Many of us are dreaming about an exciting luxury cruise or land journey in 2023 – to reconnect and enrich your world with family and friends. To help you plan the great escape, below is our year in review and some suggestions to start sharing with loved ones. If it is ultra-luxury and discovery you are looking for, Scenic Eclipse is a perfect choice. Take an all-inclusive European or Asia river cruise for seamless exploration through iconic cities, or choose from the many handcrafted land journeys all around the world.
Scenic Eclipse
220 ports of call
It was a year of firsts for our 6-star ultra-luxury discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse, visiting all seven continents, 34 countries and 220 unique ports. The ship began 2022 in Antarctica before cruising north to Europe and the Mediterranean for April, May and June, then into the Arctic and Scandinavia for the Northern Hemisphere summer. From September, Scenic Eclipse moved across to Alaska and Canada, before starting to cruise south again through Mexico, Latin America and South America on its way back to Antarctica.
Northwest Passage maiden voyage
In September 2022, Scenic Eclipse completed its maiden voyage through the Northwest Passage, the fabled sea route that runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Cruising through one of the remotest places on earth, this journey travelled through Greenland to the Canadian High Arctic and Alaska for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Guests were treated to incredible scenery of icebergs, glaciers and fjords; saw a record number of polar bears along with other rare wildlife like narwhals and beluga whales; and visited uninhabited islands where Arctic explorers met their untimely end.
ABOVE: Scenic Eclipse, Fort Ross, Inside Passage ; LEFT: Whales, Northwest Passage
History-making submarine dive
On January 31, 2022, Scenic Neptune, the six-passenger custom-designed submarine onboard Scenic Eclipse, undertook the first submersible dive on the South Georgia Islands in 40 years. After working closely with local authorities, Scenic became the first operator to be granted permission to dive in this delicate ecosystem. Guests were taken on an underwater exploration off Stromness, a former whaling station on the northern coast of South Georgia Island, through an incredibly diverse marine environment home to unique creatures like the bioluminescent jellyfish.
Scenic Eclipse II progress - Inaugural Voyage in April 2023
Our second ultra-luxury discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse II, is nearing completion and its maiden voyage is scheduled for April 2023. Scenic Eclipse II will offer the same innovative design and state-of-the-art technology as its sister ship, with a few enhancements including an expanded wellness area, custom salt therapy lounge with heated beds, an infra-red ocean view lounge with light therapy in Senses Spa, and a new indoor/outdoor bar area on deck 10 with a large oval-shaped pool. It will also become the first Scenic ship to visit Australia, cruising in The Kimberley and the Top End in 2024.
ABOVE: Scenic Neptune ; LEFT: Scenic Eclipse II, Kimberley, Australia
Emerald Azzurra sails the Med
With the stylish ambiance of a private superyacht, the 100-passenger Emerald Azzurra (from our sister company, Emerald Cruises) launched in the Mediterranean in mid-2022. At just 100m in length, it can visit ports larger ships can’t reach, but there’s enough space onboard that guests never feel crowded. We will be welcoming the second ship in the super yacht fleet, with Emerald Sakara due to set sail in August 2023, taking guests to stunning new destinations.
RIGHT: Emerald Azzurra, Dubrovnik, Croatia
River Cruising
River cruising is back
2022 marked the first full season for our European and Asian river cruise programs and it was back to unparalleled exploration and wonder moments with all open countries and ports. All itineraries were available with minimal restrictions onboard, as guests cruised on 13 rivers through 13 countries and visited 73 spectacular ports across Europe. Our cruises in South East Asia recommenced in October and we are looking forward to another great season on the majestic Mekong River in 2023.
Once-in-a-decade experiences
Two iconic events took place in Europe in 2022: Floriade in the Netherlands, considered the world’s largest flower show, and the Oberammergau, a religious Passion Play that’s been performed since the Middle Ages in Germany. These events happen only once every 10 years, so present a rare opportunity for travellers, and Scenic river cruise guests were able to experience both this year.
ABOVE: Scenic Sapphire, Lyon, France ; RIGHT: Oberammergau, Germany
The most popular time of the year
Due to overwhelming demand, the number of Christmas cruises has doubled for 2022, highlighting the growing popularity of our festive journeys. Record numbers of Scenic guests are now booking in to experience the magic of Europe’s fairytale Christmas markets. These journeys travel along both the Danube and Rhine rivers, visiting the famous markets in Vienna, Cologne, Budapest and Prague, as well as smaller markets in lesser-visited villages.
More enriching experiences
Scenic Enrich experiences continue to give our guests unparalleled insights into European culture and cuisine. New for 2022 was Les Bassins des Lumières in Bordeaux, an incredible art installation that transforms four old submarine basins into immersive digital exhibitions. Covering more than 12,000sqkm, it’s the largest fixed multimedia installation in the world. With an overall 9.9 rating, the most popular Scenic Enrich experience for 2022 was a choir performance in the crypt of St Sava in Belgrade, the largest orthodox temple in the Balkans.
ABOVE: Christmas Markets, Prague, Czech Republic ; RIGHT: Les Bassins des Lumières, Bordeaux, France
Land Journeys
Back to seamless exploration
In 2022, many countries opened up for our land journeys, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Guests were delighted to be back on our handcrafted 5-star journeys, taking time for in-depth exploration at a relaxed pace now that the world has opened up.
New itineraries for 2023/2024
Scenic’s expert Journey Designers have crafted incredible adventures for 2023 and 2024 with the release of new land journeys. The Endless Wonders of Australia collection features an exclusive new Outback Landscapes itinerary, which includes Mungo National Park, Wilpena Pound, Silverton and an overnight trip on The Ghan train to Alice Springs.
In New Zealand, a new 22-day immersive itinerary travels from Auckland to Christchurch through the most spectacular landscapes of the North and South Island. Further afield, a rich collection of land journeys will travel through Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Africa. New itineraries include a 23-day journey from Cairo to Amman, a 16-day Alexandria & Ancient Egypt land and cruise journey, a 28-day African adventure from Cape Town to Nairobi, and a 17-day journey through South Africa that includes the famous Garden Route.
ABOVE: Whale watching, Victoria, Canada ; RIGHT: The great Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza, Egypt