Forty years after getting its start as an Australian tour company, Scenic Group is celebrating a milestone anniversary with its most ambitious expansion yet. New ultra-luxury discovery yachts, a growing Emerald yacht fleet, river ships bound for India and Southeast Asia and an expanding portfolio of destinations are setting the stage for the company’s next chapter. But for travel advisors, the bigger story isn’t simply the arrival of new ships. It’s the opportunity to introduce Scenic and Emerald to clients who might never have considered cruising.
Yesterday, while touring the ultra-luxury Scenic Eclipse during its call at PortMiami, Recommend sat down with Scenic Group executives to talk about the company’s evolution, the wave of new ships and itineraries coming online and why the growing appetite for smaller ships and more immersive experiences presents an opportunity to reach travelers who might never have considered a cruise.
“Number one, 40 years is a huge accomplishment,” Ken Muskat, President of Scenic Group, USA/LATAM, tells Recommend. “Going from a bus company operating land tours in Australia, to then going into river, to then creating two brands, to then going into ocean discovery yachts. The [Scenic Eclipse] was really the first ultra-luxury discovery yacht of its kind.”
But Scenic Group isn’t spending much time looking in the rearview mirror. “Between 2026 and 2028 and beyond, we’re going through our biggest expansion, not only in new hardware, new ships, but also new destinations….” Muskat adds.
A New Era of Discovery Yachts
One of the group’s most significant development is Scenic Ikon, the company’s third ultra-luxury discovery yacht, scheduled to debut in April 2028. The 270-guest vessel will begin sailing in the Mediterranean before heading to Antarctica during its inaugural season.
“Scenic Ikon is going to be 50 percent larger than the [Scenic Eclipse], but only 18 percent more guests, with an 18,200-sf spa, up to 15 dining venues, the big pools, the big outdoor space,” Muskat notes.
The ship will also change how Scenic balances its warm-weather and polar deployments. While Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II spend approximately 70 percent of their time in polar regions, Scenic Ikon will spend 70 percent of its itineraries focused on warm-weather destinations.
For advisors, that opens up opportunities to introduce the discovery yacht experience to clients who are intrigued by intimate, ultra-luxury cruising but aren’t necessarily ready to venture to the polar regions.
Jason Flesher, Director of Discovery Operations at Scenic Group, explains that the new ship will also take the onboard discovery experience to another level.
“The ‘discovery’ spaces are going to be next level,” he says. Among the most notable changes will be the relocation of the helicopters to the bow, with hangars below deck and elevators to transport the aircraft. The space currently occupied by the helicopter deck on Scenic Eclipse will become a full-size swimming pool aboard Scenic Ikon. The marina platform will also be substantially larger, with floating pontoons, two bars and an interior lounge that guests can enjoy even while the ship is sailing.
“The marina deck, where we do a lot of our warm-water activities and the polar plunge in Antarctica, is going to be two or three times bigger,” Flesher tells Recommend.
No matter which ship, though, the expedition component remains central to the experience.
Flesher describes how a single day cruising in Antarctica with Scenic, for example, can offer a “four-dimensional experience. So, in the morning, you’re on a helicopter flight to the most mountainous continent in the world…flying up to the polar plateau, flying over the icebergs, the whales and then later that morning, do a sub-dive to see what aquatic life lives below. Have lunch, and then go for a kayak or Zodiac ride and then go on land.”
He also has an important piece of advice for travel advisors selling Antarctica: Ask clients what they most want to see before recommending a departure. “The other thing with guests going down to Antarctica, and what I always throw back at the advisors, is, ‘Well, what does your guest want to see?’ Advisors will say, ‘Oh, yeah, you’ll go down there. You’ll see everything.’ No, you won’t.”
The time of year, he explains, makes a considerable difference. Clients interested in penguin nesting activity may want to travel in November or early December, while whale enthusiasts should consider departures from mid-December through February.
From India’s Rivers to the Seychelles
But Scenic Group offers so much more than expedition sailings. There’s also significant investments across its river and yacht brands, opening destinations that give advisors more options for clients seeking immersive, less conventional vacations.
India is among the most noteworthy developments. In October 2027, the 44-guest Scenic Aura will begin sailing the Hooghly River in West Bengal, offering a 10-night river cruise paired with land journeys through India and Sri Lanka. Scenic Group has also announced a partnership with Assam Bengal Navigation to expand onto the Brahmaputra River, with plans to operate two ultra-luxury river ships in India by 2029–30.
The company is also preparing to introduce Scenic Spirit II and Scenic Spirit III on the Mekong River in 2028. For advisors whose clients have already explored Europe’s major rivers, these itineraries offer opportunities to introduce a different side of river cruising, with a greater emphasis on cultural immersion and destinations that remain relatively unfamiliar to many luxury travelers.
Meanwhile, Emerald Cruises is expanding both its river and yacht fleets. Emerald Lumi will debut on France’s Seine River in 2027, while Emerald Raiya and Emerald Xara will join the yacht fleet in 2027 and 2028, respectively, bringing the fleet to five vessels.
“The Emerald yachts are such a hidden gem,” Muskat says. “They do so well as more and more people are finding out about them. And each one keeps getting better and better.”
The additional yachts will allow Emerald to broaden its reach beyond the Mediterranean and Caribbean into destinations including the Seychelles, Japan, Australia and the Kimberley region. For clients who have already explored Antarctica or are drawn to remote destinations, Australia’s Kimberley region is one to put on their radar.
Flesher describes the region as the “Antarctica of the tropics,” noting that Scenic and Emerald will offer different ways to experience the destination. Scenic’s helicopter capabilities will allow for flightseeing and other highly adventurous activities such as heli-swimming and heli-fishing, while Emerald will emphasize Zodiac cruising and hiking.
The expansion also extends to specialized interests. A new partnership between Emerald Cruises and PerryGolf will introduce two 7-night Caribbean golf voyages aboard Emerald Sakara, departing Dec. 4, 2027, and Feb. 12, 2028. Limited to 32 golfers per departure, the programs will include rounds in Anguilla, Nevis and Barbados, with golf arrangements handled by PerryGolf.
And in Europe, the company’s 2028 river collection will introduce additional land extensions, enhanced itineraries and a new 10-night Danube Capitals & Crossroads Emerald sailing between Passau and Belgrade.
Rethinking Who the Scenic and Emerald Client Is
One of the recurring themes during my conversations aboard Scenic Eclipse was the need to challenge perceptions about who cruises with Scenic and Emerald. Muskat says the company is seeing growing interest from Gen X and younger luxury travelers who are prioritizing experiences over material possessions.
“The exciting thing for us is we’ve got the perfect products for what this Gen X and younger demographic is looking for today, for true experiences and cultural immersion and being able to go to somebody’s house that lives in a destination that they’re visiting and cook and eat their home cooking.”
But attracting these travelers requires advisors to approach the sales conversation differently. Rather than immediately recommending a familiar cruise brand when a client mentions the Caribbean or Mediterranean, Muskat believes advisors should start by asking a more revealing question: “Where do you want to go and how do you want to experience it?”
The answer might reveal a traveler who would much rather explore a secluded beach by Zodiac, visit smaller ports and enjoy a destination without thousands of fellow passengers.
“I think if advisors get used to asking that question, they’ll be very surprised how many people want to experience things differently,” Muskat says.
And some of the strongest prospects may be clients who have never considered cruising at all. “The biggest challenge we have is the people that are doing African safaris and expensive glamping trips and exotic golf vacations are the same people that are saying, ‘I would never be caught dead on a cruise,’” he says. “And then we show them what we have to offer, and they say, ‘That’s exactly what I’m looking for.’”
The opportunity isn’t limited to ultra-luxury travelers with unlimited time or budgets, either. Scenic Group executives emphasize that both brands offer different levels of luxury and inclusions, allowing advisors to match the product with a client’s travel style and spending priorities. Emerald, with its intimate yachts and more accessible price point, can be particularly appealing to younger couples, honeymooners and travelers interested in experiencing small-ship luxury for the first time. Scenic, meanwhile, offers a more comprehensive all-inclusive ultra-luxury experience, with extensive dining, excursions and onboard amenities.
“Emerald should never be considered a step down,” Robert Castro, VP of Marketing for Scenic Group, emphasizes. The key for advisors is understanding the value proposition of each brand rather than positioning one as simply a less expensive version of the other.
A Renewed Focus on Advisors
With so many new ships, destinations and itineraries coming online, there’s a lot for travel advisors to keep up with. Scenic Group knows that, and it’s making advisor education a priority. And that’s an area Scenic Group plans to emphasize.
During our conversation, Marilyn Cairo, Scenic Group’s new VP of Sales & Trade Relations, outlined a stronger focus on advisor education, relationship-building and helping new-to-brand advisors become comfortable selling Scenic and Emerald.
One initiative will involve a dedicated team focused on onboarding advisors, providing training on the company’s booking engine, website and product portfolio.
“We’re going to have a dedicated team just to onboard new advisors into Scenic, train them, show them our booking engine and how to navigate the website,” Cairo explains. “Advisors have so much noise coming at them. We already have a team, but we’re going to shift the focus to more of a hand-holding approach.
“My goal,” she continues, “is how do I get them from registration to booking one in the quickest amount of time possible. Because that’s when you start to see the stickiness. And then from booking one how do I get them to booking five. …Now we’re on a roll. Now we’re seeing traction with the advisor. So that for me is exciting for year one. It sounds like a little bit, but it’s a lot.”
Cairo points to growing interest in themed sailings, including American mahjong groups, as an example of how advisors can build business around their clients’ interests.
There are also practical advantages to selling river and yacht cruising. With many of the logistical components already incorporated into the itinerary, advisors can spend less time coordinating transportation, accommodations and excursions and more time personalizing the experience. Pre- and post-cruise stays offer additional opportunities to enhance the vacation while generating incremental business.
As Cairo explains, “When I was on the land side with a luxury tour operator, our Europe business was taking a hit here and there. I started digging deeper and asking advisors what was going on. They told me, ‘We’re seeing more value in river cruising because I work less.’
“The river cruise already takes care of a portion of the trip. Advisors only have to do the bookends—a pre- or post-cruise stay. There’s less work. They don’t have to worry about transfers, rail, restaurant reservations and tours. It’s all taken care of. They can wrap up the front and back of the trip and make more money. And the cruise pays more than land. With land, you have to coordinate everything. You have to arrange the rail, the translator, the restaurant reservations….”
And as Muskat reinforces to travel advisors, this “isn’t typical cruising. This is [cruising] in a very unique, specialized way.” And with Scenic Group adding new ships and destinations across both brands, advisors have plenty of new ways to introduce clients to cruising—even those who insist they’re not cruisers.
