Cruise & Travel Lifestyles

Scenic Eclipse: Where Luxury Meets Discovery

Scenic Eclipse: Where Luxury Meets Discovery

A sleek, streamlined yacht arrives on the scene the Scenic Eclipse is sailing her inaugural season this fall and winter.

The new Scenic Eclipse, first of the line’s Discovery Yachts has a distinctive look with her long hull and “wedding cake” structure. Rather like Scenic’s river ships, the décor is ultra-modern and offers elegant, stylish spaces with lots of colour, and a number of restaurants and lounges that shine with a pretty palette.

I really enjoyed the stunning, jewel-box Lumière restaurant accommodating just over 30 patrons each night for dinner. It’s exquisitely designed with a lovely Champagne Bar created out of rose quartz crystal. Reservations are required and founder Glen Moroney says it’s packed every night. Each guest can dine at least once per cruise (more often on longer voyages, space permitting) and, as with the rest of the yacht’s restaurants, there are no additional charges.

Lumière restaurant

Another delightful spot is the Azure Bar and Café which offers early-risers coffee, then light bites, tapas, snacks and a variety of beverages. It’s a charming venue for casual fare and carries the pretty colours through to the outside deck.

The main restaurant, Elements has a focus on Italian, steak and seafood and there’s no need to reserve. It’s also somewhat minimalist in décor with lighter beige tones and a black marble bar at its entrance where wine and cheese tastings are offered each evening. With 100 cheeses available, I suspect this will be a popular stopping off point. There is also a separate Chef’s Table within Elements reserved for guests booking the most premium suites or by invitation. There are also other dining options of all kinds.

The yacht carries 228 guests in 114 suites, all of which are spacious and well-appointed, each with a small sitting area and verandah. In polar regions, the capacity drops to 200 and the tonnage is just over 17500 GRT which means the space ratio per guest is high – a sign of luxury – and there are six butlers on the ship, each taking care of 15 suites.

Vanessa Lee checks out one of the ship's helicopters.

Eclipse boasts a pair of helicopters and a submarine. These impressive “toys” will appeal to travellers who long to take a helicopter ride over northern tundra or southern glaciers, or dive below the water (to a depth of 984 feet) in the Scenic Neptune six-seater submarine. It’s $475 per person for a 20-minute ride and $925 for 40 minutes in a helicopter, and $250 for 20 minutes or $475 for 40 minutes in the sub – all U.S. dollars. Guests are taken out on a Zodiac to board the sub via a platform on its roof. Feeling adventurous? The Eclipse also offers tandem kayaks, and, depending on the yacht’s locale, snowshoes or snorkels.

Scenic has an onboard Discovery Team and a fleet of Zodiacs focused on providing guests with a superior and enriching vacation – with “six-star service and amenities” – wherever in the world the yacht may sail.


<< NEW 2020-2022 SEASON OFFERS >>

  • Early Bird Fares: Save up to 10% off cruise-only fares (subject to availability)
  • Early Payment Discount: Save up to $1,000 OFF per couple (discount based on itinerary. Must pay in full by Nov 30, 2019)

2019/20 SEASON FALL SAVINGS BOOK BY DEC. 31, 2019

  • Book an Antarctica, Arctic & Fjords voyage and receive 2 For 1 Airfare*
  • Book a Central & South America voyage and receive:
    • Up To $500 USD On Board Credit Per Person
    • Free Private Door-to-Door Transfer
    • One-night hotel stay (10/11 days or less
    • 2 FOR 1 Airfare (19 days or longer)
  • Book a Transatlantic Crossing voyage and receive:
    • Free Private Door-To-Door Transfers
    • $500 USD On Board Credit Per Person
  • Book a Caribbean Voyage and receive:
    • Fly for $495 Economy Air
    • Free Private Door-to-Door Transfers
    • One-night hotel stay

Interested?