Scenic's ultra-long journeys inspired by travel advisors

The recent expansion of Scenic‘s Grand Journey Collection for 2026, where prices rise has high as $300,000 per booking, was fuelled by travel advisors and their clients. According to Katherine O’Neill, Director – Scenic Group Global Marketing & Branded Content, the program evolved organically from two journeys offered in 2025 to a massive increase to 15 in 2026.

Scenic’s Grand Journeys are essentially five back-to-back branded itineraries, comprised of Scenic ocean, river and land travel arrangements. Guests can choose journeys between 41 to 86 days across worldwide destinations, spanning France, Portugal, Central Europe, the Baltics, the Mediterranean, South Pacific, Chile, Peru, The Arctic, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Highlight itineraries include the 86-day Treasures of Europe: Portugal to Switzerland Grand Journey from Lisbon on 30 June, the 59-day East to West Grand Journey: Istanbul to Bordeaux and the 48-day Grand Voyage: Machu Picchu, the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, a journey offering successive cruising and land tours across three continents.

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The program certainly isn’t new for Scenic, but it’s gained heightened attention as past passengers realised the benefits of travelling with one operator and bundling up a complete package holiday, says Anthony Laver, Scenic Group, General Manager, Sales & Marketing APAC. Laver told LATTE guests had “stitched together” these itineraries, which might include five sailings on the ultra-luxury Scenic Eclipse open water product or Scenic ‘Space-Ship’ European river vessels.

“The Grand Journey Collection was a very travel advisor-led offering. We were starting to see a trend of really significant connections,” she explained.

Examples of journeys include sailings from Antarctica to Europe, comprised of five back-to-back sailings, through the Americas.

Shorter itineraries consisting of three back-to-back departures are also offered, known as Ultimate Journeys.

“The popular Grand Journeys have very much been Europe river cruising, combined with the Mediterranean or the Arctic, or land touring. That’s been a really interesting trend for us – guests wanting to experience the seamlessness of everything put together.

“We do the transfers, hotels, flights, so the itinerary becomes a complete package. For an advisor, it’s an easy sell because all the work is done except for the international flights.”

While the Australian founded company is now very much focused on cruising as its core offering, the luxury travel company’s roots lay in coach touring.

“Grand Journeys and Ultimate Journeys been hugely popular in terms of guest travelling longer and wanting that ease of everything put together, which is where the land touring for us really comes into play. It gives us the ability to do all connection work.”Guests booking these extensive journeys are also recognised “every step along the way”.

Grand Journey VIP benefits include an on board credit of up to $2,000 per suite to use towards helicopter flights or wellness experiences on Scenic Eclipse cruises, priority boarding, invitation-only dining, and additional complimentary laundry services.

“Each time they move to the next river cruise or yacht cruise, the guests are recognised by the crew. The client is naturally a VIP,” O’Neill adds.

That VIP status, and the length of journey, helps fast tracks the client through the tiers of Scenic’s loyalty program, Scenic Club. Longer journeys enable guests to also “tier jump” through the scheme.

“We’re seeing a big fast track from the ocean cruising side to loyalty. There’s so many unique cruises around when we’re covering every continent, and that’s also seen us fuelling a lot of the loyalty to tier status movement as well.”“Scenic Group continues to innovate and create these once-in-a-lifetime Grand Journeys, which are redefining ultra-luxury exploration,” Laver adds.

“Only with Scenic, can you travel across ocean, river and land in luxury.
We are proud to be the only company that owns and operates an integrated ocean, river and land fleet with ship experiences delivered by our dedicated crew.

Scenic has the proven expertise that enables our guests to experience these exceptional, integrated journeys from beginning to end, with the added benefit of all-inclusive ultra-luxury cruising.”