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Scenic River Ships Set for Enhancements to Please Active Cruisers

5/18/2018

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Scenic Cruises Scenic Amber Cruise ship
By John Roberts

I sailed on Scenic Cruises luxurious and spacious Scenic Amber for a biking voyage on the Danube River in late 2018. This adventure was to experience the line's partnership with Trek Travel, as I joined a group of 16 avid cyclists on daily rides along the river and into the countryside of Europe.

While the challenging rides and time ashore were highlights of the trip, I also was blown away by the accommodations we were treated to on the cruise. Scenic Amber vessel is an all-suite ship that is part of the line's fleet of Space Ships, all of which feature expansive cabins, private butler service, large picture windows that open to innovative versatile balcony space.

Lately, Scenic has been making design enhancements to further improve the river cruise experience on its vessels. Many of these moves focus on wellness, fitness and adventure -- which is why we continue to say river cruising is the up-and-coming way to travel in a new and exhilarating way.

In 2017, Scenic introduced a new ship design for its two Space-Ships sailing on France's Saone and Rhone Rivers. The same concept of focusing on experiential and physical enjoyments by expanding the company's already well-rounded approach is now being brought to Europe's Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers for 2019. All eight of the Space-Ships on these waterways -- Scenic Ruby, Pearl, Jasper, Opal, Amber, Crystal, Jade and Jewel -- will be remodeled this winter.

Highlights include reducing the number of cabins/passengers to 81/161 (Ruby and Pearl) and 83/165 (on the six others) while keeping the same crew count for even greater personal service; two new 520-square foot Royal Owners Suites; larger wellness centers, which include the gym, massage services and hair dresser; and, unique to Scenic, a Salt Therapy lounge. Onboard yoga and stretching classes, given by the onboard wellbeing coach, help cruisers warm up and get limber for days that include new and more-active excursions such as bike tours on the ship's e-bikes and hiking up Buda Hill for an amazing view of Budapest. Every itinerary will offer a host of active excursions in 2019.

The three-station salt lounge offers a non-invasive way to feel energized and healthier while relaxing. The humidity and temperature-controlled room is handcrafted from salt bricks and creates a micro-climate of a natural salt mine. Its three inclined lounging chairs are separated by light curtains for privacy, and low-level lighting and calming music promotes the natural relaxing effects of the salt. The rooms are included in your fare, and you can spend up to a recommended 45 minutes in the peaceful environment. The negatively charged salt ions hold high kinetic energy and offer the same refreshing feeling that one might find when standing on a beach. The ions also are said to aid healing, improve respiration and skin conditions and boost the immune system.

Scenic's Space-Ships offer all-inclusive luxury experiences -- from private butler service and unlimited included beverages and spirits, including a minibar re-stocked daily, to large private balcony staterooms. All of the suites feature Scenic's innovative Sun Lounge technology -- the walkout open-air balcony can convert to an all-weather lounge with a push of a button, expanding the living area of the stateroom.

Passengers get multiple dining options, including wine pairing dinners at the chef's Table La Rive, fine dining at Portobello's and the more casual fare at the River Cafe. All Fares are all-inclusive (except salon and spa services). The hassle-free luxury cruising includes tips and gratuities, expert local guides, all "Scenic Freechoice" activities that allow for a more personalized vacation, plus Scenic Enrich events which are exclusive to Scenic and its passengers, transfers, meals and other treats and amenities onboard.

Thanks for reading,
JR
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Big, Shiny New Cruise Ships Coming in 2015

11/25/2014

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Picture
The new Breakaway Plus class Norwegian Escape (coming in 2015) will be in the same mold as its Breakaway-class cousin Norwegian Getaway, also sailing from Miami and featuring neat water activities, right.
Picture
Picture
Courtesy Royal Caribbean
By John Roberts

As the year winds down, we can look ahead to 2015, when a new batch of exciting cruise ships will be hitting the oceans.

That means more choices for you to consider for your next great adventure.

Let's check out what's coming from the major cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas is due to launch in spring 2015. This is the sister ship to the world's first smartship, Quantum of the Seas, which debuted in November 2014 and is sailing its initial voyages out of Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. Anthem of the Seas (rendering at top) essentially will be an identical version to 4,180-passenger Quantum. You'll get a FlowRider surf simulator, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, SeaPlex sports court (bumper cars, roller skating, basketball, soccer), Dynamic Dining, climbing wall, 1/3-mile jogging track and a fantastic fitness center. The ship will come to the U.S. market in fall 2015 after a season in the Med. 

Viking Cruises, the fast-growing and best-known river cruise company, will debut its first ocean vessel, Viking Star, in May 2015. Viking, which operates more than 50 river ships, has plans for at least four ocean ship, including the 930-passenger Star, which will cruise in Northern Europe, in the Baltics and fjords, as well as the Mediterranean. It will feature a walkaround promenade that encircles the ship and a pool with a retractable glass roof. Star also will have the line's popular Aquavit Terrace indoor/outdoor restaurant area.

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Escape will become the first ship in the Breakaway Plus class. It debuts weeklong sailings from Miami to the Caribbean in November 2015. So far, Norwegian hasn't revealed what will distinguish Escape from the two ships in the Breakaway class: Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway. Expect the 4,200-passenger ship to have many of the same features as the Breakaway ships, such as a ropes course (with walk-the-plank attraction), waterslides, waterfront outdoor promenade filled with bars and restaurants and a wide range of entertainment options. Escape will have a Tobacco Road bar, named for the iconic Miami establishment that was in existence for 102 years and owned the city's first liquor license.

Elsewhere in cruise news . . .

Crystal Cruises announced a unique journey it is taking through the Northwest Passage. Crystal Serenity is scheduled to become the first luxury ship to venture a route that takes passengers from Anchorage, Alaska, to New York, sailing a series of waterways north of the Arctic Circle that link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, from Greenland through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The 32-day voyage begins August 16, 2016, and prices start around $20,000 per person. A 14-person expedition team will lead you on an adventure during which you can spot musk ox, seals, walruses, whales and much more wildlife -- all while enjoying the all-inclusive onboard experience with Crystal. The expedition team will conduct workshops and lectures about the region and special topics such as landscape photography.

Scenic Cruises, a river line, gave plans for its latest luxury river cruise ship, Scenic Spirit, which will launch on the Mekong River in January 2016. The 68-guest ship will sail itineraries that range from eight days between Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Siem Reap, Cambodia, to a 27-day journey that combines land adventures with your cruise traveling from Hanoi, Vietnam, to Luang Prabang, Laos.

I hope you find a fantastic voyage. Travel happy!

JR

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