When considering a river cruise in Europe or beyond, two names that frequently come up are Emerald Cruises and Scenic River Cruises. What many travelers don’t realize is that both brands are part of the Scenic Group, a family-owned company that has become a leader in luxury and premium cruising. Although the brands share the same ownership, there are distinct differences in the experiences they offer. This article delves into their history, itineraries, accommodations, excursions, and how they stack up against each other—and even other major river cruise lines like Viking and ocean cruises.
A Brief History of Scenic and Emerald Cruises
Scenic Group was founded in 1986 by Australian entrepreneur Glen Moroney, initially focusing on land-based tours in Australia and New Zealand. In 2008, Scenic expanded into river cruising with the launch of its first Scenic Space-Ships, offering luxurious river cruises across Europe. Scenic quickly gained a reputation for its all-inclusive luxury approach, which included everything from fine dining and beverages to shore excursions and gratuities.
As demand for premium river cruising grew, Scenic launched a sister brand, Emerald Cruises, in 2014. Emerald was created to offer a more affordable, yet still upscale, river cruise experience with a contemporary, value-driven focus. Although both brands are part of the Scenic Group, they cater to slightly different audiences, with Scenic aiming at the high-end luxury traveler and Emerald offering a more affordable, but still premium, experience.
Itineraries and Destinations
Scenic River Cruises:
Scenic operates on many of Europe’s most iconic rivers, including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, and Rhone. Scenic also ventures beyond Europe, offering river cruises in places like Southeast Asia (the Mekong River) and Egypt (the Nile River). Scenic is particularly known for its Jewels of Europe itinerary, which is a 15-day journey from Amsterdam to Budapest, covering the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers, with stops in some of Europe’s most historic and picturesque towns.
Emerald River Cruises:
Emerald Cruises sails on many of the same European rivers as Scenic, including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, and Rhone. Emerald’s itineraries are designed to provide a high-quality river cruising experience at a lower price point than Scenic. However, unlike Scenic, Emerald offers a unique cruise in Southeast Asia on the Mekong River, and will soon expand to the Magdalena River in Colombia, set to launch in 2025. Most of Emerald’s itineraries range from 8 to 15 days, with flexible options for travelers looking for a shorter or extended journey.
Key Difference:
Both brands sail the same European rivers, but Scenic offers a wider range of long-haul itineraries, including Egypt and more exotic destinations. Emerald, on the other hand, is expanding into South America with its Magdalena River sailings, a region Scenic has yet to explore.
Accommodations and Ship Design
Scenic River Cruises:
Scenic's ships are designed with luxury in mind, offering some of the largest suites available on river cruises. Scenic ships typically accommodate around 160 passengers on the Rhine and other European rivers. Every suite comes with a butler service, and the Scenic Sun Lounge is a standout feature in each stateroom—a retractable glass window that can turn a balcony into an all-weather conservatory at the touch of a button.
Scenic also offers two dining venues onboard, including the main dining room and Portobellos or L'Amour, the specialty restaurant. In terms of ship design, Scenic Space-Ships are sleek, elegant, and have spacious public areas, including a wellness center and several lounge areas. Guests can expect a more intimate cruising experience with a high staff-to-guest ratio, ensuring personalized service.
Emerald River Cruises:
Emerald ships offer a more contemporary design with a focus on providing luxury at a more affordable price point. Emerald ships on the Rhine, for example, accommodate around 180 passengers, slightly more than Scenic’s vessels. Although Emerald doesn’t offer butler service, the staff is attentive and provides a high level of service. One of Emerald’s most unique features is the indoor pool, which transforms into a cinema at night.
Emerald’s staterooms are modern and comfortable, with panoramic windows and plenty of natural light. While the suites are not as large as Scenic's, they offer exceptional value for money. The ships feature one main dining venue, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and regionally inspired cuisine.
Key Difference:
Scenic offers a more luxurious onboard experience with larger suites, butler service, and multiple dining venues. Emerald provides a more contemporary feel with slightly larger ships and modern amenities like a pool-cinema hybrid, making it a great option for value-conscious travelers.
Dining Experience
Scenic River Cruises:
Scenic offers an all-inclusive dining experience with an emphasis on fine dining. Guests can enjoy multiple dining venues, including a specialty restaurant and the main dining room. Scenic’s focus is on delivering gourmet meals with locally sourced ingredients. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary minibar stocked with premium wines, spirits, and snacks, and they have access to a selection of beverages 24/7.
Emerald River Cruises:
Emerald’s dining experience is also all-inclusive, but with fewer dining venues compared to Scenic. There’s only one main restaurant onboard, but it still delivers a high standard of meals, using locally sourced ingredients and offering a mix of regional and international cuisine. Complimentary beer, wine, and soft drinks are served with lunch and dinner, with other beverages available for purchase.
Key Difference:
Scenic offers a more varied dining experience with multiple venues and a 24/7 complimentary drink service, while Emerald offers a solid all-inclusive dining experience with fewer dining options but still high-quality meals.
Excursions and Inclusions
Scenic River Cruises:
Scenic is known for its extensive range of included excursions. Scenic offers their Scenic Enrich program, providing exclusive experiences such as private concerts in palaces or special access to heritage sites. Guests can also enjoy Scenic’s Tailormade GPS-guided tours, which allow for self-guided exploration. Most excursions are included in the fare, and Scenic also offers e-bikes onboard for those who want to explore cities at their own pace.
Emerald River Cruises:
Emerald’s excursion program, known as EmeraldPLUS and EmeraldACTIVE, includes a mix of cultural experiences, such as visits to local markets or historical landmarks, as well as more active options like guided hikes or bike tours. One of the benefits of Emerald is that guests can choose from a variety of excursions in most ports, giving more flexibility in how they explore. While Emerald includes a robust selection of excursions, more in-depth or specialized tours are available for an additional fee through the DiscoverMORE program.
Key Difference:
Scenic includes more premium and exclusive excursions in their fare, while Emerald offers excellent value with more flexible options for excursions. However, some of Emerald’s deeper exploration experiences require an additional fee.
Comparison to Mass-Market Ocean Cruises
One of the most significant differences between river cruising and mass-market ocean cruising is what’s included in the fare. Scenic and Emerald both offer an all-inclusive experience that covers:
Wi-Fi on all ships.
Alcoholic beverages during meals, and with Scenic, guests also enjoy unlimited drinks 24/7.
Gratuities, which are fully included with both Scenic and Emerald, whereas ocean cruises often require tipping on top of the cruise fare.
Excursions: While all river cruises (including Scenic and Emerald) include daily excursions, mass-market ocean cruises charge for every shore excursion unless you book with one of the top luxury lines.
In contrast, ocean cruises typically offer a lower starting fare but charge extra for Wi-Fi, alcohol, excursions, and gratuities, which can add up quickly. River cruises like those from Scenic and Emerald offer more value upfront, with fewer surprise charges throughout the journey.
Passenger Capacity and Ship Size on the Rhine
Scenic: Approximately 160 passengers per ship, providing a more intimate and luxurious experience with a higher staff-to-guest ratio.
Emerald: Approximately 180 passengers per ship, offering a slightly busier, more vibrant onboard atmosphere but still maintaining a premium level of service.
Comparison to Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises is one of the most well-known names in river cruising due to its extensive advertising and brand recognition. Viking is also considered a premium river cruise line but tends to have larger ships (typically 190 passengers on European rivers) and fewer inclusions compared to Scenic. Viking includes one excursion per port, while Scenic and Emerald offer multiple included options.
Scenic stands out for its all-inclusive nature and higher level of luxury, while Emerald offers better value compared to Viking, with more inclusions at a similar or lower price point.
Final Thoughts: Which One is Right for You?
Both Scenic River Cruises and Emerald River Cruises offer exceptional river cruising experiences, but they cater to slightly different audiences.
Scenic is perfect for travelers seeking the ultimate in luxury, with spacious suites, butler service, multiple dining venues, and exclusive excursions
Emerald is ideal for value-conscious travelers who still want a premium experience, with modern amenities, active excursions, and a contemporary ship design.
Ultimately, the choice between the two comes down to what type of experience you’re looking for: Scenic for top-tier luxury or Emerald for contemporary value. Both brands deliver on their promise of exceptional service and unforgettable experiences on Europe’s most beautiful rivers.
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