emerald waterways

What emerald waterways does

Emerald Cruises & Tours is a privately held luxury cruise and tour operator and a subsidiary of Scenic Tours (USA), Inc., itself part of the broader Scenic Group. The company sells all-inclusive river cruise packages along Europe's Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Saône, Seine, and Douro rivers and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, luxury yacht cruise packages in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Caribbean, Central America, Red Sea, Seychelles, Indian Ocean, and Australia & South Pacific, and small-group land tours across Canada, Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Pricing for cruise packages starts at $2,148 per person for European river cruises and $3,220 per person for yacht cruises, with packages bundling suite accommodations, dining, beverages, and curated shore excursions under the EmeraldDISCOVERY program (sub-branded EmeraldACTIVE, EmeraldPLUS, and DiscoverMORE).

The core technology and product asset base is a fleet of custom-built river-cruising Star-Ships featuring all-suite accommodations, Infinity Pools, wellness centers, and observation sun decks, alongside a yacht fleet built around Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Sakara, and forthcoming Emerald Kaia, Emerald Raiya, and Emerald Xara superyachts accommodating up to 128 guests each. Four new vessels are scheduled to enter service between 2026 and 2027, including a dedicated Seine River ship (Emerald Lumi) designed to access French ports such as Honfleur and Rouen. Distribution operates through a hybrid model combining direct phone sales, online self-service booking, the Travel Advisor Hub professional advisor network, brochure-driven inquiry flow, and a dedicated private charter sales team for corporate meetings, incentives, conferences, and events.

The company targets affluent luxury travelers seeking all-inclusive small-ship experiences, with secondary segments in solo travelers (supported by designed solo cabins and Free Solo Supplement offers), corporate group and MICE clients booking full-ship charters, and group travelers. Ancillary revenue includes DiscoverMORE optional premium excursions and the shared Scenic & Emerald Rewards loyalty program. US operations are administered from 4000 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 625-S, Hollywood, Florida. Memberships in CLIA, USTOA, IATA, and ASTA provide industry standing, and the fleet is positioned as award-winning, though specific awards, revenue, headcount, founding date, and capital structure are not disclosed in available source material.

Name

emerald waterways

Legal name

Emerald Cruises & Tours

Website

https://emeraldwaterways.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Emerald Cruises & Tours is a privately held luxury cruise operator (subsidiary of Scenic Tours / Scenic Group) selling all-inclusive river cruises in Europe and Southeast Asia, yacht cruises across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red Sea, Seychelles, and Indian Ocean, and small-group land tours, targeting affluent leisure travelers, solo travelers, corporate MICE groups, and group travelers via direct, online, and Travel Advisor Hub channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury River and Yacht Cruises

NAICS

Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury River Cruise Operators (THAEACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF), Boutique Small-Ship River Cruises (THAEACAC), Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests) (THAEADAC)

Keywords

• Luxury river cruises
• Yacht cruises
• Small group tours
• All-inclusive packages
• Cruise travel services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Luxury River Cruise Packages: All-inclusive luxury cruise packages along European rivers (Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Saône, Seine) and Southeast Asia (Mekong). Packages include suite accommodations, all meals, beverages, shore excursions, and cultural experiences. Revenue generated from per-person cruise fares.
2. Luxury Yacht Cruise Packages: Ocean-going yacht cruise experiences in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red Sea, Seychelles, and Indian Ocean. Packages include accommodations, dining, beverages, and curated excursions with revenue from per-person cruise fares.
3. Emerald Tours Land Journeys: Small-group land touring experiences in Canada, Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Revenue generated from land tour packages.
4. Private Charters & MICE Events: Full-ship private charter opportunities for corporate meetings, incentives, and events on both river and yacht cruises.
5. DiscoverMORE Premium Experiences: Optional add-on premium excursions and experiences available for purchase during cruises, including specialty tours and exclusive experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Emerald Cruises & Tours operates luxury river cruises on Europe's iconic rivers (Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Douro) and the Mekong in Southeast Asia via custom-built Star-Ships. The company also runs luxury ocean-going yacht cruises in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Caribbean, Red Sea, Seychelles, and Indian Ocean, complemented by small-group land tours across Canada, Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Packages are all-inclusive, bundling suite accommodations, meals, beverages, shore excursions, and cultural experiences into per-person fares.

Product overview

Emerald Cruises & Tours offers a portfolio of three core luxury travel experiences: River Cruises on custom-built Star-Ships navigating Europe's rivers (Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Douro) and Southeast Asia's Mekong; Yacht Cruises aboard luxury vessels exploring the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Caribbean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean; and Emerald Tours land journeys across Canada, Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The fleet expansion includes new superyachts (Emerald Kaia debuting 2026, Emerald Raiya and Emerald Xara debuting 2027) and the Emerald Lumi river ship for the Seine (2027). Ancillary offerings include the Scenic & Emerald Rewards loyalty program, Private Charters for MICE events, EmeraldDISCOVERY excursion experiences (EmeraldACTIVE, EmeraldPLUS, DiscoverMORE), and Travel Assurance protection plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EmeraldACTIVE: Active excursion program offering biking, hiking, and active experiences during cruises
• EmeraldPLUS
• DiscoverMORE
• Scenic & Emerald Rewards

Products and services

• River Cruises (Star-Ships) Luxury river cruising experiences along Europe's iconic rivers (Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Douro) and Southeast Asia's Mekong River via custom-built Star-Ships featuring all-suite accommodations, Infinity Pools, wellness centers, and observation sun decks. Designed for affluent individual travelers and couples.
• Yacht Cruises Luxury ocean-going yacht cruising experiences across the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Caribbean, Central America, Red Sea, Seychelles, and Indian Ocean aboard Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Sakara, and new superyachts. Includes accommodations, dining, beverages, and curated excursions.
• Emerald Tours (Land Touring) Small-group land journeys covering Canada & Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia, offering curated experiences that complement river and yacht cruise itineraries for individual travelers.
• Emerald Kaia Next-generation superyacht debuting in 2026, embodying evolution in small ship cruising with sleek design, open-air living, wellness amenities, and immersive coastal exploration capabilities.
• Emerald Raiya Next-generation superyacht accommodating up to 128 guests, debuting in the Seychelles from December 2026 before moving to the East Mediterranean in April 2027.
• Emerald Xara Next-generation superyacht accommodating up to 128 guests, debuting in the Mediterranean from April 2027, then crossing the Atlantic to cruise the Caribbean from October 2027 through March 2028.
• Emerald Lumi Brand new river ship launching in 2027 for the Seine River, France, cruising from the heart of Paris to Normandy with innovative custom-built design that unlocks access to coveted ports such as Honfleur and Rouen.
• Scenic & Emerald Rewards Loyalty program offering membership benefits and exclusive rewards for repeat cruisers, shared between Scenic and Emerald cruise brands.
• Private Charters (MICE) Meetings, Incentives, Charters & Events (MICE) offerings for private charter cruises along European and Southeast Asian rivers, Mediterranean coasts, and Caribbean destinations, designed for corporate groups.
• EmeraldDISCOVERY Excursions Curated shore excursion program including EmeraldACTIVE (active adventures like hiking and cycling), EmeraldPLUS (cultural performances and enriching experiences), and DiscoverMORE (optional extended excursions) for immersive destination exploration.
• Travel Assurance Travel protection and assurance programs providing peace of mind for booking and traveling with confidence on river and yacht cruises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Starting prices from $2,148 for Europe river cruises and $3,220 for yacht cruises provide accessible entry to luxury cruising market

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)minorOthersMembership affiliation with ASTA supporting travel advisor professional standards and network.
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)minorOthersMembership in CLIA, the world's largest cruise industry trade organization representing cruise lines.
• United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)minorOthersMembership in USTOA representing tour operators and promoting safe travel practices.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA)minorOthersIATA accreditation demonstrating travel industry professionalism and standards compliance.
• Professional Travel AdvisorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of professional travel advisors serving as primary distribution channel through Travel Advisor Hub with commission-based partnerships for cruise bookings.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tauck River Cruises: Operates a fleet of riverboats in Europe with all-inclusive small-ship cruising and culturally immersive shore programs, overlapping with Emerald's curated excursion philosophy.
• Crystal River Cruises: Ultra-luxury river cruise brand operating all-suite, all-balcony 'Rhine-class' ships in Europe. Competes with Emerald for the highest-spend luxury customer on overlapping Danube, Rhine, and Main itineraries.
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: Boutique luxury river cruise operator on European and Asian rivers with a focus on all-inclusive, high-service itineraries. Directly competes with Emerald's premium positioning and ship design philosophy.
• AmaWaterways: Family-owned luxury river cruise line sailing in Europe, Asia, and Africa with included active-excursion programming comparable to Emerald's EmeraldACTIVE and EmeraldPLUS offerings.
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours: Sister brand under the Scenic Group offering comparable luxury river cruises in Europe and Southeast Asia plus a Discovery Yacht fleet (Scenic Eclipse). Most directly comparable given shared ownership, overlapping itineraries, and parallel Emerald/Sky-Deck luxury positioning.
• Ponant: French luxury small-ship operator running yacht-style cruises in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Caribbean, Red Sea, Seychelles, and polar regions. Directly competes with Emerald's ocean yacht itineraries and100-130 guest vessel size class.
• Viking Cruises: Largest luxury river cruise operator with a fleet of 80+ river vessels and expanding ocean expedition ships. Closest direct competitor in European river cruising targeting affluent North American travelers with all-inclusive pricing and curated cultural excursions.
• Avalon Waterways: Operates luxury river cruises on Europe's Danube, Rhine, Seine, Rhône and Douro with all-suite Panorama Ships. Competes directly with Emerald's Star-Ship fleet for the same affluent customer and travel advisor channel.

Emerging players

• Riverside Luxury Cruises: Newer entrant in the European luxury river cruise segment with all-suite, all-balcony ships and Crystal-experienced leadership. Represents an emerging competitor for advisor-driven luxury bookings on similar itineraries.

Broad incumbents

• Silversea Cruises: Ultra-luxury ocean cruise line under Royal Caribbean Group with small all-suite ships sailing Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean itineraries. Competes with Emerald's yacht cruises for affluent travelers seeking intimate ship experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emerald_cruises
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EmeraldCruises
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmeraldCruisesGlobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/emeraldcruises.global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about emerald waterways