Emerald Waterways held a dual christening event on Aug. 21 in Budapest as it officially launched its two newest “Star Ships” – the Emerald Dawn and the Emerald Sun.
The godmothers were US travel industry veteran Kelly Bergin (Dawn) and UK travel industry veteran Julie Kendrick (Sun).
The new vessels carry 182 guests in 72 suites and 20 staterooms, including two specifically built for solo occupancy. Ship innovations include an onboard heated swimming pool with a retractable roof, which transforms into a movie theatre in the evening; two restaurants – Reflections, the main dining room, and The Terrace, which serves breakfast and lunch; and a new type of cabin design that replaces the run-of-the-mill French balcony, common to most ships, with an indoor balcony complete with decked area and open-air system. With the simple push of a button, the upper half of the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window drops down to allow an open-air opportunity; top suites separate the balcony from the cabin with sliding doors. In addition, there’s an onboard hairdresser, massage therapy room and fitness area.