Discovery Deluxe is going head to head

The discovery and expedition market is growing fast, and at the top head to head.

by Earl of Cruise

Rendering of deluxe SCENIC ECLIPSE - courtesy SCENIC CRUISES

rendering of Crystal Endeavor in Antarctica

Rendering of deluxe CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR - courtesy CRYSTAL CRUISES

rendering of Ponant´s new buildings, expedition cruisers deluxe

Rendering and description of PONANT´s new deluxe LE LAPÉROUSE, LE CHAMPLAIN, LE BOUGAINVILLE and LE KERGUELEN - courtesy PONANT

SCENIC CRUISES, CRYTAL CRUISES and PONANT anounced new de luxe expedition ships. SCENIC the SCENIC ECLIPSE, CRYSTAL the CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR and PONANT its four French endeavourers - LE LAPÉROUSE, LE CHAMPLAIN, LE BOUGAINVILLE and LE KERGUELEN. While SCENIC has an option for a second vessel CRYSTAL seems to check the market, while they slow a bit down in their growing strategy. And it looks like - we have to have the more luxurious expedition vessel, as of our self claimed position at the top ...

All six vessels aim for the sophisticated travellers or cruisers, who have good filled `portemonais´ filled with coins to spend.

Another tour and cruise operator, the self proclaimed "top of the luxury" HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES, is building two vessels for the same market, but won´t reach the level that is set by SCENIC at first, toped by CRYSTAL and still underneath the level of the French offer.

SCENIC and CRYSTAL have lesser desisity than PONANT and far less from that of HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES. The HURTIGRUTEN newbuilds will have in comparision a cramped condition on board, and can´t be named in any way luxurious.

The expedition and especially the luxury expedition market is fast a growing cruise segment in the mainly volume oriented international cruise market. It turns out that the luxury expedition seems to be the hotest market in the industry. This year four lines have announced newbuilds for this market.

Of the three top offers we will see 2018 the first luxury expedition vessel, which is by far the better luxury offer than the REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES, SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER offer, or that from HAPAG-LLOYD, EUROPA 2 and the two expedition cruises newbuilds.

But undoubtedy, the sexiest and most exciting are the two new polar vessels: SCENIC ECLIPSE and CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR, with PONANT’s chic new foursome coming up the rear.

When CRYSTAL announced their new offering, Australians gulped. Wasn’t it almost exactly like Aussie ship-builder Glen Moroney’s SCENIC ECLIPSE, announced some months before?

The helicopters … the submarines … the special safetly features. Even the superstructure – with the exception that SCENIC ECLIPSE is black and CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR is white.

Mr Moroney was stoically saying nothing. CRYSTAL maintained the designs were definately CRYSTAL inspired.

Space, the room per passenger is the benchmark to luxury. But too the service and the quality of food and drinks.

Looking at the figures below, you may think PONANT´s newbuild are out of shape for the deluxe expedition market. It looks like, but perhaps - cabins can be interchanged (two into one) - their food quality will beat ...

So how do they stack up? I went behind the renderings to find out.

	Size		Passenger	Crew	Cabin Size
PONANT	131 m	10,000 GT	184	110	min 18 square metres
SCENIC ECLIPSE	165 m	16,500 GT	228	228	min 32 square metres
CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR	183 m	25,000 GT	200	200	min 37 square metres
Technology
PONANT	Ice Class ranked, equipped with latest environmental preservation technology
SCENIC ECLIPSE	Custom-built stabilisers that are 50% larger than other ships, state of the art fins to adjust to large swells, ice strengthened hulls with Polar Class 6 (Ice Class 1A Super) rating
CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR	PC6 Polar Class rating, state of the art offshore dynamic positioning technology to maintain position and float over reefs without dropping anchor
Top cabin
PONANT	Not yet released. Sister ship Le Lyrial has 67 square metre Owner’s Suite with private balcony, Jacuzzi bath, two flat screen TVs and 24 hour room service
SCENIC ECLIPSE	Two-bedroom Penthouse Suite. 233 square metres with private terrace, Jacuzzi, spa bath, spa day bed for in-suite treatments, dual steam shower with light therapy, two walk in wardrobes, dining table for 10, library, fully stocked wine bar and personalised mini bar replenished daily and butler service
CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR	Owner’s Suite. 290 square metres with three bedrooms, private conservatory, garden, Jacuzzi, spa and gym with sauna and steam room, and butler service
Onboard toys
PONANT	Zodiac fleet, Infinity-Pool, variable Marina used as wassersports plattform and mini-landing station, Kajak, Paddle Board (SUP), diving, snorkeling, water skiing
SCENIC ECLIPSE	Two twin-engine six-seater helicopters, a seven-seat submarine, fleet of zodiacs
CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR	Two helicopters, two seven-seat submarines, eight zodiacs, jet skis, waverunners, recompression chamber for scuba diving, dive support tender, multi-person ATV, SEABOB underwater scooters, Remote Operated Vehicle to see underwater wrecks
Facilities
PONANT	Panorama restaurant, Grillrestaurant
SCENIC ECLIPSE	Six dining options, retractable roof heated pool, plunge pools, gym, yoga and pilates studios, 450 square metre spa, theatre
CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR	Six dining options, lecture rooms, cinema, infinity pool, Jacuzzis, 930 square metre spa and fitness area

Comments

Thank You 500,000 readers

Ocean Liners in Movies or Films at Sea (updated Nov 2017)

For liners and the shipping companies movies and films had been a top marketing tool Movies or Films and liners at sea, had been intriguing me since I have read about in my youth in LUXUSLINER - BILDER EINER GROSSEN ZEIT by Lee Server ( THE GOLDEN AGE OF OCEAN LINERS ). But earlier, mot only since my first crossing, I was keen watching movies with liners in it, and disapointed, which was an understatement, when I realized the films have been made in a set ashore in some movie "factory". That was after my first crossing. by Earl of Cruise an essay in progress `Sabrina´, Humphrey Bogart in the office, while LIBERTÉ is sailing out of New York harbor - screenshot Ocean liners, especially those of the luxury category, had been the location of dramas, love stories, thrillers, suspense and catastrophies sinde film was born, or nearly. In this list, the most descriptions are taken from Wikipedia, as I guess no one can expect having seen all these films ... otherwise I w...

HISTORY - The CUNARD - WHITE STAR Liner rms QUEEN ELIZABETH (1938-1972)

Over years, in my early youth, the QUEEN ELIZABETH was shaping my mind for the perfect ocean liner, despite having made my first experiences with a liner onboard the HANSEATIC (1), ex EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND, ex EMPRESS OF JAPAN. When leaning at the rail of HANSEATIC entering the port, my eyes where every where and I wished to by a camera, I took all in. And when seeing the QUEEN ELIZABETH with my own eyes, the nice behaving young boy turned into a tomboy, that my grandmére was no longer able to tame ... I did draw quite a lot of looks, back then. I found, while on research, this article and thought it interesting publishing in my blog: written and published by John Sheperd at liverpoolships.org editing and comments by Earl of Cruise I ( John Shepard ) joined the CUNARD LINE in March 1962 as an Assistant Purser and sailed the QUEEN ELIZABETH throughout that year, before transferring to the Liverpool-based CARINTHIA in November, where I remained as Crew Purser for the next five...

Germany and HAPAG - A Journey through History

HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHEPACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT - HAPAG or HAMBURG AMERICA LINE is reflecting, as Germany, the LLOYD of Bremen, two times of rsing and two times of devasting downfall and a third rise. BORUSSIA , 1856, First Day Cover 1956 of Deutsche Bundespost - own collection Once Germany´s biggest shipping line HAPAG / HAMBURG-AMERIKANISCHE PACKETFAHRT ACTIEN GESELLSCHAFT-LLOYD, merged with it former old Hanseatic rival NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD in 1970, to now HAPAG-LLOYD, had its peaks and downs, but rose each time on its own to new hights, without any state subsidies. As German mail subsidiaries did never cover the costs for purchasing or mainting the vessels ordered for the specific German mail lines. by Earl of Cruise In this article I used most German Wikipedia links, as they proved to be mostly of better research quality, and surprisinf to me, some English lines and liners have only German written articles, for the others, English Wiki links are to ...

ss NORMANDIE 1935 - 1942 IX

s s / te NORMANDIE starting from cold Owners: COMPAGNIE GÉNÉRALE TRANSATLANTIQUE BUILDERS: PENH Ö ET, St. Nazaire, France by Stephen Carey © , editing by Earl of Cruise This document is almost exclusively about the engineering aspects of NORMANDIE , mainly on how to start her up from cold. If you are looking for photos of the passenger spaces, there is a plethora of them on the web, in Facebook groups - Admirers of the ss Normandie , ss Normandie photographic file , The French Ocean Liners / Les Paquebots Fran ç ais , ss Normandie , GREAT LINERS OF THE PAST & PRESENT , and others, Pinterest and in articles about NORMANDIE here in the blog, please see at the end of the article. Using "ss" for NORMANDIE is quite incorrect, as NORMANDIE was a Turbo Electric vessel and not a steamship, therefore NORMANDIE should be adressed as "te". by Earl of Cruise te / ss NORMANDIE berthed in Le Havre, Gare Maritime May 29th, 1935 - colouring courtesy ...

HISTORY - ts / ss BREMEN and ts / ss EUROPA

Germany’s two luxury liners, BREMEN and EUROPA , have not only played an important part in their country’s mercantile revival, but have added also an immortal chapter to the history of transatlantic travel. Copy from Shipping Wonders of the World From part 6 , published 17 March 1936 editing by Earl of Cruise ss / ts BREMEN in her early years - Source: Shipping Wonders of the World/Bundespresse Archiv The PRIDE OF A NATION - the NORDDEUTSCHER LLOYD quadruple-screw turbine express liner BREMEN . The keel of this ship was laid in June 1927. Her launch took place in August, 1928. In less than a year later, the Bremen made her first voyage to America, when she crossed the Atlantic from Cherbourg to New York in four days seventeen hours forty-two minutes, thus setting up a new record and gaining the coveted “Blue Riband”. During the passage the Bremen attained an average speed of 27.83 knots. ss / ts BREMEN in her early years - Source: W ikipedia For the pop...

HISTORY - HAMBURG the Space Ship

HAMBURG , HANSEATIC, stared as Britannic in ` Juggernaught ´, MAXIM GORKIY nicknamed Space Ship ts HAMBURG in DEUTSCHE ATLANTIK LINE colours - own collection, copy from a promotion broschure When HAMBURG was introduced a TV show aired with adventures in the space, their ship was the Enterprise which had a saucer shaped main section and three main arm like pillars holding the saucer as well the two engin sections. by Earl of Cruise The funnel of HAMBURG had quite a resemblance to that particular TV airship, created for STAR TREK by Gene Roddenberry . Axel Bitsch Christensen in front of the ts HAMBURG funnel - own collection, photo originaly owned by Anders Bitsch Christensen This funnel, as controversial it is and was, was only one reason why HAMBURG was nicknamed the Space Ship, but there was another reason, a real one, HAMBURG was the most spacious passenger shipp of her days. Constructing ts HAMBURG from 1966 till 1969 - own collection, copy from my bo...

Heritage - UNITED STATES LINES - a review

In my UNITED STATES LINES historic review I want to show the rise and fall of the last national shipping and post line of the United States of America. by Earl of Cruise © UNITED STATES LINES The UNITED STATES LINES has been at first a transatlantic shipping company that operated passenger, mail and cargo services from 1921 to 1989. The passenger service with oceanliners was offered until 1969 - most famously by ss UNITED STATES . The line became well known in the 1920s, when two valiant rescues were made. These ships involved have been the ss PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT in 1926, and the ss AMERICA in 1929 both under the command by Captain George Fried . 19th Century Since the dramatic ending of the COLLINS LINE in mid 19th century, after successfully crossing the North Atlantic, there has not been any major US American steamship line. The congress was not able giving a push to any new entrepreneur to come. So foreign companies got the main share in post trading and pas...

HISTORY - EUGENIO C. a masterpiece of Italian design and engineering

EUGENIO C., later EUGENIO COSTA, was a masterpiece of Italian design and is an example of beautifully integrated ship design. Her naval architect, Nicolò Costanzi, and her interior designer, Nino Zoncada, worked side by side, or hand in hand, to create a perfect balance and continuity between the vessel's interiors and the exterior profile. EUGENIO C. became a masterpiece of the 60s design and elegance. by Earl of Cruise Some readers had been asking for interior photographies ... here they are. Eugenio C. Tourist Class A pool, looking aft into the wake line - own collection, copy from my LINEA „ C ‟ broshure EUGENIO C. entered service a little more than 50 years ago in 1966. EUGENIO C. was a child of the swinging 60s, when we had the first jet setters, and still style and elegance. And travelling by jet in those days was still an expensive way to travel for few. I am not the only one wishing the same intent and sensibility would be a guide line for present sh...

HISTORY - PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY

The PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMANY was existing for "just" one hundred years and was in her heydays a backbone for the development of the US West. The PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY was founded April 18, 1848, as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York by a group of New York City merchants, William H. Aspinwall , Edwin Bartlett, Henry Chauncey, Mr. Alsop, G.G. Howland and S.S. Howland. These merchants had acquired the right to transport mail under contract from the United States Government from the Isthmusof Panama to California awarded in 1847 to one Arnold Harris. The company was sold 1938 last to AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES , existing only on the paper, was closed down in 1949. by Earl of Cruise CALIFORNIA , PACIFIC MAIL's first ship - Source: Wikipedia CALIFORNIAwas the first steamer built by the PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY and she was launched May 19, 1848. She sailed from New York for Panama, via Cape Horn, on October 6, 1848...

Search This Blog

Thank You 500,000 readers