More ships, more tours as Scenic celebrates 40 years of innovation with a stellar night

The brand was founded in Newcastle in 1986 by Glen Moroney, starting out as a domestic coach tour operator. Today it has grown into a global luxury cruise and tour operator at the forefront of luxury travel.

Scenic Group General Manager Sales & Marketing Australia/Asia Pacific Anthony Laver promised at the company’s annual Night of Stars awards in Sydney that there is more to come. Much more.

Having shaken the European river cruise industry with the first bacony Space Ships three decades ago, then invaded the exploration space with the world’s first luxury discovery yacht, and then designed a fleet of luxury boutique yachts for Europe and the Caribbean, Scenic is promising it’s 40^th year will be dominated by even more innovation.

Vessels already under construction include yacht Emerald Kaia, river ships Emerald Astra, Emerald Lumi and the new class of discovery yacht, Scenic Ikon. All are being built under Maroney’s supervision at company yards in Vietnam and Croatia.

The growth of the company was neatly illustrated when Laver told 250 of its top travel agents a decade ago just three were generating between $5 million and $10 million in revenue with Scenic. Today, there are 59.

“It’s an incredible shift,” Laver said. “That tells you everything about the growth of this business – and the growth we’ve achieved together.”

The Night of Stars is Scenic’s annual celebration of its top-performing agents, and has always been a barometer of the brand’s momentum. This year, in Scenic’s 40th anniversary year, it felt more like a statement of intent.

Scenic employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. Over four decades, it has repeatedly reshaped premium travel. Now, the company is entering one of the most ambitious build phases in its history.

Scenic Group currently has some 25 vessels operating or in the pipeline across its Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises brands, spanning European rivers, expedition destinations, luxury ocean cruising and yacht sailings. Scenic operates 15 river cruise ships in Europe and Southeast Asia, plus 2 luxury discovery yachts. Emerald has 10 “Star-Ships” in Europe and the Mekong and 3 luxury yachts with 3 more to come. $$$$

“In our 40th year, we’re not slowing down,” Laver told guests. “We’re building. We’re innovating. And we’re expanding across rivers, expedition destinations and warm-water cruising.”

A headline development is Scenic Ikon, a brand-new discovery yacht that underscores the company’s continued investment in the ultra-luxury expedition space. Designed to push the boundaries of immersive travel, Ikon builds on the success of Scenic Eclipse, which will return to Australia to be homeported in 2028.

“That’s a significant moment for us and for the Australian market,” Laver said. “Having Scenic Eclipse based here reinforces our commitment to this region and gives Australian travellers even greater access to expedition cruising.”

The growth in high-performing agencies reflects record-breaking sales across the group in 2025. Laver said: “Travel has well and truly rebounded. We’re seeing clients travel longer, combine products and explore more destinations than ever before.”

Emerald expands on rivers and at sea

Growth is equally pronounced at Emerald Cruises, Scenic’s contemporary sister brand, which is expanding rapidly across both river and yacht cruising – and relaunching land touring.

Director Emerald Cruises AU/NZ Sales, Marketing & Scenic Group Land Product Angus Crichton told agents the brand’s evolution has always been shaped by partnership.

“Scenic Group has always been about innovative product, passionate people and strong partnerships,” he said.

Emerald’s next-generation river ships are rolling out across Europe, offering contemporary design, smarter technology and guest-inspired enhancements. The line is also extending its reach to the Seine in 2027, broadening its European footprint.

On the oceans, Emerald’s luxury yacht fleet continues to grow. With additional yachts launching in 2027 and 2028, the brand will operate a five-ship fleet carrying just 548 guests across intimate Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries.

Emerald is also reintroducing land tours, with Africa and Egypt high on the agenda, alongside a new Japan program – a move designed to complement its cruise offerings and capture demand for immersive, multi-destination travel.

Scenic’s unique edge

A key driver behind Scenic’s sustained growth is the fact that the company designs and builds its own ships, manages operations, and oversees sales, marketing and staff training in-house.

“It’s quite unique in our industry,” Laver said. “We control the design, the build and the guest experience. That allows us to innovate continuously and respond quickly to what the market wants.” That innovation has been central to Scenic’s 40-year journey. As Scenic enters its fifth decade, the message from Night of Stars was clear: the company’s past may be defined by innovation, but its future may well be defined by increasing scale.

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