The Australian-founded cruise group says it will deploy new vessels on Portugal’s Douro River and Vietnam’s Mekong, with all three ships to be built in-house by its MKM Yachts division in Croatia.
Scenic Group has announced three new luxury river ships will join its portfolio across the Scenic and Emerald Cruises brands, with launches spanning 2027 and 2028.
The expansion includes one Emerald Star-Ship and two ultra-luxury Scenic Space-Ships, adding capacity on Portugal’s Douro River and Southeast Asia’s Mekong River.
The announcement brings the group’s confirmed pipeline to at least nine new vessels when combined with ships already under construction or previously announced, including Emerald Astra (launching May 2026 on the Rhine, Main and Danube), Emerald Lumi (debuting on France’s Seine in 2027), three Emerald Cruises yachts and the next-generation discovery yacht Scenic Ikon.
What’s being built, and where will they sail?
Emerald Nova is the first cab off the rank, with a June 2027 launch on Portugal’s Douro River. According to Scenic Group, the ship has been purpose-built for the Douro and will join the existing Emerald Radiance in the region, operating two itineraries.
The company says one of those, an 11-day Douro Highlights voyage covering Porto, Salamanca and the wine valley, will include guided hikes and kayaking alongside the standard river cruise programme.
Scenic Aria follows in September 2027, also on the Douro. The ultra-luxury Space-Ship will join Scenic Azure in Portugal, operating the brand’s signature 11-day Unforgettable Douro and 8-day Delightful Douro itineraries.
With two ships from each brand now committed to the Douro, the group is making a clear bet on Portugal as a growth market for river cruising.
The third vessel, Scenic Spirit II, is slated for early 2028 on the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia. Scenic Group says the ship responds to what it describes as a period of significant demand growth on the Mekong, where the original Scenic Spirit currently operates.
Why is Scenic building its own ships?
All three vessels will be built by MKM Yachts, the Scenic Group subsidiary that operates the Maj 3 shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia. The company says bringing construction in-house allows it to apply the same design and engineering standards used across its existing fleet, including the Scenic Eclipse discovery yachts.
Glen Moroney, chairman and founder of Scenic Group, said the investment reflected confidence in ongoing demand. “Our commitment to an additional three new river ships for the Scenic and Emerald Cruises brands reflects our confidence in the strong demand for our unique approach to luxury cruising,” Moroney said.
“By bringing the design and construction of these new river ships under the expertise of our team at MKM Yachts, we can apply the same exacting standards, innovation and design principles that have underpinned Scenic Group’s success for the past 40 years.”
How big is the overall fleet pipeline?
The three new river ships sit within a broader expansion that the company describes as its most significant fleet growth phase in nearly a decade. Beyond the river fleet, Scenic Group has Emerald Kaia launching from April 2026, Emerald Raiya in 2027, Emerald Xara in 2028 and Scenic Ikon in 2028. That pipeline spans European rivers, the Mekong, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and expedition waters.
The announcement coincides with Scenic Group’s 40th anniversary. The company was founded in Australia by Moroney in what the group says is now its 40th year of operation. MKM Yachts currently has construction underway on Emerald Kaia, Emerald Astra, Emerald Lumi and Scenic Ikon at yards in Croatia and Vietnam.
What does the Douro doubling-down signal?
Committing four ships to a single river, two each from Scenic and Emerald Cruises, is a notable concentration for any cruise group. Portugal’s Douro has seen growing demand in recent years as an alternative to the more established Rhine and Danube corridors, and Scenic Group’s decision to add capacity across both brands suggests the company sees room for further growth there.
The addition of longer itineraries through Emerald Nova, including the 11-day Douro Highlights voyage, points to a strategy of offering more depth rather than simply more departures.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Scenic Group’s three new river ships give travel advisors fresh inventory to work with on the Douro and Mekong from 2027, with the dual-brand strategy on the Douro offering a clear upsell path from Emerald’s premium positioning to Scenic’s ultra-luxury tier. Worth flagging to clients early, particularly those eyeing Portugal as demand and capacity both build.
