June 2022: Gill Williams & Diane Ware describe their few nights on the amazing Scenic Eclipse – sailing out of Fowey in Cornwall and visiting the Isle of Wight, Bruges and Amsterdam.
If first impressions count – then this picture that Gill took from the plane certainly set the scene for us – this amazing Luxury Yacht at anchor in Fowey Harbour; A wonderful sight to see on her first visit to the UK.
This amazing yacht is certainly impressive, and residents and tourists alike were out in force, taking pictures and watching the tenders taking guests onboard – we checked in at the dock side, took a covid test and were quickly taken to the ship – certainly felt like VIPs!
She is simply amazing – elegant, sleek and impressive, and we were so fortunate to be invited to see her for ourselves.
The decor is contemporary – black, grey and neutral with huge staterooms – all have balconies and every amenity that you could hope for, from the state of the art coffee machine, Dyson hair dryer and tons of storage space, to the beds which are remote controlled so that you can adjust them to your liking, and come with a pillow menu (there is even an anti-aging option!) And of course, as you would expect, every stateroom has butler service . The bathrooms are huge with everything provided – if you’ve forgotten to pack something you can be assured that it is there for you – from a toothbrush to a razor. Even the lowest priced staterooms are huge with large balconies.
The Spa on board is wonderful with a hairdresser, sauna and plunge pools – you only pay for treatments.
There are so many dining options that it was hard to choose where to eat – from Lumiere which has French influences and a 6 course tasting menu with accompanying wines; KoKo which is an Asia Fusion restaurant, and our favourite ‘Elements’ which has so many choices and amazing food. If you want a steak for example, and it’s not on the menu, they will cook one for you – nothing, but nothing is too much trouble. Breakfast is a relaxed affair – and it’s lovely to eat outside in the sunshine – and the lunch choices were fabulous, with the menu showcasing food from the port of call that Scenic Eclipse is berthed in.
This yacht takes ‘everything included’ to a new level – top quality wines and champagne, spirits and beers – whatever you want, it is included. From canapes with your pre-dinner cocktails, to nibbles at the bar – everything is provided, and the Cruise Director, together with her Deputy Directors, makes sure that everyone is looked after. Entertainment was low key with wonderful singers and musicians, but just perfect when you want to enjoy a drink and chat with your fellow travellers.
This is very much an ‘expedition yacht’ built to take guests to ‘once in a lifetime places’ – the Antarctic or the Arctic as well as warmer ports of call. She can break through ‘one year ice’ to forge a route so that guests have the most amazing experiences – from ice walks, to helicopter flights and submarine excursions to see the most amazing wildlife.
The yacht has 2 helicopters on board, and one submarine – RIBS and kayaks plus paddle boards are also available, and as the wildlife has never encountered humans before, they are curious and get in close! So if spending time with Emperor penguins and Orcas is on your bucket list, then this is the most amazing way of doing this.
Excursions are included of course at no charge – we had a lovely day on the Isle of Wight and also in Bruges, but were more than happy to get back on board in time to change for dinner – those cocktails and the champagne were waiting for us!
This yacht is very much ‘top end’ – standards are so high and simply nothing is too much trouble for the crew. We loved our time on board and are very grateful for this amazing experience. Her sister ship Scenic Eclipse 2 is on the way – and changes have been made to incorporate a pool area which will be a great addition, ‘our Scenic Eclipse’ has hot tubs and plunge pools, but for warmer climes, the pool addition will be great.
