A French-owned cruise line is offering travellers the chance to feel like deep sea divers (or mermaids, if you prefer), with a world-first underwater lounge.

Ponant’s Le Lapérouse ship (launching 2018) will be the first on earth equipped with a multi-sensory underwater space, allowing guests to cruise both above and below the water. Located in the ship’s hull, the Blue Eye lounge will feature giant windows and surround-sound speakers playing sounds from the aquatic world outside, plus sofas that discreetly vibrate in unison with the currents of the sea.

The experience will also feature on Ponant’s Le Bougainville, Le Dumont-d’Urville and Le Champlain expeditions, launching after 2018.

For more information, visit the PONANT website here.