75 the Spa Suites have also been upgraded, with a circular spa bath, double sink and a separate shower with jet technology. The ship’s steam room has also been expanded to accommodate aromatherapy and an integrated ice fountain. A new custom salt therapy lounge with heated beds and aromatherapy scents from spa design specialists Klafs has also been added. “One of our objectives was to create an incredible 550-square-metres of true indulgence at the spa,” says Absalom. “The aromatherapy scents from Klafs will benefit the mind, body and soul of guests. We’re the only ultra luxury cruise ship to provide such an extensive wellness offering for our passengers.” Scenic is almost unique among cruise lines in owning its own shipyard, a situation which arose during the building of Scenic Eclipse when the shipyard that was constructing the vessel went out of business. Instead of moving Scenic Eclipse to a different shipyard, Scenic hired members of the yard’s former staff and completed the ship itself. This unique approach continued with the construction of Scenic Eclipse II and also influenced its interior design, says Glen Moroney, founder of Scenic. He cites the Sky Bar as an example of how Scenic was able to be more flexible in the design of the new ship with the close cooperation of its shipbuilding team. “It’s part of the advantage of designing, building and owning your own ships,” says Moroney. “To meet safe return to port regulations, you need a fully functioning wheelhouse with a huge amount of wiring for all the main systems. Originally, that was all behind the pool on the top deck. Now, if you go to a shipyard and ask if you can put an extra bar in there, their first answer would be no. Their second answer would be yes, for $3-4 million. It’s a huge undertaking, with a massive number of hours spent on engineering. But in our operation, our electrical engineering team came to my shipyard manager and explained what they thought they could manage to create extra space and add the bar.” “That attitude is in our DNA as a company,” Moroney continues. “We’re never happy with everything, so we’re always looking to improve and take on a new project.” The new Sky Deck and Bar onboard Scenic Eclipse II offers indoor and outdoor seating with private cabanas
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