Emerald River Cruises

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Emerald Sky

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Fabulous cruise on the Danube.

Jost Van Dyke

It has always been a "bucket list" thing for me to do. The size of the ship (less than 200 passengers), time away (14-15 days) and iconic destinations were significant considerations in choosing this cruise. It was a fantastic experience! The activities and places visited were fabulous and we had a great time strolling about taking the included walking tours with the local guides and  the local ambience was a fantastic experience. Even just chilling out in the cabin looking out the window at the scenery passing by was great. Waking up to early morning, fog rising off the river and the expectation of another day was a lovely way to start the day.

I felt the dining experience was fantastic! Clearly the Chef and staff, Hospitality team worked hard to present interesting and diverse selections. I dont think there was a meal that wasn't beautifully presented and offered a reginal or local taste experience.

Fanning Island

We chose this cruise because of the route and the fact that the boat looked modern and had only 90 cabins so felt it would be a more personalised experience.

Many we spoke to also felt the experience was let down by the food which at best could be described as acceptable. Quite frankly for a week’s trip that cost over £6,000 for just two, we felt sure we would get to enjoy amazing and memorable dining but it just didn’t materialise. Fresh fruit at breakfast was never replenished and on at least two occasions , there was nothing left at all by the time we got down to breakfast (well within the allotted time). Several main meals came either without vegetables or with over cooked soggy broccoli and carrots reminiscent of school dinners. 

On the plus side all the staff were delightful though more hands on deck (excuse the pun) in the bar when 95% of the passengers would gather for the port talk…service was painfully slow and several requests for things like ice were unfulfilled because staff were too thin on the ground and couldn’t cope.

Our cabin was finished to a high standard and the whole boat felt luxurious and spacious.

The boat’s customer director was pleasant enough but we never felt very welcome by her; she didn’t really seem to want to engage in much conversation which given her role, we couldn’t really fathom out.

Finally, we were given the chance to complete a surgery by it it had to be submitted by midnight of the day before we embarked. It took quite a while to fill out and that aside, it felt slightly wrong to not be able to complete it once home. As we didn’t know who would be accessing it and as it was identifiable by mandatory cabin number, given that we were still onboard, we felt awkward writing anything negative.

The pre departure information was patchy, some information plain nonsensical and several times, our calls to Emerald went unanswered after one hour of holding, all of which resulted in anxious times prior to actually going. 

Our first two days of itinerary were disrupted due to another ship stuck somewhere near Regensburg; whilst this was clearly out of Emerald’s hands, it made for a disappointing not to mention exhausting start to the holiday and nothing was said about possible compensation.

Beautiful boat, lovely staff but food a disappointment 

We wanted to cruise the Danube as it would take us to an area of Europe that we had not visited before. Our cruise got off to a very bad start as when we arrived in Munich from Birmingham ,having been up since 3am in the morning , our transfer to the boat was not available , and we were left for over 90 mins waiting for transport to arrive. The previous day we had been told that the cruise would commence at Passau not Regensberg due to river levels being low ,however on arriaval at Passau the river level seemed very normal following heavy thunderstorms in the area.

On arrival at the boat we were very pleased with the standard of the Balcony Suite, very clean and well equipped and spacious.

As it was our first cruise we were surprised to  find that the vast majority of sailing would be done at night,obviously restricting sight seeing from the boat, also when moored it was usually alongside other boats , thus restricting the view!!

The excursions were well organised , and the guides excellent, we were operating in temperatures as high as 38c yes 38c, so much care had to be taken with water supply and shade. The favourite was Belgrade ,our lady guide was superb. Will definately return there.

Due to obvious staff shortages , the restaurant service was variable, but the staff were superb without exception. The food was well prepared and had interesting variations, wines  and beers were in more than adequate supply. Breakfast was a bit of a problem for my wife  who is severley ceoliac,there was not much selection for her.

The lounge bar was also staffed with excellent people and the cocktails well prepared, the service was just first class.

The after dinner entertainment was really enjoyable and finished off with a top class Hungarian Traditional Dancing Group.

Would definately consider another cruise with Emerald.

Our first River Cruise

Overall, a pleasant week-long cruise from Nuremberg to Bernkastel on a clean modern ship. We saw some beautiful countryside and historic places in the company of people we got on well with, but - due to a few niggles - we would rate this cruise only 3½ stars and might try a different company next time.

Excursions:  

Sightseeing was our main reason for taking this holiday and Emerald’s included excursions were interesting with knowledgeable guides. Typically they were walking tours of old towns and castles, with an informative and humorous wine-tasting at the Residenz palace in Würzburg. Most allowed about half an hour’s free time, but in Bamberg the 1½ hours’ wait for the bus back to the ship was excessive. We took an optional excursion (€52 pp) to Trier, which unfortunately we found over-rated, though there were some stunning views on the return to the ship.

Food & drink:  

At dinner (single sitting around 7 pm) tables were mostly for four, with some for two that filled up straight away. Food was fine but nothing special, eg steak might not be cooked as you liked. Service was friendly but rather inflexible, as anyone who didn’t want a starter had to wait for others to catch up, and at 9 pm the lights were turned on in an unsubtle way to get people to leave. Apart from a local red wine, included wines were indifferent, and reds and whites were all served at the same temperature. 

Breakfast tables weren’t re-laid so it could be hard to find somewhere to sit.  We usually had a light lunch and afternoon snacks from the bar.

Public areas:  

Low-backed chairs in the lounge were uncomfortable. Entertainment wasn’t to everyone’s taste and there’s nowhere else to go indoors except the humid pool area when a film isn’t showing. So we probably didn’t get our money’s worth from the premium drinks package (€23 pppd to us). The sun deck was closed for much of our cruise, due to height restrictions.

Airport transfers:  

Arriving at Munich, we followed Emerald’s written instructions to meet at a café in Terminal 1, only to be rebuked as a rep had been waiting for us in Terminal 2. On departure, a 1¾ hour transfer to Frankfurt turned into 3 hours, with a rest break, an unplanned stop at a different terminal, and an unpleasant 15 minute walk (with luggage) from the coach to check-in.

Enjoyable cruise across Germany, but some frustrations

I had many great things about Emerald waterways and their ships.  Once i realized that they were owned by The Scenic group, i knew I had to check their ship out.  Danube Delights was the first river cruise that i have ever been on.  I wanted to do this one as I was told that it is a great cruise for beginners and most people can trace some family heritage to that area.  

I was not disappointed with my choice.  Not know what to expect, I was really surprised at how much detail and organization the cruise director had.  He had us well prepared for what we were going to do the next day and where to be when it was time to go.  Between the cruise director and the activities director, you had a ton of choices for things to do to fill your morning, day and evening.  

The food and the restaurant were amazing.  The staff absolutely made sure you had more than enough to east and drink.  If you somehow left hungry, it is your own fault.  I was amazed at how many of the staff members knew the guests by name and what they drank.

The front of the house/hotel staff has embrocation and disembarkation down to a science.  It only took a few minutes each day to unload the entire ship

The cabin was awesome.  Plenty of room for everything.  It is like a nice hotel room in the states... a little bit smaller but very nice.  Very sleek modern design with A/C great for American travelers.  The bathroom/shower is a little small, but i am a big guy and I was still able to use it without much effort.  

Even thought he shore excursions are very planned outwith guides, you have plenty of free time to take care of all of your shopping needs or go see something that might not be on the tour.  They are also extremely flexible if you do not want to go on the tour or if you wan to break off at any point 

The nightly entertainment was great.  The entire ship was engaged and having a blast.  I would absolutely use Emerald again for a river cruise and recommend to anyone

Emerald Delights 

I went on this cruise unexpectedly. My mother and sister had gone on several river cruises but I had not - they always struck me as an over-controlled experience with more focus on the ship than on the places visited. But when my mother set up this trip for her 80th birthday I got a chance to see what the fuss was about.

Wow. WOW. First off, you do get to see PLENTY! And one of the wonderful things about Emerald Waterways is that they do all of the planning for you: passes, passport review (Enchantment of Eastern Europe goes through 5 countries in 9 days, so this is a LOT of paperwork off my plate), tour buses, guides, the works. Given I'm over burdened with logistics in my day-to-day life, this all-inclusive experience takes a lot of the stress out of planning a vacation. Emerald also coordinates experiences that going it alone can't, most notably an in-home visit for a homemade lunch with a Croatian family.

The guides on all off-ship excursions are excellent. If you're a history buff (like me!) you get a lot of history and context for what you're seeing, from someone who lives there and has lived that history. Given how little I knew about eastern Europe in general this was a huge plus for me. I didn't know about the long shadows both the Roman and Ottoman empires cast over this part of the world, nor the varied and nuanced experiences of the Cold War and communism in the Balkans. I went back to the ship each night with a dozen notes for follow up at the library when I got home.

The ship itself was exceptional. Service was incredibly attentive - within two days the waiters knew me and my coffee preferences on sight. The cruise director briefed us each night, so we'd know what to expect in terms of activities, local currencies and time changes, menu (more on that later), and was incredibly approachable and knowledgable.

One thing that always daunted me about the idea of a cruise was getting lost on a huge boat of hundreds of people. I appreciated the fairly small ship and crew/crowd size (I think plus crew it was less than 200 people). I think this allowed both for better service and easier interactions between fellow vacationers at dinners and on excursions.

The food was fantastic. They never overfed you, but I can honestly say my stomach never growled once the entire time I was on board. Dinner was previewed each night with a handout and chef recommendations, the latter of which almost never set a foot wrong. The food was excellent, in small enough portions to not feel overstuffed by appetizer, soup, main course and dessert. "One" glass of wine is provided with dinner, but that glass is constantly refilled by the attentive wait staff. Breakfast and lunch buffets were equally good. All meals included vegetarian options, and the staff even accommodated dietary restrictions on the family lunch visits.

My only reservations:

I'd have preferred a bit more "quiet space". Even during in the quietest times in the public areas there was music running, when I would have just preferred to hear the lull of the water against the ship's hull.

I would have welcomed more opportunities to exchange cash/go to ATMs. While most of the countries on this trip (Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary) take euros some of the time, each country has its own currency and not all vendors take credit/debit cards. It was quite easy to wind up with a handful of currency on Wednesday that you couldn't use Thursday and couldn't exchange easily.

I would also have liked the opportunity to visit a post office to send souvenirs home, but this may be out of an unrealistic desire to avoid overweight bag charges.

The short version: would I do again? You bet! You get to see a lot with very little logistics on your part and you only have to unpack once. The food is phenomenal and all of it is included, including tips. The staff can help you with just about anything where you might get stuck, and you go home with unique memories and even more curiosity.

Never thought I'd enjoy a cruise, until I did

It was all inclusive the cruise staff were friendly and excellent.

The cabin was very good the bed was very comfortable.On suite was great shower was great always plenty of hot water.All of the trips were good and the local guides were friendly and very knowledgeable.One of the highlights was the Concert in Vienna superb!

The balcony suite cabin was great apart from the cigarette smoke drifted in when we had our window open shame the ship wasn’t no smoking.

Apart from that everything was very good.

We thought the meals were first class from breakfast to the five course evening meal.

The all inclusive drinks package and the tips all included was brilliant.

The whole package was very well organised and from the cruise director to our cabin cleaner were second to none.

Most enjoyable five star service and ship was very good.

Cruising down the Danube was very magnificent.

Thank you again to everyone.

Birthday celebrations

Typically, we have chosen a more independent style of travel, but with everyone raving about river cruising we thought we would give it a try. 

Overall, this seemed to be a good company to cruise with. It is mostly all inclusive unless you want to drink all day long. Wine and beer are available at meals and there is no limit. 

Included activities are mostly walking tours, however you can also bike if desired. The tours are educational, but because the guides have to adjust to all health and walking levels they tended to be less vigorous than what I would want. This is not a fault  of the company, and they did try to gently organize groups into like fitness levels. 

Overall, I did like this company to cruise with, but I came away with the feeling that river cruising was not for me. It is far too structured for my liking and there were days that I felt herded like cattle to get the walking tour over with, back onthe boat and eat again! 

My LEAST favourite part is the line up to get into the dining room at dinner. They want everyone there at the same time as their food service is very structured. I understand why this has to occur, but it makes for a very un-relaxed feel at dinner. 

The buffet at breakfast and lunch is average quality....nothing outstanding but always good. The layout for traffic flow needs to be improved.

First river cruise

This was my first real river cruise ( I don't consider my Nile cruise reflective of the genre) and my friends and I lucked out in going on a very new ship ( inaugurated in May 2017) with a very cool group of people. Unlike ocean cruising the ship complement is much smaller and as is expected skews older. I had no problem with either I love being referred to us "young people". The tours in each city were geared accordingly from active to gentle walkers. The predominance of the touring was inclusive of the price with two optional side tours for an additional fee. The fee was reasonable and not like the normal "soaking" you get from ocean cruise excursions. 

The pace was not hectic and as such I think you get a more in depth concept of the art, culture and history of each stop. I will say that when traveling through the 40+ locks on the Main you kind of want to say can we get a fast forward but the pace is part of the charm of river cruising. 

Be forewarned there is not much as far as evening entertainment, but as everyday is a touring day ( no days at sea) you don't miss too much the over activity of night life. Each evening we got an overview of the port for the next day and on arrival local guides came aboard to provide the tour experience. Most of the tours were walking though in the bigger cities like Cologne (Koln) a bus was needed for more direct access to the city centre. I think the Cologne stop was too short but that's the allotment.  

The food was OK nothing to rave about not much to complain about; I've actually had worse food on a recent RCCL Ocean cruise. 

I think I'd be up for trying this again. Good thing Scenic - which operates Emerald- has new routes coming on line in 2018.

Very good inauguration to river cruising

First, the ship: Brand spanking new and it showed. Everything was meticulously clean and polished and the size of the ship was perfect. The "verandah" cabin is also perfect with the roll down window. The staff was superb throughout.

Second, fellow passengers: Having only 120 or so on board for 2 weeks meant we were able to get to know many and make some good friends along the way.

Third, the rivers (Rhine, Main & Danube): All are gorgeous with boundless curves, hills, castles and cute little towns and a couple of big cities.

Fourth, the canal and locks: Absolutely fascinating and an engineering marvel to enjoy.

Fifth, the itinerary: It was interesting, but often the stops in some lovely towns were too short to really have time to enjoy on your own time. They do a good job of including daily tours and excellent tour guides.

Sixth, the food: Overall the food was OK, More variety from the locales visited would be an excellent addition. Our chef's Goulash was the best ever!

Enjoyable - Wish we had more time in some ports

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