Scenic: the upper range from the same house as Emerald
Start with what neither page usually says. Scenic and Emerald belong to the same company. Scenic Group, founded by Glen Moroney and based in Zug, Switzerland, runs both brands: Emerald began in 2013 as a division of Scenic. If you are hesitating between the two, you are not hesitating between two competitors but between two ranges from one house.
What separates Scenic from Emerald
What the fare covers, and it is measurable. Scenic announces drinks all day with a few exceptions, butler service for suites, a restocked minibar, all excursions included and electric bicycles. Emerald announces wine, beer and soft drinks at meals, no butler, and excursions on two tiers of which the second is charged. Gratuities and Wi-Fi are announced as included on both sides. We report what both lines announce; we have not checked it departure by departure.
What we carry, measured
The fleet spreads across the rivers of Europe, the Douro, the Mekong and ocean-going discovery ships. Two boats carry no departure with us at the moment: Scenic Ikon and Scenic Tsar. The number of Scenic cruises currently on sale is shown at the top of this page.
A scattered fleet, and what that changes
This is the most scattered of the group's three fleets — Europe, the Douro, the Mekong, and discovery ships that follow no river at all. The practical consequence: two departures on the same boat are not necessarily alike, and it is better to read the route than the name of the ship. Scenic Spirit, on the Mekong, is one of the two busiest ships in the fleet, along with Scenic Azure, on the Douro. The two busiest ships in this fleet therefore work outside the great rivers of Europe.
The butler, and what he actually does
It is the brand's range argument, so it is worth saying what it covers. On a river boat the butler mostly handles cabin service, pressing and excursion arrangements. If you eat in the dining room and go ashore with the group, you will barely see him. It is not a reason to choose Scenic over Emerald; drinks served all day and excursions all included are better ones. Scenic Amber and Scenic Diamond carry most of the European calendar.
