Scenic River Cruises is spending
up big to overhaul its fleet of
Rhine, Main, Danube and
Moselle sailing vessels.
ANNOUNCING the refit at an event in Sydney
last week, Scenic’s Managing Director Glen
Moroney, told Cruise Weekly that the plan is to
fully gut and refit Scenic Sapphire, Scenic Pearl,
Scenic Ruby and Scenic Diamond (the oldest of
which is four years old), to the specifications of
Scenic Crystal which launched this month, and
Scenic Jewel which launches next year.
Part of the reasoning behind this move is to
unify the fleet and ensure that guests have the
same level of onboard luxury across the fleet.
“We believe we can upgrade them so that
from a guest’s perspective they will be as good,
maybe even better than our Scenic Crystal,
which is by far and away the best ship that’s
operating on those rivers,” Moroney said.
Designed in collaboration with renowned
Australian interior designer, Heather Buttrose
(also Crystal’s Godmother) Crystal features a
new Space-Ship configuration, meaning that
almost a quarter of the cabins are 10% larger
than those onboard her sister-ships, whilst her
design also includes the Sun-Lounge concept
which converts outdoor balconies into indoor
lounges with the aid of a sliding glass window.
Other new design features include
bathrooms with a full walk in shower, more
storage space, additional balcony cabins, and a
gym and wellness centre that is twice the size
of those offered onboard other Space-Ships, as
well as a new cabin type, the 225 square-foot
Deluxe Balcony Suites.
Scenic Crystal also features more dining
opportunities, including the all-day grazing
venue River Cafe which offers breakfast,
brunch, lunch, morning and afternoon tea and
all day gelati; as well the Table La Rive
degustation experience in the main dining
room; and High Tea on the Terrace.
“We decided to take it to go to the next level
not only onboard with the ship itself but also
in the services onboard and offboard,” said
Moroney.
The refit news follows hot on the heels of the
company’s decision to go all inclusive (CW 01
May) by offering a number of enhancements
across its Space-Ship fleet including unlimited
beverages, butler service and all day grazing
for all guests regardless of their cabin type.
“We are redefining the term all-inclusive
luxury”.
“If you wanted to clean your clothes yourself
and not get a haircut, you could spend nothing
from the time that you arrive onboard to the
time that you depart,” he added.
in other exciting news Moroney also provided
