Inside Scenic’s new ultra-luxury discovery yacht
An inside look at a yacht tipped to attract ‘high-end travellers’ with tickets averaging $40k. The six-star ultra luxury yacht made its first stop in Hobart recently. WATCH >>
Tasmania
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The arrival of a new ultra-luxury yacht in Hobart on Wednesday has been hailed as a watershed moment for Tasmanian tourism which will attract “high-value travellers” to the state.
The Scenic Eclipse II is the newest of the Australian touring company’s discovery fleet.
On the company’s website, the ship is billed as an “all-inclusive, ultra-luxury ocean cruising product”, offering access to state-of-the-art accommodation, wellness facilities, restaurants and expedition materials.
Each ticket is priced at an average of $40,000.
Tourism Tasmania CEO Sarah Clark said it was “the right product to attract the high-end traveller”.
“Travellers will disperse right around the state and spend on bespoke experiences, quality food and produce, and invest in the economy,” Ms Clark said, adding it helped align them with the “Tasmanian brand”.
She made the comments on-board the ship on Wednesday after its arrival in Hobart from its maiden voyage to Antarctica.
A further 200 guests were expected to embark that evening for the ship’s return to the continent.
Each traveller has access to a suite with a veranda, 10 restaurants, private exercise studios, outdoor vitality pools, a theatre, private butlers and Swarovski-encrusted telescopes. The ship is also fitted with two discovery yachts each with two helicopters and one submersible, and offers guests access to a 20-member specialist Discovery Team for polar voyages.
“It’s been a gateway for centuries of explorers to go to East Antarctica and having a modernised ship doing the same thing means guests can experience what it was like 100 years ago,” Scenic discovery operations director Jason Flesher said.
With discovery excursions by zodiac boat, kayak, snorkel and stand-up paddleboard facilities, Mr Flesher said the ship offered a “true experience” of Antarctica.
“We can give guests an experience in a remote place, providing safety but more importantly giving them the enrichment of the place,” he said.
“Antarctica is like no other place in the world. And the ship is so dwarfed in some areas, it’s magnificent.”
Captain Torry Sakkariassen said the ship’s features were the “latest of everything”.
“We are six-star luxury cruising, and we are almost one to one with the guest and the crew (so) we can give the guest special luxury service,” Mr Sakkariassen said.
“This is the most luxury and technical ship I have ever worked on.
“It’s a big privilege for me to be a captain on this one.”
Details of the voyage can be found at scenic.com.au
Originally published as Inside Scenic’s new ultra-luxury discovery yacht
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