Ponant Le Bellot Review: A Ship Visit on the Thames
May 2026
Rashmi Latchman
Marketing Executive
Stepping aboard: champagne on the Thames
The welcome was everything I'd hoped for. Space, gorgeous natural light, and yes, champagne. On a Tuesday morning. In London. I could get used to this.Le Bellot is the fifth ship in Ponant's Explorer class, launched in 2020 and built for a very specific kind of traveller: one who wants to reach the most remote corners of the planet without sacrificing a single bit of comfort. She carries a maximum of 184 guests across 92 staterooms and suites, with 118 crew on board. Do that maths. That crew-to-guest ratio is extraordinary, and you feel it from the first moment.
After a brilliant short presentation from Anthony Daniels, Ponant's General Manager for UK and Ireland, I headed off to explore. What followed was genuinely one of the best ship visits I've ever had. And I've had a few.
A sneaky peek at the bridge
Before getting into the rooms, I was taken up to the bridge. And look, I have been on a fair few ships docked at this exact spot on the Thames next to HMS Belfast, but standing on the bridge of Le Bellot with Tower Bridge framed perfectly through the windows in front of me never gets old. Surreal is the right word. There is something genuinely extraordinary about being on a ship, in the middle of one of the world’s great cities, looking out at one of its most iconic landmarks.
The captain’s domain was immaculate. Screens, instruments, and the kind of quiet authority that makes you feel like everything is very much under control. It still amazes and surprises me every time. A brilliant way to start the day, and a reminder that even a ship visit in London can throw up moments you genuinely were not expecting.
The suites: where do I even start?
Right, let’s talk rooms. I began with the Prestige Suite, which is created by combining two Prestige Staterooms into one glorious space. Two private balconies, a separate bedroom, and a living area that doesn’t feel like it’s apologising for being on a ship. The kind of space where you’d genuinely want to spend time rather than just sleep.
The Privilege Suite takes things up another level with sweeping views, an expansive balcony, a separate lounge and bedroom, and a marble bathroom with proper French polish. Refined, elegant, and very easy to imagine yourself in.
Then there’s the Owner’s Suite. Look, I’m just going to say it: this room is extraordinary. Panoramic views, a vast private terrace with a Jacuzzi, a full living and dining area. Sitting in that Jacuzzi while the ship sails past Norwegian fjords or through Antarctic waters would be one of those life moments you’d struggle to top. I was docked on the Thames. But I could picture it perfectly.
I even snuck a peek into one of the Deluxe Staterooms while the crew were turning them over, and the word that immediately came to mind was: spacious. For the entry-level cabin on an expedition ship, this is genuinely impressive. Private balcony, queen-size bed, ensuite bathroom, and enough space to actually move around without performing some kind of cabin yoga. More than comfortable.
One design detail that’s worth mentioning because it tends to get a reaction: some of the bathrooms have a glass panel between the shower and the outside view. The responses when I described this to people ranged from ‘that sounds incredible’ to ‘absolutely not, thank you.’ It’s bold, it’s intentional, and it’s the kind of feature that perfectly sums up Ponant’s design philosophy: the ship should feel connected to the world around it, even when you’re in the shower.
Solo travellers: this one's for you
This deserves its own section. Ponant offers a year-round no-single supplement policy, which means solo travellers can book a private stateroom without the eye-watering surcharge that other lines slap on. It’s a genuinely brilliant policy. It also opens up interesting possibilities for friends who want to travel together but very much sleep in separate rooms (we all know someone like that), or couples who love each other dearly but one of them snores like a foghorn and needs their own space. Le Bellot has you covered.
The Observatory and Photography Studio
The Photography Studio is a dedicated space where professional images taken throughout the voyage are displayed and available to purchase. It sounds like a nice extra until you’re standing there picturing yourself holding a stunning shot of a glacier at sunrise or a whale breaching at dusk, and then suddenly it makes perfect sense. Prints cost extra, but I imagine most guests leave with at least one.
The Observatory does exactly what it promises: a beautifully designed space with panoramic views for watching the world go by. On an expedition voyage to the Arctic or Antarctica, this becomes one of the most popular spots on the ship. On the Thames on a grey Tuesday, it was a touch quieter. But the potential was obvious.
The spa: genuinely impressive
I was not expecting the spa to be this good. It is surprisingly large for a ship of this size and seriously well-equipped: hair and nail salon, multiple treatment rooms, a dedicated relaxation area, and a sauna. The sauna is included in your cruise fare, which is a rare and welcome thing, but you do need to pre-book because it fills up immediately. Understandably so. Close your eyes and picture this: sitting in a hot sauna, somewhere off the coast of Norway or in the waters near Antarctica, surrounded by nothing but wilderness and silence. That’s what this sauna offers. On Le Bellot, even the wellness facilities feel like an experience.
The Blue Eye: genuinely unlike anything else at sea
Okay. This is the one. Two metres below sea level, built into the hull of the ship, is the Blue Eye. And nothing quite prepares you for it.
The Blue Eye is a multi-sensory underwater lounge found on every ship in the Ponant Explorer fleet. It was designed by French architect Jacques Rougerie, a man whose life’s work has been dedicated to underwater habitats and our relationship with the sea. The portholes are shaped like the eye of a whale, inspired partly by Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Three underwater cameras feed live footage to the screens. Hydrophones pick up ocean sounds within a five-kilometre radius and pipe them directly into the room. The Body Listening Sofas vibrate in sync with the acoustics of the water around the ship. Up to 40 guests at a time. And yes, there’s a bar.
Now. I have to be honest. Standing in the Blue Eye while Le Bellot was docked on the Thames was not exactly the full experience. The Thames is naturally murky, thanks to all the silt and sediment stirred up by the tidal current, so what I saw through those stunning whale-eye portholes was, essentially, darkness. Murky, brown London river darkness.
But here’s the thing: I knew exactly what it could be. Picture the Indian Ocean. Clear water, coral reefs, tropical fish moving past the portholes. Or Antarctica, with the eerie blue light of glacial water outside the glass. Marine life, sounds of the sea, the vibrations of the ocean coming through the sofas around you. Even standing in it in central London, knowing what this space becomes in the right part of the world, was genuinely moving. I wanted to book a voyage on the spot.
It is, without question, the most original thing I have ever seen on any ship. There is nothing like it anywhere else at sea.
Lunch at Le Nautilus: the perfect ending
The day wrapped up in Le Nautilus, Ponant’s gourmet restaurant, and it wrapped up beautifully. Starters were a buffet spread of smoked meats, salads, pulses, and fresh fruits. Everything looked vibrant and carefully sourced. The kind of spread where you genuinely want to try a little of everything.
For mains, the Cajun-spiced salmon was a revelation. Perfectly cooked, properly melt-in-the-mouth, with a mango cajun salsa on the side and seasoned vegetables that tied the whole plate together. This was not ship food. This was just excellent food, full stop.
And then dessert. A rum-infused cake with cream that I had never encountered before and will absolutely be thinking about for some time. Rich, indulgent, and a genuinely brilliant way to end a day like this.
But honestly, as good as the food was, the service in Le Nautilus deserves its own mention. Our server was brilliant. Funny, warm, and genuinely engaging in a way that felt completely natural rather than performative. Cracking jokes, sharing little facts about Le Bellot, and keeping the table entertained throughout. Now, we Brits are famously dry when it comes to humour, and I do not warm to forced cheerfulness easily. But this was different. This was someone who clearly loved their job and had the personality to match. By the end of lunch, we were laughing and leaving with the kind of mood that only really good food combined with really good company can produce. Excellent service, start to finish.
So, is Le Bellot worth it?
Le Bellot is not trying to be a grand ocean liner. It’s not trying to be all things to all people. What it is, is an intimate, beautifully crafted expedition yacht with genuine French elegance, a jaw-dropping Owner’s Suite, a spa that punches well above its weight, and the most extraordinary passenger space I have ever encountered at sea. The Blue Eye alone makes this ship worth talking about.
The no-single supplement makes it accessible in a way most expedition ships are not. The food in Le Nautilus is genuinely excellent. The suites are spacious and considered. And if you end up in the Owner’s Suite with a glass of something good and a Jacuzzi view of the open ocean, you are going to have a very, very good time.
My only regret from the whole day? The Thames. Next time, I want the Indian Ocean through those portholes.
If you want to see how Le Bellot and the wider Ponant fleet compare to other expedition lines, our expedition cruise line comparison guide is a good read. And if you’re weighing up expedition cruise options more broadly, our best expedition cruise lines 2026 guide covers the full market.
Interested in sailing aboard Le Bellot? Browse Ponant expedition cruise deals or get in touch with our team to find the right itinerary for you. I’d love to help you find yours.
