It will have nearly as many crew as guests, food and amenities that rival five-star hotels and it’ll be tough enough to chew its way through pack ice at the poles. It’s Scenic Eclipse, and it will go above and beyond any other exploration ship, said Glen Moroney, the affable Australian founder of Scenic, the company that calls its river fleet “space ships.”

The yacht-inspired ship is designed to offer sleek style and luxury accommodations that can compete with the best found on billionaires’ yachts, even as it sails to the world’s most remote locations, he said, unveiling details in Toronto of the audacious ship that’s due in 2018.Scenic’s plan to branch out from river cruising into the high seas rides the crest of a number of waves in cruising. Viking River Cruises is christening its second ocean ship this spring and has a third in the works. Meanwhile, top-rated ocean line Crystal Cruises is launching ultra-luxe ships on Europe’s waterways, starting with a revamped ms Mozart this summer. It’s also sending ocean ship Crystal Serenity through the Northwest Passage on an adventure cruise. At the same time, Silversea Cruises is expanding its Expeditions discovery fleet, to offer more cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic.