Scenic cruises reviews 2026–2027: river ships and ocean yachts compared

Scenic at a glance

Scenic was founded in 1986 by the Australian businessman Glen Moroney, and it marks its 40th anniversary in 2026. Scenic Group also owns Emerald Cruises. Scenic is the costlier of the two, with more in the fare.

Owner

Scenic Group, privately held, founded by Glen Moroney

Price tier

Luxury, on river and ocean

River ships

12 in Europe plus Scenic Spirit on the Mekong, up to 163 guests

Ocean ships

Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse II, 228 guests each. Scenic Ikon follows in April 2028

Included in the fare

Meals, drinks all day, excursions, butler service, minibar, Wi-Fi and tips

Not included

Helicopter flights, submersible dives, spa treatments and a few fine wines and spirits

New ships

Scenic Aria (September 2027), Scenic Spirit II (2028), Scenic Ikon (April 2028)

Scenic river ships

Scenic calls its river fleet Space-Ships. Eight ships on the Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle make up most of the fleet, and Scenic says its Space-Ships carry up to 163 guests. Its smaller ships work the Seine, the Douro and the Mekong.

• Scenic Jasper, Opal, Amber, Ruby, Pearl, Crystal, Jewel and JadeRhine, Main, Danube, MoselleThe core of the European fleet.
• Scenic Sapphire and Scenic DiamondRhône, Saône, Dordogne, GaronneFrance's southern rivers. Both have a Salt Therapy Room and the Scenic Culinaire cooking school.
• Scenic GemSeine, up to 124 guestsCustom-built to reach the top of the Seine and the port of Honfleur.
• Scenic AzureDouro, up to 96 guestsRound trips from Porto. Scenic Aria joins it on the Douro in September 2027.
• Scenic SpiritMekong, up to 68 guestsScenic says it has the largest lead-in suites on the Mekong. Scenic Spirit II follows in 2028.

Balcony, Junior and Royal Suites have the Scenic Sun Lounge, an all-weather space. To choose between rivers, see our European river cruises guide and our Mekong river cruise guide.

Scenic Eclipse and the ocean fleet

Scenic calls its ocean ships Discovery Yachts. Scenic Eclipse entered service in 2019 and carries 228 guests in 114 suites, or 200 guests in Antarctica. It measures 17,545 gross tons and is Polar Class 6, with a crew close to one for every guest. Scenic Eclipse II joined in 2023 and sails Australia, the South Pacific, Asia, New Zealand and East Antarctica.

Scenic Ikon arrives in April 2028 with up to 270 guests in 135 suites and 15 dining venues. Its first season covers Europe, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Antarctica and the Chilean Fjords. For how polar voyages work, see our Antarctica cruise guide.

What does Scenic’s fare include?

Scenic’s fare includes all dining, drinks all day, a choice of excursions, butler service, a minibar refilled daily, Wi-Fi and all tipping. Return airport transfers are on the list too, with a footnote, so confirm them on your booking. Scenic’s list doesn’t separate river from ocean, but ocean extras differ.

• Dining: up to five dining experiences on European river cruises, and up to four in South East Asia.
• Drinks: wines, beers, spirits, specialty teas and espresso coffees all day.
• Excursions: Scenic Freechoice excursions on river cruises, and discovery activities such as Zodiac cruises.
• Ocean extras: kayaks and paddleboards where conditions allow, and SEABOBs on selected warm-water voyages.

What costs extra: spa treatments, and a very small number of fine and vintage wines, Champagnes and spirits. Our all-inclusive cruise guide shows how this compares with ocean lines.

These details come from the international Scenic site, because the old US address now redirects there. Check the terms for your own booking.

Are the Scenic Eclipse helicopters included?

No. Helicopter flights and submersible dives on Scenic Eclipse cost extra, and they depend on regulatory approval, weather, ice, weight and medical limits. The submersible doesn’t operate in US waters. On Scenic Ikon, it can’t operate in Europe, the UK or the Mediterranean, so check your route before you plan around it.

Are Scenic cruises worth it?

Scenic is worth it if you’d otherwise pay for drinks, tips and excursions on a cheaper line. Add those to a rival’s fare before you compare. It’s weaker value if you drink little and skip tours. Then Emerald, its sister line, or another river line that includes less will likely cost you less.

We haven’t sailed Scenic for this page, and we don’t publish scores here. Reviews of Scenic tend to turn on three things:

• The fare. Travel Codex reported in 2025 that a spa massage was the main way to end up with a bill.
• The ship. Sun Lounges and larger suites are the features Scenic sells hardest.
• The price. An all-in fare looks high beside a line that charges for each extra.

How Scenic compares

• Against Emerald: same owner. Emerald includes drinks with lunch and dinner only and sells packages for the rest. Scenic includes them all day.
• Against Uniworld: Uniworld also includes drinks all day and tips, on smaller, ornately themed ships.
• Against Viking: Viking has far more ships and dates, and includes an excursion in each port.
• Our ranking: Scenic is not yet ranked in our best river cruise lines list.
• At sea: our luxury and small-ship ranking covers ocean lines in the same price range, such as Seabourn and Silversea.

Scenic prices

Our price snapshot covers sailings sold on CruiseBound, and Scenic isn’t one of them, so this page shows no from-price. Two checks help when you compare:

• Add up what’s included. Put drinks, tips, excursions and Wi-Fi on a rival’s bill first.
• Budget for the extras you want. On Scenic Eclipse, that means helicopter flights and submersible dives.

Scenic cruises reviews FAQ

Is Scenic all-inclusive?

Nearly. The fare covers dining, drinks all day, excursions, Wi-Fi and all tipping. Spa treatments, helicopter flights, submersible dives and a few fine wines and spirits cost extra.

Who owns Scenic?

Scenic Group, a private company founded by Glen Moroney, who started Scenic in 1986. The group also owns Emerald Cruises.

How many guests are on a Scenic ship?

Scenic says its European river ships carry up to 163 guests. Scenic Azure on the Douro carries up to 96 and Scenic Spirit on the Mekong up to 68. Scenic Eclipse carries 228 guests.

What is the difference between Scenic and Emerald?

They have the same owner. Scenic is the luxury brand, with butler service and drinks all day. Emerald is the lower-priced brand, with drinks at lunch and dinner and paid packages for the rest.

Where does Scenic Eclipse sail?

Scenic lists Europe, the Mediterranean and the polar regions, and Scenic Eclipse carries 200 guests in Antarctica. Scenic Eclipse II sails Australia, the South Pacific, Asia, New Zealand and East Antarctica.