![Scenic Eclipse Cruise whirlpool deck]()
There are plenty of companies out there that will take you on a South America cruise or down to Antarctica. You're unlikely to be on a ship as exclusive and luxurious as the Scenic Eclipse luxury yacht though, especially if you prefer small ships over giant floating monstrosities.
![Scenic Eclipse Cruise whirlpool deck]()
That's because the Scenic Eclipse only has 114 cabins. Even if it's filled to capacity, it's the equivalent number of people as you'll have in a boutique hotel, not a Vegas convention hotel. Despite that small size though, you'll have exclusive dining experiences, all included in the price, at a variety of fantastic restaurants.
You can have sushi one night, Italian food the next, French cuisine the night after that, Asian fusion, and more. There are also some special intimate dinners with the chefs providing explanations of what they're serving. They do cooking demos and we had a pisco tasting session one day.
Then there's the bar in the main lounge, which is like the best high-end whiskey bar you have probably visited, but with no bill to sign at the end of the night. There are more than 100 bottles you can sample, from single malt Scotch to Japanese whiskey to an array of bourbon choices. They also have craft beer on tap and the wine selections in the restaurants are carefully chosen to enhance what's being served there. (Plus there's a good array of sake in the sushi bar.)
Settle in for few minutes and take a tour of the ship and the excursions here:
In case you don't have time for that, here's one excursion photo from Chile to give you a taste:
![South America cruise excursion to Arica, Chile]()
Yes, it's a dry desert area for most of that stretch this itinerary covers between Lima and Valparaiso. We got some great wildlife viewing in though at the
Ballestas Islands and Mollendo Lagoons of Peru on different days. In Chile we rode through lots of vineyards to visit a Pisco distillery with a full tour and tasting session.
Where this Scenic cruise also stands above most competitors is in its cabins. The standard ones are nothing close to standard really. They're bigger than some luxury hotel rooms I've stayed in, first of all, with a full furnished balcony. Our cabin had what is probably the most expensive bed I've ever slept on, one that can be adjusted in several places and that has an incredibly comfortable mattress.
![Scenic Eclipse cruise cabin]()
Plus each cabin has a stocked fridge (the butler takes requests), Wi-fi that works even out at sea, a large TV built into the mirror that has movie channels, a capsule coffee maker, and more. The shower has plenty of water pressure and you don't have to be skimpy with how much water you use: the ship has an on-board desalinization system and then it purifies all the waste water too.
Naturally you can upgrade to a suite if you want more space, getting you a separate living room, a larger deck space, and maybe a walk-in closet and a bathtub.
Some of the other features on board are also behind the scenes but they enhance passenger comfort, such as advanced stabilization and the ability for the ship to remain in place without anchoring. Others are over-the-top and more obvious, like the two helicopters and a submarine that you can book trips on for an extra charge.
The only other thing you'll have to pay for that's extra is any spa treatment you book at the full spa on board. There's also a good gym though, an attractive yoga room, and an observation lounge that doubles as a library, game room, and tea cafe. The full theater sometimes hosts entertainment or nature lectures and the circular room is stocked with comfy leather lounge chairs.
Check out
the company website to view the various itineraries that are on offer aboard the Scenic Eclipse, some of them including Central America, parts of South America, and Antarctica. The route I was on is called "Latin American Delights" and only happens twice per year.
See our full feature story about the
Scenic Eclipse cruise Latin American Delights and check out more photos there.
That's because the Scenic Eclipse only has 114 cabins. Even if it's filled to capacity, it's the equivalent number of people as you'll have in a boutique hotel, not a Vegas convention hotel. Despite that small size though, you'll have exclusive dining experiences, all included in the price, at a variety of fantastic restaurants.
You can have sushi one night, Italian food the next, French cuisine the night after that, Asian fusion, and more. There are also some special intimate dinners with the chefs providing explanations of what they're serving. They do cooking demos and we had a pisco tasting session one day.
Then there's the bar in the main lounge, which is like the best high-end whiskey bar you have probably visited, but with no bill to sign at the end of the night. There are more than 100 bottles you can sample, from single malt Scotch to Japanese whiskey to an array of bourbon choices. They also have craft beer on tap and the wine selections in the restaurants are carefully chosen to enhance what's being served there. (Plus there's a good array of sake in the sushi bar.)
Settle in for few minutes and take a tour of the ship and the excursions here:
In case you don't have time for that, here's one excursion photo from Chile to give you a taste:
Yes, it's a dry desert area for most of that stretch this itinerary covers between Lima and Valparaiso. We got some great wildlife viewing in though at the Ballestas Islands and Mollendo Lagoons of Peru on different days. In Chile we rode through lots of vineyards to visit a Pisco distillery with a full tour and tasting session.
Where this Scenic cruise also stands above most competitors is in its cabins. The standard ones are nothing close to standard really. They're bigger than some luxury hotel rooms I've stayed in, first of all, with a full furnished balcony. Our cabin had what is probably the most expensive bed I've ever slept on, one that can be adjusted in several places and that has an incredibly comfortable mattress.
Plus each cabin has a stocked fridge (the butler takes requests), Wi-fi that works even out at sea, a large TV built into the mirror that has movie channels, a capsule coffee maker, and more. The shower has plenty of water pressure and you don't have to be skimpy with how much water you use: the ship has an on-board desalinization system and then it purifies all the waste water too.
Naturally you can upgrade to a suite if you want more space, getting you a separate living room, a larger deck space, and maybe a walk-in closet and a bathtub.
Some of the other features on board are also behind the scenes but they enhance passenger comfort, such as advanced stabilization and the ability for the ship to remain in place without anchoring. Others are over-the-top and more obvious, like the two helicopters and a submarine that you can book trips on for an extra charge.
The only other thing you'll have to pay for that's extra is any spa treatment you book at the full spa on board. There's also a good gym though, an attractive yoga room, and an observation lounge that doubles as a library, game room, and tea cafe. The full theater sometimes hosts entertainment or nature lectures and the circular room is stocked with comfy leather lounge chairs.
Check out the company website to view the various itineraries that are on offer aboard the Scenic Eclipse, some of them including Central America, parts of South America, and Antarctica. The route I was on is called "Latin American Delights" and only happens twice per year.
See our full feature story about the Scenic Eclipse cruise Latin American Delights and check out more photos there.