Scenic Eclipse II’s arrival in Fremantle at 6.10am on Wednesday morning marked the end of the superyacht’s first cruise down the Western Australian coast.
And Capt. Torry Sakkariassen said a highlight was visiting the Montebello Islands, off the Pilbara coast, in perfect conditions. “I am sure we had 100 humpback whales round the ship,” he said, adding that another highlight was cruising in to the Abrolhos Islands, off Geraldton.
The ship is not allowed to use its submersible on our west coast of Australia, he added, but one of its two helicopters is up on the helipad, perched over Fremantle Harbour, giving a hint of how travellers can see sites from the air.
Inside, Scenic Eclipse II is less colourful than the oceans it has been encountering on our coast. There are shiny black walls, greys of every tone and mirrored features. The ship has 10 dining options and a full spa.
It has been a successful year for Scenic Eclipse II in WA, with six sold-out Kimberley cruises, says the Australian owned company’s general manager of sales and marketing for Australia and Asia Pacific, Anthony Laver.
The ship left Fremantle again at 6pm on Wednesday, with many of our readers on board, to sail back up the WA coast, before heading across the top of Australia to the South Pacific and then on to East Antarctica.
And, before departure, Capt. Sakkariassen was looking forward to the return trip. “The coast is amazing. The guests really enjoyed it,” he said.
ABOUT THE SHIP
+ The ship can take up to 228 guests (200 in Antarctica) in 114 suites. It can carry just under 200 crew members.
+ Performance? The 168m-long ship, which was launched in 2023, can do 17 knots.
+ Scenic Eclipse II has a Polar Class 6 ice rating. The highest rating is 1, for the thickest ice, and lower classes like PC6 are common for expeditions in Antarctica and the Arctic.
+ Like other expedition ships, Eclipse II also has GPS Dynamic Positioning, which interacts with thrusters, so that it can keep position without using an anchor on sensitive seabeds.
+ It has a submersible and helicopters for guest excursions.
+ The “super earlybird” fare for a 12-night Antarctica voyage in December 2026 is from $27,880 per person. The full fare is from $32,880 per person.
+ There’s a Dyson hair dryer in every suite.
+ Travel agents and scenic.com.au
https://thewest.com.au/travel/scenic-eclipse-ii-in-fremantle–c-19894134
