Ponant cruise of the Med on-board Le Lyrial
By Sandra Barclay-Graham
After a wonderful stay at the gorgeous, regal Victoria Palace Hotel in Paris, where I enjoyed a couple of days re-discovering Paris I made my way to Marseille. In Marseille I joined Le Lyrial, the shiny new flagship of the wonderfully French Ponant fleet for a short 4-day cruise to Palermo, Sicily.
Before setting sail, my sleek mega yacht must wait whilst myself and fellow guests, enjoyed an in depth tour of Marseille. I was quickly reminded of one of the key delights of cruising; the opportunity to intensely explore a new city, for a day, unencumbered by packing and un-packing and with a travel schedule no more complicated than needing to be on board by sailing time.
In the course of a very comprehensive day's sightseeing, we explored the imposing Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde with its incredible dominance and 360-degree outlook from the city's highest point. Back at ground level we strolled the promenade around the pretty old port, which a myriad of sail-craft call home, adding to its beauty. Fisherman are eagerly selling the catch of the day, in the makeshift dockside market, and the bustling old town commercial centre generally takes care of business on a busy week day.
We boarded a launch to explore the nearby Célanques (fjords). It was a bright, sunny, Autumn day, the famous Provencal light prevails and as on many occasions during this trip, I long to be a water colourist, with equipment at hand. We called into several secluded coves and pretty beaches, accessible only be sea and clearly well-guarded local secrets. Lunch (seafood of course - this is the home of Bouillabaisse after all!) was on the waterfront at the pretty fishing village of Les Goudes.
But Le Lyrial awaits, docked beside one of three ancient forts which once guarded the old port we eagerly look forward to setting sail. Who doesn't fancy the idea of drifting around the Med on a yacht! My fellow passengers, from septuagenarians to young children and their youthful parents, seem to be having a wonderful time. Without taking the children into account, it is clear the average age of the 200 or so guests on our sailing is about 50.
While there is much on board Le Lyrial to amuse passengers of all ages, it is the ports which star on this cruise, and the ship is where we eat, sleep, and travel in fine style.
Our first port of call was Monte Carlo, Monaco where our anchor position affords dress-circle vistas of this quite remarkable place. Our ship's tender docked among an enormous flotilla of massive yachts with that of a Russian oligarch similar in size to Le Lyrial. Of course this is what we expect to see in Monaco, and we are not disappointed! A steep climb from the dock to the St Martin Garden leads to the winding streets of the old town, home to the beautiful cathedral and resting place of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace and also the Prince's Palace where we toured the State Apartments.
For a complete change of pace and scenery, we "head for the hills", where a 15-minute drive upwards on the winding corniche leads to the charming and ancient, French village of Eze.
Guaranteed to delight even the most jaded traveller, this is one of the prettiest villages in France. Visitors roam the tiny cobbled alleys, snapping perfect pics, shopping in the cute little galleries and other artisan shops, and pausing at one of many restaurants for a casual meal; travel at its best, a perfect example of what can be seen and achieved within an hour or so of many of the cruise ports around the Med.
Le Lyrial's wonderful crew welcomed us home, and Monaco recedes in our wake, as we moved on.
Dinner options are a choice between a very refined formal affair in the pretty "Le Celeste" restaurant, or a more casual buffet in "La Comete". There is always room service if guests prefer to eat "feet up" and watching a movie. If, like me, you are not a fan of buffets, fear not, "La Comete" is a relatively small space with cleverly situated "satellite" serving stations and occasional outdoor grill, removing every connotation of the "trough-like" buffet. The food is wonderful, as is the attentive service, and this is a very pleasant place to dine. At the same time the elegant "Le Celeste" restaurant provides a delightful fine dining option, for those enjoying gourmet food, well served, with accompanying wines (included in your cruise fare). Le Lyrial has a wonderfully practical "as elegant as you wish" dress code for this venue.
Our passenger complement is incredibly cosmopolitan with ten or so nationalities, dominated by French of course but including passengers from Mexico, Taiwan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand among others. On board communications are in French and English.
Staterooms are spacious and airy with plenty of drawers, bench and hanging space. Bathrooms are uniquely designed with a separate toilet and washroom/shower, the latter with a window to the cabin and the sea beyond. The privacy screen becomes a nice piece of wall art when in use. I loved the white on white theme, offset with many shades of blue and grey. There is liberal use of leather (including the wardrobe doors!).
Elsewhere, the on board decor is refreshingly contemporary and yacht-like, with a beautiful theme of blue (in all shades), grey and of course white. A beautifully curated collection of large artworks, books, curios and shells provide the ambience of a gorgeous coastal Mediterranean home and it is not a stretch at all to imagine this is where I am, as I curl up with a book in one of the several lounges, with not another guest in sight and none encountered from, nor to my cabin. Corridors and public areas are very spacious and the entire on board ambience is evocative of casual, private luxury, rather than anything commercial. A bank of bicycles on the deck, for use of passengers in port, merely adds to the "summer house" ambience.
Entertainment on board, is provided by excellent lounge performers - both vocal and instrumental and small-scale production shows in the ship's theatre. All are outstanding, in both content and quality The stunning Sothy’s spa, with experienced staff and wonderfully indulged treatments rounds out the on board luxe.
Le Lyrial has an Open Bridge policy, meaning guests can pop in as they wish, to observe the ship's "nerve centre". No stress nor chaos here though and peace and calm prevail, as the Captain and his seamen go about their business. This is a very popular spot for the gentlemen on board. The ship is exceedingly silent and free of vibration, a peek outside is always necessary to monitor movement.
Our next port call is Livorno, usually referred to as the "port for Florence" which indeed it is however, it is equally the port for Lucca, Pisa, and the Cinque Terre, to name just the most famous of the places which are within a 90-minute train journey. Again, I was reminded of the immense opportunities which cruising affords, especially here in the Mediterranean where, within an hour or two by train, from practically every port there are many ways to fill your day. I chose to visit Florence, over the Cinque Terre, where I could also have achieved much in the day. Livorno's railway station is across town from the port however, the bus or taxi ride affords a peek at this large, historic, and once extremely important Italian coastal city. Florence is just 90 minutes away and was heaving with visitors, cramming the narrow alleys and piazzas. The leather market is an important stop, as is the Duomo which is presently "scaffold free", but still difficult to photograph because of its sheer enormity.
We stopped at the Golden View Restaurant and Open Bar, located riverside on the "other side" of the Ponte Vecchio, and with stunning bridge views, for pizza, pasta and a fine rose. A quick gelato "chaser" and we were on our way to the station, re-tracing our steps back to the ship.
We cruised south to our next port; the quaint town of Gaeta, on the so-called Ulysses Riviera between Rome and Naples (each is two hours away by train). Our afternoon call coincides with siesta meaning the town is completely closed and deserted, resembling an abandoned movie set. A steep clamber up to the fortress dating from the 1400s, revealed a stunning panorama to Naples and beyond, epitomising all that's wonderful about the Mediterranean.
A longer port call would allow time for visits, by launch, to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. We opted not to wait for Gaeta to wake after siesta, and return to Le Lyrial for a welcome chance to enjoy the facilities of our beautiful ship. While port intensive Med. cruises such as this one are rich in opportunities to visit places like Gaeta which would not generally feature in a driving holiday, the downside is there is little time to enjoy the ship. Today we get to do both.
Sandra then sailed on to Palermo, Sicily where she said goodbye to her Ponant cruise and flew home via Rome courtesy of Emirates.
Click here to download Ponant's Welcome on-board magazine for July 2015
Click here to find out more about Ponant Le Lyrial's Staterooms
Contact us for more information about Ponant, their luxury expedition cruise ships and their impressive itineraries with incredible destinations.
Marseille, France to Palermo, Sicily
Ponant cruise of the Med on-board Le Lyrial
By Sandra Barclay-Graham
After a wonderful stay at the gorgeous, regal Victoria Palace Hotel in Paris, where I enjoyed a couple of days re-discovering Paris I made my way to Marseille. In Marseille I joined Le Lyrial, the shiny new flagship of the wonderfully French Ponant fleet for a short 4-day cruise to Palermo, Sicily.
Before setting sail, my sleek mega yacht must wait whilst myself and fellow guests, enjoyed an in depth tour of Marseille. I was quickly reminded of one of the key delights of cruising; the opportunity to intensely explore a new city, for a day, unencumbered by packing and un-packing and with a travel schedule no more complicated than needing to be on board by sailing time.
In the course of a very comprehensive day's sightseeing, we explored the imposing Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde with its incredible dominance and 360-degree outlook from the city's highest point. Back at ground level we strolled the promenade around the pretty old port, which a myriad of sail-craft call home, adding to its beauty. Fisherman are eagerly selling the catch of the day, in the makeshift dockside market, and the bustling old town commercial centre generally takes care of business on a busy week day.
We boarded a launch to explore the nearby Célanques (fjords). It was a bright, sunny, Autumn day, the famous Provencal light prevails and as on many occasions during this trip, I long to be a water colourist, with equipment at hand. We called into several secluded coves and pretty beaches, accessible only be sea and clearly well-guarded local secrets. Lunch (seafood of course - this is the home of Bouillabaisse after all!) was on the waterfront at the pretty fishing village of Les Goudes.
But Le Lyrial awaits, docked beside one of three ancient forts which once guarded the old port we eagerly look forward to setting sail. Who doesn't fancy the idea of drifting around the Med on a yacht! My fellow passengers, from septuagenarians to young children and their youthful parents, seem to be having a wonderful time. Without taking the children into account, it is clear the average age of the 200 or so guests on our sailing is about 50.
While there is much on board Le Lyrial to amuse passengers of all ages, it is the ports which star on this cruise, and the ship is where we eat, sleep, and travel in fine style.
Our first port of call was Monte Carlo, Monaco where our anchor position affords dress-circle vistas of this quite remarkable place. Our ship's tender docked among an enormous flotilla of massive yachts with that of a Russian oligarch similar in size to Le Lyrial. Of course this is what we expect to see in Monaco, and we are not disappointed! A steep climb from the dock to the St Martin Garden leads to the winding streets of the old town, home to the beautiful cathedral and resting place of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace and also the Prince's Palace where we toured the State Apartments.
For a complete change of pace and scenery, we "head for the hills", where a 15-minute drive upwards on the winding corniche leads to the charming and ancient, French village of Eze.
Guaranteed to delight even the most jaded traveller, this is one of the prettiest villages in France. Visitors roam the tiny cobbled alleys, snapping perfect pics, shopping in the cute little galleries and other artisan shops, and pausing at one of many restaurants for a casual meal; travel at its best, a perfect example of what can be seen and achieved within an hour or so of many of the cruise ports around the Med.
Le Lyrial's wonderful crew welcomed us home, and Monaco recedes in our wake, as we moved on.
Dinner options are a choice between a very refined formal affair in the pretty "Le Celeste" restaurant, or a more casual buffet in "La Comete". There is always room service if guests prefer to eat "feet up" and watching a movie. If, like me, you are not a fan of buffets, fear not, "La Comete" is a relatively small space with cleverly situated "satellite" serving stations and occasional outdoor grill, removing every connotation of the "trough-like" buffet. The food is wonderful, as is the attentive service, and this is a very pleasant place to dine. At the same time the elegant "Le Celeste" restaurant provides a delightful fine dining option, for those enjoying gourmet food, well served, with accompanying wines (included in your cruise fare). Le Lyrial has a wonderfully practical "as elegant as you wish" dress code for this venue.
Our passenger complement is incredibly cosmopolitan with ten or so nationalities, dominated by French of course but including passengers from Mexico, Taiwan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand among others. On board communications are in French and English.
Staterooms are spacious and airy with plenty of drawers, bench and hanging space. Bathrooms are uniquely designed with a separate toilet and washroom/shower, the latter with a window to the cabin and the sea beyond. The privacy screen becomes a nice piece of wall art when in use. I loved the white on white theme, offset with many shades of blue and grey. There is liberal use of leather (including the wardrobe doors!).
Elsewhere, the on board decor is refreshingly contemporary and yacht-like, with a beautiful theme of blue (in all shades), grey and of course white. A beautifully curated collection of large artworks, books, curios and shells provide the ambience of a gorgeous coastal Mediterranean home and it is not a stretch at all to imagine this is where I am, as I curl up with a book in one of the several lounges, with not another guest in sight and none encountered from, nor to my cabin. Corridors and public areas are very spacious and the entire on board ambience is evocative of casual, private luxury, rather than anything commercial. A bank of bicycles on the deck, for use of passengers in port, merely adds to the "summer house" ambience.
Entertainment on board, is provided by excellent lounge performers - both vocal and instrumental and small-scale production shows in the ship's theatre. All are outstanding, in both content and quality The stunning Sothy’s spa, with experienced staff and wonderfully indulged treatments rounds out the on board luxe.
Le Lyrial has an Open Bridge policy, meaning guests can pop in as they wish, to observe the ship's "nerve centre". No stress nor chaos here though and peace and calm prevail, as the Captain and his seamen go about their business. This is a very popular spot for the gentlemen on board. The ship is exceedingly silent and free of vibration, a peek outside is always necessary to monitor movement.
Our next port call is Livorno, usually referred to as the "port for Florence" which indeed it is however, it is equally the port for Lucca, Pisa, and the Cinque Terre, to name just the most famous of the places which are within a 90-minute train journey. Again, I was reminded of the immense opportunities which cruising affords, especially here in the Mediterranean where, within an hour or two by train, from practically every port there are many ways to fill your day. I chose to visit Florence, over the Cinque Terre, where I could also have achieved much in the day. Livorno's railway station is across town from the port however, the bus or taxi ride affords a peek at this large, historic, and once extremely important Italian coastal city. Florence is just 90 minutes away and was heaving with visitors, cramming the narrow alleys and piazzas. The leather market is an important stop, as is the Duomo which is presently "scaffold free", but still difficult to photograph because of its sheer enormity.
We stopped at the Golden View Restaurant and Open Bar, located riverside on the "other side" of the Ponte Vecchio, and with stunning bridge views, for pizza, pasta and a fine rose. A quick gelato "chaser" and we were on our way to the station, re-tracing our steps back to the ship.
We cruised south to our next port; the quaint town of Gaeta, on the so-called Ulysses Riviera between Rome and Naples (each is two hours away by train). Our afternoon call coincides with siesta meaning the town is completely closed and deserted, resembling an abandoned movie set. A steep clamber up to the fortress dating from the 1400s, revealed a stunning panorama to Naples and beyond, epitomising all that's wonderful about the Mediterranean.
A longer port call would allow time for visits, by launch, to Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. We opted not to wait for Gaeta to wake after siesta, and return to Le Lyrial for a welcome chance to enjoy the facilities of our beautiful ship. While port intensive Med. cruises such as this one are rich in opportunities to visit places like Gaeta which would not generally feature in a driving holiday, the downside is there is little time to enjoy the ship. Today we get to do both.
Sandra then sailed on to Palermo, Sicily where she said goodbye to her Ponant cruise and flew home via Rome courtesy of Emirates.
Click here to download Ponant's Welcome on-board magazine for July 2015
Click here to find out more about Ponant Le Lyrial's Staterooms
Contact us for more information about Ponant, their luxury expedition cruise ships and their impressive itineraries with incredible destinations.
