Scenic Eclipse Brings Expedition Luxury To Alaska
A new premium player amongst the cruise ships that sail the Pacific west coast waters to Alaska was given an official welcome by port authorities recently.
Kathy deLisser, the regional VP of CERES Terminals, exchanged gifts with Captain Erwan le Rouzic in a theatre on board the Scenic Eclipse to celebrate the ship’s first sailing to Alaska – and its first visit to Vancouver, reports Press Today’s Ted Davis.
The Eclipse has the profile of a sleek yacht, and houses just over 200 guests in sea bound luxury. A recent tour of the all-balcony ship demonstrated those levels of luxury, with stateroom square footage ranging from 32 sq. metres (345 sq. ft.) for a Verandah Suite to 255 sq. metres (2,745 sq. ft.) for an Owner’s Penthouse Suite, including a 60 sq. metre (645 sq. ft.) wraparound terrace. All staterooms are in suite categories. Dining outlets and other public spaces are sleek and inviting.
But underneath those cushy accommodations is a vessel that has been built for bigger challenges than calm Caribbean outings. It has been designed and constructed around expedition-class specs (Polar Class 6), meaning the ship is capable of sailing in rough, windblown, even ice-strewn waters. The Eclipse sports extra-large stabilizers to keep the ship level under such conditions.
It has also been built to meet the most stringent of environmental protection standards. It does that through various means, including facilities for waste water treatment and ballast water treatment, plus exhaust gas heat recovery systems and an overall very high electrical efficiency.
“It is a very strong ship, with very powerful motors,” said Captain le Rouzic. He presented images of the Eclipse on a recent voyage to Antarctica, to prove his point with visuals. Adding to its aura of exploration and adventure are the two expedition helicopters that are housed in garages at the rear of the ship, and even a mini-submarine that can take up to six passengers below the waves. Wow!
The Scenic Eclipse made just one stop in Vancouver in 2022, after an Alaska cruise that included visits to Nome (departure), St. Mathew Island, Dutch Harbour, Kodiak, Homer, Seward, Sitkat, Kake and Wrangell before concluding in Vancouver, from Sept. 5 to 19. The ship continued south along the coast to San Diego with stops along the way over the course of the next nine days.
In 2023, the Eclipse will make a stop in Vancouver as part of the 22-day “Wilds of Alaska and the Inside Passage” cruise. In 2024, two west-coast cruises by the Eclipse will be anchored by Vancouver – the “Iconic West Coast Experience,” San Diego to Vancouver; and “Adventures Through The Inside Passage,” Vancouver to Nome. Sailings are available for booking at https://www.scenic.ca/ocean-cruises/north-america
Photo captions
The Scenic Eclipse amidst the scenery of Antarctica
An overhead view of the Scenic Eclipse in the open ocean