Behind the scenes Scenic Eclipse tour
- Esther
- Sep 19
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Cruise Atelier had the privilege of being invited to visit the ultra-luxury yacht the Scenic Eclipse and the Assistent Cruise Director Jamie took us behind the scenes tour!
This ship accommodates 228 passengers and features 114 suites, located from Deck 5 to Deck 9. There are up to 10 dining experiences available, and every guest enjoys butler service.
Facts
This ship offers a spa, gym, Pilates room, self-service laundry, theater, lounge, mudroom, and a medical facility. She has two bridges, a helicopter deck, two helicopters, a submarine, and multiple Zodiacs to provide the ultimate expedition experience on board. When going on expedition, 20 additional crew members come aboard to lead the excursions for the guests, along with five pilots.
The Scenic Lounge Bar
The Scenic Lounge Bar is a beautifully decorated space with plenty of areas to relax. During the day, you can enjoy the view, play a game of trivia, or simply have a coffee or tea. In the late afternoon or evening, it's the perfect spot to enjoy an aperitivo while listening to live music or a pianist. The reception is also located in this lounge.
The Grand Panorama Suite
We had the opportunity to visit Suite 601, a stunning Grand Panorama Suite. It features a spacious living room with panoramic windows, offering the best views throughout your cruise, as well as a large balcony. The TV is hidden in the mirror, very innovative! There’s also a walk-in closet and a master bedroom equipped with a vanity and a Dyson hairdryer. The bathroom is exceptionally large, with a bathtub and a separate walk-in shower. It is accessible from two sides of the suite.
Wellness-Fitness
The gym is equipped with Technogym machines, and just across from it is the Pilates room, a peaceful space for practicing yoga or Pilates, complete with numerous meditation bowls. It's truly an area where you can find your inner zen.
The spa features a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a salt room, and a plunge pool.
Dining experiences
Elements:The main restaurant on Deck 4 offers a diverse à-la-carte menu inspired by Italian cuisine, as well as steak and seafood specialties.
Azure Bar & Café: An informal dining venue on Deck 5, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It serves light meals, pizza, salads, tapas, and desserts, with both indoor and outdoor seating. It is open all day also to pick up some snacks.
Yacht Club: Located on Deck 7, this buffet restaurant serves breakfast and lunch daily, offering a variety of dishes, including freshly baked bread, hot entrees, and salads.
Koko’s: An Asian fusion restaurant on Deck 4, featuring a daily-changing menu with a variety of dishes inspired by Asian cuisine.
Sushi @Koko's: An intimate sushi-bar within Koko's, seating 10 guests. Fresh sushi and sashimi are prepared by a Japanese chef.
Night Market @Koko’s: A private dining experience featuring a teppanyaki grill, where guests can enjoy a six-course menu inspired by street foods from Asia, India and the Middle East.
Lumière: French fine dining restaurant on Deck 5, open for diner by reservation only. It offers classic French cuisine with a modern twist. You can enjoy here a seven-courses menu.
Chef’s Table @ Elements: An exclusive, invitation-only dining experience for 10 guests, located behind a hidden door in Elements. Here, the chef presents gastronomic masterpieces.
Sun deck
The Sun Deck, located on deck 10, features two jacuzzis and several private cabanas, a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the fresh air. The Thalasso pool is situated near the spa on deck 7. As this ship is primarily designed for colder climates, the outdoor deck spaces are more limited compared to traditional warm-weather cruise ships.
Enough about the ship, let me tell you more about the expedition cruise where she is designed for!
Expedition
This ship was purpose-built for expedition cruising and features two bridges for added safety. One of the bridges serves as a backup and can be used in case of emergencies to ensure guests are brought safely to the next port, a common feature on many expedition ships. The main bridge is open to guests during port days, and you’re welcome to walk in at any time to have a chat with the officers on duty, a unique and engaging experience for cruise guests.
The ship carries two helicopters, and while only one pilot was onboard at the time (since the ship was not on expedition), a few scenic flights had recently been made in the Norwegian fjords. When the ship is on a full expedition cruise, five helicopter pilots will be onboard to offer optional (paid) scenic flights. Each helicopter can accommodate six guests.
There is also a submarine onboard, the Scenic Neptune I which carries up to eight guests. This submarine offers underwater exploration experiences, also available for an additional fee.
The Zodiacs are the ship’s gateway to Antarctica’s shores. Whenever excursions are scheduled, they depart from the Marina Platform. We had the privilege of seeing the Zodiacs securely stored inside the ship.
To participate in these activities, guests will need specialized gear, which is provided by the ship. You can collect your equipment in the Mudroom, also known as the Discovery Centre, located on Deck 3. Here, guests are outfitted with boots, expedition jackets, and life vests. Each guest is assigned a personal locker, labeled with their suite number, where gear can be stored for the duration of the cruise.
What kind of tours will be offered when I go on expedition?
Here are just some of the incredible tours that will be offered: Imagine spotting wildlife in the Arctic, taking Zodiac excursions along the Amazon River in South America, or flying over — or even sailing into — the narrow fjords of Norway.
Explore the underwater wonders of the Great Barrier Reef for a truly unforgettable experience.
My experience
This ship truly breathes luxury, what an experience!
From the moment you step on board, you can feel it: this is an ultra-luxury expedition cruise ship. I honestly expected it to feel much smaller, especially based on how it looks from the outside. But I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it is inside. I had imagined something more like a river cruise ship, with just one lounges and one restaurant, but this is on a completely different level.
One of the highlights for me was the open bridge. It was my first time seeing this, and I found it incredibly welcoming. As a guest, being able to simply walk in and have a chat with the officers on duty made the whole experience feel more personal and approachable.
If you love expedition cruises combined with ultra-luxury, then this is the ship for you. The stunning interior was designed by Karen Moroney, wife of Glen Moroney, the owner of the Scenic Group.
Read more blogs? Check out: Luxury cruise with the family on the Explora I & to the Alps
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