Luxury river cruise operator Tauck has come up with a very interesting initiative: they’ve partnered with internet and technology juggernaut Google to capture 360-degree panoramic views from locations around the lower Danube River – and aboard one of Tauck’s sumptuous riverboats, the ms Treasures.
Along with Tauck partner Scylla AG, which handles the marine operations of their river cruise product, Google mounted one of their “Trekker” cameras to the forward deck of the ms Treasures as she sailed down the Lower Danube through Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
The Trekker camera creates Google’s 360-degree panoramic photographs with the help of 15 separate lenses, each of which faces a different direction. The resulting images are then digitally stitched together to create a fully-functioning panorama that mimics human eyesight and movement. Viewers are then able to virtually “look” up, down, left and right by moving their computer mouse across the digital panorama.
“Google is a true innovator and an undisputed leader in their field, and we like to think of ourselves in similar terms,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. “We’re both continually pushing the boundaries in our respective industries, and it was great working with Google to chronicle Europe’s most iconic river – a place where Tauck has already brought great innovation.”
Areas captured by the Street View Trekker camera during its time aboard the ms Treasures include imagery spanning six countries from Bratislava, Slovakia to Cernavoda, Romania. Highlights include Bratislava Castle in Bratislava, Slovakia, the Chain Bridge and Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, Hungary, and the Franciscan Monastery and Church of St. Philip in the Croatian city of Vukovar. The Trekker also captured 360-degree views of the ms Treasures’ Compass Rose dining room, Panorama Lounge, Sun Deck and other areas. All of the Trekker images from aboard the ms Treasures were just recently uploaded to the collection of Street View panoramas on the Google website.
Known for their seamlessly blended cruise and land tours, Tauck has maintained a noteworthy presence along the rivers of Europe over the past decade. Last year, the line took delivery of two brand-new river cruise ships, the ms Inspire and ms Savor – both of which feature Tauck’s new trendsetting Loft Staterooms. In 2016, Tauck will welcome the new ms Grace and ms Joy to their fleet of European river cruise ships. Both vessels will be sister-ships to the ms Inspire and ms Savor, and will mark a 125-percent expansion in the company’s fleet over the course of two years.
More information on Tauck and their all-inclusive river cruise options can be found by viewing our company profile here on River Cruise Advisor.
