Antarctica tops ultra-luxury bucket list bookings

Truly all-inclusive cruise line Scenic has witnessed a 100% increase year-on-year for bookings to Antarctica on board its ultra-luxury discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse.

The significant spike in demand for journeys to the white continent shows no signs of slowing down, with January 2022 bookings up a further 27 per cent from last year and very limited availability remaining for 2022 sailings.

The news comes following Scenic’s successful return to Antarctic waters as one of the first major cruise lines to do so in January 2022. As part of their biggest ever destination release, Scenic has unveiled its full 2023/2024 Antarctica and South America Voyages & Land Journeys collection as the first in a series of extraordinary destination brochures. The ultra-luxury programme sees the addition of a second yacht, Scenic Eclipse II, increasing Scenic’s capacity in the Polar regions. Both discovery yachts will meet for the first time when sailing in Antarctica in December 2023.

New for the 2023/2024 season is the introduction of brand-new fly-cruises to allow time-poor guests to fly over the Drake Passage and arrive in Antarctica more swiftly. The 11-day Wild Antarctica: Fly the Drake voyage sees guests fly over the infamous passage, on a short two-hour flight to and from King George Island, landing in Antarctica ready for unrivalled exploration. Prices for the voyage start from £13,450 per person based on 24 December 2023, 13 January 2024 or 2 February 2024 departure.

The all-new-19 day Beyond the Antarctic Circle voyage combines the splendour of the Antarctic Peninsula with a journey endeavouring to reach latitude 66° 33’ south. Take pride in venturing where few people have explored before by crossing the Antarctic Circle to witness dramatic changes in the landscape, such as an increase in sea ice, and wildlife living off the krill-rich waters. Prices for the once-in-a-lifetime voyage start from £15,850 per person departing 8 February 2024.

With a Polar Class 6 rating and just 200 guests on board in Polar Regions, Scenic Eclipse offers an unrivalled 6-star cruising experience taking guests on an ultra-luxury expedition voyage in ultimate comfort. The strengthened hull and custom-built stabilisers allow the discovery yacht to cross the Drake Passage more smoothly and quickly than other vessels of its size. Scenic Eclipse has been designed to provide unrivalled access to the most remote and remarkable landing sites in the region, including full access in South Georgia as the first commercial operator to undertake submarine dives in its waters. With its on board fleet of Zodiacs, two luxury helicopters and a six-person submarine, a voyage on board Scenic Eclipse is sure to provide extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Guests booking and paying for their cruise in full 12 months prior to departure will save up to 20 per cent on the cruise fare with Scenic’s limited-time Super Earlybird offer.

All Scenic Eclipse voyages are truly all-inclusive, including return flights, transfers, up to 10 fine dining experiences, premium branded beverages and once-in-a-lifetime immersive excursions. All new bookings are covered by Scenic’s Flexible Booking Policy, enabling guests to defer their cruise to another travel date or itinerary up to 60 days prior to departure^ and come with Scenic’s Deposit Protection Plan included.