PHOTO: Emerald Sky offers a contemporary river ship that is value-priced for guests.

With more than 30 river ships being launched this year in Europe alone, river cruising continues to be the fastest-growing segment of the cruise industry. One new river cruise brand set to make its mark on European rivers is Emerald Waterways, which launched its first ship, Emerald Sky, this spring.

A sister line to Scenic Cruises (both are owned by Australian-based Scenic Tours), Emerald Waterways is positioned as a mid-priced option on Europe’s rivers, in contrast to Scenic Cruises, which caters to higher-end guests.

Most river cruise ships in Europe are restricted in size by low bridges and narrow locks, which means they look very similar on the outside. But Emerald has broken the mold with a ship that is very different on the inside. This could influence the traditional perception of river cruising by bringing down the typical 55-plus passenger demographic and appealing to customers who have not previously considered a river cruise.

The “Star Ship” Emerald Sky offers a number of contemporary features not found on other river ships. The standout innovation is a swimming pool with a retractable roof that transforms into a movie theater at night, marking a first for a river cruise vessel. Other ships have small outdoor pools and some even offer indoor pools, but no ship has the configuration that Emerald now offers.

In April, Emerald Sky got off to a suitably stylish start in Amsterdam when the 182-passenger vessel was christened by British style icon and 60s supermodel Twiggy. Emerald Waterways introduced a sister ship Emerald Star, in May, and will debut two more vessels in 2015, representing a total investment of $110 million.

The 443-foot Emerald Sky, with a crew of 46, has 92 suites and staterooms divided into different categories. Sailing on three itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, the ship has a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere with none of the formal nights associated with oceangoing cruises.

Accommodations: The ship offers an innovative cabin design that replaces the French balcony common to most ships: all suites have floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows and, at the touch of a button, the top section lowers to form an open-air balcony, complete with decked area.

Staterooms are located on the three passenger decks. There are 20 staterooms on the lower Riviera deck, which all have fixed windows. They include two single cabins, which are 130 square feet each; the rest are double occupancy, each measuring 162 square feet.

The 60 panorama balcony suites, located on the middle Vista and upper Horizon decks, are 180 square feet each. Though they are not technically suites and don’t have balconies, they feature floor-to-ceiling windows that can be lowered halfway in good weather and there are two chairs and a table next to the window.

The eight 210-square-foot grand balcony suites and four 315-square-foot owner’s suites on the Horizon deck have balconies separated from the cabin by sliding doors. The owner’s suite features two rooms, and passengers have a range of benefits, including a complimentary minibar, a Nespresso machine, an invitation to dine at the captain’s table, four free items of laundry per day and continental breakfast and pre-dinner canapés served in the room. The one-room grand balcony suites also include extras such as dinner with the captain, in-room breakfast and two daily items of laundry.

All cabins are comfortable and tastefully decorated in muted tones and have plenty of storage space, although hanging space in the closet is partially taken up by the minibar. Double beds can be configured as twins, but space is limited, so the gap between the two beds is very narrow. Similarly, it can be a bit of a squeeze to get into the bathroom because the door is next to the side of the bed rather than facing into the cabin. The bathrooms have cupboards for storage, a small sink, a shower and Italian Prija bathroom amenities.

All cabins have hotel-style beds, full-length mirrors, large flat-screen televisions with a good choice of channels and movies, plug-in hairdryers, a safe, a telephone and complimentary water replenished daily. The electricity current is 220V with European points, so adapters are required. Free Wi-Fi access is available in the cabins and throughout the ship.

Public Spaces: The ship has a boutique-style, with huge fiber optic lights, extensive use of mirrors and glass, large video screens in the reception area and stunning artwork created from sustainable natural objects, including giant plant holders made from eggshells.

The main public area is the upper deck Horizons Lounge and bar, with an eclectic mix of chairs, sofas and stools where guests can relax and watch the world float past through picture windows. There is a sheltered open-air terrace near the bow of the ship, with chairs, tables and loungers. There are more chairs and sunbeds upstairs on the sun deck, which also has a walking and jogging track and mini-golf course. An elevator links the three passenger decks.

Dining: Breakfast and lunchtime buffets and à la carte dinner are all served in the Reflections Restaurant, the ship’s well-lit and airy main dining room. The restaurant operates on a free-style dining basis with tables seating two, four and six, and service is polite and attentive.

The breakfast and lunch buffets, with drinks served at the table, offer a large variety of hot and cold dishes, and there is also an omelet station at breakfast and a chef preparing a featured hot dish at lunchtime. The table service dinner features a choice of two appetizers and two soups, three entrees, including a vegetarian dish, two or three desserts and a cheese plate. There are “always available” entrees of steak or salmon. Each cruise also features a gala dinner with additional courses and a barbecue on the sun deck, weather permitting.

An early-bird buffet breakfast and lighter lunch, with soup, a hot dish, salads and dessert, is served at the bar in the Horizons Lounge. The lounge also has a 24/7 complimentary tea and coffee station with cookies.

Pool & Fitness Center: The pool area is Emerald Sky’s “wow” factor. By day, it offers a gorgeous 258-square-feet heated pool that is big enough to swim in, with panoramic windows on three sides and a retractable roof. There are comfy loungers and chairs surrounding the pool and a bar in the corner.

When guests are at dinner, the floor of the pool rises to create the floor for the movie theater with a large pull-down screen and popcorn on the tables. Three movies are usually screened per cruise. The ship also has a small gym, with an exercise bike, rowing machine and bench, a hair salon and a massage room.

Itineraries & Tours: Until November this year and from March to November 2015, Emerald Sky will sail on three itineraries: the seven-night Danube Delights cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest, the seven-night Jewels of the Rhine cruise from Basel to Amsterdam and the 14-night Splendors of Europe itinerary from Amsterdam to Budapest.

Typically the ship moors for a half to a full day in ports of call, such as Vienna, Cologne and the pretty Rhine River wine-producing villages of Koblenz and Rudesheim, depending on the itinerary. A daily guided walking or motorcoach tour is included in the fare, and optional excursions, such as concerts and cooking demonstrations, are available for an extra charge. Tours are conducted at an easy pace. Independent and active clients can explore ports at their own pace or borrow the ship’s free bicycles.

Entertainment & Activities: The ship’s lounge has a piano, where the resident pianist plays and sings classic and modern songs in the evening and sometimes during lunch. Visiting entertainers, including local musicians, singers and even a glass blower, perform onboard some evenings, and passengers can expect a light-hearted crew talent show at the end of their cruise. Although Emerald Sky does not have the in-depth onboard lectures offered by some river cruises lines, there are informative daily port talks by the cruise director.

Service: English is the onboard language and staff members are friendly and helpful. The main information points for passengers are the reception desk and cruise director’s desk. Maids service the cabins twice daily, also providing nightly turndown service with an information sheet left on the bed with the following day’s schedule.

Key Selling Points: Emerald Waterways offers excellent value with quality facilities at attractive rates. All gratuities, port charges, airport taxes and transfers within Europe are included in the fare. Complimentary beer, wine and soda are served at lunch and dinner. There’s also free Wi-Fi access onboard the ship and at least one included shore excursion on nearly every cruise day.

While Glen Moroney, Emerald’s founder and managing director, says he is not deliberately targeting a particular age group, the contemporary nature of the product will appeal to younger-than-average river cruise passengers.

Australians currently make up around 60 percent of Emerald Waterways’ passengers, but the company is now actively marketing its product in North America. While many will be on their first river cruise, they are likely to be mature, well-traveled and mainly couples.

Fares & Commission: Fares range from $2,195 per person double for the Jewels of the Rhine itinerary to $3,525 per person for the Splendors of Europe cruise. Emerald Waterways pays variable rates of commission based on sales volume on the entire cruise package. Insurance and pre- and post-stays are commissionable at a flat rate.

For more information, call 855-222-3214 or visit www.emeraldwaterways.com.