Le Champlain

This article is about the cruise ship. For other uses, see Champlain (disambiguation).

Le Champlain is the second ship of the Ponant Explorers-class of cruise ships operated by Ponant. Each member of the class has been allocated the name of a famous French explorer, and Le Champlain is named after Samuel de Champlain, "The Father of New France".^[1][2]

Le Champlain

Le Champlain moored with HMS Belfast, in The Thames, 11 May 2024
History
Wallis and Futuna
Name	Le Champlain
Operator	Ponant
Port of registry	Mata Utu
Builder	VARD Tulcea, Romania (hull) VARD Søviknes, Norway (outfitting)
Yard number	849
Laid down	20 April 2017
Launched	29 March 2018
Acquired	27 September 2018
Maiden voyage	25 October 2018
Identification	IMO number: 9814038 MMSI number: 578001100 Callsign: FLBP
Status	In service
General characteristics
Class and type	Ponant Explorers-class cruise ship
Capacity	180 passengers

Built by VARD, Le Champlain had her hull constructed in VARD's Tulcea yard in Romania, where her keel was laid down on 20 April 2017.^[3] A year and one week later, on 27 April 2018, she arrived at the builder's Søviknes facility in Ålesund, Norway, for final outfitting.^[4] She was delivered to Ponant in Ålesund on 27 September 2018.^[5]

On 25 October 2018, Le Champlain departed from Honfleur, France on her maiden voyage to Lisbon, Portugal.^[6]