Page 38 - washington state wine

We had a crew of 60, mostly Eastern Eu- same size; they have to be squat enough windows. Passengers congregate in the
ropeans, catering to our every whim. to clear European bridges and narrow Panorama Lounge or the dining room to
enough to get through locks. At its wid- enjoy lavish multi-course meals as pas-
The Scenic Jade was launched two years est point, the Jade measures 11.54 me- toral scenes glide by. The ship’s chef and
ago – and served as a model for its two ters; locks are 12 meters wide. galley crew present international dishes,
new sister ships: Scenic Jasper and Sce- with daily themes – but focus on region-

nic Opal, which launched this spring. Public areas aboard Scenic ships feature ally sourced ingredients: Dutch cheeses,
Eighty-five percent of cabins have bal- contemporary décor and large picture Norwegian salmon, French foie gras.
conies – and their design is terrific: A
floor-to-ceiling fold-away glass door The Jade has a small spa/salon and fit-
opened our cabin to the balcony and ness area, but neither got much use
outdoors – making everything more during our cruise. The new ships have
spacious. We could flip a switch to raise two pools: a splash pool and a resistance
or lower a window on the outside of the swimming pool. On all ships, dress is ca-
balcony; it enabled us to inhale the scent sual – no need for a tie.
of fresh-mowed hay in the mornings,
and keep out bugs at night. Our balcony As we floated through the heart of his-
became the perfect private spot for lazy toric Europe, a few feet from land, we
room-service breakfasts, post-shore-ex- discovered surprises around every riv-
cursion cocktails or for savoring sunset, er bend: too many medieval castles to
around 10 each evening. count along bluffs of the Rhine Gorge;
an old-fashioned traveling circus on a
Another cabin highlight: the river cruise bank of the Main, a pair of gleeful young
world's most amazing shower – three boys skinny dipping in the Danube.
heads, assorted pressures and a light Our days were as busy – or languid – as
show. we chose. There were daily choices of
Most river cruise ships are about the shore excursions – all for free. The ship

38 Wine Dine & Travel Summer/Fall 2015