Scenic takes cruising to new frontiers
Helicopters, submarine ratchet up the cool factor of Australian company’s off-ship adventures
The line between river cruising and ocean cruising continues to blur, as more river cruise lines expand into ocean cruising, and ocean cruise lines announce plans to build purpose-built river ships. Now, longstanding Australian tour and river cruise operator Scenic (scenic.ca) has announced the launch of what the company is calling “the world’s first Discovery Yacht.”
Three-plus years in the making, Scenic is heading in an adventurous new direction with the Scenic Eclipse, a 228-guest luxury mega-yacht designed specifically for expedition cruises around the world. When it enters service Aug. 31, 2018, the vessel will embark on a series of Mediterranean cruises before launching discovery sailings to the Americas and Antarctica. Voyages to the Norwegian fiords and the Far Arctic are also on tap.
Scenic Eclipse will boast just 114 suites that range from 344-squarefoot Veranda Suites to the ship’s jawdropping 2,500-sq.-ft. Owner’s Penthouse Suite with two bedrooms.
For its first foray into ocean cruising, Scenic is pulling out all the stops — and then some. Scenic Eclipse will feature the same level of all-inclusiveness currently found aboard Scenic’s river cruise ships in Europe.
Fares will include all meals, regardless of which of the six on-board dining options you choose to indulge in. All beverages are included, along with tipping, gratuities, excursions ashore, Wi-Fi, and on-board butler service that provides a nearly one-toone guest-to-staff ratio.
To ratchet up the cool factor, Scenic Eclipse will carry two on-board helicopters and a seven-seat submarine, both of which are designed to take guests to places that would be normally out of reach on similar expedition voyages aboard competing lines. After a long day ashore, you can even come back and indulge in the on-board spa, which clocks in at nearly 5,000 sq. ft.
Scenic chairman and founder Glen Moroney said, “Our goal with Scenic Eclipse was to open up the private Discovery Yacht experience so that our guests could discover regions previously only visited by a fortunate few. In many cases, only the supremely wealthy or explorers and adventurers could’ve travelled to the Antarctic hinterland or have ventured below the surface to witness polar wildlife in their natural habitat, but now we are making these experiences accessible to our guests while travelling in the utmost luxury and safety.”
On the technical front, Scenic is also pulling out all the stops, equipping Scenic Eclipse with an innovative stabilization system to minimize roll, and outfitting it to strict ‘Ice Class 1A Super’ regulations that will ensure safe operations in the Arctic and Antarctica. All polar voyages will be limited to 200 guests to comply with local regulations and to ensure a more personalized experience ashore.
The company will release a dedicated Scenic Eclipse brochure in February. An as-yet-unnamed sister ship is already on the drawing board.
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