Scenic and Emerald Cruises

European River Cruising for Corporate Events

What is River Cruising?

River cruising involves sailing along iconic inland waterways such as the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, and Rhone. Think of it as your five-star hotel… but floating (certainly no canal barge!). Unpack once and wake up somewhere new every day - castles, vineyards, or riverside cities outside your window. Luxury, comfort, and all the amenities of a top hotel travel with you - providing an intimate setting perfect for networking, meetings, and incentive trips.

Why choose river cruising for corporate events?

• Exclusivity: Ships accommodate between 96–180 guests and can be chartered entirely, creating a private venue that can be fully customised.
• All-inclusive simplicity: Meals, drinks, excursions, meeting spaces, and entertainment are bundled, simplifying logistics.
• Networking-friendly spaces: Lounges, bars, dining areas, and sundecks naturally encourage collaboration.
• Iconic locations: City-centre docking maximizes time for meetings, excursions, or relaxation.

Vessel features include panoramic lounges, specialty dining, a main restaurant that seats the entire ship, bars, wellness centres, meeting-ready lounges, and sundecks ideal for events. Scenic ships additionally offer butler service, salt therapy lounges, and enhanced inclusivity. Emerald cruises ships offer a pool on every vessel, that cleverly transforms into a cinema or presentation area, plus an activity manager to hold sunrise yoga sessions and e-bike adventures.

Why choose a winter cruise?

Katherine May’s book, Wintering, The Power of Rest and Retreat, is particularly valuable for building winter team activities as it positions seasonal withdrawal as a strategic investment that prevents burnout, strengthens team cohesion, and supports sustainable long-term performance for organisations. Drawing on Katherine May’s concept of seasonal human rhythms, a winter-season cruise can be seen as a purposeful retreat - a collective pause that supports recovery, cohesion, and sustainable performance. According to the author, retreat creates space for emotional processing, bonding, and renewed capacity before re-engagement. Finally, a cruise can be used as a strategic pause that prevents burnout and supports long-term performance, aligning with May’s critique of constant output culture and making it a compelling option for incentive trips.

Our team sees Scenic and Emerald Cruises as a standout option for organisations seeking immersive corporate experiences that combine structured business objectives with meaningful team engagement:

“Clients often ask us for a unique experience that is different to what others are doing. Moving away from land and onto to the water with Scenic & Emerald Cruises is a fresh alternative for clients looking to impress attendees. Perfect for corporate retreats and incentive trips, I'd highly recommend Scenic & Emerald Cruises for anyone looking for a real stand-out unique experience. The activities they offer are thoughtfully designed to wow guests and allow for inspiration along some of the world's best waterways. A true blend of all-inclusive luxury and bespoke event planning, enabling teams to focus entirely on meaningful and strategic conversations, as well as encouraging enjoyment and relaxation for incentive guests.”

— Freya G., Account Manager

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises are sister brands renowned for premium river and yacht cruising experiences worldwide. Scenic offers ultra-luxury, all-inclusive river vessels and expedition yachts, while Emerald provides a contemporary, premium experience at excellent value. Both brands excel in high service standards, immersive itineraries, and exceptional dining.

Team-building spaces:
For team-building activities, most onboard spaces are multi-purpose and can be easily adapted to suit different group formats. Teams typically use the sundeck during the summer months for informal breakout sessions, while indoor options such as the cinema on Emerald ships and the speciality restaurant spaces on Scenic vessels provide flexible settings for workshops, presentations, and collaborative activities.

Space Spotlight: The Sundeck
You won’t beat these ever-changing, open-air 360° views, configurable layouts for cocktail receptions, parties or casual meetings.  The sundeck brings a “wow” factor no indoor venue can match, especially in summer when the sun’s out and the all-inclusive cocktails are cold.

Destinations in Europe

• Rhine – Sail between Amsterdam and Basel
• Danube – Sail between Budapest and Regensberg
• Lower Danube – Sail between Budapest and Bucharest
• Moselle – Sail between Basel and Mainz
• Seine – Sail from Paris to Honfleur and back again
• Rhône – Sail between Lyon and Arles
• Dordogne – Sail the entire Bordeaux wine region
• Douro – Sail from Porto to the Spanish boarder and back again

Sample Itineraries:
Budapest → Bratislava → Vienna (Danube): A 4-day journey combining city highlights, onboard workshops, networking breakfasts, and sundeck cocktails. Excursions include castle tours, guided Old Town walks, and classical music experiences.

Bordeaux → Bordeaux Wine Region (Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde): A 4-day itinerary focused on wine, gastronomy, and team-building. Highlights include château visits, wine tastings, vineyard biking, and gala dinners with regional cuisine - all complemented by onboard workshops and sundeck events.

Scenic and Emerald Cruises seamlessly merge business and travel, offering privacy, luxury, and inspiration. Whether hosting incentive trips or other corporate events, a river cruise delivers a memorable, fully managed experience - perfect for when everyone has “been everywhere” and you’re looking for a fresh way to explore the world together.

Interested in creating an unforgettable experience for your team or partners?
Contact our team to explore the available options and tailor an experience that aligns with your objectives.