Emerald Cruises Ramps Up EmeraldACTIVE on Rivers and Oceans
Emerald Cruises' EmeraldACTIVE program offers bike tours during its river and ocean itineraries.
Travelers continues to crave more and more options when it comes to exploring the world in an active way.
For some travelers, an active vacation might entail summiting a mountain or completing a marathon in a particular destination. For others, it could mean remaining committed to an active lifestyle while vacationing (maybe ensuring that you hit your step count on each day of your cruise).
Well, Emerald Cruises fully understands the growing desire to keep active while traveling, which is why the line created the popular (and complimentary) EmeraldACTIVE tour program for its river cruise passengers in 2016.
Since the start of the program, the options for staying active and adventurous during your voyage have increased greatly
EmeraldACTIVE offerings have grown by nearly 50 percent, encompassing all river sailings across Europe and in Asia, adding activities like kayaking and canoeing. In 2019, Emerald Cruises upped the ante even further with the announcement that all European river cruises would feature a dedicated Activity Manager.
This crew member leads the EmeraldACTIVE tours, offers onboard group fitness programs and assists cruisers with planning individual cycling tours or athletic walks while in port.
I gave the EmeraldACTIVE program a spin on my sailing in Germany and had a great time.
EmeraldACTIVE Rhine River Cruise
Onboard the ships, Activity Managers lead activities like fitness classes.
Now, with the 2022 launch of Emerald Cruises' first ocean-going luxury superyacht, Emerald Azzurra, these fun EmeraldACTIVE tours will be available on both ocean and river sailings for a total of 40 active excursion options across all of Emerald Cruises' itineraries. Check out how these active experiences break down:
Emerald Cruises offers 31 unique EmeraldACTIVE tour options on European river sailings, including 15 guided hikes available across eight countries, 13 guided bike tours encompassing more than 140 miles of cycling and guided canoe tours in Portugal and France;
You'll find eight brand new EmeraldACTIVE tours available on Emerald Azzurra yacht sailings in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Red Seas;
And two EmeraldACTIVE shore excursions on Mekong sailings in Southeast Asia, including a kayaking tour of Halong Bay in Vietnam and a scooter tour of the countryside near Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Hiking tours include such outings as a guided hike along the terraced vine slopes of the Cotes du Rhone, one of France's most esteemed wine-making regions during your Rhone River sailing, or an active trek through the mystical woodlands of the Black Forest on Rhine River cruises.
Cycling enthusiasts will love the 23-mile bike tour through rolling vineyards and quaint towns in the Wachau Valley, a beautiful region of northern Austria known for its dramatic landscapes and viticultural heritage. These rides are a staple of Danube River cruises.
Or, you can enjoy a shorter city ride in Arnhem, Holland, famous for its postcard-worthy streets and scenic parks.
The company’s first ocean ship, the 100-passenger luxury yacht Emerald Azzurra allows cruisers the chance to take part in EmeraldACTIVE excursions in stunning destinations — such as a guided hiking tour to Forte Filippo in Port Ecole, Italy along the Italian Riviera, and a guided bike tour in and around historic Kusadasi, Turkey.
"It's clear that small ship cruisers of all ages are increasingly interested in active, health-conscious travel," said David Winterton, Global Brand Director for Emerald Cruises. "We're committed to offering programming both onboard and in ports that delivers a wide variety of options to our guests."
Emerald Cruises has a lineup of river and yacht cruises on three continents. Emerald Azzurra, the line's first ocean-going vessel debuted in January 2022. This 100-passenger, luxury superyacht sails the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black and Red Seas.
On the rivers, Emerald Cruises sails eight branded Star-Ships in Europe and one on the Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as a chartered river ship sailing the Russian waterways (MS Nizhny Novgorod). These contemporary deluxe ships feature 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.
Thanks for reading,
JR