Emerald Waterways
| Private | |
| Industry | Travel and Tourism |
| Products | River cruise |
| Website | https://www.emeraldwaterways.co.uk/ |
Emerald Waterways is a river cruise company, currently operating four river cruise vessels in Europe, with a further three ships launching in 2017. The line offers cultural river cruise itineraries, designed to take travellers to the heart of major European destinations. With a strong focus on port calls and excursions, Emerald Waterways provides guests with the chance to experience the culture, history, geography and local life of the destinations their ships visit.
Emerald Waterways operate a fully inclusive programme,[1] with guests receiving a comprehensive selection of drinks with lunch and dinner, and all meals included, as well as return flights.
Currently, Emerald Waterways offer river cruises on the Danube, Main, Rhine, Rhône, Douro and chartered tours of the Mekong. Their guests come from a range of destinations, ranging from the UK to the USA and Canada, along with guests from Australia through their sister brand, Evergreen.
Company history
Emerald Waterways was founded in 2013, by Australian-based company Scenic Tours, to reach a new demographic of river cruise travellers. In 2014, Emerald Waterways launched their first two ships, Emerald Sky[2] and Emerald Star.[3] The Emerald Sky was launched in April of that year by model, actor and singer, Twiggy, who serves as the ship's godmother.
The following year, Emerald Waterways launched another two ships, Emerald Sun and Emerald Dawn. All four of the line's first four ships were designed to the same specifications, holding 182 passengers and 47 crew members. Emerald Waterways refers to members of their fleet as Star-Ships.[4]
Future
In 2017, Emerald Waterways will launch three new ships: the Emerald Radiance which will sail the Douro, the Emerald Liberté which will sail the Rhône and Saône, and the Emerald Destiny which will sail the Danube, Rhine and Main.
Fleet
As of 2016, Emerald Waterways operates four identical Star-Ships. Each stateroom and suite aboard every member of the Emerald Waterways fleet features an outside window or balcony. An open-air Sun Deck is featured on the top level of every Emerald Waterways ship.
| Ship Name | Year Launched | Class | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms | Suites |
| Emerald Sky | 2014 | Star-Ship | 135m | 47 | 182 | 20 | 72 |
| Emerald Star | 2014 | Star-Ship | 135m | 47 | 182 | 20 | 72 |
| Emerald Sun | 2015 | Star-Ship | 135m | 47 | 182 | 20 | 72 |
| Emerald Dawn | 2015 | Star-Ship | 135m | 47 | 182 | 20 | 72 |
Future Fleet
| Ship Name | Launch Year | Class | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms | Suites |
| Emerald Radiance | 2017 | Star-Ship | 89m | 37 | 112 | 10 | 46 |
| Emerald Liberté | 2017 | Star-Ship | 110m | 43 | 138 | 16 | 54 |
| Emerald Destiny | 2017 | Star-Ship | 135m | 47 | 182 | 20 | 72 |
Awards
In Emerald Waterways short history, the company has been nominated for a number of awards5.
2016 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks – Best Value for Money
2016 Cruise International Awards – Best River Cruise Line – Highly Commended
Silver Travel Awards – Best River Cruise Line 2016
2015 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks – Best Value for Money
TTG Travel Awards – Best River Cruise Line 2015
2015 Cruise International Awards – Best River Cruise Line – Highly Commended
2015 Cruise International Awards – Best New Ship – Highly Commended
2014 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks – Best New River Ship