A serenity washes over you when you step foot into the brand-new Scenic Eclipse, which Recommend had the opportunity to tour this past weekend while it was docked at PortMiami. All the bells and whistles on this ship are kept to a low hum, nothing buzzing in your ear. You know they are there—this is an ultra-luxury “discovery yacht,” after all—but they’re aren’t hitting you over the head with them, and that’s a good thing when you know the primary client is on the high-end side. As one travel advisor we overhead said, “this is definitely a six-star experience.” Adds travel advisor Don S. Wood, CTC, president of Gold Key Travel, the ship is “better than I expected. It’s stunning, high-tech, and welcoming,” and there’s “extremely comfortable space throughout the small ship. At 6’ 5”, I never had to duck, and I’m always ducking on ships.”
The 114-suite, 551-ft. ship accommodates 228 passengers in non-Polar regions and 200 passengers in Polar regions; and offers a crew of 192 while in the Polar regions and 176 crew members in non-Polar regions (that’s an almost 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio); eight decks; a 6-passenger, air-conditioned submarine—the Scenic Neptune—that can go to depths of 984 ft.; and a 6-passenger helicopter that can fly up to 22,999 ft. Wood points out that “the helicopters are much cooler than I had anticipated; the fact that they are quieter than a normal helicopter is appealing.”
This is “Suite”
Those 114 suites are spread across five decks and come in various categories, including:
- Scenic Eclipse Suites, with a private verandah or terrace; separate sleep zone and lounge area; spacious en-suite bathroom with shower and vanity and lots of storage space; butler service and other top-notch amenities such as Dyson hair dryers and Bose speakers.
- The Spa Suites range in size from 538 to 560 sq. ft. and feature a double-size Philippe Starck-designed spa bath overlooking a private verandah, dual vanity basins, and complimentary 1-hour spa treatment per suite, among other amenities.
- The Panorama Suites come with a spacious terrace with sun loungers, as well as a separate dining table and cinema-surround HDTV. They range from 1,184 to 1,238 sq. ft. and offer an array of goodies such as priority dining in specialty restaurants.
- If it’s a private jacuzzi on a 645-sq.-ft. terrace your clients are looking for then point them to the 2,099-sq.-ft. Owner’s Penthouse Suites, with a whole range of amenities, including a complimentary 1-hour in-suite spa treatment per guest.
Loved Glen Moroney’s [Scenic founder] vision shared—a chance to experience a billionaire’s yacht without being or knowing a billionaire. —
Travel Advisor Don S. Wood, CTC, president of Gold Key Travel
All-Inclusive Indulgences
One of the biggest benefits for you and your clients when booking with Scenic, emphasize Scenic executives, is that it’s an all-inclusive product. All-inclusive wellness, for example, means that guests have access to a fully equipped gym (it’s fantastic), a yoga, Pilates and meditation room, temperature-controlled plunge pools on the Spa, Sun and Pool Terraces, Pool and Spa Terraces with sun beds, women’s and men’s sauna and steam rooms, thermal lounges and specialist experience showers—this is all open to clients even if they don’t book a spa treatment.
When it comes to the all-inclusive dining choices, there are 10 different options—from the Japanese-themed Koko’s, which features a private dining alternative with an open Teppanyaki grill, to Lumiere, serving French cuisine and featuring a Champagne bar. There’s also a Chef’s Table at Elements and more than 100 whiskeys to choose from at the Discovery Lounge.
Exploring Off the Ship
We’ve already mentioned those toys—a helicopter and a submarine—but when it comes to discovering the destinations, Scenic offers a range of options. There are the Scenic Enrich encounters, which allows passengers to go behind the scenes to enjoy private access and moments not available to other travelers. Scenic Freechoice, meanwhile, allows your clients to pick the expert-led shore excursion experiences that suit their taste. They can personalize their day, whether that means seeing works of art or an encounter with a local artisan. On Scenic Discovery options, passengers can go kayaking, on Zodiacs, grab an e-bike, or hang with the fish during a snorkeling adventure.
Commission Goodies
Scenic Eclipse will be sailing the world, so there are lots of options for your clients. She’ll be in Antarctica from November through March, then in April 2020 head over to Europe, the Med and the Baltics, where she’ll stay until June, to then sail to the Arctic from June to September. In late September 2020 it’s time for Scenic Eclipse to explore the Americas before heading back to Antarctica in November of 2020. Starting in March 2021, she’ll head off on a Grand Voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon.
For you there’s a special bonus commission—you’ll receive a $250 bonus commission for new Scenic Eclipse bookings made by Feb. 28, 2020 ($125 per person). Mention code ECLIPSEBC. There’s also a $500 bonus commission for 2019/2020 soft sailings, including the Antarctica In Depth on Dec. 29, 2019 and March 7, 2020 sailings; the Antarctica, South Georgia, Falkland Islands sailing on March 18, 2020; the Great Sea Faring Nations sailing on May 30, 2020; and the Iceland & Greenland Explorer on Aug. 4, 2020. Mention code ECLIPSE19.
How Does the Scenic Eclipse Compare?
Check out this cheat sheet:
So Who Should You Book?
Cook points to “high-end adventurous clients. Those who love adventure, a learning experience and enjoy the creature comforts while seeing the world.”
For more information, visit scenicusa.com. Check out the ship’s godmother, and for more cruise news, click here.
