With the debut of the sleek, futuristic Emerald waterways fleet last month, we couldn’t resist taking a look at the all new features that have made the new vessels from this line state-of-the-art pioneers for river cruising.
The first of the Emerald fleet, the Emerald Sky, made its debut in the port of Amsterdam, and three more ships are due to follow – the Star, Sun and Dawn. None other than British style icon, Twiggy, served as godmother to the new ship, christening the first of the fleet in a huge ceremony on the 9th of April.
With the introduction of the Emerald waterways fleet still in progress, the Sky is a good indicator of all the brand new features that river cruisers will get to enjoy when the full collection of vessels are finally sailing the waterways of Europe. As the newest fleet in Europe, Emerald Waterways have introduced stylish and spacious ships designed to push the boundaries of what is possible for river vessels.
In terms of exterior, the new ships have a distinct emphasis on Scandinavian modern design – a pointed bow, a curved superstructure and angular bulwarks give the vessels an edgy, futuristic look which belies the pioneering features of the interior. Although the outline of the ship is innovative, it still manages to harken back to the traditional style of classic river cruising ships of the past.
Scenic Tours Limited, the Australian travel company which created Emerald Waterways have made much of the innovative and brand-new features that are destined to be found on every single ship within the fleet. Even the entry lobby of the Emerald Sky has aspects which are surprising; with mirror-panelled pillars welcoming passengers into the interior of the ship while angular chandeliers hang over the whole tableau.
The showcase of the ship’s forward-thinking design philosophy is something which is consistent within the styling and décor throughout the ship – the dining rooms in particular would not be out of place within a boutique hotel, all full-size windows, stark colours and distinguished colour schemes. The decoration might be minimalist, but it does have a huge impact in providing a sense of space to every aspect of the interior. In keeping with Emerald’s goals, the Emerald Sky manages to give guests plenty of breathing room amidst all the new features.
One of the standouts of these is definitely the infinity pool at the stern, which with the flick of a switch, transforms into a state-of-the-art cinema, complete with heated seating, digital projection, and a high-quality sound system.
That’s the entertainment covered, but like the design, innovation pervades the rest of the ship. Anyone who has travelled on a cruise ship before will be all too familiar with the credit card-sized room keys, which often have to be carried on a lanyard. With the Emerald fleet, however, these may be a thing of the past, to be replaced with tiny magnetic chips which open the doors on contact.
Speaking of rooms, the top three tiers of the accommodation on-board the Emerald Sky possess a simple feature which creates a fantastic compromise between space for passengers and the inventive. Those large stateroom windows on the top floors of the ship? With the flick of a switch they can become open- balconies, giving you an even better view of the spectacular European destinations the Emerald Sky will be gliding alongside.
With three more ships to debut within the next year, 2015 looks set to be a new frontier for those looking to explore Europe by waterway.
