Le Laperouse - Onboard now

[Pudgesmom]

Door hanger that can be put out night before.

[sanne]

3 hours ago, Pudgesmom said:

Door hanger that can be put out night before.

That’s great. Thanks so much. 

[Busy Mum]

Hi Pudgesmom, I just have two quick questions for you, if you don't mind - when you went ashore at Komodo Island did you go on the Zodiacs or did you dock at the Port?  We are considering doing this cruise and I wonder where you stayed in Bali and would you recommend it? 

 

I'm very much enjoying your posts and photos, thank you for doing this for us all.

 

Vicki. 🙂 

[jpalbny]

Not OP but we did a cruise on Le Laperouse this past March to most of this region.

 

When we were at Komodo we docked. Hopefully that's the same most/all of the time, though the zodiac operation is so smooth that you'd not be missing much if you couldn't dock.

 

We stayed at the Jimbaran Puri. Beautiful property with gorgeous villas, and not a long drive to the pier for embarkation. There are some pictures of the hotel in my live from thread.

[Busy Mum]

11 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Not OP but we did a cruise on Le Laperouse this past March to most of this region.

 

When we were at Komodo we docked. Hopefully that's the same most/all of the time, though the zodiac operation is so smooth that you'd not be missing much if you couldn't dock.

 

We stayed at the Jimbaran Puri. Beautiful property with gorgeous villas, and not a long drive to the pier for embarkation. There are some pictures of the hotel in my live from thread.

Thank you so much for replying, it’s very much appreciated. I will have a look at your live from thread. If I may ask, which trip did you do in March, the whole Indonesian area looks stunning, from the photos I’ve seen. We did the Kimberly in September on this ship & loved every moment of the cruise, ship & crew.

 

Vicki. 😀

[Busy Mum]

11 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Not OP but we did a cruise on Le Laperouse this past March to most of this region.

 

When we were at Komodo we docked. Hopefully that's the same most/all of the time, though the zodiac operation is so smooth that you'd not be missing much if you couldn't dock.

 

We stayed at the Jimbaran Puri. Beautiful property with gorgeous villas, and not a long drive to the pier for embarkation. There are some pictures of the hotel in my live from thread.

I’ve just read your amazing live from thread, thank you, it was amazing to read & see all your photos. Looks like an incredible trip. 
 

Vicki. 😀

[Pudgesmom]

Our landing at Komodo was a wet landing with the Zodiacs. Our tour company has brought a full complement of zodiac drivers who are also naturalists, college professors, Indonesians and other specialists who accompany us on land. Also the tide was very low compared to the height of the dock. We have only docked in one location - Kalabahi, Alor Archapelago. 
 

This tour included a one day tour in Bali with a stay at the Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay. It is a fantastic property. 
 

Yesterday we were in Papua, Indonesia. They had organized a trip to a village which had never hosted any tourists. Until 1980, residents of this area were head hunters. We were greeted by a flotilla of at least 30 shallow canoes and then some of their ceremonies. A lecture had been provided the previous day on their culture and practices. We feel very fortunate to have experienced this. The photos are from this excursion but don’t come close to showing what happened. 

We have had one minor issue happen twice now. Our dinner order was misplaced in the kitchen and we waited for a hour and a half for mains, and did not receive until asking. I should note that we were having so much fun we didn’t even notice for a long time, lol. The wait staff is outstanding and really hardworking but I think they could increase their numbers a bit. I really hate to make such a minor complaint as everything is so great about the ship and our experience.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Pudgesmom

[Pudgesmom]

@jpalbny your wonderful thread was so helpful to me before this trip and one of the reasons I hoped to share some information back to the group. Thank you.

[Busy Mum]

@Pudgesmom @jpalbny Thank you both so much for your comments & pictures, it’s greatly appreciated. Hubby & I could not fault our very first cruise with Ponant, we throughly enjoyed the Kimberly, it was just perfect. We certainly hope to be able to cruise with Ponant  again & hopefully in the not too distant future. 
 

Vicki. 😄

[Pudgesmom]

Yesterday we were able to disembark on Thursday Island, Australia after clearing customs. There was quite a bit of cleaning in preparation, including balconies and all snorkel gear. Immigration was a face to face passport check which was accomplished quickly and easily. We had to fill out a customs form, but items purchased will not be checked until disembarkation in Cairns. We all enjoyed a beer in the northernmost pub in Australia.

 

Today we were able to make a quick unplanned snorkel/dive stop at the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef. Amazing coral and unique marine life! 
 

Last full day is tomorrow. 😞 We will stop at Lizard Island, conditions permitting, for a second chance in the Great Barrier Reef. 
 

We have had a Frank Sinatra evening, Liars’ Club night, and a trivia evening. There are no dancers onboard. 
 

Two suggestions:

1. Get a waterproof bag off Amazon. Ours was $25 and floats. Great for Glasses, phones, cameras etc on Zodiacs.
2. Bring a small bottle of air freshener or do like me and nab the eau de parfum bottle from the kit onboard your flight. The small toilet area in the cabin does not have a fan! 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Pudgesmom

[Pudgesmom]

Dining room just before dinner and sea view from chaise lounge.

[sanne]

From my balcony I watched Le Laparouse sail into Cairns this morning. Wonderful sight. It had to dock behind the Grand Princess. It looks like a toy behind that huge ship! 
 

A few more hours and I’ll Bo on board. Happy to answer any questions. 

[Pudgesmom]

Have a wonderful time! We sure did. We are working our way home to Texas with many many fond memories of our first trip with Ponant.

[sanne]

11 hours ago, Pudgesmom said:

Have a wonderful time! We sure did. We are working our way home to Texas with many many fond memories of our first trip with Ponant.

Safe travels home. And thanks again for your help with my questions. 

[Lirio]

On 10/23/2023 at 7:06 PM, Busy Mum said:

Hubby & I are seriously looking at this itinerary, so very keen to hear what you think of the itinerary. Last month we were on this ship doing the Kimberly, we could not fault anything about our trip, it was outstanding! Ponant, in our opinion was the best line we have been on, we have cruised with Princess & Celebrity. We are booked on Oceania for early 2025. Enjoy your cruise on this wonderful ship. Vicki. 😀

I am considering Le Laperouse for Kimberly in 2024. Any comment would be great.

[Busy Mum]

On 11/15/2023 at 10:55 AM, Lirio said:

I am considering Le Laperouse for Kimberly in 2024. Any comment would be great.

Good morning Litio & apologies for my slow reply. 
 

My husband & I have an absolutely wonderful time on Le Laperouse, the ship is stunning & hopefully we will get the opportunity to sail on her again. We had the entry level cabin on Deck 3 & it was perfect. There was a separate toilet from the bathroom which was great & there was plenty of storage for our clothes. The food was amazing & the included drinks were great.

 

The Kimberley is an amazing place to visit, it’s natural beauty, it’s pristine waters & the remoteness of the area is truly incredible. We saw lots of lots of bird life & marine species which is of great interest to us both. We did go out on Zodiacs & getting in & out of them was challenging for some people. The staff were amazing at helping us all, nothing was ever too much trouble for any of them.  
 

If there is anything in particular you would like to know please let me know. We would highly recommend this cruise, to everyone! 

 

Vicki. 😀

[Lirio]

Thank you. It turns out that our daughter, who lives in NZ, is demanding a beach vacation. So, she said no to the Kimberley and no to long flights.

I am now looking for options near NZ for beaches itinerary in May.

I am considering Paul Gaugin or Star Breeze in Tahiti or Seabourn Pursuit options. So far, I am not convinced yet.

I looked at the Indian Train from Sydney to Perth and from there a road trip in beaches near-by, but Platinum cabins are sold out the entire month.

I am also considering the Great Barrier of Reef.