Where am I – on board the 6-star Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse.
Destination – Central America
Duration – Thirteen day “Central American Discovery” voyage from Panama City to Loreto, Mexico. Cruising the Pacific and the Gulf of California.
Suitable for – Couples, singles, groups of friends and family. Anyone with a sense of adventure, and a taste for luxury! Scenic accept children over 12yrs but there’s not a lot on board which would likely engage them.
Highlight – Sunset, Isla Tortugas (Costa Rica.) The staff opened up the back of the ship, set up a floating pontoon and put on an impromptu bar and dj - the absolutely perfect end to a big day; dangling our feet in bathtub warm water, sipping on French champagne and watching the sun go down.
Another unforgettable moment came when sailing the waters off Mexico; we got the call to get on deck, where Discovery Team members were on hand to point out huge pods of dolphins cruising along with us (along with a variety of different whales, including a blue whale sighting - which has been a lifelong dream of mine.)
The wildlife was varied and impressive throughout. I’ve never seen manta rays jovially flipping out of the water (seemingly just for our amusement), or birds diving in to the water to catch flying fish. And can tick both those off the list now!
On our voyage, we visited Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala & Mexico - often areas that are only accessible by boat and remain relatively untouched by mass tourism. What a treat!
Recommendation (fav meal / drink) – Would certainly recommend that as soon as you embark (even before you head to your suite) you ask your butler to direct you to the maître d where you will be able to request dinner reservations for your voyage. And after this…head up to the spa to lock in a treatment or two, especially in demand are any days you may have exclusively at sea.
All dining is included at every venue onboard, but reservations are essential for Lumière (French fine dining), Sushi @Koko's (limited to just 18 diners per sitting) and the Night Market @ Koko's (a rotating roster of specialty cuisine, for just 8 guests - we could only get in for one evening, and it was certainly a standout experience!)
Keep an eye on the daily updates as well; for limited capacity activities like yoga, pilates (as well as wine and whisky tastings!)
We didn’t partake; but if the helicopter or submarine are of interest those are also essential to pre book, though you aren’t able to specify a date or time (as those are weather and location dependent)
Suite – We got to indulge in the very luxurious surrounds of our very own Grand Deluxe Verandah Suite (40m2), with two (two!) of our very own butlers on call 24hrs a day to see to our every whim - not that we were at all demanding. They did very kindly ensure our minibar was stocked at all times though with our gin (and tonic) of choice.
Though we were spoilt for choice in terms of dining venues on board, it was also lovely to get breakfast set up on our verandah one morning. And it was super charming to arrive back to our room late one night, Easter Sunday, to find a selection of Swiss chocolate laid out for an in suite Easter egg hunt!
Life on board – The ship caters to a fraction over 200 guests to just under 200 staff. With a guest to staff ratio of nearly 1 to 1 the service levels are naturally very attentive, but also friendly and familiar.
They operate an open bridge policy, so you’re welcome to venture up anytime and have a chat to the captain. They are obviously proud of how technologically impressive the ship is, and how nimbly it handles some challenging conditions - we were very thankful to chat about their oversized stabilizers when we encountered a tiny patch of rough seas!
This openness extends to the expert Discovery Team who are onboard travelling with you and always happy to answer any and all questions you may have. From historians and geologists, to archaeologists and photographers - what a job that must be.
One of my favourite spaces was the Observation Terrace on Deck 5, which opened straight out on to the best section of deck, and offered a tranquil getaway to curl up with a good book. The Lounge Bar was also where you would find us of an evening, working our way diligently through the cocktail list!!
