Construction has begun on the first Scenic Tours custom-built small ship for Myanmar, with a delivery date set for Sep 2016.
Investing approximately $7.5m into the 22 suite Scenic Aura, Scenic Tours has contracted the Upland Shipyard Rangoon to bring its latest project to life.
Scenic Tours founder Glen Moroney told Cruise Weekly the Australian owned cruise operator inked the deal for Scenic Aura six months ago with “the best shipyard” in the region, in order to secure its building slot.
Late last year, Scenic revealed its first ship for SE Asia, Scenic Spirit, was under development for Vietnam (CW 20 Nov).
The 34-suite Scenic Spirit will ply the waters of the Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, launching in Jan next year.
Moroney said Aura will be “very similar to Scenic Spirit, with the same amenities and public spaces but less cabins”.
Aura’s cabins will be very similar in size and configuration to those offered aboard Spirit, he said.
The vessel will operate on the Irrawaddy, however specific cruise itinerary details were not yet ready to be disclosed.
Moroney confirmed there was a potential of more than one vessel on the Irrawaddy when quizzed by CW about growth aspirations.
Scenic began operating a series of private charters in the region last year using the 56-pax Irrawaddy Explorer and 68-pax Mekong Navigator in partnership with Asian specialist, Haimark.
Scenic Tours gm of sales and marketing Michelle Black told CW at its ‘Night of Stars’ travel agent recognition event that demand for the company’s Mekong ship was already exceeding expectations.
MEANWHILE, Scenic Tours will beef up its European river cruise capacity in 2016 with a 13th ship to join its ‘Space Ship’ fleet.
Scenic Amber will be built at the Den Breejen Shipyard in the Netherlands.
When five-star Scenic Amber debuts in Mar 2016, it will feature the same product as the soon-to-launch Scenic Opal and Scenic Jasper, and operate on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.
Amber features in Scenic Tours’ 2016 Europe River Cruise prerelease program launched on Mon which also provides details of the new itineraries offered on Scenic Azure in Portugal.
Clients booking early can enjoy 2016 departures at 2015 prices and fly free on select itineraries.