Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Problems at Uljanik result in further setback for Scenic Eclipse launch

47b47ac30a4e93d0739e0493835f93ff
First sailing date for Scenic Eclipse has been amended to April 13, 2019
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours announced the first sailing date for Scenic Eclipse has been amended for a second time to April 13, 2019.

In July, the company announced a revised date of late January 2019 (from late August 2018) for the launch of its first Discovery Yacht due to ‘construction issues’ at Uljanik Shipyard where Scenic Eclipse is being built.

Ongoing financial issues at Uljanik shipyard

This latest amended date, said Scenic, is due to ‘ongoing financial issues at the Uljanik shipyard in Croatia and a resultant strike by specialist engine and systems commissioning workers.’

Although the specialist commissioning teams did return to work last week, it will not be possible to catch up the nearly six weeks of lost time due to their strike, said the Scenic statement.

More than 600 employees continue to work on Scenic Eclipse

Scenic continues to be in constant contact with the shipyard, the workers’ representatives and the Croatian government to ensure the completion of the ship as soon as possible.

More than 600 employees continue to work on other aspects of the ship and progress on the ship’s interiors and other timings of the final build stage have seen far less impact from the industrial action and continue to progress at a good pace, reports Scenic.

A new management and supervisory board was selected earlier this month to run troubled Uljanik shipbuilding group.

Scenic acknowledges the regrettable impact this has on guests and has committed to providing its guests a full refund for the cost of their Scenic Eclipse cruise and consideration of any other reasonable associated costs incurred with their travel plans.

Additionally, Scenic is providing all guests who rebook a Scenic Eclipse voyage a future cruise credit in the value of 25% of the cost of their rebooked cruise.

In February 2018, Scenic confirmed a second 'discovery yacht' from Uljanik’s Pula yard due for delivery in May 2020 when at that time the first vessel was scheduled to debut in late August this year.