Emerald Cruises launched its EmeraldActive program in 2019, putting itself at the leading edge of river lines developing entertainment and fitness-focused activities designed to infuse new energy into these journeys, as well as attract a new generation of cruisers.
The program is led by an activities manager and features fitness classes such as Pilates, yoga, morning stretching and aqua aerobics (ships have indoor pools). (AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways also offer similar programs.)
I sailed on Emerald Destiny on a Danube River cruise and sampled the full array of activities featured in the EmeraldActive program. What stands out about that experience is the broad range of daily offerings. You don’t have to be a hardcore workout or fitness fanatic to find something you’ll love.
This program is about getting fellow cruisers to interact with one another in a fun way, and serve as wonderful selling points for any cruise.
“We love to not only immerse ourselves in local culture while traveling but also enjoy staying active,” said Dexter Foxworth, from Charleston, S.C., who was on his first river cruise, with his husband. “The range of activities and experiences Emerald offers is what appealed to us, and they certainly did not disappoint.”
Up to a dozen people began each morning with stretch yoga or Pilates classes led by wellness manager Jelena Vujicic. I joined a few others for aqua aerobics sessions with activities manager Drazen Drazic, who also organized an active walk to a beer garden during our afternoon in Regensburg, Bavaria; hikes up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress that overlooks Passau, Germany, and the castle ruins in Durnstein, Austria; as well as a bike ride in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Guests can enjoy yoga and Pilates classes onboard.
Credit: 2021 John RobertsBut the most fun activities for me included the golf tournament on the three-hole putting course on the sun deck, daily trivia contests and the epic disco dance party in the ship’s Horizon Lounge. All of these events bring great energy (and a fair amount of competitiveness) to create a lively and spirited cruise.
These kinds of free-flowing and less-formal activities can be quite enticing, especially for clients who might be river cruise hesitant based on what they may have heard about this type of travel in the past.
“We were a bit skeptical of river cruises and, admittedly, went into this trip nervous that everything was going to be overly planned and touristy,” Foxworth said.
By the time their journey on the Emerald Destiny ended, the couple was hooked.
“The authentic experiences, the free time to explore each city and the expertise and recommendations from the onboard ship team eliminated any hesitation and stereotype we had about river cruising,” he said.
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