Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours' newest ultra-luxury "Discovery Yacht," Scenic Eclipse II, completed its sea trials and has now returned to the Croatian shipyard for its final fit-out before its inaugural sailing.
Its maiden voyage is an 11-day "Incredible Iberian Discovery" cruise from Lisbon to Barcelona departing on April 13, 2023. The 114-suite ship join a near-identical sister ship Scenic Eclipse.
Scenic Eclipse II was put through its paces over two weekend sessions in February in the northern Adriatic between Croatia and Italy. The sea trials are a milestone, demonstrating the ship's performance with a series of checks on speed, stability and maneuverability. The trials are overseen by engineers and nautical experts from ship certification provider, Bureau Veritas.
"Scenic Eclipse II has been built to the highest standards and it is fantastic to see the Discovery Yacht sail through the sea trials and surpass all expectations," said James Griffiths, vice president of marine operations. "The countdown to launch is really on now. … She will spend the summer season exploring the Mediterranean, Iceland and Scotland, before moving on to warmer Caribbean waters and Antarctica. In 2024, Scenic Eclipse II will also visit Polynesia, Indonesia and Australia, where Scenic was founded 37 years ago."
Because the yachts operate in protected marine environments such as Antarctica, they feature state-of-the-art technical features. These include GPS Dynamic Positioning that holds the ships in position, negating the need to drop anchor on ecologically sensitive sea beds; custom-built oversized stabilizers to provide greater stability; an Advance Azipod propulsion system which minimizes noise and vibration, reduces fuel consumption, and improves maneuverability; and the most advanced wastewater treatment systems to protect marine life.
With the addition of Scenic Eclipse II, the operator will sail to more than 50 countries across all seven continents in 2023 and 2024.
An official naming ceremony will be held in Malaga, Spain, in early June, with Godmother Dr. Kathy Sullivan doing the honors.
Scenic Eclipse fares are include internal flights, transfers, fine dining, premium branded beverages and immersive excursions.
The Scenic yachts feature 10 dining experiences, butler service to every suite, a staff-to-guest ratio of 1:1, a spa, and two onboard helicopters and a submarine.
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