We have been with Scenic on numerous tours throughout the world. Scenic have always looked after us fabulously, everything is all inclusive, well catered, the best accommodation, and great guides. At the time of booking, the Scenic Eclipse had been held up with construction so we decided on this River Cruise (our first) in lieu of that. Our main goal was the Angkor Wat temple complexes. This ship is apparently more spacious and accommodating than European river cruise ships as the Mekong does not have locks to negotiate, no doubling up of ships for landing docks (most times was bow to shore), and so dimensions could be greater, and cabin sizes larger. Also the staff and crew were predominantly local Cambodians with some Vietnamese, which helped the local flavour. The chef was Balinese Indonesian and he was exceptional. Each cruise season and often between cruises, he would start with several young Cambodians and not just oversee them but teach them. The meals were outstanding. The variation night to night and choices were mouth wateringly incredible. Wine selection was fantastic. The tour of the galley exemplified the care taken in cleanliness and preparation, everything was fresh and made on board, but also the care in ensuring special dietary needs were properly managed with absolutely no cross contamination of allergens, for example. The cabin stewards, dining caterers and waiters, and directors were always extremely friendly, helpful, and always happy. Special mention to Mirko, our cruise director. He was exceptional, always out to ensure everything went smoothly, and in the best spirit. His generosity and humour and obvious care of not just the passengers but all staff was outstanding. We also had local guides for entertainment and information on board, and for the shore excursions. Cambodia's incredible history with decades of war and upheaval and genocide needs to be taken in, as well as its incredible Khmer and Buddhist culture. Our guides were terrific, and the Cambodian guides all had personal histories that were an honour to hear. Our Cambodian guide, Mao, had been a Buddhist monk for several years, and so his amiability and insights and humour were just beautiful. We loved him. Other guides were just as insightful and honest about their and their family's experiences of the Khmer Rouge. Truly heartbreaking but edifying. We would highly recommend the Scenic Spirit to everyone. Should be a bucket list item when paired with Angkor Wat! Read Less

Everything was top-notch about this cruise. The service was impeccable: everyone, and I mean everyone, treated you like the special customer you want to be, including much of the staff learning your name from the first day. The food was consistently great, although not spectacular, and an good effort was made to make local food available at all meals. The variety and care taken on the shore excursions was awesome. This was an 8-day cruise, and we had excellent times with the other passengers (primarily from Australia, UK, and Canada). The balcony cabin was perfect (we had one of the less expensive options) and everything was in good working order. The only thing that I can think to improve is the wine selection: there are a world of better wines out there at the same prices as the ones on the cruise. But, that's minor, and I highly recommend this cruise!! Read Less

The tour of Ho Chi Minh was an educational enlightment and covered the atmosphere and energy of the city Boarding and leaving the ship on completion of the tour was effortless and very easy The ship and cabin was faultless and an integral part of the tour and well being associated with complete trip. Dining entertaining and services were an integral part of the atmosphere to the point there were no visible conflicts or issues . The crew by natural instincts ensured the traveling parties including USA UK Canada and of course Australia total integrated Port and shore excursions covered events and local environments to the extent the travellers were very comfortable and enjoyed the connections I gave Vietnam 10/10 and believe a new Japanese style economy will emerge in the next couple of decades and I gave Cambodia 12/10 because it is emerging from terrible historic events and managing very competantly Read Less

Our time in Myanmar was fantastic. Having a day in Yangon prior to the tour was beneficial and we were rested and saw some different sites to those included. The hotels prior to and after the cruise were excellent Our tour guide, Tin Pa Pa Min was the best. She looked out for every hidden opportunity and was full of fascinating information. On board Scenic Aura the staff were fantastic. Always friendly and helpful and looking after everyone's needs. Special mention for Sai on the front desk and Lal and Moon in the dining room. The ship was always spotless despite the determined effort of some flying insects at one stage. The small gifts each evening were a treat and will be valued. We thoroughly recommend a visit to the spa for a massage. The ports of call were all excellent and the sandbank campfire most enjoyable. We especially liked that, in addition to important locations, such as Bagan, we visited small villages and interacted with the people. Every effort was made to include those with mobility issues on all excursions, although access to the boat would be all but impossible for anyone in a wheelchair. We would thoroughly recommend this trip and are glad we picked February for the best weather Read Less

Cruise was everything expected, and then more. Excursions were very good and showed us examples of life along the Mekong as well as providing interesting dining, both on the ship and off. Local restaurants chosen provided a good selection of local oriented food. Guides were very knowledgeable and communicated information well. Provided local perspectives on historical events. Small groups made it easier to communicate information and to go to the various sites on tour. Good mix of people on the ship - no over dominance of any one nationality. Good sized rooms with full amenities. Restaurant on ship was excellent and provided good variety for all. Spirit Lounge was a good 'end of the day' space. Local entertainment which came on board was interesting and provided good variety. Scenic's commitment to provide financial assistance to local youth organizations and to the underprivileged was noted and much appreciated.Hand sanitizers everywhere and good attention to cleanliness. Extremely, extremely friendly crew providing personal service. Read Less

I chose this cruise 2 years ago as I thought if I was going to the Antarctic I would do it in style and comfort. I chose what was supposed to be the second season so issues could be ironed out but because of delays it became the first season. Firstly we only became aware of our early transfer from Buenos Airies to Ushuaia less than 2 weeks prior to departure no time to arrange alternate despite my travel agent trying to find out sooner. On arrival at Airport in BA from Melbourne for our 2 night extension found we where not on the transfer list was supposed to have a private car. This was not the only lack of communication to occur. Embarkation once we arrived at the ship was fast but there was a lot of waiting on buses prior to leaving the airport and then at the wharf. The food was okay but I wouldn’t say six star unless you went to the Chefs Table. Service on the first night was appalling but picked up when we mentioned it. Wines were hit and miss in quality and can’t comment on the whiskey bar as I don’t drink it. Our butler was fantastic and organised drinks and food for a special celebration in our suite and our room steward was also great always happy to help. The discovery team was extremely knowledgeable and tried their hardest to find exiting places to visit despite the weather at times. The Helicopter was the highlight but only able to go up once due to weather. The parkas they supply I didn’t feel warm in even with 3 layers underneath would bring my own Canada Goose next time in Antartica. The last thing I would like to say is this ship felt like it was rushed in the end to be finished and because of that has not reached 6 stars. I would not like to travel on it in the future without major upgrades as it will become rather shabby soon continuing as it is. Read Less

Have been recommended by out travel agent. I was disappointed by the lack of respect for my gluten free and dairy product diet onboard. Every day, every meal, I should ask if it is correct for me, but most of the time, answers were approximative. At the mid-time of the cruise , I started some gastrointestinal discomfort wich are lasting until the end of the cruise.The information have been transmitted before cruise, I gave my medical record at the front desk and discuss with our cruise manager.. For the land portion of our trip, respecting my dietary restrictions were well followed by the guide THUY who accompanied us. I thank her warmly. Embarkation and disembarkation were very gently, with a welcoming staff. It was very appreciates the free laundry service wirh cleaning productsat our disposal, on the boat ! The cabin space was very appreciated and the buttons control for blinds anb butler call also. Read Less

Having just read a review by someone I knew to be on the same cruise I thought I would add my thoughts as well. Firstly Discovery Team...outstanding and knowledgeable. They appeared to genuinely love their jobs and that was demonstrated time and time again. Captain and staff on the bridge always welcoming and engaging. The welcome. Non existent and very poor. Considering the world is currently reeling from Coronavirus when I noted to the Guest Relations Manager that no one was made to wash their hands ( or use sanitizer) as they boarded the ship, I was told people have common sense!! Really , having been on two buses and an airplane everyone should have been made to wash their hands. Same at restaurants, we observed time and time again a lack of hand hygiene. On embarking we were sent to level 5, to find Azure and the staff there were completely unprepared for our arrival. We asked for champagne that took half and hour to find. Our lunch was a salad bowl, those sent to Elements got a three course meal and table service with wines, level 7 patrons received a buffet meal and some people were ushered into the Lounge and apparently they got a welcome drink!! Completely tainted the first impression of the trip.. Eventually after giving ourselves a tour of the ship we made our way to the Lounge and found staff giving out room keys. It was shambolic. The room. We had Gränd deluxe veranda suite. Size was fabulous, however there are lots of form over function issues that have been mentioned before. On a rocky day at sea, note there are no handles to grasp in the toilet and you are likely to pull the toilet roll holder from the wall!! Unlike the other reviewer we had an exceptional butler and cleaner who went out of their way to ensure that the fridge was stocked with champagne ( the wine on board was average to say the least. AUST ship and didn’t show case any wines from well established and known labels. Extremely disappointing), folded our clothes, had pots of tea in our room after dinner...nothing but praise for their thoughtfulness and preemptive actions. However fair warning to anyone in rooms 512 to 501 you will hear everything that is on in the theatre particularly music. Once again Scenic are aware that you will have a constant boom boom but no compensation and as yet no attempts to remediate the situation. It’s fixable but annoying. Restaurants were hit and miss. Some meals great, some barely passable. Don’t expect to go to Chefs Table...no one has quite worked out the way guests are asked but it would have been a treat on a 19 day trip as the choices became limited. Sushi almost impossible to get a seat at unless you line up at 1830 for a 1900 seating. There was a group of guests who did that every night. If you like spirits you are well catered for. If you like wine and champagne the ship does not care. The champagne bar at Lumiere is a joke...supposedly you can sit at the bar and try the champagne before the meal ( I think there are only 5 and none that were on the Captains list...you pay extra for those ) and have caviar and oysters. The waiter asked the kitchen for oysters and the chef threw a hissy fit (we could see her as the kitchen is glass and said it was her prep time and was so angry, stomping and slamming on the bench.) Completely underwhelming and not the special experience we had hoped for on Australia Day. Final thoughts it’s a beautiful product , all shiny and new ( literally ) but someone has not invested any time or money into making everyone feel special. Just a few tweaks, some finesse and understanding that after a 2am wake up for a 3 am bus trip for flight to Ushuaia and then arriving in Ushuaia at 11 to drive around until 12 is not conducive to guests being treated like cattle and no welcome...definitely not 6 Star. The potential is there to be six stars, just hope they listen to what seasoned travelers are telling them. Would I go again? Probably on version number 2 where hopefully some design changes are being made that will enhance the functionality and enjoyment of all the guests Read Less

My agent asked me for feedback on Scenic Eclipse. This is what I wrote. Our thoughts on Scenic Eclipse. Overall it’s a four star hotel in a six star ship where Silversea is a six star hotel in a four star ship! The huge 6 metre stabilisers and a long sharp bow make for the best ride by far we’ve experienced. We were in a Force 11 gale and Force 12 for an hour or so leaving South Georgia and no one we knew felt seasick. The azipod propulsion system means the ship can stop and manoeuvre extraordinarily quickly - a benefit we discovered when we came amongst a pod of Type D orcas while in a four metre swell. They have been seen very few times but we were able to slow rapidly, turn and stay with them for about twenty minutes, something no older expedition ship could have done. On the downside the only open deck to view forwards is the bow deck and there is no observation lounge or forward facing viewing area available. This is a major fault in an expedition ship, relieved only by the fact the Captain kept an open bridge nearly all the time. However that could get crowded and it’s not easy to cross from side to side. Our Grand de Luxe Suite was very spacious and comfortable. Needed hooks to hang wet gear after a landing and a bedside clock and clothes line but otherwise very good. Friends who have travelled very extensively had a Spa Suite which they described as the worst designed suite they had ever had. Poor storage, a TV taking up useable space and a glass topped wall between the bathroom and the bedroom with consequent light issues. Other friends had the basic Verandah Suite which was very small. I think there is an acknowledgment that it is not the 32 sq m advertised though they have not changed the website. Fittings throughout are ultra modern surprisingly with sharp edges and the bathroom sink a joke of form over function. Excellent shower however. Scenic were, I believe, very fortunate that One Ocean ceased trading late last year as they were then able to get an exceptionally experienced expedition team where they would certainly have struggled otherwise after Kara Weller left them during the long delay. A great help on some of our landings was that the zodiacs are kept in a ‘garage’ on deck 3 so could be launched in winds which would have precluded the other ships winching them down from the top deck. My only observation was that they should limit the numbers to 8 passengers when zodiac cruising. Where the ship lets itself down is on the hotel side. I’m not sure whether that's a management and training issue or whether they are deliberately aiming down market. The latter seems unlikely when you see the amazing collection of whiskies in the lounge bar! To say they had a butler service was a real joke on both sides of our deck. Tea bags and coffee pods were not replaced, no attempt made to keep the coffee machine full of water. The room boy responsible for cleaning was excellent but the butler had no idea about anticipating requirements. Either he was poorly trained or could not cope with the number of cabins he had to look after. Either way this was not butler service Silversea style. They make an element of their promotion the number of restaurants but this is more of a negative than a positive. A good buffet lunch is served in the Yacht Club - that’s the one with the hilariously stupid pool placed in the middle - but if everybody was on board at the same time there were not enough seats. The Maitre’d’s were good but struggled at times with what they had available. We were a party of eight from the out set and really only Elements - the basic restaurant - can cope with a party that size. And inevitably as people meet up during the cruise there are more and more larger parties for dinner. The Sushi Bar was consistently good but with ten seats did not take reservations, meaning the queue outside started earlier and earlier as the cruise went on. We had one really good meal in Kokos, the Asian fusion restaurant, but the rest were underwhelming. We also had one good and one very poor experience in the Teppanyaki so I think the best you can say is that dining is patchy, even in the top of the range Lumiere. Service also varied from the almost nonexistent to the superb. And some of the very best dishes - lobster, mussels - were so salty they were almost inedible. We were the last of four coaches to board at 1200 on departure. Amazingly there was no form of welcome - we were just told to go to deck 7 for lunch. Needless to say there were no tables available. What a shambolic welcome. And Scenic ground handling showed no sign of responding to customers. They insisted on an 0500 departure for the 45 minute drive to EZE fo an 0900 flight. The hotel said 0630 would be fine. Scenic would not change so I cancelled their transfer and booked my own hotel car for 0615. One more thing - do not sell the cruise on the fact there is a submarine. What a white elephant. It was unserviceable for the whole of the previous cruise and only did a few dives on this one before they damaged it while docking. And feedback says you won’t see fish or whales - maybe krill - won't go under the ice and in Antarctica there is no colour on the sea bed. So if for any of your clients that is the drawcard - dissuade them. The helicopter flights are really pot luck. We had an OK flight with incompatible passengers as did one other of our group. The other two couples flew on a perfect day and had an amazing experience. This may all sound a bit negative but the fact is we had a wonderful experience and did and saw things on our third trip on this route we hadn’t done or seen before. That they ever got the ship built at all is a massive tribute to the captain and a small Scenic team who took over part of the shipyard and managed the final process of fit out all by themselves. It is early days - the ship is still less than six months into operation. We have made feedback to Scenic as constructive criticism as to how they can improve their product and particularly the design of future ships. The ship is massively over-capitalised and their fares are still incredibly low compared to Silversea. I hope the river cruises are profitable enough to sustain their operation. Sell Scenic to people who are scared of the reputation of the Drake Passage and like modern design. And whisky!!! Read Less

This is a great way to see and experience Myanmar and to learn more of its history and its peoples. Scenic have wonderful people in their crew and as their Tour Guides. All locals and keen to educate about their culture. The Scenic Aura accommodates maximum 44 in 22 cabins (all more suites than rooms) and on our trip we had 33 pax and 38 crew. Could we be more pampered? The Inle Lake extension to the Irrawaddy River Cruise was fantastic and the Sanctum Inle Resort is a wonderful choice by Scenic to keep the standard of accommodation and service at the highest 5 star level. The first approach to the Resort by longboat kept the "first impressions" at a peak. The cruise up to the landing through waterfront houses and tomato plantings along the canals was an experience in itself. The excursions by longboat from this Resort to local attractions were terrific. The Inle fishermen with their leg-rowing and conical fishing traps are just as you see them in the postcards. Scenic have a well- deserved 5 star reputation. Highly recommended!! Read Less

If you are considering Myanmar as a destination I would highly recommend it. The country is beautiful and it's people friendly. We felt totally safe and welcome at all times. The Scenic Aura was up to Scenic's usual standards. Everything was fantastic with the attention to detail and extra touches making it even more special. Our cabin was large with a sitting room and electric full length glass windows which lowered to turn the space into a balcony. The food was excellent and varied and the guests were continually encouraged to ask for any food or drinks they required. Our tour guide was fantastic and all the staff friendly and attentive. There was a good balance between shore excursions and time to relax. The trips ashore were varied and interesting with some special highlights including a temple view dinner one evening. I would highly recommend this cruise and Myanmar as a destination. Read Less

Unbelievably poor communication from start to finish. Even our travel agent got so terribly frustrated with either poor or wrong information. This was a discovery cruise to Antartica including the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island. No maps were provided to let us know where we were during the cruise; the TV info page map was illegible. Maps were provided at the end of the cruise if you asked for them. We were often given about 10 minutes notice when our excursion was to occur (very difficult b/c of having to put on so much clothing.) The submarine that was highly promoted could not be used because of software problems; one big reason many of us chose this very expensive cruise line. When completed this all inclusive cruise line cost us over $58,000. We expected so much more than we got. This was to be our last grand cruise. With the helicopters, once we were in the air we were told we could not go inland because of rescue concerns; seeing the typography of Antartica is something that was important to me. I was duped into going on another helicopter ride which covered the same area as before; we were told it would be a different locale-it wasn't. Total cost for my wife and me - $2780.00. The price was listed as $585 per person and we were charged $695.00/pp. There was no info on the price change onboard . I asked for a price adjustment on the helicopter rides to no avail. This was deceitful. Service personnel were fantastic, were personable, and worked so hard for passengers. Their problem was lack of proper training. The dining establishments provided meals which were of much less quality than other luxury cruise lines. The observation lounge only provided tea and coffee and the seating was uncomfortable. The main lounge also had very uncomfortable seating. The lounge piano and singer were terrific, but there was not much else provided of any professionalism for the entire 19 days. Michelle in the lounge bar was delightful, professional, and competent. The sites were amazing and the young Discovery team members were professional, educated and informed about their subjects. The penguins, seals, whales and birds were such a treat to see in their habitat. We are experienced cruisers on luxury cruise lines (over 13) with Scenic being the most expensive, by far. We expected so much more and did not receive it. We will certainly recommend to our travel agent and the country-wide association that she belongs to to not recommend Scenic to their clients. Seabourn, Silversea, and Regent are far better choices; they, at least, are able to communicate the issues you need to know. Read Less

This is a difficult review to write, as some parts of the cruise were excellent and others extremely disappointing. My bottom line is that Scenic ultimately failed to deliver the “6-star” experience they promoted. I am limiting the review to those aspects of the trip specific to Scenic and the Scenic Eclipse. The destinations themselves, the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula, will be enjoyed by anyone who likes wildlife or unique scenery, but there are many ships that offer this itinerary. On the positive side, the ship’s staff was excellent. Everyone in housekeeping, food and beverage, customer relations, and the expedition team (called the Discovery team by Scenic) was friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. This was consistent with our previous river cruise on Scenic and one of the reasons we chose Scenic for this voyage. On our cruise, there were actually more staff members than passengers. The expedition team deserves special commendation. Its members were knowledgeable in oceanography, marine biology, glaciology, geology, and ornithology. They were careful to protect passenger safety and the safety of the environment. Another positive feature was the open bridge, where the ship’s officers were willing to talk about the ship or simply let you stay there to observe the surroundings. The cabins were a mixture of good and bad. Shortly before our voyage we received word through our travel agent that the cabin we had booked (along with a number of others) was not as big as advertised. While Scenic offered to reimburse the premium paid for a larger cabin, we had deliberately chosen a large cabin for a cruise of this length and were quite disappointed. A better solution would have been to move us to a cabin of the size we had booked, but they did not offer this. It is also disturbing that we were told of this only shortly before the cruise, after final payment had been made. They claimed that they had only learned of the size discrepancy recently and, in fact, the next season catalog we had just received showed the cabin as larger than it is. But the failure to meet the cabin specifications should have been noted during quality inspections when the ship was built and probably reflects on all of the construction issues faced by the Scenic Eclipse. Our cabin was very noisy with loud creaking whenever the ship moved. Maintenance tried to fix this but couldn’t, and we were led to understand that the problem related to the various ceiling and wall panels not being properly joined or separated, when necessary, by gaskets, again reflecting on ship construction. On the good side, the bed was very comfortable. Negatives, many mentioned in other reviews, were minimal storage space for clothing, absence of shelf space in the bathroom with a sink that looked great but was not very functional, and a TV behind a reflective surface so it was difficult to see. Food service ranged from just okay to very good. Lumiere was most consistently good, but we also had some enjoyable meals at Elements and at the sushi bar. There was lack of coordination between the expedition team and food service, so if you had an early zodiac departure the main restaurants were not open early enough and you were limited to a continental breakfast, where there was limited seating and often a line for service. The wines offered at meals were generally good but not exceptional, with limited choices so good pairing was not always possible. The most unique features of the Scenic Eclipse are undoubtedly the onboard helicopters and submarine, and these were the main reasons we waited an extra year for the Eclipse after our initial voyage was cancelled because the ship was not ready. It turned out that the submarine was not functional and not used during our trip, allegedly because of a software incompatibility with some of the parts. I find it disturbing that, knowing they were operating in isolated areas without ready service facilities, they did not carry spare parts that had already been tested. The helicopters worked well and, due to good weather, everyone had a chance to get a helicopter trip and more than one if they wanted. It is important to know that helicopter and submarine rides are not guaranteed, so you should know this in advance if this is your reason for choosing the Eclipse. Although it was never explicitly stated, it appeared that your best chance of getting these excursions was to book one of the most expensive suites or have top standing in the Scenic loyalty program. Entertainment was minimal. A very good singer-piano duo entertained during the pre-dinner cocktail hour, where hors d’oeuvres and cocktails were provided. The theater was not designed with good sight lines, due to not all rows being tiered. Seating was quite comfortable, however. The theater was not big enough to hold all passengers at once. The ship itself appeared quite seaworthy. We were fortunate in that we never had extreme weather. There was a slight roll in moderate waves, but it was never necessary to curtail activities. The ship’s ice hull and maneuverability allowed us to get well into fjords and bays. The interior design was striking but failed to follow the principle of “form follows function.” The lobby bench seating had overly deep couches, so you were unable to lean back or, if you were not tall, sit with your feet on the floor. Restaurant seating was also on the uncomfortable side. Finally, Scenic did not seem to have their logistics under control. The polar parkas that were promised had not arrived when we departed, and they eventually had to make do by getting a variety of jackets resembling ski parkas We like to arrive a day early just in case of travel issues and so booked the “optional” extra night in the beginning, which turned out not to be so optional as we were asked to depart the Buenos Aires hotel at 4:00 AM so there was really no way to make this if you arrived on the day of departure. On the way home we were told not to book flights before 8:00 PM, but they had us back to the Buenos Aires airport around noon, well before you could check in for flights. By way of apology for this they did offer a local city tour, but most of us had already seen Buenos Aires so this was just a time filler. Read Less

We had sailed on the Scenic Pearl river cruise and it was wonderful so we were anxious to try the Scenic Eclipse. We were scheduled for the cruise in 2018 but the ship did not get built in time. We then rebooked for the 2019 cruise. As on the river cruise the staff was professional and friendly. The discovery team (expedition team) did a great job of educating us about the areas we were visiting and the animals and birds we saw. . But the ship lacked certain basics any expedition ship should have: there was no bow camera so that you could see where the ship was headed from your cabin. The lectures were not taped so if you had a conflict you could not watch the lectures at another time from your cabin. Lastly you could not see out of the observation lounge unless you were standing at the window. Knowing about this cruise for 2 years Scenic did not have our parkas when we arrived on the ship. We never did get the official parkas but instead when we reached the Falklands they managed to have gathered a selection of ski parkas in various sizes and colors. They were further disorganize on the timeline. We chose to arrive in Buenos Aries a day early to get adjusted to the time change. As it turned out we needed to leave at 5am to catch the flight for the ship.If we didn’t book a day ahead we would not have made the flight. We weren’t aware of this until we got to Argentina. Our departure too was disorganized. We were told to book our return flight after 8:30 at night. Yet they had us back at the airport at noon. Too make up for this we got an abbreviated city tour and then dropped off back at the airport at 5. We couldn’t even check into our flight until 7pm. We also had a noise issue in our cabin which they could not fix because the carpenter told us it was built wrong. The bed was extremely comfortable and the space was adequate but not what we had booked. Three weeks before the cruise we were told that Scenic just realized that some of the cabins were smaller than they realized. Scenic refunded the difference in the cost for the smaller cabin but again no apology. The most disappointing thing was the submarine was not operational . Most of us had booked this trip for the experience of seeing Antarctica from the submarine and the helicopter. We were not told of this problem until half way into our trip. There was never an apology from the company or an offer to compensate us . Other reviewers have discussed the entertainment and dining experiences. Read Less

Due to the delays this trip was a long time coming. We are to disembark in 4 days at the end of what will have been a fantastic 3 week trip to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica and wanted to share our experience as there were very few reviews available for us, GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE SHIP AND TRIP The expedition staff could not have been more helpful or knowledgeable, the landings carefully chosen and executed extremely professionally. Lectures very good. The food everywhere was superb and often imaginative. Only buffet at lunch and sensible portions otherwise, The wine and drinks offerings excellent Lots of space onboard the ship. The staff in every area without exception were superb, friendly, courteous without being obsequious, and professional at all times. Cabin well equipped with every type of socket (adapters not required) Quality of furnishings, however......... NOT SUCH GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE SHIP AND TRIP No Parkas when we loaded - apparently stuck in customs! Many people did not have a warm jacket (myself included) we were issued with macs, no warmth then after a few days an assortment of different ski jackets arrived, - to be fair the staff had ‘bust a gut’ to get these but there were so many complaints and compromises on sizes etc. No Sub, not told until half way through voyage that a part or software was not working and sub grounded despite best efforts. This was a HUGE disappointment to a lot of people. Design, there are some aspects of the ship not easily rectifiable that do detract from the voyage enjoyment. These design aspects defy logic and have been mentioned in previous reviews. The observation lounge - kitted out with very comfortable furniture and coffee machine where you can observe nothing but the bow outside decking area! Despite being a library and quiet reading area there is dreadful piped music 24/7 that apparently cannot be switched off, this is true of music throughout the ship, hey guys expedition yacht with people, exploring nature please not jingly music everywhere. Also mentioned in previous posts but unless you have been onboard hard to Believe the swimming pool really is in the middle of the restaurant with 2 showers next to dining tables. It is the joke among all staff and guest and apparently nobody very uses is, as one guest said why would you walk between the tables in your sluggos. It isn’t however a joke as a guest as a swim and relax would have been very nice and cannot imagine if you were on a warm weather cruise, the pool and hot tub was emptied shortly after sailing for most of the voyage as apparently the water slops out too much! As the steam and saunas are segregated there is nowhere you could have a dip and then relax as a couple. The main lounge is vast and as such never has an intimate feel. All of the seating along the sides is fixed faces in and incredibly uncomfortable. Extremely deep seats so you either perch or sit back with legs off floor but whichever you cannot look out (of an expedition yacht) the tables are huge and fixed so no conversation across tables or flexibility, Sharp edges everywhere, glass edges at the head of every stairs, square chrome handrails, doors from loos open into corridors? No floor numbers as you walk up the stairs and despite the ‘millions’ spent on art no colour anywhere. The ship is grey and brown, all very high quality fittings but why not put some nice artwork up as you walk up and down the stairs or in the lounge instead of black and dark glass and chrome everywhere, or splashes of colour with some soft furnishings, it appears the ship is waiting to be dressed. OVERALL A great ship and staff (that in our experience that could not be improved upon) but a couple of the design decisions greatly detract from the experience- observation deck and (lack of) pool Easily rectified would be to ditch the music in certain areas and to select some more appropriate music when applicable, Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was going to all the places that we wanted to go and we were fascinated by the description of the ship …. everything live up to our expectations. The ship: This ship is different to every other cruise ship we have travelled on. It was silent, so silent that you had to look out of the widow to see if you were underway. There was no 'rocking and rolling' no matter what the sea was like, (perfect for generally sea sick husband!!) The facilities on board were first class from the restaurants to the auditorium to the shower in the suite which was enormous!! The ship was so different and so good, too many tremendous and unique differences, it is difficult to describe them all …. all I can say is that you should book a trip and find out for yourself!!! Expedition crew: The crew were so knowledgeable .… we learned so much both on shore and in the lecture auditorium. I fell and broke my ribs the day before we set sail: no problem, the crew helped me whenever it was necessary, the medical team supplied me with great medication and I was able to participate in all the events and shore transfers with no problem at all. WOW. The dining rooms were small and intimate with great variety available. The only difficulty we had was trying to decide where to dine at each meal!! Our cabins were very comfortable with, for me, the special feature being the beds where either side was independently controlled to raise or lower the angle of the bed … great for comfort for broken ribs. All in all we had the best cruise we have ever had and in prior cruises we have always travelled on the 'six star' ships … Scenic Eclipse is seven star!!! Read Less

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This was our first Scenic river cruise, which was advertised as a “Christmas Wonderland”. There wasn’t any Christmas wonderment about it. The only decorations were a tree in the entrance, one in the lounge and 2 foam snowflakes on the windows in the lounge. In the dining room a small table decoration per table. That was it, no lights etc. We parked next to a few ships who were beautifully decorated, lights, Santa’s etc. When questioned staff replied that Scenic wanted christmas minimalist! Passengers went out and bought their own decorations including us to decorate their cabin and some made a point of taking them down to the table for lunch and dinner on Christmas Day. On Christmas Day the only Christmas food was a turkey at lunch as the meat option, all other food was as usual. It was the last trip of the season and the crew certainly let people know they didn’t want to be there. Some were rude, surly and forgot how to smile. The daily topping up the mini bar also slackened off towards the end with notes being left for staff requesting specific items. The food got boring, steak, fish and vegetarian every night. Not much imagination and they did start running out of stuff towards the end. But the worst was yet to come somebody began coughing in the lounge that spread like wildfire. By the weekend after Christmas half the boat was sick. By the time we got to Budapest a doctor was called to 3 people with one going off to hospital by ambulance. At no time did we hear an announcement regarding respiratory hygiene or to remind people to clean their hands. They did put extra hand sanitizer stations into the lounge but no accompanying notice. We would not recommend Scenic to anybody and will not be travelling with them again. Read Less

We have done previous Scenic River Cruises and loved them. We wanted to immerse ourselves in all things European Christmas with the luxury of scenic. However Scenic didn’t provide anything Christmas on this cruise. Lacking Christmas decoration, no special Christmas Eve dinner and no special Christmas Day festival. Very disappointing. This cruise was at the end of the season and Scenic Crystal was changed to the Scenic opal but they could have been better prepared. The linens, towels and pillows were worn out but it was the last cruise of the year. Then some of the staff had to leave before the end of the cruise due to visa issues but they were not replaced, so the last couple of days service was disrupted making waiting to be served at dinner unacceptably long but the staff did their best. The ship and staff were lovely but Mr and Mrs Scenic stole Christmas. Dining is ok. Not much variation but of a good standard and any dietary requirements are met if you request them Onboard activities for this cruise was limited unlike the peak season river cruise. Just remember at Christmas most of the shore towns are closed so there are a lot of sailing days I would still recommend a Scenic river cruise just not one at ChristmAs Read Less

We are just about to disembark Scenic Eclipse at Ushuaia and are very sad to be leaving this stunning, well thought out ship with cutting edge interior design and technology and it’s magnificent crew. We did the 12 day Antarctic in Depth and found it perfect with zodiac landings usually twice a day. Discovery team was knowledgeable and excellent. Our flight over the Antarctic was a ‘pinch me’ moment. Prices for the chopper and sub have nearly doubled compared to what they promoted them as. The helicopter is now UD$695pp for 30min. I think the sub had gone over US$800 for 40min only, no 20min as it takes a long time to get to about 190m.We didn’t get to do the sub. It is very limited by weather conditions and we were in group Sierra we were way down the list. In general everything on the ship is in order of the price you paid for a cabin. Those on deck 8 & 9 had preferential treatment for everything and missed nothing. The restaurant and spa booking system is a joke. They need to start again with that. The hairdresser couldn’t even tell you what time your booking was for the next day. We found the food to be below par and not even close to that on Seaborne or Celebrity. In general it was bland but our biggest disappointment was no Christmas fare on Christmas Day. Who made that decision for passengers that were mostly Aussies, Kiwis, Americans and English. Not a turkey, ham or pork in sight but oddly some of that appeared for Boxing Day. So strange. The main bar area is superb and we’ve made some lovely new friends. We enjoyed the Trivia games down there. We didn’t get to many lectures and it’s a pity that you can’t watch their recordings on demand later. They only show them live. All in all, we have enjoyed our best cruise ever and will definitely book on Scenic Eclipse again. Might wait for Eclipse 2,3 or 4 that have now officially been commissioned. Thanks Scenic and your fantastic crew Read Less

We chose this cruise because 10 family members wanted to travel and this cruise let us bring our 14 and 17 year old family members. We all got to enjoy a river cruise. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, and spouses. No one was left out. Thank you Scenic Amber! We believe in Family First!! And this river cruise did too!! We also liked the stops along the way. We liked the route it was going on. We enjoyed our travel agent, Michelle! We especially enjoyed the dates. We knew we wanted to go this time of year and experience the Christmas markets. It was a great experience. The food on the cruise was superb and at the destinations just as wonderful. The chef made the dinners according to the country and style. Excellent to say the least. We are beyond pleased with Scenic and all the care and respect they have shown us. Read Less

This was our first riverboat cruise. We had checked out some others cruises casually but couldn't get excited about any. We went to a presentation put on by Expedia Cruise in Courtenay, BC, regarding Scenic and the guy with the funny accent caught our excitement regarding the boat, the service onboard, and what we would see on the tour. We immediately started planning our cruise that we just got back from. I'm an old fart and my body shows it. The only part of the whole experience that was terrible had to do with the airlines and Amsterdam airport. I know you have to put up with the 9.5 hour flight from Vancouver, BC, to Amsterdam but I could hardly walk afterwards and it is actually kilometers between the international arrivals to the local carrier section. KLM nor the airport staff would assist me in getting transport over to the other side because I had not prebooked it. Coming back I prebooked assistance and that part went smoothly. Since I had already been up for approximately 30 hours, when we arrived in Prague, I immediately crashed (fell asleep on the lovely, soft bed) while me wife did the short orientation tour. My wife enjoyed Prague while I recuperated. I did go out once and enjoyed a little of the wonder of the city. I was a little concerned with everyone telling us to be careful of pickpockets! Breakfast buffet at our Marriott Hotel was excellent with lots of variety. Yumm! (I'm a foody addict) We got on the Scenic Amber in Nuremberg and I was impressed from the word go. The welcome seemed real and everyone was courteous and, for me, this is where the pleasureable adventure really began. I'm rambling a bit here so I'll try and condense the actual cruise.. I've been on big ship cruises before but not at the level of complete service as we got here. The things I especially like were: Cabin - the soft head and knee raising bed; the cozy balcony; the small fridge for cod drinks, replenished daily; Dining - exception meals with additional selections that you can order. They do cater to special food needs. For those of you that drink, there was a different red and white wine presented each day. You never had to worry about running out of wine, coffee, water. Room service always available; Onboard activities - were fun and relaxed.Richard (Otto?) was very personable and gave pertinent information on what was going on the next day or for that night. The cruise wouldn't have been as great without him. The evening lounge entertainment was fun to watch with local groups coming on board at each port; Ports and excursions - I commend the people that picked out the ports we visited, not too many and not too few. All the tour guides were not just informative but also very passionate about their city and country, nice to see and hear; Service - I have nothing to negatively say about the service. Everyone treated us with courtesy and as a person. We had our own butler who was ours 24/7 If we wanted. He actually complained to us that we weren't using him enough! I watch how staff interact with each other and all that I could see was friendly support and comradery between all levels of staff. They even all chipped in to take out the garbage! That's about all I have to say for now except that we didn't pay an additional penny for anything else except for gifts. So eat, drink as much as you want; go on the tours, see the concerts... all included! Read Less

Having done two previous cruises with Scenic and a Christmas market cruise with their sister company Emerald, I was really looking forward to this cruise. What a disappointment!! While I would consider another cruise with Scenic, I do not recommend their Rhine Christmas Market cruise. 1. No on-board Christmas/holiday ambiance. Meager decorations that included a couple of decorated trees and a few snowflake cutouts on the windows. No lights, no special food, no holiday music, special afternoon Christmas tea. 2. Poor entertainment. During the entire cruise during the day there were only two poorly presented talks by the cruise director. After the first long afternoon onboard with no activities or entertainment, I asked the cruise director about this lack. She seemed baffled by the question. I listed the daytimes activities on the Emerald Christmas Market cruise and she informed me that Scenic is a higher end cruise and they don't have activities or entertainment during the day so that "guests can enjoy the ship". There is a small gym and a salt room with three loungers. Other than that I guess you entertain yourself with chatting with other guests, looking out the window, napping, reading, using the internet or taking advantage of the open bar. Quoting the Daily Program, the evening entertainment consisted of: Two nights there was only "Live music with our on-board musician Enzo" (keyboard); Three nights of classical music One night "Norman and his guitar"; and a "Disco night". 3. Poor docking locations. While the docking locations may be determined by the harbor master, the locations can negatively impact the trip. Docking for Basel, Strasbourg and Heidelberg was in industrial areas where it was impossible to get off the ship to do anything on your own. Docking for Baden Baden was in a rural area with only a few houses nearby. Docking for Rudesheim was about 3/4 of mile from the town in a more rural area and we docked after dark. We walked past a couple of empty berths on our way into town where we made a loop through the small town. My Fitbit showed that the walk from the ship and back was 5,500 steps. Depending on your tour choice, there are bus rides of over an hour each way to get to the sights and Christmas markets. 4. There seemed to be a quite a few people on the cruise with mobility issues, and, at times, some people had difficulty with the amount of walking on the tours. For example, in Strasbourg, the walk back to the buses after the tour and free time, was about 1/2 mile. By the time the ship arrived in Heidelberg, better descriptions were given of the amount of walking required and the terrain. A "gentle walkers" group was added. 5. More time could have been spent in some towns. For morning visits, we were taken back to the ship by 13:00. In some places, it would have been nice to have the option for a later bus back to the ship even if we did miss lunch onboard. On the positive side: 1. Our lower level cabin was fine with comfortable beds, robes, nice toiletries, a stocked mini bar, nightly turn down with chocolates. Our cabin attendant was friendly and kept the cabin spotless. We made requests to the butler for the complimentary laundry service and to get a pair of shoes cleaned. These requests were promptly taken care of. 2. The food was good. 3. The local guides in the towns and cities we visited were all good. Read Less

We chose this cruise due to the Switzerland extension before hand and the great reviews of Scenic. The extension was amazing. We eventually got on the Scenic Opal in Basal and began our cruise down the Rhine. The ship was perfect. Very clean, modern, and welcoming. The cruise director (Andreea) was waiting to welcome us aboard and was always available to answer any question or solve any problem. We were escorted to our cabin by Milanka (Mila) the ship masseuse and fitness coach. The Hotel manager (Georgi) was very friendly and always checking to see if we were happy. The Captain of the ship was very approachable and always happy to answer any questions. He allowed any passenger to visit his wheelhouse at any time to see how the ship was operated. Our butler (Ratko) made sure we were always happy and cared for. The young lady that did our housekeeping (Timea) was outstanding. Our room was always perfectly clean and inviting. We had the Royal Panoramic Suite. It was fit for royalty. The size of the suite was very nice and the wrap around windows and large balcony was perfect to viewing the sites as we made our way down river. We slept like babies on the large king size bed and the large walk in shower was perfect for us. All the meals were exceptional. The thing that made the cruise stand out for us was the crew. From the Captain to the Hotel Manage, to the cruise director, to the lowest sailor on deck we never passed a crew member that did not say hello and ask if we were happy and could they do anything for us. We really hated for the cruise to end. Read Less

We've been on a Scenic river cruise before, but this one exceeded the last. Of course, with it being a Christmas Markets river cruise - that helped, but the staff on board just seemed to go the extra mile. Richard, the Tour Director was just incredible. He made everything seem like such an adventure - his descriptions of each stop and the optional excursions were just outstanding. He definitely needs to have his own TV travel show. The food on board was pretty good and they tried to fit the meals to the ports - had everything from brats & sauerkraut to Hungarian Langos. The wine parings were outstanding. We upgraded to a Jr. Suite this trip and definitely enjoyed the extra space. Wish we'd had more stops at smaller towns - they aren't as hectic and seem more genuine in their craft markets. Loved Melk and Durnstein - would love to visit both again. Vienna is just a bit too hectic but the Shonbrunn Palace was amazing and the upscale Christmas Market there was fantastic. Wish I'd bought more there instead of waiting for the famed Nurmberg Market - it was a bit disappointing in that everything seemed to be the same commercial items. Scenic goes above and beyond. Will continue to sail with them - especially if Richard is our Tour Director! Read Less