The Top Trends to Inspire Your Travel Plans for 2025

Detour destinations

While we’ll always love Europe’s iconic cities, visiting lesser-known destinations or travelling in seasonal periods, can often mean smaller crowds. Scenic’s itineraries are curated to include visits to smaller towns and villages for authentic and unique experiences. While the sleek and elegant design of Scenic’s Space-Ships and Discovery Yachts mean they can traverse waterways and reach ports inaccessible by larger ships.

On a Rhine river cruise, for example, Scenic will often dock in Koblenz, one of Germany’s oldest cities surrounded by the scenic Upper Middle Rhine Valley, and Baden Baden, a town famous for its Roman baths on the fringe of the Black Forest. In South East Asia, Scenic Eclipse cruises include lesser-visited Indonesian islands – such as Komodo Island, home to a striking pink beach and famous dragon of the same name, and the World Heritage-listed Derawan Islands – which make for uncrowded and refreshing alternatives to Bali.

Destination detouring is a given on your ultra-luxury Scenic journeys, with exclusive experiences on offer. Such as a classical concert in a Viennese palace on the Jewels of Europe river cruise or a gala dinner at a 10th-century temple in Siem Reap, a highlight of the Mekong River cruise and land journey.

Coolcations

While many of us follow the sun on holidays, seeking out cooler, wintry destinations is taking off. Antarctica is on top of many bucket lists, thanks to its remoteness pristine landscapes and unique wildlife.

Scenic Eclipse is built to operate in the world’s most breathtaking polar environments. The World's First Discovery Yacht takes guests to destinations such as Antarctica, the Arctic, the Chilean fjords, the Baltics and Nordic regions, cruising through stunning landscapes from the comfort of a 6-star ship with a Polar Class 6 rating.

Scenic Eclipse’s Discovery Team of up to 20 experts includes marine biologists, ornithologists and glaciologists. They lead immersive excursions on Zodiacs, kayak and stand-up paddleboards, by helicopter and even on board a custom-built Scenic Neptune submersible, showcasing the best of these remote polar regions from all perspectives.

Solo travel

Travelling solo isn’t new, but it’s becoming increasingly popular. This is particularly the case for those who want to channel independence, are on a path to self-discovery or simply want to meet new people while exploring the world.

The intimate-group tours and cruises offered by Scenic are a top choice for solo travellers, offering independence with a supportive environment to navigate new destinations.  Spend the day discovering exotic destinations and meeting new-found friends, while having a spacious suite on board to retreat to with a butler to assist you at any moment – that’s the benefit of cruising solo with Scenic.

Sustainable travel

Exploring the world responsibly is at the forefront of travel trends, and Scenic is committed to environmentally responsible tourism and protecting the places and communities we visit.

As part of our Cherish the Planet program, Scenic has six key environmental priorities. We are committed to designing and operating our ships in an efficient and more sustainable way, hence reducing the impact of fuel consumption on the environment. Food wastage has been reduced through menu design and kitchen technology; like dehydrators on Scenic Eclipse which extend the use of fresh ingredients.

Where feasible or possible, fresh produce is sourced from local markets and the on board herb gardens on Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Spirit. Our goal is to source sustainably to support the communities we visit and avoid the extensive footprint of food storage and transportation. We are also committed to meaningful and respectful cultural interactions and are proud of the positive associations that we have built within communities all around the world.

Wellness meets discovery

Active discovery and wellness have become the ultimate travel combination. By day, Scenic Freechoice experiences may include a guided walking tour of a cobblestoned Old Town in France, kayaking the icy waters in Patagonia, a helicopter over the ancient lands of the Western Australian coastline, or a e-bike ride through the rolling vineyards of Bordeaux.

Whether travelling by ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht or Scenic Space-Ship, a sophisticated assortment of wellness spaces and experiences await. Take a rejuvenating yoga class in the state-of-the-art gym on board Scenic Eclipse, a soak in the Vitality Pool or a session in a Salt Therapy Lounge. Book a massage treatment at the tranquil day spa or head to the Sun Deck or Observation Lounge and simply appreciate the rolling tapestry of river life or the great vast ocean pass by.

Culinary journeys

Flavours shape your impression of a destination. More than simply dining, the culinary experience has, for some, become the reason to travel. Scenic has made dining an integral part of your cruising experience, with each voyage providing an incredible culinary journey for the epicurean traveller. 

“The food world is a destination in itself,” says Ionel Purice, Scenic Group’s Corporate Executive Chef for France River Cruising. “We’re committed to serving food from the regions where we cruise, to provide our guests with an authentic taste of the local cuisine.”

Scenic Freechoice experiences may include a cooking class to learn how to make local delicacies, a special meal with a top chef in France or perhaps a visit to a local food market in Hoi An to sample street food.

“I enjoy the morning market adventures, since that’s typically where my inspiration begins,” Chef Purice says.

On board, up to 10 unique dining experiences are available on Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yachts, and up to five on ultra-luxury river cruises.

“There are a lot of people in the industry that say cruise ship dining can’t compare to restaurants on land. I wanted to prove them all wrong,” says Chef Tom Götter, Scenic Group’s VP Oceans Hotel Operations.

The expert team of chefs will prepare meals that celebrate local flavours, including ingredients such as truffles from Southern France or locally made sausage in Germany and accompanied by regional-specific beverages such as a crisp white wine from world-famous wine regions of New Zealand.