French luxury cruise line Ponant has recently added a new vessel to its fleet, Le Lapérouse, the first of six Explorer ships. Named after French explorer and naval officer Jean-François de Galaup, Count of La Pérouse, it is the first ship in the cruise industry to feature the Blue Eye, a multi-sensory underwater lounge. The Blue Eye immerses guests in the sights, sounds, and vibrations from the ocean, and according to architect Jacques Rougerie, its aim is to “let guests become modern-day explorers, following in the wake of Jules Verne, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and the great adventurers.”
Two eye-shaped portholes provide a look underwater while three cameras channel views of the ocean bed into the lounge. Sound expert Michel Redolfi has developed hydrophones to transmit the ocean’s sounds, while “body listening sofas” discreetly vibrate in unison with the sound of the ocean.
