Emerald Waterways Launches Its Second Ship for 2014, the Emerald Star

Emerald Waterways launched its second ship of the 2014 season. May 24 marked the inaugural sailing of the ‘Star Ship’ Emerald Star, a sister ship to Emerald Sky, which was launched in April with the assistance of British style icon Twiggy, who served as godmother.

The Emerald Star carries 182 guests in 72 suites and 20 staterooms, including two specifically built for solo occupancy. Items unique to these ships and the industry include an onboard heated swimming pool with a retractable roof, which transforms into a cinema in the evening complete with bar and popcorn; two restaurants – Reflections, the main dining room, and The Terrace, which serves breakfast and lunch; and an onboard hairdresser, massage therapy room and fitness area.

RELATED: Emerald Waterways' Emerald Sky Sets Sail

This ‘Star Ships’ offer a new cabin design that replaces the French balcony, common to most ships: all suites have floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, and at the touch of a button the top section lowers to form an open-air balcony, complete with decked area. The top of the range Owner’s One Bedroom Suites and Grand Balcony Suites include full outside balconies and a host of treats such as a Nespresso machine, in-suite service with pre-dinner canapés and more.

Included in the fare are 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 UNESCO World Heritage Sites; and more – including all gratuities.

Emerald Waterways is offering six itineraries in 2014, ranging from the eight-day, Nuremberg-to-Budapest “Danube Delights,” to the 11-day “Classic Prague & Danube Delights” that adds three days in beautiful and historic Prague to the eight-day Nuremberg to Budapest sailing, to a celebration of the Christmas holidays with a 15-day “Christmas Markets of Europe” tour.

In 2015, Emerald Waterways will launch two more ‘Star-Ships’ – Emerald Sun and Emerald Dawn – and add additional routes, including an 11-day French sailing between Lyon and Arles; a 10-day Eastern Europe itinerary that takes in Bucharest; and an eight-day Netherlands and Belgium exploration. For those booking well in advance, a US $500-per-person discount is being offered on sailings of 12 or more days and a US $250-per-person savings offer is available on itineraries of eight to 11 days.
 
For more information, visit www.emeraldwaterways.com.