Travel Market Report contributors John and Sandra Nowlan recently joined a group of U.S. and Canadian travel advisors on a Deepak Chopra wellness-themed cruise aboard Swan Hellenic’s newest expedition ship, SH Diana. They learned a lot about the cruise line and its partnership with Chopra. Here’s what they think travel advisors considering putting clients onboard should know.
Our cruise from New York to Halifax featured Deepak Chopra and an “Explore and Restore” theme. The wellness guru recently signed an exclusive contract with Swan Hellenic for participation in six cruises this year and more in 2025.
Swan Hellenic’s CEO, Andrea Zito, has previously stated that this unique partnership allows wellness and exploration to seamlessly merge.
“This collaboration mirrors our commitment to delivering authentic luxury and intimate, remote experiences with well-being at the forefront,” he said.
On our sailing, Dr. Chopra gave an opening seminar emphasizing his philosophy – the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health – followed by a meditation.
Then for the next six days his team took over with yoga, meditation, and self-help wellness sessions based on Chopra teachings.
Dr. Chopra was not on board SH Diana for the whole cruise but his team leader was. Jennifer Johnson, senior director of program and products for Dr. Chopra, led all daily sessions and discussions.
Speaking of the partnership between Swan Hellenic and Dr. Chopra, the 20-year wellness veteran said: “We aim to give guests a greater understanding of self as well as a better understanding of other cultures. With a cruise line like Swan Hellenic, it’s really an inner journey and an outward journey.”
Daily activities
Morning began at 7, with a chair yoga session offered in the Observation Lounge concentrating on breathwork and meditation, and accompanied by a relaxing sound bath.
On sea days and after excursions additional Chopra activities included yoga with mats on the Stargazing (top) deck and self-discovery sessions with workbooks and team discussions. Topics ranged from “Who am I?” to “What is my purpose?” to “What am I grateful for?”
One travel advisor we spoke with about who the right client is for these sailings told us that the Chopra yoga, meditation and self-discovery wellness-at-sea sessions would be helpful for anyone but ae particularly useful for people transitioning in some way, such as going through the loss of a loved one, a divorce, a career change or newly retired.
Proper nutrition is a key part of Chopra’s teaching and every evening several Chopra curated Ayurvedic dishes were on the extensive menu, marked with a special symbol. Menus features a lot of vegetarian choices, but not exclusively. Pistachio Crusted Salmon and Beef with Potatoes and Peas were popular with diners as were Chopra-choices like Curried Plantain Quesadilla and Vegetarian Meat Balls.
The menu always included four entrée choices and at least five desserts, and all the soups – Carrot Ginger, Corn Chowder, and Cabbage Soup – were Chopra-recommended.
There are three more Deepak Chopra “Explore & Restore” cruise left this year including: Sicily to Piraeus (Aug. 28-Sept. 5); St. Maarten to Barbados (Oct.16-22) and Mozambique to Cape Town (Nov. 6-13). More are scheduled for 2025.