Within 10 days from the inaugural sailing of Scenic Eclipse II, and two months out from the six-star yacht’s christening, LATTE is able to reveal further refinements and fine-tuning of the second Discovery Yacht.
While details of Scenic Eclipse II’s new facilities such as the Sky Deck and Sky Bar, expanded Senses Spa facility and newly named Chef’s Garden @ Epicure were openly announced by Scenic in February, LATTE is able to disclose other key enhancements and innovations that will also be offered for the 114-suite ultra-luxury vessel.
Anthony Laver, Scenic Group General Manager of Sales and Marketing APAC and Katherine O’Neill, Director, Scenic Global Marketing Strategy & Branded Content, peeled back a few more layers of the impending launch to LATTE.
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Beginning with Scenic Eclipse II‘s christening on 3 June 2023 in Málaga, Spain, the celebration will be a relatively intimate affair compared to the spectacle in New York when Helen Mirren christened the first yacht in October 2019. For SEII, NASA astronaut Dr Kathy Sullivan will be bestowed with the Godmother responsibilities at the ceremony. The finer details are still under wraps, but her method of arrival for the gala could be from the sky, considering her history with altitude.
Among attendees at the christening will be Scenic Founder and Chairman, Glen Moroney, and Project Director- Design, Scenic Group, Karen Moroney, along with executives from MKM Yachts, the shipbuilding division of Scenic’s ocean ships.
Continuous improvement
For Scenic, the theme of ‘kaizen’ – or continuous improvement – has been a hallmark in the Australian-founded luxury travel operator’s heritage, says Laver.
“With every ship that is built, the next one is always better based on the learnings. The guest feedback on Scenic Eclipse was instrumental in the latest enhancements,” he says.
“Scenic Eclipse II is the same size and tonnage as the maiden vessel but when it is Scenic Eclipse, Mark II. It doesn’t mean it’s better or worse than the previous ship, it has just had improvements and fine-tuning,” Laver said.
Laver said the difficult experience Scenic encountered with the construction and delivery delays of the first Scenic Eclipse is long behind the company, which is now producing its own vessels, in its own shipyard, and doing its own fit-out.
“We are working on our own timetable, not a third party, so Glen now has full control of the design and the quality,” Laver says when questioned by LATTE on if Scenic Eclipse II will be fully completed and ready to go in nine days time.
O’Neill highlights the Scenic ocean product is unique in the industry, with Scenic involved in every step.
“From initial the design to the build within MKM Yachts, the fit out with Karen Moroney and then also the involvement of our crew, from the likes of Tom Götter [now the director of F&B for oceans for Scenic Group], Jason Fletcher [Expeditions Operations Director], Captain James Griffith [VP Marine Operations] – they’ve taken all the feedback from Scenic Eclipse and have been intrinsically involved in the design of the interiors and the way the ships operate. And now we’ve got all of our crew in-house so they’re no longer through a third party.”
“Scenic’s the only ocean company that goes from the very start through every single stage of design, idea, build, fit-out, crew operations and circles that back around to our learnings,” says O’Neill.
Ship refinements
Laver confirms there will be some refinements to the layouts of suites “here and there”, but the configuration will remain identical as Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II need to be interchangeable, he says.
And stay tuned for a suite alteration that is set to cater to the trend in friends and generational cruising. More details in LATTE when they come to hand.
The spectacular Whiskey Bar in the Lounge on Deck 4 of Scenic Eclipse is likely to have a new focus in the latest iteration. While not confirmed, LATTE is forecasting this could be a focus on clear spirits and potentially a new – and on-trend Gin Bar for Scenic Eclipse II.
O’Neill says the original Scenic Eclipse is already a floating art gallery, and Scenic Eclipse II will be the next generation of this big art focus. British graffiti artist Carl Hush will return aboard SEII and is set to create a new mural masterpiece in Koko’s restaurant during the inaugural voyage from Lisbon to Barcelona.
Work from other artists, a mix of contemporary and Australian, will also be showcased.
“Another area of Scenic Eclipse II with a major focus and which Karen [Moroney] is extremely passionate is wellness and well-being,” O’Neill said. And while there have been some subtle changes with the Senses Spa – including flipping the view from the infrared spa to sea-facing – the reconfigured Owner’s Suite will also feature its own infrared sauna seas.
The Spa Suites category of accommodation will also have a new layout and features circular spas, rather than the traditional tub shape.
Laver says the latest tweaks are “all about enhancement and refinement” with luxury often in the small details and refined service, which is what distinguishes Scenic as “true luxury”.
Neptune II
Scenic Eclipse II‘s submersible, Neptune II, has been developed by Triton Submarines in the United States. Unveiled in 2021, this larger, state-of-the-art sub will have a guest capacity of eight – two more than what is available on the original Eclipse developed by UBoat Worx.
Neptune II will dive to 200 metres, which while not as deep as Neptune I, will hover in what is considered the “sweet spot” of between 150-200 metres and where most marine life linger. Another advantage of not descending to the lower depths is faster resurfacing, meaning potentially more group dives.
The interior design of the Neptune II will also provide a more user-friendly experience for entry and exit of the sub and avoids guests passing through the navigation seating pod. The position of the pilot in the Triton 660 is not fixed and it can be controlled from different locations within the submersible, enabling more meaningful interactions between the pilot and the guests on board.
“It’s similar to a cinema,” Laver says, flagging the submersible as a potential location for food to be served and events to be held. Triton’s website suggests the chamber could be utilised for events such as “cocktails and casinos to weddings and private dining”.
Scenic Eclipse II is the third ocean yacht in the Scenic Group fleet, which also includes Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Azzurra which debuted last year.
Learn more about Scenic Eclipse II here.
Meanwhile, Scenic is preparing for a big announcement this month in Sydney, at which the company will reveal a “major global media partnership” featuring the fleet of ultra-luxury Discovery Yachts.