Aft again can be found the fully-enclosed pool area, complete with sun loungers, mosaic detailing at the forward end, associated bar and fixed glass roof. The whole space was rather larger but again bore more than a little resemblance to "Les Finisteres" on Pont-Aven with much use of teak planking which carries on out of this lido, through an aft lobby space and onto the outside deck aft.
The final main passenger deck is Deck 9 which features a fairly extensive conference suite forward (just aft of the bridge). The rest of this deck is given over to the ship’s variety of eating options which are all accessed from the lower level of the port-side promenade. Heading aft, amidships can be found the “Le Surf” Self Service restaurant, followed by a buffet restaurant, “Le Montparnasse” which can be opened up onto the promenade. Aft are a pair of more formal restaurants, “La Poêle Gourmande” and, right aft “Le Sillage d’Argent”. Quite how all these options are differentiated during the peak season is unclear but for our crossing, “Le Montparnasse” remained closed throughout with the self-service open for dinner and breakfast, whilst “Le Sillage d’Argent” was open in the evening and “La Poêle Gourmande” was the location for a reasonably priced breakfast buffet in the morning. Pictures of all the previous SNCM/CGTM/CGT ships to have borne the name Napoleon could be found hanging near the entrance to “Le Montparnasse”.
Beneath this deck are three levels of cabins and crew areas the lowest of which, Deck 6, includes the ship’s main lobby (at the bottom of a three-deck mini-atrium) with somewhat out-of-the-way information and reception desk, although of course ideally placed to welcome passengers when they first board. This area features a bust of the ship’s namesake as well as her builder’s plate. Aft and just forward are a series of rather uninspired windowless reclining seat lounges whilst to either side are a pair of outside promenades at the level of the lifeboats.
[continued...] |
