MS Swiss Corona

Overview

Built in 2004 utilizing the most modern design techniques and latest in safety features, as its name suggests, the five-star MS Swiss Corona is Swiss owned and managed - and one of the finest such vessels adorning any European river!
Your first experience is the strikingly luxurious lobby, with beautiful polishe marble decks, adorned with rich hardwoods, tasteful brass fittings and classic wrought-iron staircases, recalling classic five-star hotels from the golden age of travel. Blend this with the ship’s low passenger complement, just 139 guests (many similar size vessels carry nearly 200), with 35 crew, the ratio to passengers at less than 4 to 1 is very high, guaranteeing an excellent level of service and a more personal touch. The superb Swiss Corona has three air-conditioned decks, Diamond (upper), Ruby (middle) and Emerald (lower). The Diamond and Ruby decks are connected by a standard lift. The Emerald deck and the large sun-deck are accessible by a staircase and there is a tasteful boutique stocking essentials.

There are two lounges in which to relax - the Forward Observatio Lounge, richly carpeted and furnished with comfortable leather chairs, settees and tables, while panoramic windows allow you to enjoy the passing scenery to great effect. With a full bar service, this is the place to relax after a wonderful day’s cruising. During the evening, a pianist plays in the background to complete the genteel atmosphere. To the rear of the ship is the small and intimate Lido Lounge with a bar, a small library and outside armchairs where again you can quietly soak up the scenery. The main restaurant, where the art of haut-cuisine is alive and well, makes superb use of deep wool carpets, wood, glass and marble, while its atmospheric lighting and tables, seating just four and six, combine to create a lovely ambience. Cuisine and service levels are of a similar standard to an onshore top-class restaurant. Unusually for a river cruiser, the Swiss Corona also has a sauna, steamroom and solarium.

Here at Riviera Travel we try our utmost to think of absolutely everything to make your vacation as perfect as humanly possible, which is why we operate our cruise program from May to September when the weather should be at its best. Therefore you are likely to spend some considerable time on the sun-deck, which boasts plenty of deckchairs and sun-loungers from where you can enjoy a drink as picturesque towns and vine-clad hillsides, in all their wondrous beauty, glide by. Catch up on some reading or perhaps relax in the small ‘whirlpool’ splash pool. Just forward of the wheelhouse is the front sundeck, a quiet panoramic spot with an almost yacht-like ambience. Here you can observe life on the river, relax over a drink, chat with like-minded people and simply reflect on how pleasant life can be!

Cabins

The cabins on the Swiss Corona are some of the largest, best appointed and most luxuriously furnished of any river cruiser anywhere in the world. Tastefully carpeted, they are large, 15 square meters (157 square feet) which makes them among the largest of such accommodation, and most importantly, beds are hotel standard, not bunks or berths and a turn down service operates while you have dinner. The beds have the best mattresses, while the linen is of the finest cotton with high quality down pillows ( hypoallergenic alternatives are available, please advise on booking) so you experience a real home-from-home. The well-appointed bathroom features a proper shower cubicle not a curtain, plus of course toilet , and quality bathroom cosmetics. There is a safe, mini-bar, telephone, individual air-conditioning, hairdryer, seating area with two chairs and plenty of storage space. The flat-screen TV features satellite channels so you can keep in contact with the world, and for added interest has a GPS system enabling you to plot the ship’s exact position should you so wish, while bow and aft cameras enable you to enjoy the view without even leaving your cabin!  On the Diamond (upper) deck, all cabins feature floor to ceiling sliding patio style ‘French balcony’ windows, the Ruby (middle) deck has large panoramic windows with opening top panel, while those on the Emerald (lower) deck have smaller fixed windows. On the Emerald (lower) deck, standard double cabins are available for single occupancy at no extra cost. Single supplements apply for other cabins and decks.

Suites

This is where the Swiss Corona really shows its true pedigree, with a limited number of suites of 20 square meters (215 square feet) on each deck, giving that extra room for added comfort. They feature the window style relative to the deck on which they are located plus added space and more luxurious seating. In short your comfort is assured. To book these, please indicate your preference on your booking form.

Dining

The exceptional cuisine on board both the Serenade 2 and the Swiss Corona really is a 5-star experience with a highly professional and dedicated team of experienced chefs, surpassing your expectations on both vessels. For early risers, tea and coffee are served before a sumptuous international buffet breakfast with all the hot and cold dishes you’d expect from a five-star breakfast including an omelet station with bread and pastries freshly baked on board daily. Complimentary morning and afternoon tea/coffee are served on deck or in the lounge. Lunch consists of a truly superb buffet, so you can eat as little or as much as you want from the extensive selection. Dinner consists of four courses: entrée, soup, main course and dessert, followed by tea and coffee. The chefs will do their best to cater for anyone with special dietary requirements, prior notice is needed however, so please indicate at time of booking. Thanks to both our ships’ outstanding ‘state of the art` purpose-built design, the restaurants’ wonderful large panoramic windows ensure you still enjoy the scenic delights during lunch or dinner so you won’t miss a thing! Highlight of the day is your delicious dinner with local and international dishes prepared to excellent standards served in wonderful surroundings. With free-seating and no large tables, passengers often remark on the experience as being more like an on-shore, high quality restaurant than a cruise ship with its regimentation. This is exactly the atmosphere we are trying to achieve. In addition to this, you’ll be formally welcomed aboard at the ‘Welcome Dinner’ while towards the end of your cruise the Captain proudly hosts his splendid ‘Gala Dinner’ featuring specialties of the countries and regions through which you have traveled. Both vessels pride themselves on their wine lists, which of course have the international classics, but an extensive choice of local wines too, extremely well-made, sourced with care - not necessarily well known varieties, but exceptionally palatable - in short real `finds`. You can enjoy many by the glass (a far cry from often disappointing ‘house’ wines), enabling you to try new varieties and thus enhancing your dining experience