I was lucky enough to get on-board this amazing ship, to provide an insight into life on-board and sharing any helpful tips for sailing on Scenic Eclipse. This sailing involved embarking at Fowey, visiting Cowes and Bruges and ending in Amsterdam for disembarkation.
Pre-departure overview
Prior to boarding, Scenic required proof of vaccination, travel insurance and they also administered a Covid test free of charge for passengers before boarding. The sailing did not require a passenger locator form due to embarking from a port in the UK, and due to joining the cruise halfway through its itinerary a full muster drill was not required, however the staff showed us our muster point and how to wear the life jacket, then showed us to our suite.
Initial overview of Scenic Eclipse
The total passenger capacity on Scenic Eclipse is 228 (200 in polar regions), there was a total of 142 guests on my sailing and 190 crew members on-board. This ensured there was plenty of space and didn’t feel overcrowded at all. The ship itself is quite small, and was docked on the River Fowey when we embarked, therefore reflecting the overall size being small enough to fit along this river.
Designed by Karen Moroney, who is the wife of the Scenic founder Glen Moroney, this ship offers very modern and contemporary décor. There is a lot of black, grey, white, silver colour tones running throughout, whilst having many reflective surfaces which creates a more spacious feel within specific areas of the ship. Smaller details such as images of endangered animals at risk of becoming extinct stitched onto cushions in the Yacht club restaurant brought educational and informative aspects subtly into the décor which is effective.
Top Tip: Depending on where you are cruising, the area on deck 10 is great for viewing either from the Cabanas or the hot tub!
Accommodation on Scenic Eclipse
I stayed in a Deluxe Veranda Suite located on Deck 6. This room was spacious and incorporated a similar décor as throughout the whole ship. The room was approximately 350sq.ft, so comparable to a number of the SixStarCruises cruise lines. We also got the chance to see an Owners Suite, which was very spacious, included a much larger bathroom, with a double shower, large bath and window looking out. The balcony was very spacious and included its own jacuzzi with lots of seating provided.
There were several storage areas throughout the suite with multiple drawers, a wardrobe with approximately 20 hangers (more were available on request). The bathroom had a double mirror that opened for more bathroom toiletries storage.
The double and twin beds were both electronic and adjustable to suit each guest’s preference, and also had a bedside light on each side. There were 3 large mirrors located around the suite in which one mirror had the TV built within it. There was a sufficient number of sockets around the room, which included both American/European and USB sockets. A Dyson hairdryer, coffee machine, and minibar were also great additional features within the suite.
Entertainment and Activities
While there is plenty to do during ‘at sea days’ within Scenic Eclipse’s itineraries this is an expedition ship, therefore it is much more about the destination being visited and the tour leaders would conduct talks and trivia activities about what customers have seen or will see during the sailing. If the tour managers are giving presentations, I recommend get involved as they provide lots of valuable information for you to get the most out of your shore excursions.
The cruise director and assistant director would often do some singing and play the guitar, they also had a pianist, so they would take requests and play songs in an evening. They also organised some music during the sail away in the lobby area.
Top Tip: Make time to visit the spa and let off some steam with the sauna, plunge pool and other amenities all included, it’s a great way to rejuvenate whilst on-board.
Dining and Drinks on Scenic Eclipse
I tried several of the dining options on-board. I tried The Yacht Club restaurant for breakfast which provides food in buffet style as well as having items made to order such as omelettes. Lunch at The Yacht Club was very varied and had some excellent choices, the Chicken Tikka Masala and Roast Beef and Yorkshire puddings were stand out options for me!
The Azure café has a selection of pastries, cakes, cookies, salads and sandwiches. The lunch time menu had pastas, pizzas and burgers.
Reservations are required at Koko’s, Night Market, Sushi and Lumiere, whilst Chef’s Table is invitation only. The room service for breakfast was very efficient, it arrived at the time I requested it and was all delicious!
Top Tip: Try out all the dining venues and different types of food , as the food is truly exceptional on Scenic Eclipse!
The main drinks location is the Lobby Bar, the staff here were great offering a huge variety of drinks. You can also get drinks from Azure Café and Yacht Club. They also have a bar up on deck 10 called Panorama Bar but this is weather dependant.
Top Tip: The selection of cocktails in the Lobby Bar are extensive and the crew seem to know the perfect drink for you to suit your preferences.
Shore Excursions
One of the incredible benefits when booking a Scenic Cruise is that shore excursions are complimentary. I was lucky enough to enjoy these on my sailing, I went to see Osborne House during our stop on the Isle of Wight. The tour guide was very informative, and it was a great experience. The Taste of Belgium tour was also popular with guests on-board, with everyone enjoying the local chocolates, waffles, and beer!
Top Tip: I would recommend the helicopter or submarine if you have the chance to do it (charges do apply) for a truly immersive experience.
Overall, I felt the service was very good. The crew were always happy to chat and tried to accommodate for everything you needed or wanted. On day of disembarkation, I wanted to get some cookies from Azure Café before we got off the ship, but they hadn’t completed the change over from breakfast food to lunch time food. The waiter came and found me, after going down to the kitchen, and brought me a selection of cookies for me before I got off the ship. I thought this was great customer service and really appreciated it!
If discovering new destinations on-board Scenic Eclipse sounds like the cruising experience for you have a look at all of her itineraries here, or speak to our cruise concierge on 0808 278 4192.