PHOTO: Scenic Crystal on the Moselle.

Most U.S. travel agents know Scenic for upscale river cruises on vessels called Space-Ships. Scenic also is the parent of a newer, more affordable river option in Europe, Emerald Waterways. And now the company plans to expand into a new arena, with construction of an ice-class luxury yacht, the 228-guest Scenic Eclipse, scheduled to enter service in August 2018. We caught up with Scenic Chairman Glen Moroney for updates and details on the company’s river cruises and new ice-class yacht.

First of all, update us on Scenic’s river cruise operation.

We have a fleet of 20 [river vessels] now, with another three being built for next year. We operate throughout Asia, in Myanmar and also on the Mekong. We’ve got four ships in France at the moment on the Rhine and Seine and in the Bordeaux region. The ship on the Douro in Portugal [started sailing] on April 16. We have a number of ships on the Rhine, Main and Danube, of course, and one on the Volga. So, it’s an extensive program now and we think it’s been very, very successful.

In 2014 we started the new Emerald Waterways line, initially with two ships, [and added] another two in 2015. Unfortunately, we were meant to have another one this year, but about two weeks before it was meant to be delivered it almost burnt to the waterline. It was an absolute disaster, but, of course, that’s being replaced next year. And it was meant to sail on the Rhine, Main and Danube. That happened at the shipyard unfortunately, before we took delivery.

How did Scenic evolve into the yachting arena from the river cruise arena?

We didn’t start as a river cruise operator. We started almost 30 years ago as a land tour operator in Australia, and we got into river cruising as an extension of our European land tour program. So, really we’re a tour operator that became a river cruise operator. And in 2012, we started chartering Ponant ships to do cruises to Antarctica. So, we’ve been doing it for a little while, and I suppose it’s a natural extension.

What can you tell us about the new yacht?

It will have five restaurants, a spa, separate gym, a separate yoga and Pilates studio, indoor/outdoor dining, an observation lounge, a 240-seat theater and a 5,000-square-foot spa. It’s got every onboard amenity you would get on any larger ultra-luxury ship. It will have the space equivalent to any of the ultra-luxury ships.

It will be ice-class PC 6, which means it can go pretty well anywhere that a passenger ship can go, and then it’s got the added benefit of a seven-seat submarine and two helicopters, which open up a totally new horizon, particularly in those isolated regions.

Will the yacht be an all-inclusive product?

The product is very similar to our river cruise product, which means it’s all-inclusive — all beverages on board, butler service for every cabin, all your excursions including some special events that Scenic does on river cruising, and all gratuities included.

The only exceptions are the onboard shop and spa treatments. The submarine and the helicopter are also at extra cost. They’re the only two things that won’t be included as far as our excursion program’s concerned.

Do you think your river clients are interested in yacht cruises, or will you instead attract new customers for the yacht cruises?

If you look at two circles, there’s a crossover in the middle of our guests and the Eclipse market. We think our yacht clientele will be 60 or 65 percent past guests — whether they be river cruise or our touring guests — and probably 35 percent-plus [who will be] totally new [to Scenic]. So, it’s definitely moving us into a new market, for sure.

Do you plan to expand the yacht cruises beyond the one vessel?

We have an option on a second ship that would be delivered in the second quarter of 2019, and we have to make a decision on whether we go ahead by October of this year. So, that’s as far out as we’ve looked at the moment.