French cruise operator offers leisurely voyages for sophisticated travellers

The French cruise operator Ponant offers ‘slow cruises’ on its relatively small vessels such as Le Ponant (pictured), its flagship. — AFP Relaxnews picPARIS, Nov 16 — In a bid to attract high-end travellers, a growing number of cruise operators are introducing trips at a more leisurely pace aboard smaller ships. More exclusive than mainstream packages, these “slow cruises” have a more intimate atmosphere and often sail to more unusual destinations.

Cruise operators aim to appeal to all types of travellers. On one hand, they continue to build new mega-ships for over 4,000 passengers, with spectacular on-board attractions and itineraries with broad, mainstream appeal. But as an alternative to these vacations for the masses, several companies are addressing a niche market through fleets of smaller, more luxurious boats.

Costa Cruises, Ponant and Croisières de France are among those on board with the emerging “slow cruising” movement.

Exclusivity and culture

Slow cruises aim first and foremost to attract a wealthy clientele. Prices for these packages start at around US$2,000 (RM6,700) per person for one week, compared to half that for a more conventional mainstream cruise. Why so much? In a word: exclusivity.

With a maximum of around 700 passengers, slow cruises offer a far more intimate atmosphere than ocean liners with over 3,000 vacationers on deck. Another key difference: rather than generic shows and activities, slow cruises cater to high-brow travellers with more specialised events such as wine tastings, lectures and master classes.

In addition to offering more intimacy, ships with a more modest size are able to dock at smaller ports, meaning slow cruises can travel to destinations far from the typical tourist circuit. Often, this also leads to more emphasis on local culture, architecture and cuisine. Costa Cruises, for example, points out that several of its slow cruise destinations are Unesco World Heritage Sites. Finally, slow cruises typically spend longer at ports of call, often giving passengers several days to take advantage of each destination.

Costa Cruises is perhaps the leading promoter of the slow cruise concept through its recently launched neoCollection. This winter, the Italian company will add a new ship to this fleet, the NeoClassica, which will sail the Indian Ocean to Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar (from €2,168/around US$2,700 per person).

The latest cruises from Ponant, which has always specialised in high-end packages, are also representative of the trend. In summer 2015, the French company will offer its first ever trips to Alaska. The two ships that will cruise the northern Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska have just 132 cabins each, and expert lecturers will be on board to share their knowledge of local history and culture (from €3,540/around US$4,400 per person for seven nights, excluding flights).  — AFP Relaxnews