Azamara Cruises vs Scenic Ocean Cruises

The core difference

Azamara and Scenic Ocean Cruises both promise intimate, destination-focused cruising on small ships — but the products are so fundamentally different in scale, capability, and price that choosing between them requires understanding what each line is actually selling.

Azamara sells destination immersion. Four R-class ships at 30,277 gross tonnes, approximately 700 guests each, with a single-minded focus on maximising time in port. Over half of all port time is during late-night or overnight stays. The ships dock in city centres, navigate narrow channels, and access boutique harbours. AzAmazing Evenings deliver complimentary shoreside cultural events. Drinks, gratuities, and shuttle buses are included. The philosophy is that the destination is the experience and the ship is your home base.

Scenic sells expedition luxury. Two Discovery Yachts — Scenic Eclipse and Eclipse II — carry 228 guests each at 17,085 gross tonnes with PC6 ice class, two Airbus H130-T2 helicopters, a Scenic Neptune submarine certified to 300 metres, Zodiac landing craft, and a fleet of kayaks. The ships carry up to twenty Discovery Team specialists per voyage. Ten dining venues are included without surcharges. Butler service is provided in every suite. Shore excursions across three tiers are included. Gratuities, premium drinks, and Starlink Wi-Fi are included. The third ship, Scenic Ikon (April 2028, 270 guests), will add fifteen dining venues and an 18,298-square-foot spa. This is expedition cruising with resort-level amenities.

The distinction is categorical. Azamara is a premium ocean cruise line. Scenic is a luxury expedition line. They share a commitment to intimate scale and destination engagement, but the products — and the price points — are fundamentally different.

What is actually included

The inclusion comparison is decisive — and Scenic wins comprehensively.

Azamara includes: select standard spirits, beers, and wines by the glass throughout the day, gratuities, AzAmazing Evenings, shuttle buses, self-service laundry, speciality coffees, and room service. Wi-Fi available for purchase. Speciality dining surcharges at two venues (waived for suite guests).

Scenic’s Truly All-Inclusive fare covers: all ten dining venues without surcharges, premium branded beverages (champagne, spirits, wines), shore excursions across three tiers (Freechoice, Enrich, Discovery), butler service in every suite, gratuities for all services, Starlink Wi-Fi, port charges, taxes, and transfers on select departures. Helicopter flights (approximately USD $695) and submarine dives (approximately USD $795) are additional. Spa treatments are additional.

Scenic’s inclusion model is the most comprehensive in expedition cruising. Where Azamara includes standard beverages, Scenic includes premium. Where Azamara charges for Wi-Fi, Scenic includes Starlink. Where Azamara charges for excursions, Scenic includes three tiers. Where Azamara offers butler service only from suite level, Scenic provides it to every guest. The practical effect is that Scenic’s sticker price — while higher — is much closer to the total holiday cost than Azamara’s more a la carte model.

Dining and culinary experience

Scenic’s dining programme is the strongest card in this comparison — ten venues on a 228-guest ship is a ratio unmatched in expedition cruising.

Azamara offers six dining venues per ship, four included. The cuisine is Mediterranean-inspired with destination-relevant menus. The kitchen cooks for fewer than 700 guests. Prime C and Aqualina carry surcharges waived for suite guests.

Scenic Eclipse delivers ten included dining venues on a 228-guest ship — recognised with Cruise Critic’s Best Expedition Line for Dining in 2022 and 2023. Elements (a la carte main restaurant), Lumiere (contemporary French fine dining with champagne and caviar service), Koko’s (Asian fusion with sushi bar and Night Market tasting), Chef’s Table at Elements (invitation-only degustation for ten guests), Azure Bar and Cafe (all-day casual), Yacht Club (grill), and Chef’s Garden at Scenic Epicure (cooking masterclasses). Every venue is included.

Scenic wins on venue count, dining-to-guest ratio, and culinary ambition. The ten-to-228 ratio means no restaurant feels crowded, and the range from fine French dining at Lumiere to molecular gastronomy at Chef’s Table to Asian fusion at Koko’s provides genuine variety. Azamara’s dining is quality but cannot compete on breadth — a 700-guest ship with six venues versus a 228-guest ship with ten creates a fundamentally different culinary experience.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation comparison reveals Scenic’s luxury positioning.

Azamara’s R-class ships offer cabins from Club Interior (158 square feet) through Club Veranda (175 square feet plus balcony) to Club World Owner’s Suite (793 to 836 square feet). Butler service from suite level. The Azamara Forward refurbishment adds new suite categories from late 2026.

Scenic Eclipse’s 114 suites start at 345 to 365 square feet for the Verandah Suite — nearly double Azamara’s entry veranda cabin. All suites include butler service, King Size Slumber Bed, Nespresso machine, Smart UHD television with Bose sound system, and 24-hour in-suite dining. Spa Suites (495 to 540 square feet) include a Philippe Starck spa bath. Owner’s Penthouse Suite spans 2,100 square feet with a private Jacuzzi terrace.

The gap is significant. Scenic’s entry suite is roughly double Azamara’s entry veranda cabin in square footage, and every Scenic guest receives butler service regardless of category. For travellers who value cabin quality as part of the daily experience, Scenic’s advantage is decisive.

Pricing and value

The pricing gap is substantial and reflects different market tiers.

Azamara’s per-diem for a 7-night Mediterranean voyage runs approximately US$250 to $500 per person per night for a veranda cabin, including drinks and gratuities. A 14-night sailing costs roughly AUD $7,000 to $14,000 per person.

Scenic’s per-diem starts from approximately AUD $1,200 per person per night for Verandah Suites, though promotional pricing can bring this below AUD $700 per day. A 13-day Antarctic cruise starts from approximately AUD $32,690. An 8-day Mediterranean starts from approximately AUD $14,710.

Scenic’s higher headline price includes substantially more — butler service, ten dining venues, premium drinks, excursions, gratuities, and Starlink Wi-Fi. Azamara’s lower price requires adding Wi-Fi, excursions, and speciality dining to reach comparable inclusion. Even with additions, Azamara remains less expensive in total — the premium for Scenic is real and reflects the luxury expedition product.

For Australian travellers, Scenic’s AUD pricing through scenic.com.au eliminates currency conversion uncertainty. Azamara’s USD pricing means the AUD exchange rate affects total cost.

Spa and wellness

Azamara’s Sanctum Spa features Elemis products, treatment rooms, thalassotherapy pool (complimentary for suite guests), and a fitness centre with complimentary classes.

Scenic’s Senses Spa spans 550 square metres (approximately 5,920 square feet) — substantial for a 228-guest ship. ESPA treatment programme. Complimentary Scandinavian-inspired plunge pools, infrared and bio saunas, steam room, cold plunge pool, Vitality Pool, and relaxation lounge. PURE Yoga and Pilates Studio. Scenic Ikon will feature an 18,298-square-foot two-level spa.

Scenic wins decisively on spa scale and the breadth of complimentary facilities per guest.

Entertainment and enrichment

Azamara’s enrichment features Destination Speakers, AzAmazing Evenings, and Stories Under the Stars. Evening entertainment includes intimate performances and new original shows.

Scenic’s Discovery Team comprises up to twenty specialists per voyage — marine biologists, historians, geologists, and local guides. Daily briefings and evening recaps on 180-degree projection screens. B My Guest musical performances. Live piano. Cooking masterclasses. Evening atmosphere is intimate, social, and entirely English-speaking.

Azamara’s AzAmazing Evenings are the most distinctive enrichment offering in this comparison — shoreside cultural events with no Scenic equivalent. Scenic’s Discovery Team provides expedition-focused enrichment with scientific depth. Both lines are enrichment-focused rather than entertainment-driven.

Fleet and destination coverage

Azamara’s four ships visit over 70 countries and 318 ports. Consistent fleet, strong Mediterranean, Asian, and Australian-waters coverage.

Scenic operates two Discovery Yachts (growing to three with Ikon in April 2028). Eclipse and Eclipse II cover Antarctica, the Arctic, the Mediterranean, Central America, Asia, and Australian waters. From 2028, Eclipse II is permanently based in Australia and Asia Pacific.

Azamara’s four ships provide more departure dates and broader conventional ocean coverage. Scenic’s two-ship fleet limits departure options but delivers expedition capability — Antarctica, the Kimberley (returning 2028), and remote destinations — that Azamara cannot reach.

Where each line excels

Azamara excels in:

• Destination immersion at a competitive per-diem. Overnight port stays, AzAmazing Evenings, and included drinks at roughly half Scenic’s per-night cost.
• Fleet consistency and departure frequency. Four ships, no ship lottery, more departure dates across more destinations.
• Budget transparency. Lower total cost with drinks and gratuities included.
• Australian-waters ocean cruising. Established Sydney departures for domestic itineraries.

Scenic excels in:

• All-inclusive completeness. Butler service, ten dining venues, premium drinks, excursions, gratuities, and Wi-Fi — the most transparent pricing in expedition cruising.
• Expedition capability. Helicopters, submarine, Zodiacs, PC6 ice class, and up to twenty Discovery Team specialists.
• Dining breadth. Ten venues on 228 guests — the highest restaurant-to-guest ratio in expedition cruising.
• Australian ownership. Newcastle-founded, AUD pricing, unified loyalty across ocean and river, Eclipse II permanently homeported in Australia from 2028.
• Suite quality. Larger suites at every category with universal butler service.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Azamara

Melbourne to Auckland (16 nights, January departure). No international flight required. Intimate New Zealand ports with overnight stays.

Sydney to Singapore (22 nights, February departure). Australian coastal ports, Indonesia, easy fly-home from Singapore.

Japan Cherry Blossom Season (spring sailing). Boutique Japanese ports during cherry blossom season.

Scenic

Eclipse II: East Antarctica (approximately 20 nights, departing Queenstown, returning Hobart). Mawson’s Huts with complimentary helicopter shuttle. Domestic connections only from Australia.

Eclipse II: The Kimberley (returning 2028, 10 nights, Darwin to Broome). The only Kimberley expedition ship with onboard helicopters for flightseeing.

Scenic Ikon: Mediterranean Inaugural (April 2028, Venice). Maiden voyage of the third Discovery Yacht. 270 guests, fifteen dining venues, 18,298-square-foot spa.

Eclipse I: Antarctic Peninsula (13 days, from approximately AUD $32,690). Multiple Zodiac landings, kayaking, paddleboarding, with optional helicopter and submarine.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Azamara

Azamara Onward — Most frequently deployed to Australian waters. Atlas Bar exclusive. Recommended for domestic departures.

Azamara Quest — First into the Forward refurbishment late 2026. New suites, Chef’s Table restaurant.

Scenic

Scenic Eclipse II — Recommended for Australian travellers. Permanently based in Australia and Asia Pacific from 2028. Homeported in Sydney, Darwin, and Hobart. Identical to Eclipse I.

Scenic Eclipse I — Primarily deployed to Europe and the Antarctic Peninsula. Choose for Northern Hemisphere itineraries or classic Antarctic expeditions.

Scenic Ikon (arriving April 2028) — The flagship. 270 guests, fifteen dining venues, two-level spa. The most spacious Scenic experience.

For Australian travellers specifically

Scenic’s Australian ownership is a genuine advantage. Local customer service, AUD pricing, decades of brand recognition, and Eclipse II permanently homeported from 2028. The Scenic and Emerald Rewards programme carries status across ocean, river, and Emerald brands — a major benefit for the many Australians who discovered Scenic through river cruising.

Azamara’s Australian commitment has grown with two ships deployed simultaneously and extended seasons. Sydney departures and regional itineraries provide accessible entry to the brand.

The product overlap is minimal. Azamara serves ocean cruising needs. Scenic serves expedition-luxury needs. Many Australian travellers will sail both for different holidays. An Azamara Mediterranean destination cruise and a Scenic Antarctic expedition represent two of the finest experiences available in their respective categories — and choosing both is not extravagant, it is practical.

The onboard atmosphere

Azamara’s atmosphere is intimate, adults-oriented, destination-focused. Fewer than 700 guests, resort casual, quiet evenings, crew who know your name.

Scenic’s atmosphere is polished, social, and adventure-focused. With 228 guests and nearly 1:1 crew ratio, intimacy is pronounced. Butler service creates personal relationships. The shared intensity of expedition landings and helicopter flights forges connections between guests. Entirely English-speaking. Dress code is elegant casual. For Australians, sailing Scenic feels like sailing with an Australian company — because it is.

The bottom line

Azamara and Scenic serve different travel needs at different price points, and the right choice depends on what you want from a cruise.

Choose Azamara when you want destination-immersive ocean cruising at a competitive per-diem. Choose it for overnight port stays, AzAmazing Evenings, included drinks and gratuities, and a four-ship fleet that sails from Sydney across six continents. Accept the 25-year-old fleet, the smaller dining programme, and the lack of expedition capability.

Choose Scenic when you want the most comprehensively all-inclusive expedition product afloat. Choose it for butler service in every suite, ten dining venues, included excursions, premium drinks, and helicopter and submarine capability. Choose it for Australian ownership, AUD pricing, unified loyalty, and a ship permanently homeported in Australia from 2028. Accept the higher per-diem, the two-ship fleet that limits departure options, and the reality that helicopter and submarine availability is never guaranteed.

For Australian travellers who can afford both, the answer is both — Azamara for destination-immersive ocean cruising and Scenic for expedition luxury. These lines complement beautifully.