A night of luxury in Leith? Don’t mind if I do. But not at the five-star Fingal hotel, permanently moored in tiara-doffing distance of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Instead, I find myself reclining, champagne in hand, elegantly basted in the golden glow of the glamorous, art deco-inflected lounge of Scenic Eclipse II. Launched in spring 2023, it’s one of the cruise world’s most luxurious, teched-up vessels — and last autumn I joined its maiden voyage from Leith to Dublin via Aberdeen, Stromness, St Kilda, Portree, Fort William and Oban.
Things started … well, not to plan. Even with its super-safe oversized stabilisers and a seaworthy Polar Class 6 rating (it can push through Arctic and Antarctic ice), the winds off the east coast were still too fierce to tempt our cool-headed French captain into throwing caution to them.
So my husband and I — both cruise novices — got stuck into exploring the ship (officially a superyacht). Think luxury hotel, but with constantly changing views, a helicopter and a submarine. Eclipse II also has an immaculate 550 sq m spa, a slick gym and a bright, minimalist yoga and Pilates studio.
A quick relax into our chic, spacious Grand Deluxe Verandah Suite (about 40 sq m) — set the swank-o-meter to “sexy”. Super-king bed, plenty of plush seating, floor-to-ceiling glass doors onto the private verandah. (Not a balcony but a verandah, darling.) I was only jolted from my Now, Voyager dream by an announcement from the captain requesting we make our way up to the Sky Bar deck for a welcome drink, our first chance to connect with fellow passengers.
The ultra-luxury cruise crowd is a pretty cohesive cohort: American, Canadian, Australian, a few Brits, Europeans and Japanese, mainly over-50s, well-travelled and collegiate. The intimate atmosphere of a relatively small vessel lends itself to fast friendship (we would come away with a few pals).
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Winds abated, we eventually set sail. Reaching Aberdeen, we piled onto a coach for a guided whizz round the Granite City, the first of a varied menu of “discovery tours” offered at every stop along the voyage. Sadly, stormy skies prevented the ship’s brand-new six-passenger helicopters taking us for what sounded like a spectacular bird’s-eye twirl above Aberdeenshire, but other memorable excursions awaited. On Orkney, we had a magical trip to the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae, led by the blue-badge guide Lorraine, who entertained with her deep knowledge of Stone Age history and Scapa Flow, and delighted with her sparkling Orcadian wit.
Less delightfully, our late departure from Leith meant there was no time for St Kilda. However, such was the sheer upbeat brio of the boat’s crew, whose roles encompassed singing, dancing, hosting quizzes and generally being “on” at all times, it was hard to stay disappointed for long. At one point, with the sun out, impromptu sundowners were served on the top deck, set to a musical medley by the resident “ents” team. Show tunes are not normally my bag, but it was impossible not to be wowed.
The Scenic Eclipse II’s staff also rallied the crowd in Portree, where we were welcomed with tea and cakes and a demonstration of Highland dancing by local kids in full kilted kit, followed by a ceilidh and a few awkward attempts at the Gay Gordons. A human highlight to balance my near-constant awestruck state, absorbing the natural beauty of the islands and coastline from our privileged vantage point.
And privileged it was. With nearly as many staff as passengers, the guest experience is genuinely six-star. We were greeted by name every day by warm, international staff (I imagined a crime-scene board pegged with guests’ mugshots). Our personal butler was a phone call away, ready to book a table or fill an in-room decanter from the well-stocked whisky bar. (Though we preferred the vibe of a drink in the lounge, where it felt rude not to take advantage of “all inclusive”.)
Forget what you’ve heard about cruise dining. Tales of my parents’ assigned dinner companions on 1980s-era cruises (a mixed bag of worldly charm and racist horror) needn’t have caused worry. We could rub different elbows at up to ten dining experiences including an excellent Italian kitchen; pan-Asian fare, sushi and saké; a French tasting menu where “creative expression” occasionally strayed into confusion (candy floss on caviar? Non, merci); and an 11-course private dégustation menu for only ten guests. My favourite? Night Market: eight bar stools, small and expertly executed “street-food” plates inspired by different cultures, presented with a fine-dining flourish and plenty of zingily fresh herbs, grown hydroponically on board.
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Sadly the weather threw one final spanner into our itinerary’s works, ending the voyage in Belfast, not Dublin (the unflappable crew seamlessly sorted passengers’ onward travel plans). The good news is it runs this year in much more clement June (in reverse direction, and on the Scenic II’s sister ship, Scenic I). My advice? Dust down your deck shoes and start digging down the back of the sofa: the trip is worth every penny of its pretty price tag. Especially if it gets to St Kilda this time.
Kitty Finstad was a guest of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours (scenic.co.uk). The nine-day Scottish Isles: Historic Trails & Wilderness departs Dublin on 7 June 2024. It costs from £6,883pp, all-inclusive, including flights to Dublin
