Central American Discovery Cruise on Scenic Eclipse Part 1
Scenic Eclipse is the World's First Discovery Yacht. She’s 168m in length and hosts only 228 passengers in 114 spacious cabins. The fact she was built in Croatia makes me love her even more. Each cabin has a dedicated butler, and there's a 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio. There are more than 38 chefs, from 15 different countries offering cuisine at 10 different dining venues, and there are 9 bars and lounges. She's got a sleek exterior with custom-built stabilisers that are 50% larger than other ships, offering a smooth ride for navigating waters all over the globe. The spa is 550m2. She houses 2 helicopters, 1 submarine, and a host of zodiacs, kayaks and SUP's for exploration on, above and below water. She's as comfortable in Polar regions as she is in the tropics. Her sister ship, Scenic Eclipse 2, launched this year so now there are two ships that offer this elevated cruise experience with all-inclusive luxury food, beverages and discovery excursions all included. Her voyages range from Antarctica and the Arctic to the Mediterranean, Canada and Australia, and she is at her forte in the polar regions, where the ship effortlessly glides through icy waters with glacial backdrops in search of penguins, seals and whales in one of the most extreme climates on earth.
On this voyage exploring the west coast of Central America we sailed from Panama to Mexico’s Baja peninsula. Stops along the way included Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico, with a final night in Los Angeles.
The once in a lifetime journey started in Panama city, a curious and colourful blend of old and new. Highrise glass and metal juxtaposes with the soft beauty of the historic quarter’s quaint, narrow streets. Enroute to board the ship the driver of our bus pulls and signals to a roadside almond tree, where two hairy sloths peer out of the foliage- yes we’re definitely in Central America!
Scenic Eclipse looks like a sleek private yacht docked in Panama’s busy port, and alongside ‘normal’ cruise ships she’s dwarfed. After being warmly welcomed aboard the ship with red carpet treatment I was shown to my cabin which was very spacious and had every amenity imaginable- Dyson hairdryer, espresso machine for fresh coffees, well stocked minibar, and even two carafes for decanting your favourite tipple. They really have thought of everything. The ship is immaculate, clean modern luxury- think plush carpets, shiny glass or metal and décor that belongs in a sleek hotel. There are a variety of amazing restaurants, cafes and bars on board and room service is 24/7, should you wish to dine in the cabin. I really liked the café concept of Azure, where you could pop in anytime for a sandwich and a coffee, with an outdoor deck to watch the world go by. Evenings proposed a range of places to dine, some of which required advance booking, and the standout meal for me was at the sushi restaurant.
Our first port of call was at one of Panama’s untouched tropical islands, Isla Cebaco, where we had the first taste of what it’s like to have a luxury experience on a remote sandy beach. Isla Cebaco offers no commercial transportation, meaning it can only be reached by private charter so the beaches are empty and the water is warm and clear, fringed by gently rustling palms. The ship docked in a tranquil bay and then zodiacs taxied guests onto the beach. What awaited was a dream come true! The ship had provided a full bar fully stocked with ice cold drinks, deckchairs, shade from the sun under gazebos and clean fluffy beach towels. The setup was so well planned- including a range of suncreams to use in case you left yours on the ship. There were also kayaks, SUP’s and snorkelling gear- all in all, everything you could possibly need for the most perfect afternoon on the beach- in remote unspoilt paradise.
One of Scenic’s many charms is that their cruises include excursions, so at the next stop in Costa Rica at Golfito we were given a choice of activities from which I chose the dolphin watching, which was a great chance to head out into the gulf on a small local boat to see dolphins enjoying their natural habitat, undisturbed. It didn’t take long to spot several pods of playful dolphins, and a marine expert on board provided us with lots of information about these remarkable marine creatures. Those who explored the rainforest at Casa Orquideaos saw crocodiles and a huge variety of local birds.
Isla Tortuga in Costa Rica was the next stop, and we had the chance here to snorkel from a platform above coral and an abundance of fish. There was also a great sandy sweep of beach to kick back on, with local bars serving up rum in fresh coconuts and more great snorkelling opportunities. The marine life on view underwater here was incredible, I enjoyed it so much I did it twice, the kaleidoscope of colours and variety of different fish left me astounded and amazed. Back on the ship, the stern had been transformed into a floating pontoon, allowing those on the ship to swim from the back of the boat so whilst the sun set on another perfect day we could jump into the warm water form the back of the ship, making the most of every minute. Zip lining in Costa Rica is a must, so the next day a group set out to zipline through the jungle canopy spotting local wildlife and soaking up the rainforest atmosphere.
Continued in blog 2...