EMERRAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES – A LEGENDARY HISTORY

EMERRAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES – A LEGENDARY HISTORY

EMERRAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES – A LEGENDARY HISTORY: Every day, the Emeraude journeys through one of the world's most dazzling natural wonders and into the sepia realm of a dream. Named for a cruising vessel that plied these waters between 1906 and 1937, the Emeraude aspires to the magnificence of the bay itself. Its air-conditioned cabins, en suite bathrooms, award-winning cuisine and spacious deck space set the stage for the voyage of a lifetime.

EMERRAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES – A LEGENDARY HISTORY

Stepping onto the Emeraude is as transporting as time travel. And the vessel's history is as captivating as a fine old yarn.

The Postcard

In 1999, a young French entrepreneur Eric Merlin was rummaging in the St. Ouen flea market in Paris, looking - as was his habit - for anything old with links to Vietnam and Indochina.

On this day, he found three postcards, dated 1916, 1917 and 1919. Two pictured paddle steamers in Halong Bay.  A third showed a steamer at port in nearby Haiphong. A magnifying glass revealed the name of one of the vessels, the "Emeraude".

For some time, the cards lay in Eric's desk in Paris. From time to time, he took them out and showed them to friends.  He dreamed of finding the old vessels.  Later, as those prospects dimmed, a new dream took sail.

He'd rebuild one of the old paddle steamers.

The vision was far more than mere homage.  He planned to launch the boat on Halong Bay.  The realisation would conjure, not just a much missed means of transport, but a lost era of glamour, romance and discovery.

Despite excellent connections and an impressive track record at a successful Vietnam-based travel company, Exotissimo, he found himself unable to attract investors.  No matter. In January 2003, with postcards as the only guide, he commissioned boat builders to bring back the Emeraude.

The Search

While the boat took shape in a shipyard, Eric began a quest for more information.

The search spanned continents and featured a number of false trails.  Briefly, he believed the boats had sailed between England and France as mail boats, a theory promoted by information on an Australian stamp club website. The British Maritime Museum dispelled that story.

Meanwhile counterparts in Paris came up with another picture that matched his paddle steamer postcards, and Eric pressed on. When he learned that many of Indochina's historical documents ended up in an archive in Aix en Provence in the South of France, he hired a school teacher to carry on the search.

Soon, the information was coming in thick and fast.  The Emeraude was part of a fleet managed by the barge and towing company SACRIC (Société Anonyme de Chalandage et Temorquage de l'Indo-Chine).  Its owner was a Monsieur Paul Roque. Instinctively, Eric knew the Roque family was his best bet for information.

Working from Vietnam he found a French Telephone Directory containing 1,220 Roques.  He drafted a letter to send to every one of them.

He told them of his flea market find and enclosed a photocopy of the postcards. He outlined the information found to date and asked, 'Are you the Roques we're looking for?'

His staff in Vietnam helped put the letters in envelopes and address them all with stickers.  He then carried the 10kg box back to France and stamped them in a small sleepy village where he was staying on holiday.  The tiny post office had never seen so much mail.

And then the calls came.  Maddeningly, the first twenty or so were of no help at all.  They'd called to say yes, Roque was their name, what a lovely story. But they weren't the Roques he was looking for.

One couple said they'd recently visited Vietnam on holiday if that helped.  It didn't.

And then the call he was waiting for finally came.

"Look no further," the voice said.  "I am the grandson of Paul Roque."

Excited, Eric travelled to Paris as soon as he could.

And there, right in the middle of the sizeable Roque family apartment, was a large antique model of The Emeraude. Eric could hardly believe it.

That wasn't all. Among the many mementoes of a bygone colonial era was the original china from the boats. Silverware too. There was even a 100-year-old staff uniform.

The Roque Brothers

Paul Roque, who launched the Emeraude, was the second generation of his family in Indochina. Initially, there had been three adventuring brothers - Victor, Xavier and Henry - who embarked from Bordeaux in 1858.

After a stop in Manila, they moved onto Hong Kong where they established themselves as suppliers to the French Army.  When the troops of Admiral Rigault de Genouilly took Saigon, they followed in 1860.

Against this historic backdrop their empire grew. Sugar, opium, timber, public works, steamships. The list was long.

Now rich and famous, they were targeted by Chinese pirates.  In 1890, the notorious Luu Ky and his men kidnapped and tortured two of the brothers.

Paying the ransom meant selling off many of their assets and Victor, by this time 61, left for home near-bankrupt and in poor health.

Henry assumed control but was soon joined by Paul, son of Xavier. They scaled their business back to concentrate on the North and, in particular, Haiphong and Halong Bay.

There they had the idea to build a small fleet of five "paddle wheeler" ships that would double as cargo and cruise vessels. They'd be called - the Rubis, the Perle, the Saphir, the Onyx and the Emeraude.

Though down on their luck, the Roques invested heavily in the boats.

They came to the conclusion, as Eric did almost a century later, that there was a market for a little luxury on Halong Bay.

So they ensured the boats had electric lights.  They installed ventilation and refrigeration. They included darkrooms for the many photographers who were inspired by the scenery.  And the Emeraude set sail.

Paul Roque returned to Paris in 1921, the last of his family to leave Asia after more than six decades.  The Emeraude steamed on.

Years later, on the evening of March 16, 1937, as the Emeraude was returning to Haiphong, it collided with a submerged rock.  The collision ripped a large hole in the shell of the vessel and it quickly sank.

Incredibly, according to the police report, all those aboard were saved. However, the Emeraude was never recovered.

Following their defeat at the decisive battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the French finally left Vietnam and SACRIC folded.  Paul Roque died in 1966.

The French colonial era was over, and the Emeraude was at the bottom of the sea.

Renaissance

Eric's Emeraude was built locally in Haiphong to international standards but very much in keeping with the original design. In December 2003, the namesake of the glorious old vessel set sail.

While the original was split between cargo and cruisers the new Emeraude is exclusively a leisure vessel.  The paddle wheel at the back echoes the design of the original but isn't used for propulsion. Instead it opens up to provide a swimming deck for passengers.

Inside there are many photos of the original steamers that Eric has continued to find and now shares with passengers.

For Eric, however, it's not quite the end of the story.

He still wants to find out what happened to those other paddle boats.  He feels that surely such a large piece of metal as the original Emeraude can't stay lost forever. Could divers locate it?

Meanwhile, he and his brother Jean-Marc continue to develop business in Vietnam, and across Southeast Asia. From scratch they've built up a portfolio of businesses in the Apple Tree Group that now employs over 2000 people.

They've restored a colonial era mansion as La Residence Hotel & Spa in Hue.  They've refurbished a one-time home of Lao royalty as Villa Maly in Luang Prabang. They understand that stories fuel the romance of travel.

Meanwhile, the Emeraude, like its predecessor, spends its days cruising the turquoise waters of Halong Bay.

Fittingly, once more, under the watch of a French captain.

THE SHIP:

Launched: December 2003
Built by: Song Cam Shipyard
Length: 56m
Beam: 10m
Draft: 2.6m
Cabins: 34 Luxury Cabins
+ 01 Paul Roque Suite
+ 01 Emeraude Suite
+ 01 Captain's Suite
Engine: 2*540HP (Caterpillar)
Generator: 460KVA
Tonnage: 700 tones
Cruising Speed: 10 nautical knots

DINING:

The Flavor

Dining on the Emeraude reflects the ambitions and aspirations of the vessel itself.

Vietnamese ingredients, enhanced by European culinary traditions, create a culinary experience without peer on Halong Bay.

Quality, good taste and elegance define every buffet in our classic wood-panelled dining room.

Lunch

After you board the Emeraude, the lunch buffet is quickly served.  Look out for classics like chicken cordon bleu alongside pork tenderloin and a range of salads and lighter options. Fresh spring rolls offer a local flavour alongside freshly caught seafood.

SAMPLE MENU

Appetizer and Salads: Cabbage and Carrot Salad, Selection of Seasonal Lettuces, The Emeraude Club Sandwich, Pasta Salad with chipolata salad, Fresh Seafood and Pork Spring Rolls, Fried Spring Rolls “Hue Style”, Green papaya salad with dried beef

Assorted Condiments: Wine Vinegar and Olive Oil, Calypso Mayonnaise Sauce, American Mustard, Chopped White & Egg Yolk, Sliced Tomatoes, Sliced Onion, Green Sweet Chili Pepperoni, Sliced Cucumber, Black & Green Olives, Pickled Onions, Semi Sweet Pickled Gherkins, Fresh Red Chili, Sliced Lime, Soya Sauce, Chili Sauce, Soya Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, Soya Sauce, Japanese Wasabi Mustard, Chili Fish Sauce

Soup, Bread Basket & Butter: Cream of Seasonal Vegetables, Farmer Bread & French Bread Baguette with Butter

Main Courses: Sauteed squid with curry coconut milk sauce, Deep fried fish with breadcrumb, Steamed Clam with ginger, Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce, Grilled Chicken with Lemon Leave and lemon grass, Sautéed Seasonal vegetable with Oyster Sauce, Gratin potatoes, Seafood fried rice

Desserts: Selection of Fresh Tropical Fruits, Vietnamese CHE station, Swiss Apple Tart with Custard, Chocolate cake, French pastries

VEGETARIAN OPTION (REQUEST AT TIME OF BOOKING REQUIRED)

Starter: Vietnamese fresh spring roll with rice noodle and vegetable, Green papaya salad with herb and roasted peanut

Soup: Cream of potatoes soup

Main Courses: Deep fried tofu with tomato sauce Served with steamed rice and seasonal vegetable OR Pasta with herb cream sauce served with garlic butter bread.

Desserts: Available at the buffet

Dinner

In the evening, dining is a stylish affair.  The buffet includes rump steak and fresh Halong Bay steamed prawns. The selection includes shellfish, salads, soups and rice dishes. For dessert, choices vary from a range of cakes to old favorites like bread and butter pudding. There is also an array of tropical fruit.

SAMPLE MENU

Appetizer and Salads: Selection of Dalat Garden Greens, Red Cabbage and Pineapple, Lotus Salad with Prawns, Baby potatoes salad with crispy bacon, Banana flower salad with BBQ chicken, Fried Spring Rolls “Saigon Style”, Selection of Cold Cuts

Assorted Condiments: Wine Vinegar and Olive Oil, Calypso Mayonnaise Sauce, American Mustard, Chopped White & Egg Yolk, Sliced Tomatoes, Sliced Onion, Green Sweet Chili Pepperoni, Sliced Cucumber, Black & Green Olives, Pickled Onions, Semi Sweet Pickled Gherkins, Fresh Red Chili, Sliced Lime, Soya Sauce, Chili Sauce, Soya Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce, Soya Sauce, Japanese Wasabi Mustard, Chili Fish Sauce

Soup, Bread Basket & Butter: Emeraude Seafood SouP, Farmer Bread & French Bread Baguette with Butter

Main Courses: Fried Fish Fillet with Tomato Butter Sauce, Tempura squid, Freshly Steamed Prawns with ginger, Grilled Beef Strip Loin with Green Pepper Corn Sauce, Chicken Cordon Blue, Braised Ratatouille with Tomatoes, Sautéed potatoes with parsley, Steamed rice

Desserts: Selection of Fresh Tropical Fruits, Vietnamese CHE station, Moca chocolate cake, French pastry, Carrot cake

VEGETARIAN OPTION (REQUEST AT TIME OF BOOKING REQUIRED)

Starter & Salads: Deep fried vegetable NEM, Fresh garden salad with dipping sauce

Soup: Seafood soup

Main Courses: Penne with vegetable cream sauce served with roasted tomatoes with olives oil OR Fried rice with vegetable served with steamed tofu with Soya bean sauce

Desserts: Available at the buffet

Breakfast

Wake early to enjoy sunrise and it won't be long before aromas from the kitchen find you. Bacon, chipolatas, scrambled eggs and cold cuts await.  A chef cooks omelets to your specifications.  A rice congee or "chao" adds local flavor while croissants and pastry add a European touch. Italian Lavazza coffee is served.

SAMPLE MENU

Fruit Juices: Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Peach Juice, Mineral Water, Variety of Fresh Tropical Fruits

Milk & Corn Flakes: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes with Milk, Fresh fruit with Yogurt

Cold Cuts and Salad: Assorted Dalat Garden Greens with Calypso Dressing, Sliced Salami, Ham

Bread Basket & Butter: Selection of Danish Pastries, Croissant, Mini Danish Kaya, Apple strudel, Sliced Toast Bread and Whole Wheat Bread with Toaster, Strawberry Jam, Bitter Orange Marmalade , Apricot jam with Imported Butter

Main Courses: Vegetable Chicken Egg Omelet, Scrambled Eggs, Fried egg, Poached egg, Grilled Bacon and Chipolata Sausage, Roast Potatoes with Bacon, Rice Porridge Station with all the Condiments

Beverages: Freshly Brewed Coffee and English Breakfast Tea

Drinks

Throughout your cruise, bars in the dining room and on the sundeck ensure satisfaction for every thirst.  A lengthy wine list caters to all tastes.  Cocktails beg to be drunk on the deck at sunset as canapés are served. For beer drinkers there is a range of international and local brews. Alternatively enjoy a coffee served hot or iced depending on the climate. A pot of green tea adds an additional authentic touch. Relax, we'll bring it to your table.