Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys - Why a Perfect Combination
- elleno1962
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
The Answer May Surprise You
Finally, the big day arrived for birthday girlfriend Kristin and I to embark on our cruise out of Bergen, Norway. I have traveled several times with Cunard, once with Royal Caribbean, and today, would sail for a second time with Ponant. a French based small ship luxury line. There would be no butlers, but could there be other amenities to make this cruise on par with the fancier cruise lines we had heard great things about (and cost more money)?
We were about to find out.
On the afternoon of July 4, 2025, Kristin and I walked to our ship, Le Bellot, d0cked a ten minute walk from our hotel in the heart of Bergen. The day was glorious! After settling into our cabin, we began exploring and enjoying the many perks of traveling with an all inclusive French line - one of which is unlimited champagne!
Choosing to tour with Smithsonian whether by foot, plane or boat, the entire trip offers multiple layers of educational opportunities. Our daily itinerary was filled with visits to fascinating historic sites such as Norway's Briksdal Glacier, Scottish Neo-lithic settlements and more recent dwellings such as 800 year old Dunvegan Castle in beautiful Isle of Skye.
Onboard you are invited to continue your learning with lectures given by experts in their fields. During our voyage, our two renowned travel guides were Dr. Michelle Thaller, a leading astrophysicist recently retired from NASA, and Colleen Batey, a well known expert on Viking history. Colleen served as an academic advisor for the PBS/BBC show - Uncovering the Vikings.
These two amazing women rode with us on our tour buses, dined with us on occasion, and were always available for questions. In fact, both Michelle and Colleen encouraged as many questions as we could muster. Imagine chatting one on one with a scientist very involved with the successful launching of the James Webb Space Telescope on December 25, 2021.
Another advantage of taking a Smithsonian cruise is that your excursions are included. We took advantage of opportunities to explore ancient grounds where 5,000 years ago, humans lived in preserved settlements such as Skara Brae in Orkney, Scotland (is older than Stonehenge and Egypt's Great Pyramids).
These sites are not behind glass either. We were invited to step down into these ancient living spaces where these first Scots lived. Talk about time travel.
Traveler's Tip: Smithsonian sent us a reading list before our trip which I sadly casually looked over. I would have gotten much more out of our daily excursions if I had read more about Norway and Scotland's ancient history.
In Norway, we toured Briksdalen where you can still see the last of the Briksdal Glacier. Taking "troll cars" ( we in the US would call them "mules"), we rode/walked to Brikdalsbreen, where our guides got us as close as possible to the fast eroding glacier.
Along the way are signs denoting how much further the glacier extended over the decades. It is sobering to see how quickly the glacier has melted in the past 40 years. If it's not climate change at work, something else possibly more sinister is melting our "rivers of ice".
Riding the Flam Railway is a "must-do". On either side of your railcar, you'll have access to incredible views of the Aurlandsfjord and multiple jaw dropping waterfalls.
During our bus rides in Norway, we passed the most amazing lakes of blue green waters. Yes, Norway is beautiful. It's one country where photographs simply don't do its beauty justice. You must see it with your own eyes to fully appreciate its raw splendor.
Before traveling to Scotland, I highly recommend reading Peter May's The Blackhouse trilogy. So well described in his mystery novels, you'll enjoy seeing with your own eyes: crofts, peat stacks, thousands of sheep grazing the green meadows, and watching birds take flight from their homes on craggy cliffs.
As a Britbox "Shetland" fan, I felt most excited about our stop in Lerwick. Whether or not you are familiar with the show, you will enjoy the tour of this most northern Scottish city. We traveled to the Lerwick's Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, where the nearby puffins put on a wonderful show.
If you have an interest in history, science, and the arts, you can't go wrong traveling with Smithsonian Journeys. Every day of your cruise offers a potpourri of amazing wonders you can easily become immersed in.
From what I've learned after speaking with cruise mates who have continued traveling with Ponant and/or Smithsonian, there is another big advantage when traveling with Smithsonian Journeys specifically; most of your fellow guests will be English speaking.
Whether Smithsonian sponsored or not, when traveling with Ponant the staff treats you with great respect, the food is outstanding and the service is top notch. Every crew member on Le Bellot made me feel valued with special attention to my food and beverage preferences (decaf only at breakfast please). Uniquely, our captain, Francois-Xavier Avril, mingled amongst the guests quite frequently.
A group of us who had bonded during the eight days were invited to Captain Avril's table at journeys end. What a memorable meal! Feeling like royalty, I didn't want the evening (or cruise) to end.
Yes, I highly recommend taking a Smithsonian Journey with Ponant.
Travelers Tip: Please be advised, pay close attention to the activity level requirements. Many of our excursions required a fair amount of walking along rugged conditions with steps. Requiring a wheelchair or walker may prohibit you from participating in some excursions.
Despite it being a Smithsonian (hiking shoes and pants kind of thing), when traveling with Ponant, it is advisable to bring at least one dressy outfit. That being said, Shiela, pictured dining with us at the captain's table, experienced all of her luggage lost pre-cruise. Fellow travelers loaned her clothing during our eight day journey. Yes, that's how friendly our ship felt.
Traveler's Tip: It is strongly encouraged to travel with a carry on bag during cruises for those unfortunate circumstances when your luggage doesn't make it.
Though I haven't traveled with lines such as Silverseas, Seabourn, or Regent, when cruising with Ponant I didn't feel I missed out on any "luxury" amenities such as having a butler. Le Bellot felt like a private yacht more than a cruise ship. The crew members worked hard making sure we were comfortable and well tended to. Best of all, the environment felt down to earth without pretension. How else could I feel comfortable enough to sing karaoke with the Captain (Lady Gaga's mega hit - Shadow)?
Best yet, the money Kristin and I saved not going with one of those "luxury" lines, allowed us to travel an additional week in Europe pre-cruise. Ya can't beat that!
You can find out more about Smithsonian sponsored trips at https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/?src=SEARCH&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21528611465&gbraid=0AAAAAD9-F2L3xdI_cgOjzw5uDbaobpSiX&gclid=CjwKCAjw1N7NBhAoEiwAcPchp_0flSInnnazV6MzjugjRGpvbsRnktuYnAYAEqc1zLRhrwSiazCa_hoCWT8QAvD_BwE
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