Ponant has a philosophy of providing a different way to cruise. Perhaps the best way to illustrate how well Ponant embodies this value is to point out that Ponant has accomplished a series of impressive “firsts” on their award-winning ships. Hiding below deck onboard Ponant’s Explorer Ships is a multi-sensory experience that is unlike anything else in the cruise industry. Follow us below the waterline, as we go inside The Blue Eye, a multisensorial lounge with a view like nothing else.
The Concept
The Blue Eye is an underwater lounge, complete with a large viewing iris that allows guests to see beneath the waves. It goes without saying that people who are drawn to cruising likely feel some spiritual connection to the sea. Whether guests are aware of it or not, this connection must exist to excite cruisers to travel by ship. Ponant has created an incredible space that is guaranteed to awaken that spiritual connection to the sea in anyone lucky enough to experience it.
An Auditory Immersion
In addition to the viewing portal, the walls and ceilings were built to enhance the acoustics of the water around the ship. The flowing, wave-like design of the room combines with hull-mounted hydrophones that allow guests to hear the surrounding ocean for 3 miles in each direction.
Designed based on the principles of biomimetics and mimicking the experience of being inside the head of a whale, Ponant takes queues from the natural world to enhance the acoustic design of the space. Located by itself on deck “zero,” guests will descend the stairwell into an unearthly atmosphere. Black ceramic flooring, flowing walls with white paneling, and white furniture, are all awash in low blue light that creates an otherworldly ambiance.
A Visual Marvel
The seats, walls, and ceiling glow silver in the low blue light. The bar at the bottom of the stairs is backed by a wall of digital LED screens that play live footage from an array of cameras under the ship’s waterline. The result, for the 40 occupants, is full emersion in 360-degree sights and sounds of the surrounding water and any wildlife nearby. To ensure the desired effect, the bartender won’t even have a shaker to mix beverages.
While the ship is underway, the water moves past the iris in a rush of waves and bubbles. The array of hull-mounted cameras will broadcast any dolphins or whales swimming alongside the vessel to the LED screens. The hydrophones fill the room with their playful clicking and chatter. This combination should achieve the desired effect of full sensory immersion.
With the Blue Eye Lounge Ponant has achieved a truly unique experience that is unmatched in travel. The brand shows no sign of slowing down with innovations on board to enhance the guest experience and live up to its promise of a different way to cruise. Cruisers have taken notice and are lining up for this multisensory journey. To experience the Blue Eye Lounge, consult your travel advisor. Ponant’s Explorer ships are deployed worldwide, guests are lining up to experience something new. The help of a seasoned travel professional is priceless when choosing the best itinerary to descend beneath the waves in the Blue Eye.
