More than 50 complimentary active tour choices keep guests moving while exploring the world
Hollywood, FL (August, 2022) – While the notion of keeping active on a cruise may once have seemed like an oxymoron, modern cruisers have embraced active pursuits as a their preferred way to explore ports while meeting their fitness and wellness goals. The journey designers at Emerald Cruisesunderstand this desire to keep active while traveling, which is why the brand continues to expand its EmeraldACTIVE tour program for guests, introduced to river cruisers at no extra cost in 2016.
As the small ship cruise line has grown and expanded its reach into the rivers of Southeast Asia and into the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Red and Caribbean seas with its new ocean-going yachts, Emerald Azzurraand Emerald Sakara, their active tour offerings have expanded as well. In fact, Emerald Cruises now offers more than 50 complimentary EmeraldACTIVE excursions across their cruise collection in addition to a multitude of other ways for guests to keep their step counts and their heart rates up no matter which cruise they book.
Keeping Active on the Rivers
Guests on Emerald Cruises’ river ships in Europe and Southeast Asia can choose from more than 40 unique EmeraldACTIVE tour options, including 20 guided hikes available across eight countries, 19 guided bike tours encompassing more than 150 miles of cycling, and guided kayak tours on the Douro River in Portugal and the Rhône River in France. These EmeraldACTIVE tours offer an alternative way to experience the towns, cities and countrysides along the cruise route and are offered alongside the more traditional day tours.
Examples of hiking tours on the rivers of Europe include a guided hike along the terraced vine slopes of the Côtes du Rhône, one of France’s most esteemed wine-making appellations on a Rhône River sailing, or an active trek to Dürnstein Castle with incredible views of the Danube River below. Cycling enthusiasts can take part in a 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, or enjoy a shorter city ride in Arnhem, Holland, famous for its postcard-worthy streets and scenic parks.
As a way to personalize the experience for guests, all of Emerald Cruises’ river ships in Europe feature a dedicated Activity Manager and Wellness Coach to assist guests with getting the most out of the active pursuits. The Activity Manger leads the EmeraldACTIVE tours in each port, and offers onboard group fitness programs like water aerobics and yoga alongside the Wellness Coach. When they are not being used for a guided tour, the bicycle fleet is available to guests to take an explore on their own and the Activity Manager can assist with plotting a scenic route.
Staying Fit at Sea
The brand’s first luxury yacht, Emerald Azzurra, launched in March 2022, and has since been sailing the warm waters of the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Cruises aboard the intimate, 100-guest yacht feature a slightly different pace from the brand’s river sailings, focusing many opportunities to get active on the warm ocean waters with the ship’s marina platform. Here, when the yacht is at anchor, guests can take advantage of the standup paddleboards, inflatable kayaks, snorkel gear and aqua trampoline available to all guests at no charge.
The yachts also offer an array of complimentary EmeraldACTIVE excursions in stunning locales, 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. Additional opportunities for athletic pursuits are available through the line’s DiscoverMORE tours—excursions that carry an extra charge and are designed to give guests an alternate view of the area. Options include sightseeing kayak tours around the Greek isles, river tubing in picturesque Giardini Naxos in Sicily, and a guided hike from Portofino to the beautiful village of San Fruttouso in Italy, to name a few.
As with the rivers, an onboard Wellness Coach offers yoga and Pilates classes on the observation deck when the weather permits, and a well-equipped gym and full-service Elements Spa allow to guests get in a workout or body treatment on their own schedule. Emerald Azzurra sails with a fleet of GoCycle electric-assist bikes, which guests are welcome to use to explore while in port.
Emerald Cruises offers a diverse lineup of river and yacht cruises on three continents. Emerald Azzurra, the line’s first ocean-going vessel which debuted in March 2022, is a 100-guest, luxury yacht sailing the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Red Seas, and new for the 2023/2024 season, the Caribbean & Central America. Emerald Sakara will be the brand’s second luxury yacht and launches in 2023. On the rivers, Emerald Cruises sails eight branded Star-Ships in Europe and one on the Mekong. The brand offers contemporary deluxe ships, outstanding service and a focus on active shore excursions and onboard wellness offerings through their signature EmeraldACTIVE program. 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.