Star Clippers
Royal Clipper
- Cruises
- 40
- From
- —
Ship comparison
Royal Clipper vs Scenic Eclipse
Scenic
Scenic Eclipse
- Cruises
- 89
- From
- $5,826
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Royal Clipper is an intimate Star Clippers ship carrying 227 passengers, in service since 1999. Scenic Eclipse is an intimate Scenic ship carrying 228 passengers, in service since 2019.
Choose Royal Clipper if you want more culture or a more romantic trip: it outscores Scenic Eclipse for cultural (7.8 vs 5.0) and romantic (9.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Scenic Eclipse if you want more space per passenger, a more family-friendly ship or more adventure and nature: it outscores Royal Clipper for family friendly (5.0 vs 2.0) and adventure & nature (10.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has 72.4 gross tons per passenger (vs 22.0).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Royal Clipper | Scenic Eclipse | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Star Clippers | Scenic |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 1999 | 2019 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2013 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 5,000 | 16,500 |
| Passengers | 227 | 228 |
| Crew | 106 | 172 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.1 | 1.3 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 22.0 | 72.4 (better) |
| Decks | 4 | 10 |
| Length | 439 ft | 542 ft |
| Beam | 54 ft | 70 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 7 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 40 | 89 |
| Upcoming sailings | 75 | 103 |
| Cruise lengths | 3–28 nights | 7–31 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $5,826 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Royal Clipper leads on 2 of the ten, Scenic Eclipse on 6, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Star Clippers
Royal Clipper
Royal Clipper, owned by Star Clippers Cruises, is a distinguished five-masted, fully-rigged sailing ship that offers a unique seagoing experience, blending the grandeur and tradition of classic sailing with modern amenities and luxurious service.
Sailing now
40 cruises on sale.
Scenic
Scenic Eclipse
Scenic Eclipse from international travel brand Scenic, described as "the world’s first discovery yacht," debuted in summer 2019 featuring high-end voyages to polar regions.
Sailing now
89 cruises on sale, from $5,826.
Questions
Royal Clipper or Scenic Eclipse?
Which is bigger, Royal Clipper or Scenic Eclipse?
Scenic Eclipse is bigger at 16,500 gross tons, against 5,000 gross tons for Royal Clipper. Royal Clipper carries 227 passengers and Scenic Eclipse carries 228.
Which ship is newer, Royal Clipper or Scenic Eclipse?
Scenic Eclipse is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2019 against 1999 for Royal Clipper.
Which has more space per passenger?
Scenic Eclipse, with 72.4 gross tons per passenger against 22.0 on Royal Clipper. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Scenic Eclipse, with one crew member for every 1.3 passengers against one for every 2.1 on Royal Clipper.
Which is better for families?
Scenic Eclipse scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 2.0 for Royal Clipper.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Royal Clipper, Scenic Eclipse or a ship that suits you better.