The Scenic Eclipse I luxury cruise vessel known for its polar expeditions is racing to complete a major repair in Galveston, Texas, just weeks before its scheduled Antarctica season.
The 228-passenger, 17,545-gross ton Scenic Eclipse I entered dry dock in Texas on October 28, 2024, for the urgent replacement of one of its two Azipod propulsion units.
These units are critical for navigating the icy waters of the southern continent, and repair must be done before the ship launches its Antarctica season.
With Scenic Cruise’s first Antarctica voyage scheduled for November 27, 2024, the team is pulling out all the stops to make sure the ship is fully operational and ready to launch on time.
To expedite the repair, a new Azipod unit is being flown in from Zurich, Switzerland, on a chartered Antonov 124 Ruslan, one of the world’s largest cargo planes.
Scenic Cruises has also enlisted the help of ABB Group, the original supplier of the Azipod system, to install and test the new unit on-site to ensure necessary repairs are completed on time.
“The team are confident the current planning and significant team effort across the organization will result in ensuring Scenic Eclipse being fully operational and ready for our first Antarctica voyage,” the cruise operator stated on its travel alerts.
Captain James Griffiths, Scenic Group’s general manager of Oceans Operations, is in Galveston overseeing the complex work alongside Director of Discovery Operations Jason Flesher and Darko Caput, director of marine and technical operations.
Complex Repairs Could Delay Journey
The Azipod replacement is no small task and involves the removal of the faulty unit, installing the new one, and a thorough testing and certification process.
Replacement and installation of these units require heavy machinery and precise alignment, typically taking one to three weeks.
Following installation, the propulsion unit goes through operational testing to ensure the Azipod functions smoothly, as well as safety and performance testing to ensure the new unit can meet standard performance. These tests often take another one to two weeks.
Certification of an Azipod propulsion system is the final procedure, conducted by maritime regulatory bodies, and can last from several days to a week depending on inspection, functionality tests, and documentation review related to the installation.
In total, a repair of this magnitude could take anywhere from two to six weeks. But, in Scenic Eclipse’s case, scheduling the replacement with the makers of the Azipod and the chartered cargo plane is an attempt to speed up the process.
Read Also: What is an Expedition Cruise?
Scenic Cruises apologized for “any disappointment or inconvenience this situation may have caused our valued guests,” which is directed at guests on voyages affected by the dry dock.
“The safety and comfort of all who sail on board the Discovery Yacht remains our priority,” the statement continued.
Scenic Eclipse was scheduled to begin repositioning from the Caribbean to Argentina on a 13-night Caribbean cruise that would have departed Nassau, Bahamas, on October 24, 2024, to arrive in Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 5.
She was also scheduled to sail a 12-night journey from Bridgetown to Rio de Janeiro from November 5 to November 16, and then make the final leg of her repositioning across 12 nights from November 16 to November 27.
