Scenic has just launched its new program which includes a rebuild of three Scenic Space-Ships in France and the launch of an on-board cooking school.
Scenic Luxury Cruises ships Scenic Diamond in Bordeaux and Scenic Emerald and Sapphire (pictured above) on the Rhône and Saône in the South of France, will be rebuilt in 2017, opening up public spaces and reducing the number of guests to 155 (78 cabins), but not staff numbers, offering guests an even more personalised level of service.
The redesigned ships will all feature two 47sqm Royal Owner’s Suites on the Diamond Deck – the biggest suites on board European river cruise ships, larger wellness centres and gyms plus a vitality pool.
One of the most exciting new elements of these ships will be the exclusive Scenic Culinaire experience. Scenic has transformed one of the on board dining venues into a private cooking emporium offering tailored cooking classes. The dedicated space will feature cooking stations, a cheese and wine cellar, fresh ingredients will be sourced from local markets and cooking instructors will introduce guests to regional recipes based on the regions cruised through.
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Scenic Culinaire features a real-time camera and screen to ensure each participant can see every cooking move in detail.
Plenty of sessions are scheduled throughout the cruise, however with exclusive numbers, guests are encouraged to register their interest early.
Scenic has also launched six new combination cruises ranging from the 19 Day Eastern European Endeavour which travels from Prague to Bucharest along the Danube and through the less-travelled Black Sea region, to the 27 Day European Sojourn which begins in Budapest cruising the popular Rhine-Main-Danube rivers and connecting with the Rhône in Lyon, ending in Nice.
“France is the epicentre of cuisine and fine dining so we are delighted to introduce Scenic Culinaire to our guests,” said Aleisha Fittler, GM Product Development. “We know many have a huge passion for food and wine so we believe this is something that will really enhance their cruising experience and immerse them even further into the delights of French gastronomy.
“Our combination cruises continue to grow in popularity so we have added a number of these to our brochure for the first time this year, some of which are based on guest feedback. Each itinerary in France has been designed to seamlessly connect across these diverse regions by air, rail or road, to deliver the ultimate French cruising experience. The Seine and Bordeaux and Seine and Rhône have been our most popular combination cruises with our new 10 day Douro river cruise also combining easily with France and proving to be popular combination too.”
New Scenic Enrich experiences include Scenic Rouge – performed under a big-top in Lyon where guests will enjoy a traditional French cabaret performance including the famous can-can, and an exclusive four-course dining experience with matched vintages at the acclaimed Mumm Champagne house in Riems.
New Scenic Freechoice activities include a gingerbread cooking class in Nuremberg; guided tour of Bratislava; Tournon vineyard hike and wine tasting, and for the more active there are three new cycling options in Caudebec, Arnhem and Bordeaux.
