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 deluxe CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR - courtesy CRYSTAL CRUISES
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
Post a Comment