It’s been another busy week for new cruise ships, big and small.
In expedition news, the Scenic Eclipse, the first ship in Scenic’s new Discovery Yacht series, set sail on its inaugural voyage, a 13-day itinerary from Reykjavik to Quebec. Following the sailing, the new expedition cruise ship will had to New York City for its September 10 christening ceremony by Godmother Dame Helen Mirren. The new ship has a capacity of 228 guests, dropping to 200 for itineraries in the Arctic and Antarctica, in 114 all-verandah suites. The ship also has 10 dining options, including Asian Fusion, French fine dining, a chef’s table and a poolside buffet, as well as a Senses Spa with a gym and a separate yoga and Pilates studio.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore, meanwhile, passed a major construction milestone by leaving the dock at Meyer Werft for the first time. The new ship will now stay in the shipyard for the last phase of its construction before sailing up the Ems River at the end of September. Delivery is slated for October 30, followed by a christening ceremony in Miami on November 21. After that, the new ship will begin sailing seven-day Caribbean itineraries on November 24.
Finally, in river cruise news, American Cruise Lines' new American Harmony set sail on its inaugural voyage from New Orleans over the weekend. The ship, which is the second in the river cruise line’s Modern Riverboat series, is sailing an eight-day New Orleans Roundtrip itinerary on the Mississippi River. The ship will continue offering American’s Mississippi itineraries for the rest of 2019 and into 2020.
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