When Panache Cruises’ cruise connoisseur Emma Taylor turned into Fowey Harbour and first saw Scenic Eclipse, she had to remind herself she was on the cobbled streets of Cornwall, and not on the set of a James Bond film.
She recalls: “The design and exterior of the ship is so sleek, that it looks like it belongs in Monte Carlo. It’s iconic, like something out of a movie. Then you go inside and it’s like [the Dr Who] Tardis: it’s so well laid out you don’t actually feel you’re on a ship of that size, and there’s so much personal space.”
Taylor was among 20 agents who sailed from Fowey to Amsterdam on Eclipse, alongside Panache Cruises content marketing executive Olivia Edwards. While the agency sells a significant volume of Scenic expedition, river and ocean products, it was the pair’s first time onboard one of the line’s vessels.
As Panache Cruises’ self-titled “resident foodie”, Taylor was keen to sample the ship’s 10 dining experiences. Of their meal in French fine dining restaurant Lumiere, she says: “I’ve been lucky enough to have some phenomenal experiences in the past 20 years selling cruise, and this blew everything out of the water. The menu was phenomenal, and the wine and champagne pairings were exceptional.”
The duo also enjoyed a tour of the galley, meeting director of food and beverage Tom Gotter, who explained how the team source ingredients locally and have a focus on reducing food waste and the carbon footprint created by the kitchens. Edwards says: “It was really revolutionary, as every little detail was thought about, even down to having gardens onboard to grow all their herbs and spices.”
ALL-INCLUSIVE ACCESS
While the agents had the chance to experience the ship in Europe, Eclipse is now spending the summer in the Arctic, before travelling west through the Northwest Passage and then voyaging through North, Central and South America in September and October. Its Antarctica season commences in November.
Barrhead Travel senior sales consultant Sarah Perry scooped a place on the fam trip after her colleague Sean Buckley won two places in a prize draw at May’s Clia Conference 2022.
The pair joined 14 other agents on the first leg of the trip, departing from Lisbon and calling at Porto, Vigo and Brittany before sailing to Fowey.
It was Perry’s first time onboard a Scenic vessel and she was impressed by the attention to detail. Eclipse has capacity for 228 guests, dropping to 200 in polar regions, with a crew to guest ratio of almost 1:1. Perry and Buckley enjoyed 24-hour butler service, which included tailoring their mini bars to their personal preferences.
“Our butler was fantastic and showed us around the cabin, even pointing out the binoculars, which were great for spotting things as we came into port, and explaining how our headsets worked, which we took on excursions,” she adds. “It was exceptional service from start to finish, from every member of the crew.”
Onboard, Perry also recommends the Night Market @ Koko’s, which seats eight for a private dining experience, including a teppanyaki grill. “The food was the best I’ve ever had, and is Michelin-star quality.”
She adds that Scenic’s all-inclusive fares are a key selling point: “Everything clients need is included, from premium-branded drinks and speciality dining to their excursions. There really is nothing to pay onboard, unless they want to use the hairdresser or have a spa treatment.”
Her cabin was near the bridge, which operates an open-door policy. She was able to watch the captain dock Eclipse in Porto, relaxing on a sofa as the team explained the manoeuvres. “It was brilliant, and it’s these types of experiences that are included, which you’d pay a fortune for on another ship,” Perry adds.
Eclipse has a raft of kit, including two helicopters, a six-person submarine, Zodiacs, paddleboards and kayaks. Perry enjoyed kayaking in Portugal and paddleboarding in France, and joined a walking tour in Porto. “Customers will be spoilt for choice as there’s so much to do. But they can do as much or as little as they want, as there’s complete freedom of choice, with every activity level also able to be tailored.”
SALES OPPORTUNITIES
Scenic Group’s director of trade sales Andrea Stafford hopes the experiences will help the agents when promoting Eclipse.
“We know having first-hand experience of a ship gives agents better knowledge and makes selling a Scenic Eclipse cruise so much easier,” says Stafford. “What a location for agents to see Scenic Eclipse for the first time in the UK – agents have been able to experience Scenic’s six-star service for themselves and learn more about our amazing brand.”
Perry adds she is also now keen to make her first Eclipse booking, adding: “After we got back, a customer came in who sails with other ultra-luxury lines, and we did a sales pitch, ordered some Scenic brochures to their home and explained how it’s fully-inclusive and absolutely stunning. They were very impressed.”
The agents agreed the fam helped them fully understand Eclipse’s position in the market too. Panache Cruises’ Edwards explains: “It’s really cool, sleek and minimalist, and it’s not comparable to any luxury ocean cruise that we would typically see sailing in the Mediterranean.”
Taylor believes it has a unique offering. “There is literally nothing else like it,” she says. “There are ships like Eclipse, but they don’t have the facilities or the discovery element. Then there are expedition ships that offer the discovery element, the Zodiacs and the experiences, but not that level of luxury. If guests are looking at the polar regions, for example, this is going to be the most incredible experience they can have.”
