I Thought I Was a Big-Ship Cruiser — Then I Cruised the Kimberley with Ponant

While the destination is always the main attraction, let’s be honest, it’s nice to be comfortable while cruising, and Ponant does this very well. Le Soléal was launched in 2013, so she is an older lady; however, she was refurbished in 2019 and certainly isn’t showing her age. Our cabin was beautifully decorated, with no signs of wear and tear, and the king bed was the most comfortable bed I’ve had on any of my cruises.

So let’s talk about size. Previously, the smallest vessel I’d cruised on had a passenger capacity of around 1,900, so it was a big step to go down to around 200 guests.

The smaller vessel provided an intimacy that is hard to achieve on larger ships. Everything is close, so there’s no need to rush to get anywhere — it’s only ever a few minutes’ walk. There’s no waiting around for lifts and no long queues for embarkation, disembarkation or sightseeing outings.

Le Soléal might be small in passenger numbers; however, she still has many of the amenities you might be used to on a larger ship.

There’s a theatre, a main lounge where you can get your daily coffee fix and afternoon tea, and a cosy library and games corner in the Observatory Lounge.

There are two restaurants, outdoor dining on the pool deck, a heated outdoor pool, and the Ponant Yacht Spa for that extra bit of pampering, along with a fitness room and sauna.

There’s also an onboard medical centre (which you hope you’ll never need!) and a small boutique that stocked useful items such as waterproof phone holders and binoculars, as well as clothing and other bits and pieces.

To say the staff were fabulous would be an understatement. We were always met with a genuine smile and greeting, from the moment we arrived to board Le Soléal right through to when we disembarked at the end of our cruise. Special shout-outs to:

• Our Captain, Antoine Paquet, for his sense of humour and down-to-earth approach.
• Giseppe, our Cruise Director, for his effervescent and somewhat cheeky personality (exactly what all cruise directors should aspire to!).
• Keyan, the Maître d’ in L’Eclipse (please forgive me if I’ve misspelt your name!), for remembering our names from the start and always greeting us so warmly.
• Grace, our cabin steward, who was like a ninja, seemingly putting our room back to its perfect state the moment we left the cabin.

The ship was beautiful, but it was the people who gave it heart.

I did wonder if the food might be a little too refined for everyday dining on an expedition cruise — I couldn’t have been more wrong!

The food was fabulous, from the freshly baked bread and pastries each day to the French take on an Aussie meat pie — better than any meat pie I’ve had in my life — and the gastronomic Gala dinner.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner could be enjoyed in either restaurant. It really came down to whether you preferred the more casual buffet style of Le Pythéas or table service in L’Eclipse.

I particularly enjoyed lunch in L’Eclipse, where there was an entrée and dessert buffet, complemented by a choice of main courses from the menu — and, of course, washed down nicely with a recommended red wine.

Although I may have come home with a slight addiction to blue cheese and baguettes for breakfast and lunch!

This was probably one of the biggest differences from the larger ships I was used to.

On most days we had the opportunity to head out twice — usually once in the morning and again in the afternoon — exploring by Zodiac and going ashore at different locations throughout the Kimberley.

Each evening we were briefed on the following day’s plans, including whether we could expect a wet or dry landing.

Ponant had an Expedition Team of around 14 people, with specialists including marine biologists, geologists, historians and science educators.

What impressed me was that their knowledge went well beyond their individual specialties. Whether we were looking at wildlife, geology, plants or Indigenous rock art, there was always someone who could explain what we were seeing and why it mattered.

That knowledge really added another dimension to the experience. You weren’t simply looking at the Kimberley — you were beginning to understand it.

On my cruise there were people from their early twenties, including multigenerational family groups, through to those in their late 80s, and everyone was able to head out in the Zodiacs.

There were always at least three staff assisting people as they boarded the Zodiacs from the marine deck on Le Soléal, and staff waiting on the beach to assist with wet landings. Some of the landings involved quite steep and rocky pathways; however, there was always someone there to lend a hand to those who needed it.

All Zodiac outings were accompanied by another Zodiac carrying the doctor and an engineer, which I found very reassuring. It was good to know there was additional support out on the water with us.

We also had to swipe our cruise card every time we left the ship and again when we returned, so the crew always knew that everyone was safely back onboard.

I think most of us are much more conscious these days of the impact we have on the places we visit, and when you’re travelling somewhere as remote and beautiful as the Kimberley, it feels particularly important.

So I really liked seeing some of the practical things Ponant was doing onboard. Every guest was given an insulated reusable water bottle, with filling stations on two decks offering still or sparkling water. And I can confirm those bottles actually kept the water cold for the whole outing — no small feat in the Kimberley heat!

There were also things happening behind the scenes that you don’t necessarily see as a guest, including systems designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and manage waste and water onboard.

I know sustainability is important to a lot of Travellers, and it was reassuring to see that protecting the environment we were there to experience was being taken seriously.