We went on the cruise before the one in the drop down box so it was Norwegian fjords and then a week in Svalbad. Norwegian fjords were lovely and we had a great helicopter flight over Geiranger fjord. The submarine was an experience but nothing to see in pretty murky fjord water - waste of money really. Off ship excursions hit and miss - few good others absolutely rubbish. The arctic cruising and Svalbad elements were quite disappointing - the only wildlife we actually saw not using binoculars e.g something with a recognisable face was a seal. Couple of distant whales. Lots of seagulls/birds. Grey smudges on distant hillsides (reindeer apparently!). One day there were two walrus - well they could have been a couple of brown wheely bins from how close we actually got to them. Where I really take issue with Scenic is the quite deceptive way the 'wildlife' was reflected and pictorially presented in the daily reviews/briefings. Gushing commentary from the very oily 'expedition leader' about what fantastic wildlife we'd all seen, and then the photos of the walrus (taken with a very high power telephoto lens) as though it was sitting right in front of you. Smoke and mirrors mate!!!!.

Scenic Eclipse is an absolutely stunningly beautiful ship, very stylish, very contemporary. The stabilisers/propulsion give a smooth ride. But actually the ship itself is quite uncomfortable.There is only one large lounge area with very low seating. Poor outside space/facilities, no pool. Great spa. The cabins are a good size but again the furnishings not comfy. The beds are good but due to the fixed metalwork bedside table arrangement, the large bed only separates by a couple of inches if you want a twin bed set up, so again neither practicable nor comfortable. The level of actual comfort is really where it felt not good value for the money spent. Staff excellent all round - kind, helpful and efficient. Food generally very good in Koko's Asian, stodgy and overcooked in Elements. Lumiere not particularly 'french' nor good. Yacht club buffet lunch/breakfast pleasant but pretty standard. Wine offered typically cheap and nasty. Whisky bar very good. We didn't go on the cruise for the entertainment, so we weren't disappointed. There is a very good lounge pianist playing most nights. Oh, and no kids on board - perfect!.