Simon Wittenberg takes a look at Scenic Eclipse II, the second ship in the Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours ultra-luxury ocean Eclipse fleet, which has recently set sail on its maiden voyage from Lisbon, Portugal.
Following a series of successful sea trials in Croatia, Scenic II Eclipse, the new six-star ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, has completed its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean, with an Incredible Iberian Discovery cruise to the Spanish city of Barcelona under the stewardship of Captain Erwan le Rouzic.
Guests on board the vessel’s first journey included the Scenic Group chairman and founder Glen Moroney and his wife, Karen, as well as top-tier loyalty guests and a host of VIPs who played a role in the vision and delivery of the much-anticipated ship. The godmother of Scenic Eclipse II is Dr Kathy Sullivan, one of NASA’s first female astronauts and the first woman to explore Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench – the deepest part of Earth’s oceans.
Built at the MAJ shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia, the arrival of the elegant black and white £164 million Scenic Eclipse II ice-strengthened mega-yacht effectively doubles the firm’s capacity in the exclusive exploration cruise market. For the first two months of operations, the new ship will spend its time exploring the picturesque coastal waters and coves of Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain, and France, before heading north towards Norway for a series of Arctic expeditions.
Following in the footsteps of the near-identical Scenic Eclipse, which was christened in 2019 by Dame Helen Mirren, the new 550-foot (168-metre) vessel houses 114 suites capable of accommodating up to 228 individuals, a Sky Deck, which offers 270-degree views of the surrounding landscape, the Sky Bar (above) with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as six private cabanas for guests to enjoy the stunning views with their favourite drink in hand. This is, of course, not forgetting the ten exquisite dining venues offering world-class cuisine.
Another new feature is the large, oval-shaped pool, complete with comfortable furniture by Italian design house Paola Lenti and special jets allowing guests to swim ‘laps’. A standout attribute of Scenic Eclipse II is none other than its 10-seater onboard submarine, which has been named ‘Scenic Neptune II Triton’.
Capable of descending to a depth of up to 200 metres, it will join the vessel following the completion of the final stages of testing and operation certification.
Elsewhere on board, guests are treated to the ship’s eclectic collection of art – the work of British-born artist Carl Hush. His work encompasses street art, collage and painting and draws heavily on Japanese culture to explore representations and constructions of women. Hush previously created a bespoke piece in a similar vein for Scenic Eclipse.
Additional art on board includes an exclusive mural commission by Croatian designer Slaven Kosanovi Lunar in the Night Market @ Koko’s, and the resin mixed media work of Mitch Gobel, who resides in Australia’s Byron Bay, in the Scenic Bar & Lounge and each guest suite.
Scenic Eclipse II’s upcoming voyages have already attracted a lot of interest, with an exciting array of itineraries through 2023 and 2024 now available. From the Arctic in the summer – exploring Norway, Greenland, Iceland and Canada – the yacht tours the British Isles before heading across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal to South America, and eventually down to Chile, Argentina, and Antarctica for the Winter.
In March 2024, Scenic Eclipse II will then take a turn across the Pacific towards French Polynesia, Tahiti and Fiji before a series of cruises exploring the Kimberley coastline during the Australian winter season. New Zealand, Indonesia and the Solomon Islands are among more Pacific options up until October 2024.
Of special interest will be Scenic Eclipse II’s first appearance in UK waters in September this year. The ship will offer two consecutive 10-day itineraries:
Northern Isles, Iceland & Scotland (departing Reykjavik, Iceland, on 4th September), which features takes in calls in Fetlar Island, Shetlands, Lerwick, Stromness, Aberdeen and Leith.
Scottish Isles: Historic Trails and Wilderness (departing Leith on 12th September), calling at Aberdeen, Stromness, St Kilda (Outer Hebrides), Portree (Isle of Skye), Sound of Mull/Fort William, Oban, Portrush (Northern Ireland) and Dublin (Republic of Ireland).
Scenic Eclipse II – Where and How?
For more information on Scenic Eclipse II or to make a booking, visit www.sceniceclipse.com or contact your local travel agent.
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