Scenic Eclipse Is World’s First Discovery Yacht, Redefines Luxury Cruising

In August 2019, the luxury cruise company introduced Scenic Eclipse, aka the world’s first discovery yacht, which is a very delicate and concise way of saying this is a luxury megayacht able and suited to go on expedition cruises to the most distant locations in the world. Is what expeditions must look like for the one-percenters, as long as you’re willing to share the experience with a couple of hundred other persons, on board a luxury megayacht.

We know, the cruising industry has taken a massive hit from the current health crisis, and even state officials are recommending that people forget about cruises for a while. They’re still booking tickets and going, despite all cautions, so we might as well discuss this ultra-luxurious, not-at-all-cheap, inclusive offer from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Even if it’s for later consideration.

The idea for Scenic Eclipse is that of “marrying luxury, discovery and safety, and giving guests the opportunity to explore above and beyond what was previously imaginable.” In short, the massive 551-foot (168-meter) megayacht (christened by Dame Helen Mirren in NYC) will travel to 68 ports around the world and Antarctica and the Arctic, offering an unprecedented combination of exploration gear (and opportunities) and fine luxury.

Accommodation on board is done in 114 gigantic suites (for up to 228 guests), with 176 crew for an almost ideal 1:1 ratio. Every suite comes with its own private veranda and personal butler, with the owner’s penthouse suite (at $10,000-a night and 2,659 square feet / 247 square meters of living space) including its own private spa and separate sleeping area.

Everything on board this megayacht is meant for luxurious indulgence. There are no less than 10 different thematic restaurants, overseen by chef Tom Goetter and offering French haute cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Chefs Table degustation, or alfresco meals in the Yacht Club. Or you can get to cooking on your own, when you return home, thanks to a cooking classroom that teaches you how to make the stuff you liked the most. There are also eight bars, with one of them with a wall made of 110 bottles of whiskey – from which you can serve a taste or two, of course.

Other amenities include separate spa suites offering several types of spa treatments (specialist experience showers, light therapy, steam sauna, cold dips, you-name-it), massages, Pilates and Yoga, and individual workouts in a dedicated gym. A hair salon is just what you need ahead of a more formal engagement, so one is available as well.

That said, when guests are not indulging the senses in the most extravagant scenery imaginable, they can set out to explore remote regions, thanks to a variety of toys available on board. A first of the kind, Scenic Eclipse comes with two helicopters on board, each with six-passenger capacity, and its own Discovery submarine, the Scenic Neptune, that can go as deep as 1,000 feet (93 meters). Then, there’s an entire fleet of Zodiac boats and kayaks, and other assorted watertoys and outdoor toys. It even has e-bikes, for those guests who feel like adding an extra dose of adrenaline to their outings on dry land.

Because it’s made to travel to remote locations, Scenic Eclipse was built with an eye for sustainability and reliability. Cruise ships are largely responsible for damage done to the environment, polluting through emissions, noise and waste disposal. This megayacht comes with Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems and highly efficient engines for lower-impact cruising.

Scenic Eclipse is a Polar Class 6 vessel, the highest ice-class rating for a passenger vessel, and comes with custom built stabilizers for better stability and GPS dynamic positioning, allowing it to not drop anchor onto sensitive waterbeds in order to maintain location. All this, so you won’t have to fret over the harm you’re doing to the environment while cruising and exploring the world in the lap of luxury.

Speaking of, this type of experience doesn’t come cheap at all, which you might have inferred from the fact that the owner’s penthouse suite costs $10,000 a night. Standard fares per person based on a double occupancy start at $6,395 and, while they include air travel, pre-departure hotel, and meals and drinks on board, they don’t include helicopter and submarine rides. Prices are also higher for polar expeditions.