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On Monday, August 17, the Port of Riga welcomed two cruise ships: the Scenic Eclipse II, one of the world’s most exclusive expedition cruise ships, and the massive 15-deck, Mein Schiff 7, spanning 316-meters in length.
Often called a “Discovery Yacht”, the Scenic Eclipse II seamlessly blends the comfort of a five-star luxury hotel with the capability to navigate remote destinations inaccessible to large cruise liners.
The 168-meter-long mega-yacht Scenic Eclipse II arrived at Riga yesterday, as part of a two-week Baltic Sea cruise, selecting Riga as one of the just two exclusive ports of call. There are 205 passengers on board, mainly from Australia, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and New Zealand. Having set sail from Stockholm on August 12, the cruise is scheduled to conclude on August 23 in Copenhagen. It will leave the Port of Riga this evening around 6:00 p.m.
The Scenic Eclipse II was commissioned in 2023, and in just three years, it has already traveled to all seven continents, including Antarctica. The expedition vessel provides passengers with ultra-luxury service, boasting an impressive 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio. For off-ship excursions, it features an extraordinary array of equipment, including two Airbus H130-T2 helicopters, the Scenic Neptune II submarine - capable of diving to depths of 100 meters - as well as Zodiac boats and kayaks.
The vessel features a wide range of dining and leisure options, a spa, a gym, a yoga and Pilates studio, and outdoor pools; all 114 cabins are equipped with balconies.
Since this was the ship’s historic maiden call to Riga, today Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis and the Freeport of Riga Authority CEO Ansis Zeltiņš have welcomed Captain Torry Sakkariassen and the crew. According to the Captain, passengers enjoy Riga, and in addition to the organized and customized city tours, several guests took advantage of the early morning to experience a unique, birds-eye view of the capital via a helicopter excursion.
Meanwhile, the Mein Schiff 7 has arrived at the Port of Riga from Kaipeda this morning, bringing 2,999 passengers on board, most of whom are German, Austrian, and Swiss. The Mein Schiff 7 has visited Riga before. The cruise ship will depart for its next stop, the Port of Tallinn, tonight at 11:00 p.m.
