Scenic purchases Mayflower Tours

Scenic Group continues its growth in the North American market with the purchase of Mayflower Tours.

Scenic began as a luxury tour operator in 1986, adding luxury river cruises in 2008, and now has a portfolio that spans 800 escorted itineraries in 66 countries, 22 river ships, and two luxury Discovery Yachts (launching this year and in 2020).

Mayflower began in 1979 doing the same thing in the US, and today, offers hundreds of deluxe tours in 52 countries. Mayflower will continue to run as a separate entity, named Mayflower Cruise & Tours, with many of the same people, same executive team and same focus on luxury cruising.

The purchase will offer Mayflower greater access to river and ocean itineraries on both Scenic and their sister brand, Emerald Waterways, that can be enjoyed by their many groups, while Scenic and Emerald Waterways will have a litany of great land-based tours that can be joined with their cruise offerings.

“We are always looking for synergies that produce greater opportunities for our guests,” said Glen Moroney, founder and chairman of Scenic Group. “We have worked with Mayflower Tours for several years and have always been incredibly impressed with the level of service and offerings that John and Mary Stachnik (Mayflower Tours founder/owners) have offered their guests. So, when the opportunity came about due to their wish to retire, it was an easy decision.”

Mayflower Cruises & Tours will continue to be based in Downers Grove, just outside of Chicago, and lead by current Mayflower president, Nish Patel.

“The Scenic Group and Mayflower – this is a perfect match,” said Patel. “Mayflower’s fastest growing product segment is the river cruises and having access to Scenic’ s excellent quality and vast inventory will offer substantial growth. This is a very exciting time at Mayflower Cruises & Tours. We look forward to continuing to provide the same high-quality tours and services.”