Emerald Cruises Brand Guidelines by Scenic & Emerald Cruises US

BRAND GUIDELINES 1st July 2021

Who are we?

Our contemporary take on the classic river cruise has seen us triumph in our field. In addition to our award-winning fleet of state-of-the-art Star-Ships, we are bringing fresh innovation to the celebrated oceans of the world through our introduction of our luxury superyachts. Whether you’re choosing the intimacy of smaller rivers or the luxury of yacht cruising, our floating boutique hotels, outstanding service and unforgettable shore excursions provide our guests with lasting memories. Knowledgeable We are well-travelled, having experienced every trip first-hand. Our cruise directors have been specially selected to ensure we have the know-how to exceed expectations. We want every guest to look into the soul of what makes life tick and our included excursions help them to do just that. Explorations of some of the world’s most wonderful destinations are led by our local, highly-knowledgeable guides, taking guests on a unique journey of famed landmarks and hidden hideaways, off the beaten track. Excellent dining options and complimentary drinks with lunch and dinner, open up new locations and offer a depth of insight through their gastronomic accomplishments.

Passionate With the best people, comes the best service and it takes very special qualities to become an Emerald Cruises cruise director. Every team member has a passion for history and culture and their desire to travel means they are equipped to deal with everything while out on the water. Our guests’ very own personal encyclopaedia, historian, storyteller and interpreter is on-hand at all times, sharing interesting facts and insights into each destination along the way.

Trustworthy We want our guests to feel as relaxed as possible during their time with us. For this reason, we include all flights (UK market only), transfers and tips, as well as a variety of excursions, dining and drinks options. There won’t be any hidden surprises. That’s all part of our promise of exceptional EmeraldVALUE.

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Who are we?

Find out who cruises with Emerald Waterways Who is an Emerald Cruises guest?

40+

Age

Our guest is open to having different experiences and keen to discover new destinations with the expertise of seasoned guides.

couples

grown-up children moved out or living at home

They will have researched their options before choosing to travel with Emerald Cruises, so they’ll have certain expectations we must meet. The trip must be a once-in-alifetime, with insightful itineraries and experiences, premium accommodation and access to the world’s most renowned locations.

degree

educated or higher

Retired or high-earners

They’re 40+ and educated to degree level with a passion for travel, history, culture, food and wine. A broadsheet reader (The Telegraph and alike), who is likely to shop at Waitrose. Travelling solo or as part of a couple, they are retired or high earners, as well as car and home-owners.

£100,000+ households, high-powered jobs

Books

4*plus

City breaks

Travel

Boutique Hotels

Spends £1,000pp+ on a holiday

Solo Travellers Likes

wine

Homeowners

large, detached house worth £300,000+

SHOPPING

high-end supermarket shoppers

Waitrose and M&S

food and

Drives

expensive cars but not ﬂashy

READS

quality broadsheet reader

The Daily Telegraph Likes

HISTORY and

CULTURE

*Data from profiling the UK database 1st July 2021

Emerald Cruises Pillars

It’s important to understand the foundations of the Emerald Cruises brand and the key ‘pillars’ that should always be at the forefront of any campaign or marketing piece. They are important to providing strong, consistent messaging and, as a result, a strong brand that can be easily identifiable within a crowded marketplace.

NCE DE

ITH CONF W I

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The Small Ship Experts Exceptional EmeraldVALUE EmeraldPLUS EmeraldACTIVE & Activity Managers Our Star-Ships & Superyacht – with unique innovations i.e. indoor heated pool Itinerary USPs i.e. exploring off the beaten track Destination USPs & city stays Cruise with Confidence & flexible booking options

CRUI SE

They are the following:

a ll S h i p E x

The Emerald Cruises Difference

We have a number of Emerald Cruises sub-brands used to add strength to our USPs. They are what make the brand stand out from the others and have their own fonts which should be used across all written correspondences (including within itinerary copy) and should be used whenever references to them are made. All Emerald Cruises sub-brands should be coloured in the pale green, with the exception of DiscoverMORE and SoloEXPLORER which are coloured in EmeraldDARKBLUE, and are made up of Raleway Medium (1st half) and Raleway Bold (2nd half).

EmeraldVALUE

The brand term for our dedication to providing great value for money. As backed up by Emerald Cruises winning Best River Cruise Line - Value for Money by Cruise Critic 5 years running.

EmeraldDISCOVERY

Our umbrella term for every excursion type we offer. I.e. EmeraldPLUS, EmeraldACTIVE and EmeraldEXCURSIONS.

EmeraldPLUS

Exclusive experiences taking guests right to the heart of the culture of every destination they visit. For example, coffee and cake in the home of a local Slovakian family.

EmeraldACTIVE

Referring to the daily excursions geared to our more active guests. For example, guided hikes, guided bike rides and canoeing excursions.

EmeraldEXCURSIONS

The brand term for our included daily excursions.

DiscoverMORE

A selection of enhanced experiences allowing guests to explore further and add depth to their cruise (at an additional expense).

EmeraldEXPLORER

The Emerald Cruises loyalty club and the name of our loyalty magazine.

EmeraldEXPRESS

Our monthly email newsletter sent out to enquirers, past guests and loyalty members.

EmeraldREWARDS

Our exclusive reward club targeted at our travel agents in the USA and Canada. (In the UK, this is a joint club with Scenic, called River Rewards.)

SoloEXPLORER

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The brand that we use to promote single offers. These offers allow single guests to book a twin cabin without having to pay a supplement.

Loyalty Club

EmeraldEXPLORER loyalty club Our exclusive loyalty club is extended to guests who have travelled with Emerald Cruises. Used across all our loyalty communications, as well as being the title for the loyalty magazine. When used in the brochure or in direct mail, the Emerald Cruises sub-brand colour of pale green should be used the same as the other sub brands.

EmeraldEXPLORER Silver PANTONE 877C | C48 M35 Y35 K15 WEB R137 G140 B142 Hex #888A8B

EmeraldEXPLORER Gold PANTONE 871C | C42 M41 Y67 K28 WEB R133 G117 B80 Hex #7F7452

As with our other sub-brands, our loyalty logos are made up of Raleway Medium (1st half) and Raleway Bold (2nd half), with the loyalty tier in Raleway Bold.

EmeraldEXPLORER Diamond PANTONE 3105C | C58 M0 Y16 K0 WEB R95 G208 B223 Hex #8CCFDF

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EmeraldEXPLORER Platinum PANTONE COOL GREY 4C | C30 M22 Y23 K3 WEB R185 G185 B185 Hex #B9B9B9

The Emerald Cruises philosophy

More than just a brand term, exceptional EmeraldVALUE is at the heart of the Emerald Cruises Philosophy. Created to give our guests the peace-of-mind that they’re getting more than they might expect for their money. This should be communicated using consistent phrasing and terminology, so that the customer recognises it as an important point of reference. Europe River Cruising

Southeast Asia River Cruising

Airport transfers to and from your Star-Ship.

Airport transfers to and from Emerald Harmony and your hotels.

Stylish accommodation on board our innovative Star-Ships. pectacular innovations like an indoor pool which transforms into a S cinema at night†. ll on board meals including a collection of highlight dinners at A Reflections Restaurant, or breakfast and a café lunch at The Terrace. omplimentary wine, beer and soft drinks to accompany lunch C and dinner. rom luscious lattes to creamy cappuccinos, our state-of-the-art F coffee machines are yours to enjoy throughout your cruise.

Deluxe hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage included. tylish accommodation on board Asia’s most innovative Star-Ship, S built to European safety, fire, hygiene and emission standards. Innovatively designed to allow sailing into the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. All on board meals in the Reflections Restaurant, and a selection of meals during touring days. omplimentary international and local wine, beer and soft drinks C to accompany lunch and dinner while on board Emerald Harmony. rom luscious lattes to creamy cappuccinos, our state-of-the-art F coffee machines and specialist tea stations are yours to enjoy throughout your cruise.

Complimentary water restocked daily in your cabin. Enjoy an included excursion almost every day of your cruise. Visits to UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites. xtra-special excursions and experiences courtesy of our E EmeraldPLUS and EmeraldACTIVE programmes. First-class service from an English-speaking crew. Knowledgeable local guides at every destination. Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Complimentary bicycles on board†. arn EmeraldEXPLORER loyalty points for every Emerald Cruises E river cruise, entitling you to exclusive benefits. Complimentary River Cruise Cover All port taxes. PLUS all tips are taken care of. merald Cruises can assist with return flights. E For UK guests flights are included in the price. †Emerald Radiance on the Douro River does not have bicycles or an indoor pool/cinema, instead there is a spa-style Serenity Pool on the Sun Deck.

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Complimentary water provided on board and during excursions. njoy an included excursion almost every day of your cruise E and tour. xtra-special excursions and experiences courtesy of our E EmeraldPLUS programme.

Yacht Cruising irport transfers to and from your superyacht. A reakfast, lunch and dinner on board. B omplimentary wine, beer and soft drinks to accompany lunch C and dinner. tate-of-the-art coffee machines and tea stations. S omplimentary water, restocked daily . C irst-class service from an English-speaking crew. F Included excursions with knowledgeable local guides. omplimentary Wi-Fi. C Complimentary bicycles on board. arn EmeraldEXPLORER loyalty points for every Emerald Cruises E river cruise and tour, entitling you to exclusive benefits. All port taxes. PLUS all tips on board are taken care of. merald Cruises can assist with return flights. E For UK guests flights are included in the price.

First-class service from an English-speaking crew. nowledgeable local guides hosting small groups in every K destination. Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Complimentary self service laundry facilities on board. arn EmeraldEXPLORER loyalty points for every Emerald Cruises E river cruise and tour, entitling you to exclusive benefits. All port taxes. PLUS all tips are included. merald Cruises can assist with return flights. E For UK guests flights are included in the price.

Logo

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Logo use

One single brand, two product ranges From 1st March 2021, we moved to one single brand Emerald Cruises – with two product ranges: river cruising and yacht cruising. We must no longer use the Emerald Waterways or Emerald Yacht Cruises branding in any of our marketing. When describing our two product ranges we must say: Emerald Cruises river cruising or Emerald Cruises river cruises Emerald Cruises yacht cruising or Emerald Cruises yacht cruises You must respect our full brand name. We are Emerald Cruises. You should never say Emerald, Emerald river cruises or Emerald yacht cruises.

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River Cruising

Yacht Cruising

Logo

Logo usage The Emerald Cruises logo must always appear in full at all times, i.e. with wave and the words Emerald Cruises, and as one full colour (Emerald green, black or reversed out).

Logo clear space The minimum clear space that should always surround the logo is shown here. It is the equivalent to the height of the ‘E’ in the logo.

Minimum size

10mm

The minimum height should be 10mm.

26mm

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Logo

Logo misuse What not to do with the Emerald Cruises logo

Do not stretch the logo

Do not change the colour of the logo

The Deluxe Cruise Company

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Do not add to the logo

Do not use the logo without the waves

Do not put the logo on an image and use a colour where it can not be read

Do not add background strokes, gradients, drop shadows, reflections or anything else to the logo

Colour Palette

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Colour palette

Primary colour palette

EmeraldGREEN

EmeraldPALEGREEN

Primary Green and Pale Green always with white. Please note: Light versions are 50% tints of the main colours.

C:62 M:23 Y:33 K:24 Pantone 5483C Hex #59878c

C:51 M:0 Y:13 K:11 Pantone 629C Hex #79BCCd

Secondary colour palette Most used for offers and promotions. Please note: Light versions are 50% tints of the main colours.

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LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

C:31 M:12 Y:17 K:12

C:81 M:48 Y:54 K:51

C:26 M:0 Y:6 K:6

C:51 M:0 Y:13 K:56

EmeraldPURPLE

EmeraldORANGE

EmeraldRED

C:26 M:91 Y:14 K:3

C:0 M:60 Y:99 K:1

C:0 M:100 Y:100 K:0

Hex #821F5c/#892359

Hex #ed7c03

Hex #CD1618

LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

C:13 M:46 Y:7 K:19

C:21 M:91 Y:14 K:69

C:0 M:30 Y:50 K:1

C:0 M:60 Y:99 K:51

C:0 M:50 Y:50 K:0

C:0 M:100 Y:100 K:50

Colour palette

Tertiary colour palette Other colours in the palette free to use and apply if the secondary palette is not in use in the same. Please note: Light versions are 50% tints of the main colours.

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EmeraldPEACH

EmeraldDARKBLUE

EmeraldLIGHTBLUE

C:0 M:61 Y:49 K:21

C:98 M:55 Y:33 K:19

C:100 M:40 Y:0 K:0

Hex #E18173

Hex #00506F

Hex # 0075bf

LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

C:0 M:31 Y:25 K:11

C:0 M:61 Y:49 K:61

C:49 M:28 Y:16 K:9

C:98 M:55 Y:33 K:60

C:50 M:20 Y:0 K:0

C:100 M:40 Y:0 K:50

EmeraldYELLOW

EmeraldDARKGREEN

C:0 M:24 Y:80 K:0

C:90 M:43 Y:50 K:42

Hex #FECA3A

Hex #005056

LIGHT

DARK

LIGHT

DARK

C:0 M:12 Y:40 K:0

C:0 M:24 Y:80 K:50

C:45 M:22 Y:25 K:21

C:90 M:43 Y:50 K:71

Typography

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Typography

Emerald Cruises uses two main fonts: Raleway Use for the main titles on marketing material, as well as on subtitles i.e. Raleway Bold would be used for the title and Raleway Medium would be used for the subtitle. Or Raleway Medium would be used for the title and Raleway Regular for the subtitle.

Raleway Bold - TITLE

Raleway Medium

Raleway Regular

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

0123456789!@£$%^&*()_-+=

Gotham Narrow Light - BODY

Gotham Narrow Book

Gotham Narrow Medium

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

0123456789!@£$%^&*()_-+=

Gotham Narrow Light Italic

Gotham Narrow Book Italic

Gotham Narrow Medium Italic

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

0123456789!@£$%^&*()_-+=

Please note: title case should not be used. Tracking: 0 or can go down to -20 but no lower. Font size: The subtitle should be three quarters the size of the title i.e. title is 16pt / subtitle 12 pt. However, judgement should be used if this rule doesn’t work by eye.

Gotham Narrow Gotham Narrow Light will be used on the body copy in marketing material. Where Gotham Narrow Light does not show up very well, i.e. on a specific colour, Gotham Narrow Book can be used as the body copy. Please note: for the brochure the minimum font size should be 9pt. Tracking: 0 or can go down to -20 but no lower. Font size: Body copy should be no lower than 8pt. Only in very exceptional circumstances can the font size go any lower i.e. very small advert sizes etc.

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Photography

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Photography

Imagery checklist for Marketing Picturesque scenery

Our Star-Ships are the stars

Cultural interaction

EmeraldACTIVE

Iconic buildings such as Cologne Cathedral and Budapest Parliament Building.

Our contemporary floating hotels - including the pool, Reflections Restaurant, Horizon Bar & Lounge and our sumptuous range of suites and staterooms.

EmeraldDISCOVERY incorporates our immersive range of included activities such as visits to the homes of locals & our on board culinary evening in Provence with Fabien Morreale.

As a key USP, we should highlight our extensive EmeraldACTIVE activities and excursions, including cycling, hiking, yoga, aqua-aerobics & canoeing.

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Tone of Voice

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Tone of voice

Tone of voice How do we want the brand document to be used? As a reference for how the brand will be portrayed in public and to create a unified and distinct presence. It is a starting point that allows creatives to make their own impact.

Why does Emerald Cruises need a tone of voice? In order to engage the correct demographic, a brand needs to speak consistently to its customers. This builds up a trust which makes it more likely that they will purchase with us again in the future and tell their friends.

What do we want from our tone of voice? Strong

Uncomplicated

Consistent

Engaging

Creates an association with the brand and helps us to stand out against our competitors.

We don’t want to confuse customers with jargon, we want them to be confident so they know what to expect.

Speaks the language of our customer across all platforms.

Using evocative language develops aspirations of being there themselves, while telling them all they need to know about the destinations we visit and the environment on our ships.

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Tone of voice

Guidelines for effective content - Our language Informal vs formal language

Technical language

Colloquialisms and slang

We want a degree of formality as the base of our voice to convey professionalism and sound authoritative within the field to make our customers feel like they can trust us with their investment.

We want to make our product USPs as easy to understand as possible – these are what set us apart from the rest.

A great way to inject personality – but must be relevant and known to the demographic

Technical terms are needed to strengthen your authority in the field, but we want to use ‘everyday’ language, so a vast audience will understand.

For example: How we would describe Emerald Cruises to someone who had never heard of us?

Studies have shown that customers favour more natural language in marketing, unfamiliar and obscure language tends to alienate people who find it difficult to digest.

We don’t want to sound stiff and clinical – we still want to inspire. This is very important for email subject lines if we want to encourage CTR.

We want to sound how we would speak – casual but considered.

Simplistic language is a better way to build up trust – the reader knows we’re not dressing up a lack of knowledge with long words to confuse.

“Introducing the Emerald Azzurra superyacht by Emerald Cruises, built to sail the world’s oceans and coastlines ” vs,“Emerald Azzurra, an awesome way to see a bunch of cool cities in one go!” - the second option does not represent the language that is relevant to our target audience.

Active voice

Short sentences

Punctuation

The use of active voice helps your sentences to remain concise. It also adds strength to a point.

Keep sentences short where possible. It encourages conciseness and is easier for the reader to pick out necessary information.

Avoid using exclamation marks where possible. But if necessary they must be limited to one.

But, we don’t want to sound too ‘in your face’ or reckless. I.e. “The best river cruises in Europe!” vs. “Take to Europe’s waterways on a deluxe river cruise…”

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Tone of voice

Guidelines for effective content - Grammar Although we’re taught to make sure we abide by every grammatical rule in the book, sometimes it works better to simplify our language. Ultimately, it’s important to choose the best way to communicate our message, so we need to decide what works for us. Use of negatives/double negatives

Common noun

Proper noun

Pronoun

Never start a sentence with a negative, even if it is being followed on by a positive. Double negatives are more of a dialect term, so shouldn’t be used.

A non-specific person, place or thing. i.e. Woman, ship, country

A name used for an individual person, place or organisation.

A word that takes the place of a noun and can serve the same purpose.

i.e. David, Emerald Cruises, Manchester

i.e. He, she, they, it

Verb

Adverb

Adjective

Use conjunctions

A word used to describe an action, state or occurrence.

Modifies a verb.

A word that describes a noun or pronoun.

i.e. The captain cheerfully welcomed the guests on board

i.e. Big, blue

i.e. Don’t, can’t, won’t – while being colloquial, they read better.

i.e. Travel, live, run, keep

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Tone of voice

Capital letters Titles

Rivers & Seas

Managerial roles

Use sentence case as a general rule, with the exception of itinerary names.

Always a capital letter but not necessary for ‘the’ unless beginning a sentence.

Don’t capitalise job titles, unless it comes before a name.

i.e. Sail the greatest of Europe’s rivers

i.e. the Danube River

i.e. This evening, you’ll join the captain for your welcome dinner

i.e. Sensations of Lyon & Provence

i.e. the Adriatic Sea

i.e Your Emerald Cruises cruise director will always be on-hand to answer your questions

i.e. Charms of Greece & Turkey

Don’t capitalise ‘river’ when referring to multiple rivers in a sentence.

i.e Our journey planners handpick the best daily excursions…

i.e. The Rhine, Main and Danube rivers are three of Europe’s most iconic waterways.

i.e This evening, you’ll dine at the Captain’s Table… (because it’s the name of the table.)

i.e. The Best of the Red Sea

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i.e For the duration of your cruise, Captain John Smith will be taking care of you

Tone of voice

Voice Characteristic

Description

Don’t

Passionate

An eye-opening way to uncover multiple cultures and discover a new way to travel.

Use language that shows that we’re knowledgeable on the subject and have ‘been there, done that’ – and had a wonderful experience.

Use the passive voice.

Engaging

See the world differently on an Emerald Cruises river cruise.

Use descriptive, emotive language to make the customer want to read on.

Lose the reader with jargon and listed itinerary-focussed content.

Evocative

Riverbanks scattered with bustling villages line the route to each destination on an Emerald Cruises river cruise.

Tell a story, use description to make the customer almost believe they’ve been there and encourage them to see it for themselves.

Be vague and clinical.

Classic with a contemporary twist

An innovative take on river cruising, where technology meets discovery.

Portray that we have a modern outlook on travel and aren’t stuck in the past with the old-fashioned stereotypes that can come with cruising.

Overcompensate. Our ships will sell themselves with just a little bit of explanation as to what sets us apart from others.

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Use negatives to begin sentences.

Tone of voice

Brand Language Inclusive

Superyacht

Not all-inclusive

Always one word

World-class

Star-Ship

Always hyphenated

Hyphenated with capital ‘S’

Emerald Cruises

UNESCO World Heritage-listed

Bikes/Bicycles

Cabins

Always title case and always the full name. Never just ‘Emerald’, ‘Emerald river cruises’, or ‘Emerald yacht cruises’

Always include the whole phrase

Not e-Bikes

Use when space is at a minimum, otherwise use Suites and/or Staterooms.

State-of-the-art

Award-winning

Onshore

Special Interest Cruises

Always hyphenated

One word

Our collection of specially adapted itineraries, designed to focus on the interests and hobbies of our guests.

Small ship experts

Active

On board

Epic Voyages

Two words

A collection of combined itineraries, consisting of two or three of our award-winning river cruises, specially designed to complement each other.

Small ship always separate words

Luxury superyacht Use this term as a positioning statement for Emerald Cruises Yacht Cruising. It doesn’t need to be used every time we mention the yacht itself.

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Contemporary

Modern

Dates On board our vessels dates will be written in English form i.e. 6th July 2021

Innovative/Innovation

Foreign words Must include accents where applicable i.e. Château/Châteaux (plural), Café, Rhône/Saône, Sète, Kuşadasi, Kérkira, Ðat Dua, Tonlé Sap

River cruise destination referencing Always use the following: Europe river cruises France river cruises, Portugal river cruises, Southeast Asia river cruises

Tone of voice

Reflections Restaurant

Sky Bar

Located on the Vista Deck of every Emerald Cruises Star-Ship and on the Emerald Deck of our Emerald Azzurra superyacht, this is the centre point of our on board dining experience.

On Emerald Azzurra’s Sky Deck, relax in the Spa Pool as you enjoy the glorious Mediterranean sun, drink in hand.

Horizon Bar & Lounge

Pool & Café

A feature of our Star-Ships and our Emerald Azzurra superyacht, this is a spacious and contemporary meeting space with comfortable seats and a fully stocked bar. Where entertainment takes place on selected evenings.

At the rear of our Emerald Azzurra superyacht on the Pool Deck, enjoy expansive views of the unfolding panoramas with light refreshments.

Indoor Heated Pool

Marina Platform

A feature of the majority of our European Star-Ships, this innovative space also has a retractable roof and transforms into a cinema at night.

Getting in and out of the water for swim stops couldn’t be easier using this special platform at the back of our Emerald Azzurra superyacht.

The Terrace

Observation Deck

At the front of our Star-Ships and the back of our Emerald Azzurra superyacht, this indoor and outdoor space is the perfect spot to enjoy the views. Here you can enjoy a light breakfast or lunch, or grab a drink and take it outside to admire the passing landscapes as you sail.

In a prime position at the front of our Emerald Azzurra superyacht, head to the Observation Deck for unrivalled views as we sail in and out of ports.

Sun Deck At the top of every Star-Ship, enjoy views of the river from this wonderful vantage point. Complete with deck chairs, naughts and crosses and a walking track. On board Emerald Radiance, sailing the Douro in Portugal, you’ll find the heated spa-style Serenity Pool.

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