Scenic Cruises says it is winning new-to-cruise customers and driving repeat bookings by positioning its Eclipse ships as ‘private super yachts’ built around space, exclusivity and what the luxury line calls ‘less noise’.
Speaking to Indulge, onboard Scenic Eclipse II during its first-ever London call, Head of Sales Jonathan Davies said the line is appealing to clients who would not usually consider cruising.
“People want to come on here because they don’t cruise, because they don’t want to go on a ship that’s got a lot of people on. But the thought of coming on this for 228 guests, that’s different.
“So to them, it’s not really a cruise. It’s essentially an ultra-luxury hotel that’s taking you from A to B. And that attracts customers that have never thought of cruise.”
Jonathan said UK awareness remains a challenge, with many consumers still unclear on the product. As an Australian brand, he said building recognition is key to avoiding misconceptions. “They might look at the yacht and think it’s just another cruise ship – but it carries only 228 guests.”
The line’s small size and high crew ratio are key selling points: “The customer-to-passenger ratio is one to one; that personal service is just absolutely second to none,” added Jonathan.
Scenic Eclipse I and II, which both carry two helicopters and a custom-built submersible, are also targeting experienced cruisers looking to move away from larger ships.
“It’s finding that balance, because it will appeal to people that cruise, because they may have been cruising for ages and want something different, and they want to get away from crowds,” said Jonathan. “And then others that don’t want to go on a cruise because of that, but actually they don’t know about our products.”
He said luxury clients are increasingly prioritising space and calm over onboard amenities. “What we’re noticing in the luxury space is that it’s changing; it’s not so much the amenities; amenities are important, but it’s about less noise.
“Less noise… That’s what customers are willing to pay for. They class that as luxury. Exclusivity, more space, more personal service. It’s those things.”
Expedition cruising, particularly Antarctica, is driving demand and revenue for the company, he added. Scenic is also seeing a trend for farther out bookings, with a lead time of around 18 months in Antarctica, the line’s highest-revenue destination.
Demand for Scenic’s newest ship, Scenic Ikon, has surged ahead of its April 2028 debut, with the first three months of sailings already fully booked.
Repeat business is also growing, with customers returning to Antarctica more than once, especially now that the line offers East Antarctica itineraries in addition to West Antarctica cruises from Ushuaia.
“That perception of expedition cruising, especially Antarctica, being once in a lifetime is not true,” added Jonathan. “Customers, they’re coming back. Now we do East Antarctica – which we never used to do – because they loved the experience, they come back and do Antarctica twice.”
