Emerald Waterways Sets Sail
Glen Moroney, Emerald Waterways founder and managing director, was joined by Twiggy, British style icon and world’s first supermodel, in Amsterdam yesterday (April 9) to launch Europe’s newest river cruise company and christen its new “Star Ship” the Emerald Sky.
The new “Star Ship” carries 182 guests in 72 suites and 20 staterooms, including two specifically built for solo occupancy. Unique items 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 with an indoor balcony complete with decked area and an 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.
Fares include all transfers to and from the ships, all onboard (and some on-shore) meals, unlimited tea and coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, bottled water in the cabins, continental breakfast, pre-dinner canapés and after-dinner sweet treats served in the top suites, WiFi onboard the ship, at least one included shore excursion almost every cruise day, visits to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites and more – including all gratuities.
Five itineraries are being offered by Emerald Waterways in 2014, including: “Danube Delights,” an eight-day adventure between Nuremberg to Budapest; “Classic Prague & Danube Delights,” an 11-day itinerary that adds three days in Prague to the eight-day Nuremberg to Budapest sailing; “Magical Rhine & Moselle,” a 12-day itinerary between Switzerland’s Basel and Amsterdam, “Splendors of Europe,” allowing guests to spend 15 days exploring many of Europe’s top sights between Amsterdam and Budapest; and “Christmas Markets of Europe,” taking in many of Europe’s top Christmas markets as it sails a 15-day itinerary between Amsterdam and Budapest.
