By
Rebecca Gibson |
River cruise operator Tauck has chosen three of its longstanding employees as godmothers for Joy, which will be christened on 21 June in Vienna, Austria.
Jacque Moran, Mary Murrin and Kristin Robinson share 35 years of combined tenure at Tauck, including a combined total of 18 years as Tauck directors or Tauck cruise directors. Tauck cruise directors are in charge of the overall guest experience, working closely with the ship’s maritime, hotel and restaurant staff and managing the team of three Tauck directors assigned to each riverboat. The Tauck directors provide onboard commentary and service, assist in the delivery of the onboard guest experience and lead Tauck’s exclusive shore excursions.
Moran joined Tauck in 1998 and served as a Tauck director almost ten years, leading tours in Scandinavia, New England and the American West. She now recruits and trains new Tauck directors.
Murrin is a former Tauck director and cruise director on the company’s European riverboats. Now a member of Tauck’s sales team, she trains Tauck’s network of travel agents in marketing the company’s river cruises.
Meanwhile, Robinson formerly served as a Tauck director leading itineraries in France and now manages Tauck directors and Tauck cruise directors.
“On over 100 land and cruise itineraries, in more than 70 countries and on all seven continents, our Tauck Directors are the face of our company,” said Dan Mahar, CEO of Tauck. “They are the critical link between the meticulous care and planning we put into every one of our tours and cruises, and the actual experiences our guests enjoy. By honouring Jacque, Mary and Kristin, we’re honouring all of our Tauck Directors around the world.”
Joy will be Tauck’s ninth European riverboat and her launch will complete a 125% expansion of the company’s fleet over the past two years. The fleet now comprises three 135m ships – Inspire, Savor and Grace – and five 110m ships – Treasures, Swiss Jewel, Swiss Sapphire, Swiss Emerald and Esprit.
Tauck recently revealed plans to reconfigure all five of its 110-meter ships, and over the next two years each vessel will be enhanced with larger cabins, overall passenger capacity will be reduced on each ship, and each will also have its second onboard dining venue redesigned.
Tauck is also evolving how it deploys its fleet of riverboats across Europe, matching each ship to destinations and itineraries best suited for their respective lengths. It will deploy 110m ships on longer cruises that include a transit of the Main-Danube Canal to ensure they can pass through the canal’s locks. Two 110m ships – Sapphire and Emerald – will remain in France on the Rhone, Saône and Seine because their shorter length enables them to dock more easily in small and crowded ports like Paris. Tauck’s four 135-meter ships will be assigned to itineraries specifically on the Danube River, or on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.