On board a luxury yacht, you might expect flowing champagne, the gentle ebb and flow of waves and top-class, seamless service. Below deck, though, it’s a different story.Captain James Griffiths, 41, has commanded ships in more than 105 countries – and is playing a key role in this summer’s launch of what is set to be the world’s most luxurious expedition yacht.Originally from Swansea, Captain Griffiths has been in the maritime industry since 2001, and has experience working across large vessels such as Cunard’s Queen Mary II, superyachts and polar region expeditions in far-flung destinations such as Greenland and Antarctica.Joining Scenic in 2018 as the first captain of Scenic Eclipse, Captain Griffiths currently oversees all Scenic Ocean Cruises captains. This summer, the luxury Scenic Eclipse II will embark on a landmark voyage from Greenwich.Ahead of the landmark journey, the captain has lifted the lid on what really goes on behind the scenes of such a vessel. Scenic Eclipse II – a six-star ‘discovery yacht’ complete with two helicopters, a custom-built submersible and butler service for every suite – will moor in Greenwich on July 31.Designed for polar exploration in some of the most remote regions on Earth, the ultra-luxury yacht combines expedition capability with the standards of an opulent private yacht experience. Captain James Griffiths, 41, tells all about the reality of life below deck Captain Griffiths is an expert on all manner of ships, including polar expeditions to AntarcticaHe told the Daily Mail: ‘Behind the scenes, it’s like the old analogy of a swan, floating serenely on the water when the paddling goes on underneath it, you don’t see it. ‘For the Scenic Eclipse, we have 200 guests and 200 crew, so the guests come on board and there’s a serene, calm environment – but obviously we’ve got all of the engineering systems that go on, all of the planning.’We’ve got different dining venues, nine different dining options, so there’s all of the provisioning, the galleys are running. But you don’t see any of that.’You’ve got this small town that’s running behind the scenes that the guests never see – and the idea is that they have this totally calm, smooth experience.’Complex operations include a freshwater processing system, as well as high-speed internet and complex computer networks. The challenges for the crew are numerous – with wild requests from guests often placing pressure on the (extremely capable!) staff.’You’ll have guests who want to take a helicopter and land on an iceberg,’ James reveals, adding: ‘And we can make that happen for you. People have wanted to get married on board, or decided that they want a particular type of alcohol that you didn’t have – so then you have to find a way to make that happen. ‘Guests are always finding new ways to surprise us with the requests.’ Captain James oversees the team of captains at Scenic Ocean Cruises Leaving from Greenwich in London on August 1, Scenic Eclipse II will set sail down the ThamesVisiting the bridge, from where the captains run the ship, is another popular request, with passengers from keen birdwatchers to more elderly guests eager to have a look – especially as many other ships do not allow this.’The bridge is manned 24 hours a day by deck officers. The captain will be on the bridge for the difficult part – the whole arrival into London, for example, from picking up the Thames pilot to putting the ship onto the mooring buoys.’On every cruise, particularly to the polar regions, you’ll have certain individuals that I as a captain get to know really well because they’re always on the bridge. People rave about it because on a big cruise ship and some other companies, you are not getting to the bridge – or if you do, you have to pay as part of a guided tour.’And this might sound all rather dreamy – but what are the most challenging aspects of such a job?Captain Griffiths says: ‘Once you’re a competent ship handler and you’ve got a good grip of the technical aspects, which is what they teach you when you go to maritime school, it’s combining other elements.’They don’t teach you how to deal with 200 crew and 200 passengers. People are always the complicating element. If you had a cruise ship with no passengers, it’d be a very nice, very easy life. But that’s what brings the exciting element. ‘But also on board the Scenic Eclipse, we have two Airbus H130 helicopters. We have a manned submersible vehicle. We have a discovery program. So we’ve got all of these kayaks, paddle boards, even a mini sailing boat. All of this is a massively complicating factor – but it’s unique. Scenic Eclipse II is one of the world’s few ships equipped with helicopters’There’s a huge amount on that platform that makes it amazing, but also to have it running smoothly is one hell of a task.’As a captain, it’s difficult trying to get all of these people with different expectations, different demands, different requirements together into one team – how do you manage all of the people?’Indeed, people management is the key challenge on most ships. Navigating Antarctica, however, is a different story – especially when facing ice and poor weather.James said: ‘I fell in love with Antarctica. It’s an incredible place. What gets me about Antarctica every time is you’re seeing the Antarctica that Shackleton saw, that Scott saw, because ultimately there is very, very limited human effect on Antarctica. You can go down there and not see really any evidence of human activity.”It opened my eyes to a whole new part of the industry that’s super specialised. It’s an incredibly challenging environment. You can end up working crazy hours.’There are two things that will get you in Antarctica. It’s the weather and the ice, ultimately. So when you’re crossing down to Antarctica, you have to go across the Drake Passage, which everyone has heard about, and get pushed through this tiny little gap.’Years ago, with a different cruise line, I ran into far worse weather than we anticipated, and ended up with 11-metre seas and 80-knot winds on a ship that was about 100 metres long. That made for an interesting experience.’Also, you’re taking these ships into these areas where the ice moves around and then you have to break through big pieces of ice to get back to open water. And that can be stressful as well. You’re constantly alert for the weather and the ice.’ A submersible is also on hand for passengers to explore beneath the seasDoes he relate at all to Below Deck, the reality TV show that has taken the world by storm, and that sets out to show what goes on behind the scenes of luxury yachts? ‘I think it’s great entertainment,’ James says. ‘At the end of the day, a lot of what they show is augmented reality.’But there’s truth in a lot of it, right? I mean, a lot of what goes on below deck does go on, clearly. With the relationships, if you put a lot of young people in a metal box for months on end, that sort of stuff does happen to some extent.’He also explains that on some yachts – especially privately owned superyachts and charter yachts – there are also instances of ‘crazy drinking and partying’, although in reality, most are calm and drama-free.James and his crew are excited to welcome the first London appearance for Scenic Eclipse II, which will arrive at Tilbury on July 30 before reaching Greenwich on July 31 for a brief stay ahead of a five-day sailing to Hamburg. All manner of luxury amenities will be available, including a Sky Bar and Vitality PoolDeparting Greenwich on August 1, Scenic Eclipse II will sail down the Thames before continuing through Ostend, Belgium, cruising down the Elbe River and then Hamburg.Scenic Eclipse II is one of only two ships in the world equipped with two helicopters and a custom-built submersible, Scenic Neptune II, allowing guests to explore destinations from the sky and beneath the sea.Every suite comes with butler service and a private verandah or terrace, while onboard facilities include up to ten culinary experiences, a 550sqm spa, wellness spaces, Sky Bar and Vitality Pool.Built to Polar Class 6 specifications, Scenic Eclipse II has been designed to navigate some of the world’s most extreme environments, including Antarctica and the Arctic – as well as warm water locations such as the Mediterranean, Oceania and the remote archipelagos of Southeast Asia and Indonesia.This summer’s voyage may not be crossing waters as harsh as James is used to – but it’s certain to be quite a ride nonetheless.