Tauck Christens New MS Treasures Riverboat In Germany
Fourth New Riverboat In Five Years Launched As Tauck Celebrates
“World’s Best River Cruise Line” Award And Debut Of Rhone Cruises
NORWALK, CT (August 11, 2011) Three
generations of Tauck family members, local dignitaries, travel agents and
journalists from around the world, special guests and company executives
gathered in Cologne, Germany, yesterday for the official christening of Tauck’s
newest riverboat, the ms Treasures. The
ship is the fourth new Tauck riverboat launched within the last five years.
Robin Tauck, the ms Treasures’ honorary godmother and the granddaughter of company
founder Arthur Tauck, Sr., officially welcomed the ship into Tauck’s fleet
during a traditional christening ceremony.
With celebratory music provided by a local pipe and drum band, and with
geysers of water sent skyward by a nearby fireboat, the assembled guests then
boarded the Treasures for a cocktail reception, gala dinner, and three-night
christening cruise along the Rhine.
“This christening marks a very special moment in the growth and evolution of
our river cruising efforts,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. “Welcoming a beautiful new ship into our
fleet is always a wonderful occasion, but we’re also celebrating being named
the ‘World’s Best River Cruise Line’ by Travel + Leisure magazine, as well as
the first departures of two new Tauck cruises on the Rhone.”
Tauck is honored as the “World’s Best River Cruise Line” in the August issue of
Travel + Leisure, based upon the results of the magazine’s annual readers
poll. Tauck’s first departure of its
14-day “French Escapade: Monte-Carlo to Paris” Rhone cruise (from $5,990 pp,
double, plus air) began yesterday in France.
The first departure of another new Tauck cruise on the Rhone, “French
Waterways & Vineyards,” (10 days, from $4,490 pp, double, plus air)
commenced on August 3.
LIMITED CAPACITY PROVIDES INTIMATE, CLUB-LIKE ATMOSPHERE
As on its other riverboats, Tauck has created an intimate, club-like
atmosphere aboard the Treasures by intentionally limiting its capacity to just
118 guests, compared to the typical capacity of 140 or more on other ships of
similar size. The Treasures boasts 14
spacious, 300-square-foot suites, each equipped with walk-in closets and marble
baths with full-size tubs. The ship also
has seven junior suites and 38 cabins (183 and 150 square-feet, respectively),
and all suites, junior suites and cabins feature new décor and bedding that
Tauck has added fleet-wide for 2011.
All suites, junior suites and cabins also feature plasma TVs, mini-bars, terry
cloth robes and slippers, radios, safes, adjustable air conditioning and L’OCCITANE
toiletries, and 85% of all accommodations have full floor-to-ceiling windows
and French balconies for enhanced appreciation of passing scenery. Guests aboard the Treasures can also enjoy
the ship’s gym, outdoor Jacuzzi, restaurant, lounge, boutique, massage studio
and a second, more casual dining venue in the ship’s Lido Bar.
Nonetheless, according to CEO Mahar, ship design and onboard amenities are just
part of what make Tauck river cruises so special. “We take tremendous pride in our riverboats,
and we honestly believe that we have the finest fleet on Europe’s rivers,” said
Mahar. “But the onboard experience is
just one-half of the total river cruise experience. The exclusive access we provide to people,
places and cultural traditions, our all-inclusive pricing, the service provided
by our three Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director, and the 86 years of
tour operator expertise we bring to our shore excursions all combine to make
our river cruises the best.”
“It’s worth remembering that the Travel + Leisure award is based on six different
criteria that encompass far more than just onboard amenities,” concluded
Mahar. “Besides being scored on cabins
and food, we were rated on service, value, itineraries and activities. That really speaks to the different elements
that make up a Tauck river cruise experience, and we work incredibly hard to
excel at them all.”
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