be French-speaking. The others will be likely be other Europeans, Australians and Americans. Ponant's languages are French and English and lectures are always offered in both languages. It is quite common for French-speakers to either officially or non-officially move themselves to the English-speaking group for reasons like yours.

 

I have not stayed in Cabin 431. It is adjacent to the main guest stairs, not an outdoor access, but I would expect high traffic and any sort of noise only at the beginning of dinner service. Otherwise, the Deck 4 corridor doesn't lead anywhere, so there won't be any traffic other than other guests on your floor.

 

The accessible cabins offer meaningful additional space that's especially noticeable between the foot of the bed and the wall and that is nice. The downside is the accessible shower means that water tends to get everywhere on the floor and that's not to my liking. My preference is for the regular stateroom with a glassed-in shower and separate WC cabin.

 

If this leads to additional questions, feel free to follow-up!

Edited March 29, 2023 by AussieBoyTX

[Charmar78]

Thanks a lot that was fast! 🙂

 

I am not actually a diving so hoping there will be other things on offer, from itinerary I see there is quite a few explorations with naturalists and beach/snorkeling activities so it should be nice.

 

I am excited about the itinerary as it seems to be very unique and different from other cruise lines although I would have preferred to not be on the first few cruises that go there so they have time to work out issues... but I guess we will have to be flexible and go with flow!

 

I have been told by Ponant that because it is an expedition all excursions are included in the price, so I think it is really good value (hoping there are actually good excursions). The cruise you did from Cozumel sounds great too, we are actually planning to visit San Ignacio before the departure of the cruise to see some of the Mayan sites as well.

 

 

[AussieBoyTX]

The pricing does seem very good and I like the itinerary. We all look forward to hearing your trip report!

[Charmar78]

Sure, I will report back if we finally decide to book! How did you find Belize and Honduras in terms of safety? Which mayan ruins did you visit and you recommend in Belize?

[jpalbny]

Go for it! Sounds like a fun cruise and a nice way to visit the region. We have really enjoyed our two Ponant cruises and I'm sure that you will also.

 

The Anglophone group on our most recent cruise was a great mix of Australia/NZ, Great Britain and Ireland, plus a fair number of other Europeans who use English as a second language (German, Dutch, etc). It was a fun group.

 

I also look forward to reading your trip report.

[AussieBoyTX]

18 hours ago, Charmar78 said:

Sure, I will report back if we finally decide to book! How did you find Belize and Honduras in terms of safety? Which mayan ruins did you visit and you recommend in Belize?

 

We didn't visit any of the ruins in Belize on this trip. It just didn't make sense to go to all that effort and spend quite a lot of money for only a couple of hours on site. However, not tied to a cruise, I have been to Caracol, which I found very interesting.

 

Our stop in Honduras was at Puerto Cortez, which is a good-sized commercial port, with no real tourist amenities. With help from dock workers, we got a taxi into town and had a nice time walking around the town square area. I noticed two policemen keeping an eye on us, but otherwise, didn't feel in any danger. One of the things we've come to enjoy on Ponant is going to ports that aren't on other lines' itineraries and exploring on our own.

 

The port area of Belize City, on the other hand, was not to my liking. Very busy with other cruise ships, and their tenders and tours. Lots of touts trying to work deals. We got a few blocks away and things got a little quieter, but it also wasn't all that interesting. If "felt" like an ideal situation for pickpockets, but didn't actually see any sign of that.

[Charmar78]

Thanks for all your inputs! We are planning to do Xunantunich closer to San Ignacio as the trek down to Caracol seems rough and we only have only 1 night between arrival in BZE and departure of the cruise so it will be too tight. I wish we had time to do it + Tikal which is super close as well, next time!

I will pick a standard cabin as the caveat you mentioned with the larger cabin will bother me for sure.

 

I actually just attended a webinar organized by Ponant (Jose Sarica) to present their Latin American cruises and they spent quite a lot of time to on this itinerary, it really sounds amazing, I am sold! 🙂

They shared that the captain on these cruise departures will be Mr. Daumesnil, have you cruised with him before?

 

 

 

 

[Charmar78]

Sorry me again, what´s the best ´side´, not sure which side overlooks at the coast? I would prefer mid ship to limit sea sickness at maximum. Thanks!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I agree with the caveat about the shower in an accessible cabin, and although I haven't seen the one on Ponant my experience on other ships and hotels when I was put in one (never requested, as don't need) is that they tend to feel less luxurious as the accommodations are functional rather than plush.

 

I'm not sure what the arrow on the deck plan next to 431 means – on the photos it looks like a public balcony?  431 is also directly above the starboard access area on deck 3 – some people might like watching the comings and goings in port, but we prefer privacy.  

Assuming that the cabin numbers in your post are the choices you have:

•  402 is too far forward [you are worried about seasickness]

•  408 is right next to a staff stairway [I would worry about noise]

•  412 would be my choice – mid(ish) and low(ish) for a smooth ride, not next to any stairways or public areas, cabins above and below.

 

One larger comment:  Deck 4 seems to be the ideal location, as the deck 3 corridor will be very busy with theater traffic and the higher you go the more motion you get.  Also the Prestige staterooms on deck 4 have a couch; on decks 5 and 6 all those staterooms have a connecting door in that location – possible source of noise, and the couch is replaced by a small chair.  We have been in 509, which was a fine location – but we are going with 416 on our cruise next month to get the couch.

[Charmar78]

Then 412 it will be! I was hoping for a cabin on the other side to get the port/coast view when we sail but I guess it is not available if not offered. I will check with Ponant over the phone before booking just in case. Glad that the 4th deck is better than 5th, I was led to believe it was the opposite as 5th is priced higher. I am sure I will have a million more questions before we sail in November, the information on this board has been invaluable thank you all!

 

I will make sure to report back with a detailed review upon return 🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 minutes ago, Charmar78 said:

Then 412 it will be! I was hoping for a cabin on the other side to get the port/coast view when we sail but I guess it is not available if not offered. I will check with Ponant over the phone before booking just in case. Glad that the 4th deck is better than 5th, I was led to believe it was the opposite as 5th is priced higher. I am sure I will have a million more questions before we sail in November, the information on this board has been invaluable thank you all!

 

I will make sure to report back with a detailed review upon return 🙂

Most ships increase the price as you go up a deck – a leftover from the pre-AC days when higher cabins had a better chance of catching a breeze.  [Remember the adage POSH: port out, starboard home – to catch the breezes in the Suez Canal.]  And some people prefer the view from higher up.  But for smooth sailing, lower is better.  

 

Also, for future reference, the smooth-sailing midpoint is not the middle of the ship; because of the weight of the engines the rotational point is somewhere aft of the actual middle.  That's also why the front of the ship moves up and down much more than the aft – like a seesaw with an adult on one end and a kid on the other!

[AussieBoyTX]

2 hours ago, Charmar78 said:

They shared that the captain on these cruise departures will be Mr. Daumesnil, have you cruised with him before?

 

Yes, we sailed with him in Norway last year. Although I've never come across a Ponant captain I didn't like, Captain Daumesnil was very good. I especially liked the virtual bridge tour (which was actually much, much more) he offered instead of a physical bridge tour.

 

I wrote about it here

 

 

[jpalbny]

We were just in 412 on Le Laperouse. Nice location and a fine choice.

[Charmar78]

Thanks, I have just blocked an option on cabin 412! Do you recommend taking the multirisk insurance that Ponant offers (6.5% of the cruise cost) or do you use CC coverage like AMEX or any other insurance? What about travel/health insurance, any company that you recommend?

[AussieBoyTX]

Since COVID, I have always used/purchased some kind of travel insurance. We had a few small claims -- all were a pain to deal with the insurer, but all were ultimately paid.

 

The Ponant insurance certificates are very official looking and in places that required COVID evacuation coverage at the time (Seychelles and Mexico), they were readily accepted at the border.

 

Otherwise, our American Express card has trip cancellation / delay coverage and we use it for most travel expenses aside from rental cars -- Capital One Visa serves as primary rental car insurance, which is helpful.

 

We also have coverage through Diver Alert Network -- the coverage is designed for scuba divers, but is actually reasonably priced and apparently has good customer service. My understanding is that a number of non-divers use it for that reason.

 

You certainly don't need all of these. IMO, the biggest risk is missing the start of the cruise due to a flight disruption (though I guess being diagnosed with COVID is still a possibility). We usually deal with that by arriving at the embarkation port at least two days in advance, but a cancellation and full flights over the summer meant that we still almost missed a cruise over the summer. We wrote about that here on CC.

[parischris]

I had cabin 431 on my last trip - it was assigned to me rather than requested for some reason. Definitely much more space, with room between the end of the bed and the cabinetry to fit the table and a chair. Personally I loved the extra space and didn’t notice any additional noise. I’m certainly noticing the difference in a standard size stateroom on Le Laperouse at the moment.

 

The only issue I had with the bathroom was that the drains were a bit stinky from lack of use, particularly the one in front of the door. Easily rectified. 

 

I’ve also travelled with Commandant Daumesnil, who is an excellent captain, and one of the original captains of Le Ponant (the masted sailing ships). Did an amazing job avoiding five massive storms in the Southern Ocean in 2015 on Le Soleal. 

[jpalbny]

14 hours ago, parischris said:

I’m certainly noticing the difference in a standard size stateroom on Le Laperouse at the moment.

 

I've been looking forward to hearing about your trip! Hope you're having a great time, and that the wildlife sightings are memorable.

[parischris]

Just now, jpalbny said:

 

I've been looking forward to hearing about your trip! Hope you're having a great time, and that the wildlife sightings are memorable.

We’re off to a slow start….a day at sea yesterday and a slow day today at Belitung for Indonesian bio clearances. There is no off ship time scheduled today (and the marina deck is still not working after 2 weeks in dry dock). Tomorrow seems like the real start of the expedition with the orangutan sanctuary visit.

 

Another symptom of global supply chain woes - no supply of reusable stainless steel bottles due until May on Le Laperouse. Glad I remembered to pack one!

[Host Jazzbeau]

27 minutes ago, parischris said:

Another symptom of global supply chain woes - no supply of reusable stainless steel bottles due until May on Le Laperouse. Glad I remembered to pack one!

So what are they doing?  Suggesting you cup your hands under the faucet???

[parischris]

I suspect a supply of plastic water bottles will be forthcoming. I only noticed there wasn’t a “Ponant” reusable water bottle in the stateroom when I went to the gym and there were only glass bottles to pour water from 🙂. 

[jpalbny]

20 hours ago, parischris said:

We’re off to a slow start….a day at sea yesterday and a slow day today at Belitung for Indonesian bio clearances. There is no off ship time scheduled today (and the marina deck is still not working after 2 weeks in dry dock). Tomorrow seems like the real start of the expedition with the orangutan sanctuary visit.

 

Another symptom of global supply chain woes - no supply of reusable stainless steel bottles due until May on Le Laperouse. Glad I remembered to pack one!

 

Ah yes, you get two sea days in a row on your itinerary as it's the reverse of the one we did. We enjoyed the down time after a few busy days but it's probably not so good for you, just starting out and ready for adventure!

 

I hope you get some good sightings of the orangutans! Post some pictures if you have a chance.

 

We had the reusable water bottles on our voyage - guess they ran out and didn't get a resupply during the drydock. 

[CourtneyWM]

On 3/31/2023 at 8:35 AM, Charmar78 said:

Thanks, I have just blocked an option on cabin 412!

Which sail dates did you choose? I just booked the November 28th departure. 

[Charmar78]

Hi, we are booked on the 21rst of November departure, can't wait!

Is it your 1rst cruise with Ponant?

 

[Becky2010]

On 10/6/2023 at 2:58 PM, CourtneyWM said:

Which sail dates did you choose? I just booked the November 28th departure. 

We are looking at booking this as well! They said that the disembarkation is at 6:30am. Do you think that’s true? It’s so early and the flights out are all much later in the day. 🥴