43 sustainable and sophisticated look” to the interiors of these river ships, the brand partnered with world-class design firms and artisans, including Missoni, Freifrau and MKM Yachts. “These collaborations are helping us deliver ships that are not only beautiful, but also thoughtfully attuned to the way today’s guests live, relax and explore,” explains Muskat, adding that Scenic Group will also works with these partners for other vessels. In 2026, Emerald Cruises plans to debut the new 180-guest Emerald Astra on the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers. “Emerald Astra marks the beginning of a new era for us in river cruising,” says Muskat. “Our next-generation ships are being built with sleeker hulls, more panoramic windows and enhanced sustainability systems – all to bring guests closer to the destination with less impact. Inside, you’ll see modern, openconcept spaces inspired by our yacht and expedition design, plus more wellness offerings and cultural programming onboard. It’s about making river cruising more fluid, elegant and experiential, without losing the comfort or consistency that advisors and guests love.” The brand will introduce its first ship purpose-built for the River Seine in France in 2027. Emerald Lumi will feature spacious suites, a light-filled lounge, French-inspired dining concepts and a specialised hull to enable it to sail into open seas and access smaller ports. Itineraries will include overnights in Paris and extended time in Normandy, while the shore excursions and onboard programming will highlight local wine, art, music and storytelling. “France has long been a top-requested destination, and the Seine is one of Europe’s most iconic waterways,” says Muskat. “We saw an opportunity to bring our Emerald Cruises style – contemporary, comfortable and culturally immersive – to a region rich in history, cuisine and charm. Emerald Lumi is purpose-built to navigate the Seine’s unique dimensions, allowing us to dock in more intimate ports like Honfleur and Rouen – destinations that many other river operators can only access via bus from larger docking points. This will be river cruising with a boutique, French soul. It’s a natural extension of our vision to connect guests to destinations in meaningful and modern ways.” Collectively, the new yachts and river cruise vessels will help Emerald Cruises to fulfil its “transformative” new deployment strategy. “We want to bring greater year-round access and variety to our guests, while creating more selling opportunities for our partners,” says Muskat. “With our expanded yacht fleet, we can now maintain warm-weather sailing year-round, while the addition of Emerald Lumi and Emerald Astra to the river fleet allows us to expand deeper into France and Central Europe. This also unlocks new charter, group and speciality programming opportunities.” To further increase variety for guests, Emerald Cruises is increasing the portfolio of speciality sailings and enrichment-led programming it offers. The itineraries enable guests to experience the gastronomy, literature, music or other cultural elements of the destinations they are visiting with the guidance of a dedicated expert. For example, guests on the wine and culinary-focused ‘Danube Explorer’ itinerary were joined by expert sommelier Alejandro Ferris. “We continue to elevate the onboard experience through immersive, culturally aligned programming and curated guest journeys,” says Muskat. “Together, these experiences underscore our commitment to going beyond the itinerary to offer our guests unique, high-touch moments that align with their passions and inspire deeper connection with the destinations and local communities we visit.” The 180-guest Emerald Astra will debut on the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers in 2026
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