A crisis gave birth to Stefano Pastrovich’s most recent expedition cruise ship. No, it’s not Covid-19, but Pastrovich Studio’s newest invention may provide a solution to the challenges we may face in travel in the near future.
In 2008, as the global economic crisis seized the globe, Pastrovich and his team of naval architects observed that many cultures were embracing a new entry point to the enjoyment of luxury goods: the charter market. The team prioritised the availability of luxury over its exclusive proprietorship. Recently, Pastrovich has witnessed the emergence of a new generation of consumers with similar interests.
“These experience-seeking adventure tourists dream of exploring the seas in the utmost comfort, luxury, and privacy,” said Pastrovich to Robb Report. Pastrovich refers to these individuals as “X-Travelers,” and they seek out boutique hotels, luxury concierge services, and private aircraft. “However,” he continues, “they have not yet discovered a cruise ship that can make their dreams come true.”
The yacht X-Expedition Cruise is intended to fill this vacancy.
The 331-foot-long, 62-foot-wide vessel represents a novel combination of construction techniques. It combines the engineering and design elements that define superyacht projects with the modular principles used to construct modern cruise ships, where the cabins, windows, vertical accesses, and common areas fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Pastrovich is especially pleased of the modular architecture. “This allows us to achieve cost-effective management and construction times without sacrificing luxury construction details,” he explains. Moreover, without sacrificing aesthetic appeal.”
The X-Expedition Cruise can be easily constructed in what Pastrovich terms the ship’s optimal configuration due to its modular design: There are 48 standard suites, 4 deluxe suites, and 2 owner suites to accommodate 108 visitors. These quarters measure 312, 624, and 936 square feet, accordingly. The ship’s owners can also opt for the deluxe configuration, which accommodates 84 passengers in 24 standard suites, 16 deluxe suites, and 2 owner suites, or the penultimate owner configuration, which accommodates 64 passengers in 24 deluxe suites and 4 owner suites.
Regardless of configuration, the vessel’s most alluring feature is its capacity to provide passengers with a cruise experience resembling that of a private superyacht. He states, “Space creates privacy, and privacy determines exclusivity.”
The new vessel also features hybrid propulsion from Wartsila’s most recent generation. Already eco-friendly with lower emissions, shifting into its extreme “green” mode — which generates no noise, vibration, or emissions — provides a genuine back-to-nature sensibility. “Nature is the protagonist, and the ship is an instrument,” says Pastrovich, “so that guests can enjoy the symphony of nature’s sounds without interruption.”
The naval architect acknowledges that smaller ship cruising has become increasingly popular in recent years, but he believes that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will only increase demand for this form of travel. “The pandemic has altered the common perception of solitude and privacy,” he says. People are rediscovering the value of paying more for more capacity per passenger.