Emerald Waterways opened the books on its 2021 river cruise season with complimentary or reduced airfare deals on all European sailings, plus a slew of new product offerings.
The upcoming season will feature the newly launched Emerald Luna, new land extensions to Istanbul and Europe's Transylvania region, and several fresh itineraries on some of Europe’s most popular rivers. All 2021 river cruise bookings also now include Emerald Waterways’ Deposit Protection Plan at no extra charge. The complete 2021 river cruise program is detailed in the company’s digital brochure.
Christmas Market Sailings
New for 2021, Emerald Waterways is offering three five-day itineraries to see and shop the Christmas Markets on the Rhine River (sailing between Basel, Switzerland and Frankfurt, Germany), the Danube River (sailing between Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary) and, for the first time, on France’s Rhone River between Avignon and Arles.
Guests booking a river cruise of eight days or longer will receive free, round-trip airfare to Europe, while those booking any of the new five-day Christmas Markets sailings will receive roundtrip air for $695 per person. In lieu of air, guests may opt to receive a discount on their booking, with $1,000 or $500 off per person, respectively.
Additionally, guests paying in full within 14 days of booking on sailings of eight days or more will receive an early payment savings of $250 per person; $150 when paid in full before August 31, 2020.
Finally, guests booking a 15-day "Splendours of Europe" sailing between Amsterdam and Budapest will receive a complimentary extended drinks package (value of $225 per person). Booking deadline is August 31, 2020.
New European Itineraries
Two new European Itineraries will debut in 2021. A 10-day sailing through the Netherlands and Belgium entitled "Springtime Delights" will sail roundtrip from Amsterdam in April. That voyage includes stops in lesser-explored ports such as Maastricht, Holland’s oldest fortified city, and Haarlem, the heart of the Dutch flower growing industry.
Guests who art fans can visit the Kroller-Muller museum with its unique art collection (with works by Van Gogh, Mondrian, Picasso and other notable artists) and one of Europe's largest sculpture gardens in Europe. An optional guided visit will journey to Antwerp's Rubens Museum.
In addition, because April is the height of tulip season, the itinerary includes a visit to Keukenhof Gardens, nearly 80 acres abloom with more than seven million multicolored tulips.
In addition, Emerald Waterways' eight-day "Legendary Rhine & Moselle" itinerary has been updated; it now sails from Mainz to Bernkastel in Germany, with new ports of call at Rudesheim and Wiesbaden
Land Extensions
For guests sailing on the "Enchantment of Eastern Europe" cruise on the Lower Danube, two new land extensions are available—to Istanbul and the Transylvania region.
The three-night land extension to Istanbul includes tours of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Spice Market and a Bosphorus sightseeing cruise to the spot where Europe meets Asia.
A four-night extension to Transylvania within Romania's mountain region includes a tour of the iconic Dracula Bran Castle in Brasov.
New Ship
The line's newest river vessel, Emerald Luna, will launch in 2021, and sail the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. It's Emerald Waterways' sixth "Star-Ship."
Built to the same specifications as the line’s other ships, Emerald Luna will include the line's signature indoor pool that converts to a cinema at night as well as all-weather indoor balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Emerald Waterways, whose parent company is Emerald Cruises, operates nine branded Star-Ships offering river sailings in Europe and on Southeast Asia's Mekong River, as well as fully-chartered river ships along Russia's Volga River and on Egypt's Nile River.
For more information, visit www.emeraldwaterways.com.
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