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VIENNA — Emerald Waterways on Tuesday christened its sixth river cruise ship, the 186-passenger Emerald Destiny. The ship replaces the Emerald Belle, which was destroyed in a shipyard fire last year.
“The Emerald Belle, which was only about three weeks away from being delivered, had a catastrophic fire and was almost burnt to the water line. It was well before delivery and the firefighting equipment, very unfortunately, was turned off. We had a whole season of guests booked. Of course, we had to tell them all that the ship was not arriving and offer up alternatives,” Glen Moroney, founder and chairman of Scenic (Emerald Waterways’ parent company) recounted during the Emerald Destiny’s christening ceremony.
Added Moroney, “The insurance companies believed the burned-out hull was okay to be rebuilt. Of course, we had something to say about that because we ordered a brand-new ship. And what you have in front of you here, there is not one nut or bolt that came from that previous ship. It is 100% new.”
The Emerald Destiny was christened by Canadian newscaster Coleen Christie, the line’s first Canadian godmother, who broke the ceremonial champagne bottle over the bow of the vessel at a festive naming ceremony under a cloudy Viennese sky.
The vessel features some of Emerald Waterways’ trademark design details, including sleek mid-century modern-inspired furnishing, playful lighting elements and the ever-popular pool area that transforms into a cinema. The majority of cabins were outfitted with a drop-down window that transforms the seating area into a balcony space.
Despite the setback with the Emerald Belle, Emerald Waterways’ fleet is growing at a more rapid rate than its higher-end sister brand, Scenic, said Moroney.
Emerald Waterways is launching three new vessels this year — the Emerald Destiny, the 138-passenger Emerald Liberte, which launched on France’s Rhone and Saone rivers last month, and the 112-passenger Emerald Radiance, which is launching on Portugal’s Douro River this month. That will bring to seven the number of vessels Emerald Waterways has launched since it was created three years ago.
Emerald Waterways is a lower-priced product than Scenic, with pricing that includes transfers, meals, gratuities and most shore excursions.
Sоurсе: travelweekly.com
