diff --git a/src/parcels/_core/particleset.py b/src/parcels/_core/particleset.py
index 20c73f84b..d044e7edf 100644
--- a/src/parcels/_core/particleset.py
+++ b/src/parcels/_core/particleset.py
@@ -417,8 +417,14 @@ def execute(
             logger.info(f"Output files are stored in {output_file.path}")
 
         if verbose_progress:
-            pbar = tqdm(total=end_time - start_time, file=sys.stdout)
-            pbar.set_description("Integration time: " + str(start_time))
+            pbar = tqdm(
+                total=end_time - start_time,
+                file=sys.stdout,
+                bar_format="{desc} {percentage:3.0f}%|{bar}| [{elapsed}<{remaining}, {rate_fmt}]",
+            )
+            pbar.set_description_str(
+                "Integration time: " + str(float_to_datelike(start_time, self.fieldset.time_interval))
+            )
 
         next_output = None
         if output_file:
@@ -445,7 +451,9 @@ def execute(
                         next_output += outputdt * sign_dt
 
             if verbose_progress:
-                pbar.set_description("Integration time: " + str(float_to_datelike(time, self.fieldset.time_interval)))
+                pbar.set_description_str(
+                    "Integration time: " + str(float_to_datelike(time, self.fieldset.time_interval))
+                )
                 pbar.update(next_time - time)
 
             time = next_time
diff --git a/src/parcels/_core/utils/time.py b/src/parcels/_core/utils/time.py
index bdce7fc13..eee0fe164 100644
--- a/src/parcels/_core/utils/time.py
+++ b/src/parcels/_core/utils/time.py
@@ -207,9 +207,12 @@ def timedelta_to_float(dt: float | timedelta | np.timedelta64) -> float:
     return float(dt)
 
 
-def float_to_datelike(dt: float, time_interval) -> np.datetime64 | np.timedelta64:
+def float_to_datelike(dt: float, time_interval) -> np.datetime64 | np.timedelta64 | cftime.datetime:
     """Convert a float time (in seconds from the start of the time_interval) to a datetime (if time_interval is a datetime object) or timedelta (otherwise)"""
     if time_interval:
-        return np.timedelta64(int(dt), "s") + time_interval.left
+        result = np.timedelta64(int(dt), "s") + time_interval.left
+        if isinstance(result, cftime.datetime):
+            return result
+        return result.astype("datetime64[s]")
     else:
         return np.timedelta64(int(dt), "s")