Travel Market Report contributors John and Sandra Nowlan recently took Deepak Chopra's wellness-themed cruise aboard Swan Hellenic's newest expedition ship, the SH Diana, with a group of travel advisors from the U.S. and Canada. They learned a lot about the cruise line's partnership with Chopra. Here's what travel advisors considering taking their clients on board should know.
The New York to Halifax cruise will be themed around “Explore and Restore” with Deepak Chopra, as the wellness guru recently signed an exclusive deal with Swan Hellenic to join six cruises this year and beyond in 2025.
Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito previously said the unique partnership allows for a seamless blend of wellness and exploration.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to putting wellbeing first and providing authentic luxury and intimate remote experiences,” he said.
During the voyage, Dr. Chopra delivered an opening seminar that highlighted his philosophy of the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health, followed by a meditation.
For the next six days, his team took over with yoga, meditation and self-help wellness sessions based on Chopra's teachings.
Although Dr. Chopra was not on board the SH Diana for the entire cruise, his team leaders were on board, and Jennifer Johnson, Dr. Chopra’s Senior Director of Programs and Products, led all of the daily sessions and discussions.
Commenting on Swan Hellenic's partnership with Dr Chopra, the 20-year wellness veteran said: “We aim to give our guests a greater sense of self-understanding as well as a greater appreciation of other cultures. With a cruise line like Swan Hellenic, it's really an inner journey and an outer journey.”
Daily Activities
The morning began at 7am with a chair yoga session in the Observation Lounge, focusing on breathing exercises and meditation, followed by a relaxing sound bath.
After sea days and excursions, Chopra's additional activities included mat-based yoga on the stargazing deck (upper) and self-discovery sessions with workbooks and team discussions. Topics ranged from “Who am I?”, “What is my purpose?” and “What am I grateful for?”
One travel advisor I spoke to about suitable clients for these voyages said Chopra's at-sea wellness sessions of yoga, meditation and self-discovery would benefit anyone, but would be especially helpful for those going through some kind of transition: losing a loved one, getting divorced, changing jobs or recently retiring.
Proper nutrition is an important part of Chopra's teachings, and each night there was an extensive, specially marked menu of Ayurvedic dishes handpicked by Chopra. The menu features many vegetarian dishes, but it's not all vegetarian: pistachio-crusted salmon and beef with potatoes and peas were popular with guests, as were Chopra's curried plantain quesadillas and vegetarian meatballs.
The menu always included four main dishes and at least five desserts, and soups like carrot ginger, corn chowder and cabbage soup were all Chopra's recommendations.
Deepak Chopra's Explore & Restore cruises have three more sailings remaining this year: Sicily to Piraeus (August 28-September 5), St. Maarten to Barbados (October 16-22), and Mozambique to Cape Town (November 6-13), with further cruises planned for 2025.
