One of the highlights of an Emerald Cruises river cruise is the opportunity to spend quality time exploring some of Europe’s most fascinating cities. While the company is always expanding and honing their port excursions to ensure guests get the most out of tours, Emerald Cruises is also focusing on the equally important on-board experience through amenities and wellness, culinary and educational programs. A series of new on-board programs launching in 2017 and 2018 includes yoga classes, smartphone photography workshops, and dinner with a local celebrity chef.
Returning home with impressive vacation photos is often easier said than done. Emerald Cruises is offering guests aboard the October 14 Sensations of Southern France sailing the chance to learn to use their smartphones to take photos with one of the industry’s best, Jack Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth is a recognized name in travel and lifestyle photography, especially when it comes to shooting with a smart phone, and the author of the new book, The Joy of iPhotography. During this sailing, Hollingsworth will lead on-board workshops showing even novice smartphone users his tricks of the trade and offer hands-on assistance for capturing the ideal shots.
A river cruise is designed to be relaxing, and Emerald Cruises is going a step further to meet guests’ wellness needs with on-board yoga classes aboard their Douro River sailings in Portugal. As part of the growing EmeraldACTIVE program, which was designed to provide guests the option to engage in more strenuous pursuits while cruising, the yoga classes will be offered on the sundeck during all Douro sailings.
France has been long known for its culinary prowess and outstanding chefs. Guests on the Sensations of Southern France sailing can get a taste of one of Avignon’s best during an on-board, Provençal style dinner cooked by acclaimed local chef and Top Chef France finalist, Fabien Morreale. Chef Morreale hails from Martigues, a coastal town near Marseille where he owns two restaurants: La Garage and Le Gusto Caffé. He was a competitor on Top Chef France, where he made it to the final four, and is dedicated to cooking with the freshest local ingredients. While docked in Avignon, Chef Morreale comes aboard to cook a four-course meal specially created for Emerald Cruises guests.
