Sometimes even an expedition ship specially built for polar cruising can encounter operational challenges at sea. That is the case with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours’ Scenic Eclipse I, which is exploring remote regions of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic.
In a September 24, 2024 travel advice to guests sailing on the cruise and those booked on future voyages, the cruise line explained that the ship, which entered service in 2019, is experiencing a technical problem with one of two Azipod propulsion units.
The issue is impacting the ship’s speed, forcing the vessel to reduce speed and potentially affecting port calls.
“The Azipod system is supplied and maintained by ABB Group and replaces the use of traditional thrusters on a ship, and while Scenic Eclipse is at this reduced propulsion capacity she will navigate safely, albeit at lower speeds,” Scenic’s travel advice states.
The propulsion issue was initially assessed on September 18, 2024, just one day after the “Greenland and High Canadian Arctic” voyage began in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The trip officially started on September 17, 2024, when guests were flown to the Greenland port from Copenhagen.
Scenic’s travel advice assures guests that engineers confirmed the ship is safe to navigate and sail, and that all engines are fully operational.
“However, the change in sailing speeds may result in potential adjustments to guest ports and the duration of stays at those ports,” the travel advice noted.
Following the start of the cruise in Kangerlussuaq, the ship also visited Sismiut, Ilulissat, Disko Bay, and Upernavik before crossing the North Atlantic to the Canadian Arctic.
Port calls there include Pond Inlet, Kangiqtualuk Uqquqti, Isabella Bay, Lady Franklin Island, Monumental Island, Akpatok Island, Battle Harbour, and Louisbourg, before ending in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The cruise line has not revealed whether any port call, or duration in port, was affected by the propulsion problem. Scenic operates two sister ship Discovery Yachts, Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II.
Both have capacity for 228 guests and were constructed at the Uljanik shipyard in Pula, Croatia. They have strengthened hulls, forward bow thrusters, and an electronic Azipod propulsion system.
The ultra-luxury expedition ships provide a Polar Discovery Team onboard, butler service for all guests, and many upscale amenities and inclusions, such as all dining and beverages, all excursions and expeditions, crew gratuities, wellness programs, spa access, and all entertainment.
The per-person cruise fare for Scenic Eclipse’s current cruise was listed at $36,700.
Following her current cruise the ship will sail to New York and operate a 13-day “Bermuda & Bahamas” cruise to Nassau, Bahamas. Another Caribbean voyage follows before the ship sails to South America on a repositioning cruise for her Antarctica series that begins in November.
The ship will sail “Antarctica, South Georgia, and Falkland Islands” voyages through mid-March before heading to the Mediterranean and Norwegian fjords for the spring and summer seasons.
Propulsion Problems Affect All Types of Ships
Propulsion issues are not uncommon across the cruise industry and impact large and small cruise ships alike.
Read Also: What is an Expedition Cruise?
Most recently, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Vista was removed from service for repairs following a spate of unresolved speed issues that impacted several cruises in August and September 2024. Based out of Port Canaveral, the ship had to reduce times in port, which is always a disappointment for guests.
Princess Cruises in May 2024 was forced to delay the start of Sapphire Princess’s Alaska season due to propulsion issues that surfaced while the ship was repositioning from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Royal Caribbean has had its share of speed problems, too. In September 2023, Radiance of the Seas cancelled an Alaska sailing so that the ship’s propulsion problem could be addressed.
