Scylla has completed the first river cruise to take place with new Covid-19 safety regulations.
The Swiss line’s nickoVISION ship has docked in Dusseldorf, Germany, after a 13-day sailing along the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers.
The ship set sail on June 1 with regular temperature checks carried out on passengers and crew, and a one-way system in corridors to maintain social distancing.
“Both guests and crew mastered these challenges with flying colours,” said chief executive Arno Reitsma. “Our first post-lockdown river cruise went without a hitch. All passengers were very satisfied with the cruise experience, they felt completely safe with the new measures and said they had a really pleasant time with us.”
Scylla, which has a fleet of 35 river ships carrying between 88 and 220 passengers, will now continue with its European river cruise programme this summer.
Reitsma added: “After a very successful start, the river cruise season can now be continued. This means that guests will once again be able to enjoy a variety of river cruises on Europe’s most popular waterways, even though travel itself is now slightly different.
“We are not yet able to operate on all the European rivers we used to, but we will be gradually adding new routes and expanding our offer.”
Vietnamese cruise line Lotus Cruises is launching what it claims to be the “first luxury ship” on the Upper Mekong in Laos in 2021.
Mekong Muse will be the line’s third ship and will be available for UK agents to book from November 25.
Mekong Muse will feature 14 cabins split into three categories. Thee will be six Visa Suites, six Signature Suites and two Grand Suites.
Cabins will be the largest available on this section of the Mekong, with Vista Suites measuring 20sq m and Grand Suites to 32sq m.
Other areas onboard will include a restaurant, lounge bar, observation area, herb garden and jogging track on the sun deck, with Indochina-inspired design.
It will sail 10-night itineraries from Chang Saen in Thailand to Vientiane in Laos and clients will be able to book a five-night trip taking in either half of the sailing.
More: Target ‘refuse-to-cruise’ customers to boost river sales
Pandaw is currently the only other line in the UK offering sailings on this part of the river, which is narrower and less accessible than the Lower Mekong.
Uniworld has chartered the line’s existing vessel, Mekong Navigator, for the last two years and will charter its newest vessel, Mekong Jewel, from January 5 for 22 weeks.
Marco Rosa, the founder of representation company Plateau International, said: “We’ve seen huge demand for Laos worldwide, and this has been the driving factor in Lotus’ decision to launch a ship here. It’s an amazing destination and it’s still very untouched.
“The scenery is much more dramatic than the lower part of the Mekong, and in the north, there are barely any tourists, so we expect strong demand.
“We believe there isn’t much of a similar level in the region – the product is very limited at the moment and there aren’t really any other luxury options available.”
“We’re still finalising specific excursions for Muse but we want to be different and go to the more authentic places,” managing director Chi Vu told Travel Weekly.
“We’re still researching and visiting local houses and schools to see where we can bring people. We want to go to places Pandaw doesn’t go to and give people a unique experience.
“We see no other river ships up to the standard we want (to offer).”
A new online reservations system is launching in January that will allow agents and consumers to book cruises direct with the cruise line. Currently, bookings have to go through email via the office in Ho Chi Minh City.
The moves mark part of a wider expansion plan for the family-run company; two more Mekong ships are being planned for 2022 and 2023, and president An Vu said ocean cruising could also be on the horizon.
Speaking to Travel Weekly on board a special sailing for agents and operators on Mekong Navigator this week, he said: “We’re looking at the possibility of expanding into the ocean. We don’t mean 4,000 passengers – we mean boutique coastal cruising.
“It could be around Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines. There’s a lot out there in Asia and we have ambitious plans to expand.”
Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren has been named godmother of the Scenic Eclipse expedition vessel. The ship will be christened on Sept. 10 in New York City.
“Scenic Eclipse is a unique ship that requires an equally unique person to act in this role,” stated Glen Moroney, Scenic’s founder and chairman.
Mirren won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2007 for her performance in “The Queen.” She was also nominated for Oscars for her roles in 1994’s “The Madness of King George,” 2001’s “Gosford Park” and 2009’s “The Last Station.”
The Eclipse is Scenic’s first oceangoing vessel. It was originally scheduled to debut in 2018 but shipyard problems delayed its completion.
The 200-passenger ship’s maiden voyage is slated to depart Iceland on Aug. 15 on a 13-day discovery sailing ending in Quebec on Aug. 27.
The ultra-luxe Eclipse will have two six-guest helicopters and one six-guest submarine capable of depths of nearly 1,000 feet, indoor and outdoor plunge pools, and butler service for all guests. The 114-suite ship will have 10 dining options, including Asian fusion, French fine dining, a chef’s table and a poolside buffet. There will be a state-of-the-art theatre for entertainment and lectures.
Scenic operates river cruises in Europe, Southeast Asia, Russia and Egypt on 15 ships.
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