Tauck World Discovery christened its third Tauck-branded European river cruise ship, the Swiss Jewel, at a ceremony in Passau, Germany, on Friday.
Tauck, which leases river cruise ships rather than owning them outright, now has three vessels that sail under the Tauck name: Swiss Jewel, Swiss Sapphire (launched in April 2008) and Swiss Emerald (launched in 2006).
Following the christening ceremony, the Swiss Jewel set sail for an overnight cruise along the Danube River. The ship officially entered service two days later, for the cruise portion of Tauck's 12-day Blue Danube itinerary.
The Swiss Jewel also will sail four additional itineraries: Budapest to Amsterdam, Budapest to the Black Sea, Black Sea to Prague and the 24-day Grand European Cruise.
The 361-foot Swiss Jewel, like its sister ships, has 59 staterooms, including 14 suites at 300 square feet each, and seven junior suites. The staterooms and junior suites range from 150 to 183 square feet.
According to Tauck, 85% of all cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies. The cabins also have plasma TVs, mini-bars, individual air conditioning and L'Occitane toiletries.
In addition to the main restaurant dining area, the Swiss Jewel has a more casual alternative, the Lido Bar, at the aft of the ship. The ship also features a 24-hour Jacuzzi, lounge and wellness center.
The ship has a crew of 29 as well as three Tauck directors and one Tauck cruise director.
The ship's godmother was Kiki Tauck Mahar, daughter of Chairman Arthur Tauck Jr. and wife of CEO Dan Mahar.