Scenic Eclipse rushed to Texas for emergency repairs

Scenic Eclipse I The luxury cruise ship known for its polar expeditions is racing to complete a major refurbishment in Galveston, Texas, just weeks before its scheduled season in Antarctica.

228 passengers, gross weight 17,545 tons. Scenic Eclipse I On October 28, 2024, she entered dry dock in Texas for urgent replacement of one of two Azipod propulsion systems.

These units are critical to navigating the icy waters of the southern continent, and repairs must be carried out before the ship begins its Antarctic season.

With Scenic Cruise’s maiden voyage to Antarctica scheduled for November 27, 2024, the team is doing everything possible to ensure the ship is fully operational and ready to launch on time.

To speed up the repairs, the new Azipod unit is arriving from Zurich, Switzerland, on a chartered An-124 Ruslan, one of the world’s largest cargo aircraft.

Scenic Cruises also enlisted the help of ABB Group, the original supplier of the Azipod system, to install and test the new device on site to ensure necessary repairs were completed in a timely manner.

“The team is confident that ongoing planning and significant team effort across the organization will result in delivering Scenic eclipse fully operational and ready for our first trip to Antarctica.” The cruise operator said in its travel warnings.

Capt. James Griffiths, general manager of Scenic Group’s Oceans Operations, is in Galveston overseeing the complex effort along with Discovery Operations director Jason Flesher and Darko Caput, director of marine and technical operations.

Complex repairs may delay your trip

Replacing an Azipod is not an easy task and involves removing the faulty device, installing a new one, and a rigorous testing and certification process.

Replacing and installing these units requires heavy equipment and precise alignment, which typically takes one to three weeks.

Once installed, the propulsion system undergoes performance testing to ensure trouble-free operation of the Azipod, as well as safety and performance tests to ensure the new installation meets standard specifications. These tests often take an additional week or two.

Certification of the Azipod propulsion system is the final procedure carried out by maritime regulatory authorities and can last from a few days to a week depending on the inspection, functional testing and verification of documentation associated with the installation.

In total, repairs of this magnitude can take anywhere from two to six weeks. But in Scenic eclipse In this case, planning a replacement with the manufacturers of Azipod and the chartered cargo aircraft is an attempt to speed up the process.

Read also: What is an expedition cruise?

Scenic Cruises apologized for “any disappointment or inconvenience that this situation may have caused our valued guests” which is intended for guests traveling through dry dock.

“The safety and comfort of everyone who sails aboard Discovery remains our priority.” the statement continued.

Scenic eclipse The plan was to begin sailing from the Caribbean to Argentina on a 13-night Caribbean cruise, scheduled to depart Nassau, Bahamas on 24 October 2024 and arrive in Bridgetown, Barbados on 5 November.

He was also scheduled to make a 12-day journey from Bridgetown to Rio de Janeiro from November 5 to 16, and then complete the final leg of his journey over 12 nights from November 16 to 27.