Scenic, the parent company of Emerald Yacht, was founded in Newcastle, Australia by Glen Moroney. The company started in 1986 with coach tours operating throughout Australia. Over time it expanded to tours of Canada and Alaska and other locals. In 2008, Scenic began building its own custom touring ships. By 2016 they had 20 ships on the European rivers. In 2016 they began cruises on the Mekong and Irrawaddy Rivers. The current build project is part of a concerted expansion into coastal cruises.