Le Champlain
Ponant ship guide
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Le Champlain alongside HMS Belfast in London, 2024 · Photo: Barney Laurance, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About Le Champlain
Le Champlain is a Ponant cruise ship of the Ponant Explorers class, in service since 2018. She measures 9,976 gross tons and carries 184 guests with a crew of 118. She sails Northern Europe, Norwegian Fjords, Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Caribbean itineraries. We rate her 3.8 out of 5.
Le Champlain is the second of the six Ponant Explorers and is named after Samuel de Champlain, remembered as the father of New France. Her keel was laid at Vard's Tulcea yard in April 2017; she was finished at Søviknes in Norway, handed over in September 2018 and sailed her maiden voyage from Honfleur to Lisbon that October. She carries up to 184 guests in 92 staterooms and suites, with the class's Blue Eye underwater lounge, pool and stern marina. Her current program covers the Greek islands and the western Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and West Africa, Baltic and Norwegian summers, and Caribbean winters from Martinique and Saint Lucia.
Ship facts
- Guests
- 184
- Crew 118 · 1:1.6
- Entered service
- 2018
- Maiden voyage October 2018
- Length
- 131 m
- Shorter than 74% of 575 ships
- Decks
- 5
Le Champlain is smaller than 75% of the 418 cruise ships in service on Cruise Frog with a tonnage on record, and carries fewer guests than 64%. At 54.2 gross tons per guest she is roomier than 85% of 416; the median ship is 39.4.
Ratings
- Cabins
- 4/5, fleet average 4.3
- Dining
- 5/5, fleet average 5.0
- Entertainment
- 2/5, fleet average 2.0
- Service
- 5/5, fleet average 5.0
- Pools & decks
- 4/5+0.4, fleet average 3.6
- Value
- 3/5, fleet average 3.0
Editorial scores, 1 to 5 per metric; the overall is their average, not an average of reader reviews. Ticks mark the Ponant fleet average across 12 rated ships in service.
Sister ships: Ponant Explorers class
Le Champlain is one of 6 Ponant Explorers class ships. Le Bellot (2020), Le Jacques Cartier (2020), Le Bougainville (2019), Le Dumont-d'Urville (2019) and Le Lapérouse (2018) are in service.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests | Space | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Champlain this ship | 2018 | 3.8/5 | |||
| Le Bellot | 2020 | 4.0/5 | |||
| Le Jacques Cartier | 2020 | 4.0/5 | |||
| Le Bougainville | 2019 | 3.8/5 | |||
| Le Dumont-d'Urville | 2019 | 3.8/5 | |||
| Le Lapérouse | 2018 | 3.8/5 |
Official deck plans
Photos
Le Champlain alongside HMS Belfast in London, 2024Photo: Barney Laurance, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where she sails
- Northern Europethe Baltic, British Isles and Iceland, May to September
- Norwegian Fjordsfjords and the North Cape, with midnight sun in summer
- MediterraneanWestern Med, Greek Isles and Adriatic, mostly April to November
- Canary Islandswinter sun off North Africa, often with Madeira and Morocco
- CaribbeanEastern, Western and Southern Caribbean islands, sailing year-round from Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico
Quick answers
Which cruise line operates Le Champlain?
Le Champlain is operated by Ponant and belongs to its Ponant Explorers class.
What are Le Champlain's sister ships?
Le Champlain is one of 6 Ponant Explorers class ships. Le Bellot (2020), Le Jacques Cartier (2020), Le Bougainville (2019), Le Dumont-d'Urville (2019) and Le Lapérouse (2018) are in service.
How big is Le Champlain?
Le Champlain measures 9,976 gross tons and 131 metres in length, with 5 decks.
How does Le Champlain compare in size with other cruise ships?
Le Champlain is smaller than 75% of the 418 cruise ships in service on Cruise Frog with a tonnage on record, and carries fewer guests than 64%. At 54.2 gross tons per guest she is roomier than 85% of 416; the median ship is 39.4.
How crowded does Le Champlain feel?
Le Champlain has a passenger space ratio of 54.2: 9,976 gross tons for 184 guests. Ratios over 50 feel spacious and under 30 busy, so Le Champlain feels spacious for her size.
How many passengers does Le Champlain carry?
Le Champlain carries 184 guests at double occupancy, with a crew of 118 (about 1.6 guests per crew member).
When did Le Champlain enter service?
Le Champlain entered service in 2018.
Where does Le Champlain sail?
Le Champlain sails Northern Europe, Norwegian Fjords, Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Caribbean itineraries.
Where can I find the deck plans for Le Champlain?
Ponant publishes the deck plans for Le Champlain; this page links to Deck plans.
How is Le Champlain rated?
Cruise Frog rates Le Champlain 3.8 out of 5 overall, the average of 6 editorial scores. She scores best on dining (5/5) and lowest on entertainment (2/5).
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
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