Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has unveiled its 2022/2023 Arctic program for its ultra-luxury Scenic Eclipse. The World’s First Discovery Yacht™ offers a unique combination of world-class luxury with unrivaled exploration in some of the world’s most pristine, remote and unique polar destinations. The 2022/23 season will see Scenic Eclipse heading to four new destinations, including the Russian Far East, Japan, Northeast Passage and Alaska, where its ability to offer extraordinary expedition experiences, hosted by its expert Discovery Team, will shine.
The new destinations for 2022/23 compliment Scenic’s existing program that takes guests to the heart of the Arctic, discovering the majestic fjords of Norway, Greenland’s mighty glaciers and the intriguing geology of Iceland. Scenic Eclipse’s unique exploration experiences are made special by two state-of-the-art helicopters, a custom-built submarine capable of 1,000 feet, and a fleet of Zodiacs – and the expertise of the 20-strong Discovery Team that includes geologists, marine biologists, naturalists and glaciologists.
Highlights of Scenic Eclipse’s 2022/23 season include:
Russian Arctic – the Northeast Passage
The ultra-luxury yacht will traverse nine time zones across the top of Siberia and Russia on a 26-day journey through the ice-laden waters of the legendary Northeast Passage. Guests take in remote Arctic islands rarely, if ever, visited by humans, cruise past the vivid landscapes along the planet’s greatest migration paths, and observe polar bears and walrus lounging on ice floes. Local cultures play a large part of the trip as guests meet and learn from Chukchi reindeer herders, Inuit fishermen and Russian scientists. Prices for the “Cross the Legendary Northeast Passage” voyage from Anchorage, Alaska to Tromsø, Norway start at $30,529 per person, double, departing August 6, 2023. Guests are encouraged to explore more of Alaska by combining this cruise itinerary with Scenic’s seven-day “Wilds of Alaska” luxury escorted land journey, taking in Alaska’s frontier towns, rich Inuit culture and stunning landscapes, starting at $8,800.
The Russian Far East
Scenic Eclipse traces the Pacific Ring of Fire from Alaska to Chukotka (Russia’s eastern-most federal subject), south along Kamchatka Peninsula to the Kuril Islands, on an exploration of Siberia’s unique and unspoiled eastern coastline. In Chukotka, guests take in magnificent fjords before stepping ashore and exploring stunning alpine lakes on guided walks. Kamchatka, where guests can soak in one of its many hot springs, boasts more than 120 volcanoes, many of which are active. In the Kuril Islands, the expert Discovery Team historian reveals abandoned listening posts and submarine bases, Soviet-era fish processing plants and Japanese World War II fortresses. Prices for the 14-day “Jewels of the Russian Far East” voyage from Anchorage to Vladivostok start at $13,376 and departs on May 26, 2023.
Japan
Guests discover Japan on Scenic’s 12-day Japan: A Journey Through Time voyage. This all-encompassing experience explores this land of ancient well-preserved cultures and amazing histories, from its ancient samurai traditions to its feudal history and prehistoric archaeologist sites, to cutting edge metropolises and large regions of untouched natural scenery. The exploration of Japan’s less-visited west coast begins on June 19, 2023 in the bustling seaport of Sapporo. Guests will journey to Hakodate to uncover the Western-style architecture from bygone days, before visiting the incredible archaeological dig of Sannai Maruyama – the largest and best-preserved from the Jomon era. Visits to Maizuru, Kyoto’s port on the Sea of Japan, are followed by a sailing to South Korea for a relaxing day in Busan with its urban beaches and delicious street food culture. Fares start at $13,246.
Arctic
The vast wilderness of the Arctic has drawn explorers for millennia – whether for the diversity of its wildlife, its sun-drenched landscapes, or the tranquility of its remoteness. Scenic Eclipse is purpose-built for exploring these pristine polar destinations and offers unrivaled exploration in the Arctic region. Guests can soar over the cascading waterfalls of the Norwegian fjords in one of the yacht’s two six-guest helicopters, kayak between enormous floating icebergs in Svalbard, discover the Arctic marine-life during a submarine dive in Greenland, and witness the vast Arctic wildlife paradise of Greenland’s National Park, larger than all but 29 of the world’s countries. The 15-day “Arctic Islands: Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland” voyage takes guests to Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Greenland and Iceland, taking in the unique scenery and Arctic wildlife in search of the elusive polar bear. Guests where you will on an extraordinary voyage into the Land of Fire and Ice. Prices start at $15,020, departing July 11, 2023.
Scenic Eclipse’s fleet of Zodiacs, led by its expert Discovery Team, take guests close to the majestic scenery, tundra landscapes and wildlife in this pristine and remarkable region. Guests can kayak and use stand-up paddleboards for a more active way to get up close and personal with the incredible scenery. Not tied to the water or land, guests can also take to the skies for an unforgettable experience on one of the two on-board helicopters on a flightseeing or landing excursion over remote fjords, icebergs, glaciers and volcanoes, allowing guests to explore further inland than ever before. For an underwater experience like no other, Scenic Neptune, the yacht’s customized submarine, explores deep below the ocean surface to discover fascinating marine life.
Scenic Eclipse’s expert Discovery Team is made up of up to 20 team members, all top experts in their field. The team educates guests all along the voyages, both on the ship during lectures in the state-of-the-art theater, and ashore during excursions, with their in-depth knowledge and experiences, while always ensuring a safely guided journey. The Discovery Team includes experts of many stripes including historians, geologists, archaeologists, climatologists, and photographers.
Scenic is also offering special Super Earlybird savings of up to 20% on many sailings when fares are paid in upon booking. All bookings are covered by Scenic’s flexible booking policy, enabling guests to defer their cruise to another travel date or itinerary up to 60 days prior to departure, and come with Scenic’s Deposit Protection Plan included or guests can choose to upgrade to the company’s new Risk-Free Platinum Protection Plan, providing for changes or cancellations up to 15 days prior to departure.
Inspired by the sleek contours of a billionaire’s sailing yacht and custom-built with an unwavering commitment to safety and excellence in design. Scenic Eclipse has the highest Polar Class 6 rating and uses custom-built stabilizers that are 50% larger than those of other ships to provide greater stability. The GPS dynamic positioning allows the ship to maintain location without dropping anchor onto sensitive water beds and the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems, plus the highly efficient engines will reduce emissions, noise and vibrations, for minimal disturbances to the marine life environment.
Scenic Group has grown over its 35-year history to include award-winning, river and ocean cruises and handcrafted land journeys that take guests to many of the world’s most fascinating destinations covering all 7-continents. Since 2008, Scenic has offered truly all-inclusive luxury river cruises in Europe, SE Asia and Russia on its 15 Scenic Space-Ships and Egypt on a luxury charter. In 2019, Scenic introduced the 228 guest Scenic Eclipse, The World’s First Discovery Yacht™.
More information: www.scenicusa.com
