The return to service of the ms Treasures and ms Esprit last week out of Amsterdam marked the completion of the reconfiguration project of four smaller, 110-meter Tauck vessels. The first two riverboats to undergo renovation were the ms Sapphire and ms Emerald, which re-entered service last year.
The new deck plan decreases each vessel’s overall capacity from 118 passengers to 98 and reduces the number of cabins from 59 to 49.All four vessels now feature 20 larger cabins measuring 225 square feet each on the Ruby Deck, which replaced 30 cabins measuring 150 square feet each.
Additionally, second upper deck dining venues have been upgraded with dedicated kitchens and chefs, and were renamed Arthur’s in tribute to Tauck Chairman Arthur Tauck, Jr. The restaurants, which now include expanded menus, are designed to provide guests with more casual dining options. Arthur’s restaurants are a staple on Tauck’s four 135-meter ships.
With this year’s reconfiguration of the Treasures and Esprit – and with identical transformations last year of the Sapphire and Emerald – we’ve reimagined and enhanced half of our riverboat fleet,” said Dan Mahar, Tauck’s CEO. “Now more than ever, we believe that we have the finest, most elegant riverboats on Europe’s rivers.”
The Treasures and Esprit will operate on cruises along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, including the 14-night “Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat”” itinerary.
