Hollywood, FL (May 2021) – With the prospect of a busy 2022 European river cruise season on the horizon, Emerald Cruises has released its latest river cruise brochure alongside details on their newly launched Special Interest Cruise collection. Three of the line’s most popular itineraries have been reimagined with customized tours and onboard events to sharpen the focus on each region’s most iconic offerings: the incredible arts and culture of the Rhine and Danube, and the centuries old wine-making history of the Moselle River.
Germany’s Moselle Valley, adored by river cruisers for its storybook landscapes and charming towns, also boasts a rich wine-making history—in fact, this region is considered to produce some the best Riesling in the world. Timed to sail just before harvest to allow guests access during prime grape-growing season without the crowds, the eight-day Wines of the Moselle Cruise has been thoughtfully curated to take in the region’s vinicultural history and explore its local wines through lectures, daily tastings, and tours of noteworthy wine estates. On the sailing between Mainz and Bernkastel, guests will enjoy guided tours and tastings at Schloss Vollrads wine estate in Weisbaden and Eberbach Abbey in Rüdesheim. In Koblenz, a hike through the vineyards of a family-owned wine estate puts guests in contact with local vintners. Several other opportunities for tastings round out the itinerary. The Wines of the Moselle sailing starts at $3,295 per person, double, departing August 21, 2022.
The Danube Spa, Arts and Culture Cruise between Budapest and Passau, Germany visits three of Europe’s iconic capital cities, making it ideal for exploring the region’s diverse offerings. In Szentendre, Hungary, a riverside town just outside Budapest, guests will explore the local arts and crafts scene followed by a traditional spa experience. An opportunity to learn about the daily life in Bratislava is on offer as guests visit the home of a local Slovakian family for an afternoon of coffee, cake and conversation. In Vienna, the third capital city of the cruise, guests will take part in an art tour complete with a visit to the famed Kunsthistoriches Museum. A hike through Austria’s famous wine-producing Wachau Valley offers the chance for guests to taste local fare en-route before sailing into Linz for an insightful photography tour which concludes with a tasting of the city’s famous Linzer torte. In Passau guests are treated to a final cultural immersion with a visit to a local farm for a delicious traditional Bavarian brunch. Prices for the eight-day Danube Spa, Arts & Culture Cruise start from $2,945 per person departing July 21, 2022.
The eight-day Rhine Spa, Arts & Culture Cruise, sailing from Mainz to Basel, takes in the cultural highlights of Rüdesheim, Koblenz, Mannheim, Rastatt, Strasbourg and Breisach en-route. Guests can embark on a romantic philosopher’s walk in Heidelberg before visiting the town’s lauded university library and unwind on a relaxing spa day in Germany’s famous spa town, Baden-Baden. A wine tasting in the medieval halls of Eberbach Monastery in Rüdesheim introduces guests to wine heritage of this region, while a photography tour of Strasbourg showcases the town’s picture-perfect landscapes. Finally, a food tour in charming Colmar, France is followed by a Flammenkuchen making workshop onboard. Prices for the eight-day river cruise start from $3,245 per person departing June 26, 2022.
Guests booking their 2022 Special Interest Cruise by August 31, 2021 will receive a reduced, round trip air fare of $395 per person, or $650 per person off the cost of booking. Those paying in full 12 months in advance of sailing will receive an additional 10% off the fare. For guests traveling solo—or those who prefer their own cabin—Emerald Cruises river ships offer single cabins that do not carry a supplement. And as with all Emerald Cruises sailings, daily excursions, meals, gratuities, port charges, ship transfers and wine and beer with dinner and lunch, plus all gratuities are included in the price of the sailing.
In addition, all bookings come with the line’s flexible booking policy that allows guests to defer travel plans and transfer to an alternate departure date or itinerary up to 60 days prior to departure with no Emerald Cruises fees.
Emerald Cruises offers a diverse lineup of river and yacht cruises on three continents. The Emerald Azzurra, the line’s first ocean-going vessel set to debut in January 2022, is a 100-guest, luxury superyacht that will sail the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black and Red Seas. On the rivers, Emerald Cruises sails eight branded Star-Ships in Europe and one on the Mekong, as well as a chartered river ship sailing the Russian waterways (MS Nizhny Novgorod). The brand offers contemporary deluxe ships, outstanding service and an incredibly inclusive pricing plan that has won them the honor of being named Best River Cruise Line for Value by the Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards for five years running. Emerald Cruises is part of Scenic Group, which includes Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Mayflower Cruises & Tours and Evergreen Tours in Australia.
Emerald Cruises can be found on Twitter at @emerald_cruises, on Facebook as EmeraldCruisesGlobal and on Instagram as @EmeraldCruises.global.
Additional information can be found by contacting your local travel advisor; on Emerald Cruises’ website, www.emeraldcruises.com; or by calling the consumer/travel agent reservations line at 844-428-8389. Digital brochure downloads are available on the website.