NASA astronaut Dr Kathryn Sullivan christens Scenic Eclipse II in Spain

New ultra-luxury yacht will spend summer sailing in the Mediterranean, Iceland and Scotland

By Rebecca Gibson | 06 June 2023

Former NASA astronaut Dr Kathryn Sullivan christened Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ new ultra-luxury yacht Scenic Eclipse II in Málaga, Spain, on 3 June 2023.

Sullivan, an American geologist and oceanographer, was the first American woman to walk in space and holds three Guinness World Records: the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the first person to visit both space and the deepest point on Earth, and the greatest vertical extent travelled by an individual (within Earth's exosphere). In accordance with maritime tradition, Sullivan officially named the vessel by smashing a bottle of champagne against its hull, watched by representatives from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Málaga Port Authority, Spain’s Ministry of Tourism, and other invited guests.

“I was so honoured to be asked to be godmother of Scenic Eclipse II as it was not something I ever expected,” said Sullivan. “But now that I have had the opportunity to tour the ship with Glen and Karen Moroney and hear their story and see their vision for travel, I am eager to join her for a sailing. Seeing the level of luxury that is possible in what is truly an expedition vessel has me wondering what the Moroneys could do with the rather restrictive confines of the space shuttle and the super-cramped environment of the submersible we used to dive the Mariana Trench.”

Scenic Group’s founder and chairman Glen Moroney gave a speech during the event and was also presented with a commemorative plaque by Carlos Rubio, president of Málaga Port Authority.

“It is rare to find anyone who has the list of unprecedented accomplishments achieved by Dr. Kathy Sullivan,” said Moroney. “The depth of her experiences above our planet, and on and below our seas, and her incredible passion for exploration is truly inspiring and is what we feel makes her the perfect representation of our newest Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht. Although we are not able to duplicate some of her more extreme adventures – yet – we do believe that Scenic Eclipse II offers our guests exploration possibilities unlike any in the industry. We are so honoured to have Dr Sullivan as the godmother of Scenic Eclipse II and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

Scenic Eclipse II, which is the second of the brand’s ‘Discovery Yachts’, was constructed at the 3.Maj shipyard in Croatia and debuted with an 11-day ‘Incredible Iberian Discovery’ sailing in April 2023.

The 114-suite ship, which is almost identical to sister Scenic Eclipse, features various technologies to enable it to operate in protected marine environments such as the Antarctic. Some of these include wastewater treatment systems, custom-built stabilisers, an Azipod propulsion system that increases manoeuvrability while minimising noise, vibrations and fuel consumption, and a GPS dynamic positioning system that eliminates the need for the ship to drop anchor on ecologically sensitive seabeds.

Scenic Eclipse II will operate itineraries in the Mediterranean, Iceland and Scotland this summer and will then reposition to the Caribbean and Antarctica.