Reviewed by: TIna Wheelock

Date: September 2024

Cruise line and ship: Ponant Le Laperouse

Size of ship: 430ft /131 metres

Guest Staterooms: 92 cabins

Passenger Capacity: 184

Year built: December 2017

Currency onboard: Euro

Arriving into Broome a few days prior to departure is a must before embarking on Ponant’s Kimberley Cruise to enjoy the famous sunsets that this part of Australia is renowned for. A note for those who have not Cruised from Broome before.  Broome is a closed port and therefore all guests who are sailing with Ponant are transferred from the Mangrove Hotel on the day of embarkation to the ship.

We were blessed with fine weather on the day of boarding on 21 September 2024 and from the moment we saw the ship we knew we were going to have a very special adventure and this was certainly the case. 

We were checked in within minutes and then assisted to our cabin by the crew then greeted in the main lounge shortly afterward with a glass of French Champagne and a chance to meet our fellow travellers.

CABINS

We stayed in the PR5 Prestige stateroom which had a lovely private balcony, and modern facilities with a separate toilet to the bathroom. 

Other facilities

• Individually-controlled air-conditioning
• King-size bed or twin beds
• Shower
• Mini-bar
• Flat screen satellite TV
• Desk with stationery
• Ipod players
• Video on demand
• Safe
• Hairdryer
• Bathrobes
• Satellite direct line telephone
• 110/220 volts outlet
• French bath products
• 24 hr room service
• Internet access wifi
  Location: Deck 5
  Occupancy:
  Can accommodate up to 2 guests in this particular cabin
  Size:204 sq ft sq ft*
  Balcony 43 sq ft sq ft*

This was the last sailing for Le Laperouse in the Kimberley Region for the season as we are coming into the Wet season from October. The best time to sail is from May until September. We experienced lovely weather for the duration of the Cruise. As the region had not seen any rain in 6 months the Mitchell Falls and King George Falls were not running but the scenery was simply breathtaking.

We had just 80 passengers onboard this sailing with 130 staff onboard so we felt very spoilt and it was a lovely intimate experience therefore many of the shows were hosted in the Main Lounge on Deck 3 which was a nice and personal touch. We did have a main show called “Pop’Era” ( Opera and Pop) in the theatre on Deck 3 which was an excellent production.

We had a varied group of Naturalists onboard from France, Australia, The Seychelles and South Africa to name a few with varied experitise in their chosen fields. They also hosted lectures several times a day in the theatre as well as provided a wealth of information whilst navigating us on the zodiac tours through the Kimberley. 

They were a real highlight and a credit to Ponant as their enthusiasm and knowledge made for a very enjoyable experience.

A typical day onboard was a 1-2hr Zodiac ride after breakfast then back for a swim and relax by the pool before an alfresco lunch poolside which was always a treat from an expansive Sushi lunch, BBQ, Seafood feast as well as the usual menu items as well as a fully stocked salad buffet and soup of the day. 

After lunch a lecture ( or a snooze is required) followed by another zodiac adventure or landing and tours.

Back to the ship in the afternoon for live music, afternoon drinks, a lecture and a debrief of the day’s events then up to ready ourselves for dinner before meeting with fellow travellers for pre-dinner drinks ( yes more drinks), dinner and more live music or a show.

We found that you can choose to have plenty to entertain yourselves each day on the ship or if you prefer just to relax and take in the incredible scenery.

It was hard to come back to reality when arriving back to civilisation ( Darwin) as we had spent 11 blissful days in our ‘Ponant bubble’ and barely saw other people or boats on our travels only the amazing marine life and dramatic scenery.

The highlight was on the last day in King George Falls where we saw Sharks (including a large Hammerhead), Crocodiles, Green sea Turtles and an abundance of bird life –  the highlight was a herd of Dugongs that came right up to our zodiac!

This Cruise is a MUST do once in a lifetime. It is hard to believe we have such incredible beauty here in Australia and the most amazing History. We were able to view Aboriginal Artwork that dates back over 15,0000 years – the oldest living civilization in the world.

 

WHAT TO BRING:

An adaptor

Binoculars

Plenty of suncream

A wide-brimmed Hat ( see Husband above)

Lightweight linen long sleeve shirts for the zodiac tours

Reef shoes

Wet bags

 

WHAT NOT TO BRING

Water bottles as they were provided as a gift from Ponant

Towels ( all provided)

Shampoo and Conditioner

Hair dryer

 

If you’d like to learn more about life onboard Le Laperouse we invite you to explore HERE