Ultra-luxury vessel has returned to Croatia’s 3. Maj shipyard for final outfitting ahead of April debut
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours’ new Scenic Eclipse II has successfully completed sea trials and returned to Croatia’s 3. Maj shipyard for final outfitting ahead of its debut in early April.
The shipyard team tested the vessel’s speed, stability and manoeuvrability in the northern Adriatic Sea between Croatia and Italy. The trial, which was carried out over two weekends, was 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 – the countdown to launch really is now on,” said James Griffiths, vice president of marine operations at Scenic.
Scenic Eclipse II will embark on its 11-day ‘Incredible Iberian Discovery’ inaugural voyage from Lisbon, Portugal, to Barcelona, Spain, on 13 April. It will be christening during a ceremony in Malaga, Spain, in early June.
The 114-suite ship, which has been designed as a sister to Scenic Eclipse, features various technologies to enable it to operate in protected marine environments such as the Antarctic. Some of these include custom-built stabilisers, wastewater treatment systems, an Azipod propulsion system that will increase manoeuvrability while minimising noise, vibrations and fuel consumption, and a GPS dynamic positioning system that eliminates the need for the ship to drop anchor on ecologically sensitive seabeds.
“Nearly identical to her sister ship – with a few exclusive enhancements – Scenic Eclipse II is the benchmark in ultra-luxury cruising taken to a new level,” said Griffiths. “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.”