Active Excursions
ON A RECENT EMERALD Waterways cruise on the Rhine River, I joined fellow passengers on several complimentary “Emerald Active” excursions, complimentary hiking and biking tours that allow participants to enjoy some of Europe’s must-see sights and hidden gems. Typically these are bike rides along the river or hikes up to castles, so I took full advantage of what was available. With a Fitbit, I was able to measure the amount of exercise I got on regular days and compare them with Emerald Active days: During a standard city walking tour I took 9,000 to 10,000 steps, roughly equivalent to walking 4 to 4.5 miles. On the day I took part in an Emerald Active excursion — a hike up to Wertheim Castle in Germany — I clocked around 13,000 steps or roughly 6 miles.
During my cruise, I met many like-minded passengers including Maggie and Bern Gorecki, who are exactly the kind of active travelers that river cruises are beginning to attract. The couple from Collingwood, Ontario, are avid golfers, runners, and cyclists who exercise every day. So Maggie took advantage of the upper deck running track while Bern, a non-runner, looked forward to the active excursions for his daily dose.
River cruise lines are definitely changing to meet the younger demographic, says Joni Rein, vice president of U. S. sales and marketing for Emerald and Scenic Cruises.
“The river cruise market is growing fast and that puts pressure on us to constantly adapt,” said Rein. “We watch our guest satisfaction scores closely, and disseminate them to staff right after each sailing. If we see a trend, decisions are made in real time and changes can be made on the fly if needed.”
Rein adds that while a variety of activity levels are offered — slow, moderate, and high level — “We know there are more and more guests who want more intense activity on a daily basis.”