Enjoyed the very experience guides at each stop. The guides helped you understand the history and customs of each stop. Many of the guides shared personal asides about their lives and their families. Great having some free time to explore an shop on our own. Dining area very noisy due to low ceiling. Better sound proofing would help. The onboard entertainment was of excellent quality. The wait staff was very efficient and personable. Our cabin was of a good size, not cramped. We greatly enjoyed sitting by the panoramic window viewing the landscape as we cruised past. We found the food to be varied and of excellent quality. We especially enjoyed the chefs recommendation menu which usually featured dishes from the local area where we were moored. Our cruise director, Micheal was exceptional. He kept us well informed as to the daily activities. Would definitely cruise with EMERALD WATERWAYS again. Read Less

We had really enjoyed our Emerald Duoro cruise and wanted to explore the Danube countries. Although we found that we are less interested in the culture and language of this part of Europe we cannot fault Emerald. The staff all did a great job and the whole thing was very well organised and enjoyable. The cabin was spotless and although small was well designed with lots of storage. Comfortable beds. Food was very good and varied. The passengers were mainly American or British, with some Canadians and Ausies. A noisy large party of Brits spoilt the enjoyment of the entertainment as they felt the need to talk very loudly and show each other their 'phones throughout. Perhaps some way of screening off part of the bar area, separating those who want to listen to their own voices rather than the entertainment would be a good idea, with an announcement or sign that made it clear which area was for entertainment. The noise in the bar and dining area was deafening at times and some more soft furnishings or screens would make for a more pleasant experience. Read Less

This was our second cruise with Emerald Waterways (the first being the Douro river cruise which was also excellent). We booked a cabin on the lower deck. The room was well equipped, comfortable with plenty of storage space. The furnishings were of a good standard with no room for complaint. The only downside of using cabins on the lower floor is reduced natural daylight. Something we were aware of because of our previous cruise with Emerald. So little time is spent in the cabin that this was never a problem. The ship was well maintained, with all communal areas being kept in a highly presentable state. The food (quality and variety) was excellent, with a focus on local produce and local wines. The dining experience was complimented by excellent service from attentive, friendly and engaging staff. The itinerary was thoughtfully constructed, catering for different levels of fitness, whilst the destinations, guides and the use of individual headsets on escorted tours made each trip more memorable. Highlights included the abbey at Melk, Vienna and Budapest. Facilities on-board are limited by the size of the ship but importantly, the internet service was excellent and in the in-room entertainment system was very good. A slightly annoying fact was the volume of the television was very low when watching films. The only slightly negative comment was the level of ambient noise in the communal areas. When full, the background noise in the lounge and restaurant often made conversation difficult with passengers. The cruise was excellent. I would not hesitate to recommend the cruise and Emerald Waterways. Read Less

We chose this cruise to celebrate my retirement following 30 years in the London Fire Service. The previous reviews, itinerary and price was the main factor in choosing this particular river cruise.The service we received from start to finish was first class all the way. We chose a standard cabin with the small full width window this being as a result of reviews commenting on the large floor to ceiling windows allowing full vision into the cabin when parked alongside other river cruise boats , which did occur on 4 port stops . We figured a full large window was not required as we would be out of the cabin most of the time on the sun deck or in the lounge which we were !! All of the staff on board were excellent this made the cruise a 5 star floating hotel . The food was outstanding , with the menu reflecting the ports of call . All the excursions were included in the price which were accompanied by a qualified tour guide. The high light for us was the Vienna Orchestral music evening located at the Vienna school of music , absolutely beautiful evening with two opera singers during the event , a “must” excursion don’t miss it ! . Last port of call was Budapest , the tour being split via coach and walking a beautiful city , the boat moored opposite there Houses of Parliament, illuminated at night directly across the river, amazing photo opportunity puts the UK houses of parliament to shame . A truly great river cruise on the river Danube with a great cruise company, well done Emerald waterways we will be back . Read Less

We choose because of going with VBT bike tours. We were treated well by the cruise staff and VBT leaders. Layout of cabin perfect. Beautiful room and panoramic picture window. Great location new to us. Weather surprisingly perfect. Coffee excellent. Appreciate free water bottles in room and on leaving ship. Spacious storage of cabin. Best layout of a cabin on a cruise we have ever had. Good food. 24 locks on the Danube and the canal were interesting. The Vienna special excursion to the music museum to see the group of seven musicians was excellent and entertaining as well as a beautiful location. The VBT trips each day were under 22 miles. Good bikes. The bike trips were rated as easy and basically were. Recommend being used to a bike before you get on. Hotel room for the pre- in Prague and the post trip in Budapest were excellent. Recommend highly. Read Less

This cruise was arranged through Vermont Biking Tours VBT. The cabin were similar to Avalon, Viking, and Uniworld quality. The staff was excellent speaking English very well and very professional. However, the dining experience is much to be desired. Breakfast and lunch were adequate. Dinner was another matter. The dining room was noisy and it was very difficult to converse. The main course offerings were way und the offerings by Emerald’s competition. One of our party was a vegetarian. Main courses were unappetizing and probably 70 calories. Standard offerings were substantially below the competition. We have been on Viking on the Danube river before with a much better culinary experience. They appeared understaffed, with dinners taking over 2 hours to complete. The staff were working hard, so we would blame corporate Incompetence. Tours had good guides, but there seemed fewer offerings than Viking. Bicycle tours were a pleasant surprise. Excellent ship with a poor dining experience. Read Less

We were first time cruisers and picked this line based on itinerary, ratings, and prices. It was a Danuberiver cruise in mid to late October (luckily the weather was very warm for that time of the year with almost no rain). We were not disappointed. The Embarkation process was efficient with hotel manager personally showing us to the room and explaining everything was great. Great selection of foods at all meals with regional themes and wine selection varied everyday with good quality local wines. Waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. Room service was great and the cruise director and activity director were excellent. Pool was perfect and movies were shown at night. Internet access was reasonable and daily information/schedule was very well done. Good itinerary with plenty of time at each stop and tour escorts were good quality. We recommend this cruise line without reservation and will use them our next time. Read Less

Waited a long time for this cruise, got family and friends to join us and all reported a great cruise. Only one thing is the walking...that is for asthmatic passengers it a little grind. Cruise and ship personnel were the best could not of been more pleasant to deal with. All that they say is included is and then some more. I would say that this cruise line is as good as if not better that all the rest. The rooms are serviced twice a day. There is plenty of food 3 times a day. More storage than what it looks like, but when you find all the hiding spaces you can but all your clothes and luggage away. The ports are great. But watching this captain but this ship ina lock with only 18 inches to spare...9 on each side. We will travel with Emerald Waterways soon, maybe Amsterdam or another location. Read Less

An excellent cruise to enjoy. All facilities excellent. Staff excellent . This cruise is seriously tops. The staff were helpful and not over intrusive. It is difficult for staff to provide just the correct amount of friendliness without being invasive. The staff on board Emerald Dawn were excellent. They provided us with a wonderful experience. The organised programme was exciting, and very well planned and we were guided through the most interesting sights of all the cities and villages we were able access. Many of the activities required overseeing at a very high level and the Emerald Dawn staff and guides achieved this level unhesitatingly. The tour guides had extensive knowledge of their area and this was noticed by the passengers. Overall our time onboard the Emerald Dawn was amazing and we would seriously like the staff to be praised for the excellent presentation of the river trip onboard the Emerald Dawn Read Less

We were on Emerald Star Sept 1-8 2019.The embarkation was a nightmare we sat in airport in Frankfurt from 9:30am to 1:30 pm. Orginately we were suppose to be there at 12:30 pm. But got email to say come for 9:30 am. But bus at 10: only big enough for 10 people and luggage and we were about 35 people. Then 2and 1/2 drive with no bathroom break. Not sure who was a fault but certainty a disconnect. Staff on board were excellent and could not do enough for us. Chef and head Maitre De worked together to develope gluten free diet for my husband. We thought entertainment was only so/so. We did not have oompa band. But social director sang 2 nights one would have been ok. All sightseeing tours were free and were excellent. We enjoyed wine tastings and beer tasting free on tours. We enjoyed sitting up going through locks. The uptop BBQ was great.We would choose Emerald again. Awesome! Read Less

Having retired in 2018, my wife and I were looking for a quality river cruise experience with an established river cruise line. We conducted extensive research and spoke to friends about their experience. We eventually settled on Emerald and booked with them in January 2018 on the Danube Delights cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest. We spent 5 days in Nuremberg prior to the cruise and so, we were responsible for arranging our own transportation to the ship docking site which we understood. We understood that but encountered some difficulty in contacting Emerald and getting the necessary information. When we initially called Emerald at the number they provided on the first morning of the cruise (Saturday, August 24), the young lady we spoke with informed us the cruise did not depart until the following day. Our itinerary clearly indicated the cruise started on Saturday. I implored her to verify that and call us back. After a half hour without a callback, I called again and the young lady confirmed that the cruise started on Saturday, as we had thought, gave me the ship phone number, and the docking location (Europakai 10) located about 5.4 miles from the hotel. The taxi ride to the ship cost about 20 Euros which was quite reasonable. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted by a friendly staff member who insisted on getting our luggage from the taxi, advised us he would assure it was delivered to our room, and directed us to the lounge where we could relax and have a drink. My cousin who lives in Nuremberg planned to see us off on the cruise and I asked the activity director if she and her boyfriend could join us in the lounge. He responded that was certainly not a problem but they would need to disembark at least 30 minutes before we set sail. The entire boarding process was easy and effortless and the crew we encountered all made us feel welcomed. The entire cruise was absolutely splendid with great accommodations, outstanding food, interesting tours, awesome staff and wonderful cultural events provided on board. The staff were friendly, professional, efficient and hard working. Our cabin was attended to twice a day and always in perfect order. The food either met or exceeded our expectations and we tend to be discerning diners who are accustomed to occasional dining at top-Zagat rated restaurants. The only complaint was that on two evenings, our main course arrived at our table after 9:00 pm and at 9:30 pm, much too late. I brought this to the attention of the restaurant manager and advised him we had no problem being served last, but the main course needed to be on the table before 8:00 pm. The tour guides were energetic, knowledgeable, and provided outstanding tours of the towns and historic sites we visited. Their English speaking skills were impeccable and they gladly answered any and all questions. On the last morning of the cruise, we were effortlessly and efficiently transported to Budapest International for our Lufthansa flight back to Los Angeles. Because of the lengthy flight time between Los Angeles and Munich (arrival)/Budapest (departure), we opted to pay an additional $2,200 ($1,100 per person) to upgrade to Business Class. It was well worth the money and we arrived in Munich well-rested and eager to begin our travels. Lufthansa business class seats recline to a completely horizontal position allowing one to nap/sleep. Overall, our experience traveling with Emerald Waterways was absolutely delightful and we look forward to future trips exploring France, the Netherlands, and Germany again! Read Less

we arrived on board the afternoon before our cruise began and had a day in Amsterdam prior to hitting the river, which was well received. Getting into our rooms was quick and luggage arrived immediately. The ship was well appointed with comfortable lounge, lovely dining room a pool and big sun deck, the rooms were lovely and very spacious, the electric window/balcony is a great idea, we used it many times. the food was absolutely first class, plenty of options, more than enough to quell any hunger and beautifully presented. the staff in the dining room were wonderful and soon learned peoples likes and dislikes, the quality of the wines and beer on board was very good and very much enjoyed. The evening entertainment kept people happy with a variety of games, karaoke, quizzes etc. Considering how many places we covered there was a good mix of guided tours and free time which was appreciated by the guests. the housekeeping staff were sensational and to be congratulated we had a great time and would recommend Emerald waterways to anyone Read Less

The ship is wonderfully built, very clean and functional. The rooms made the most of space and had great storage. We were on the top sleeping floor and found it very quiet, although some of our fellow passengers did not have the same experience on the lower floors. The daily excursions were run without a hitch and ran like clock work. The food was 5 star and abundant. The crew took care of our every need and the embarkation and disembarkation went without a hitch. We extended the River Cruise both prior and following the River Cruise and were well looked after, never needing to worry about anything. Our luggage and transfers were all taken care of seamlessly. The Cruise itself was a good mix of time on land and cruising the best part of the river scenery on the ship. All in all, it's been very well thought through and we would highly recommend the Rhine River Cruise with Evergreen Cruises. Read Less

Wanted to see the Rhine and Danube in comfort and good food with nice company and excellent service. This is what was achieved. Great bunch of Australians and New Zealand guests on board. The staff were superb, probably the best crew ever on any ship or hotel where we have stayed. The boat was roomy, very clean and all inclusive meant all inclusive without having to pay for any extras. The chef was most accommodating, defiantly went the extra mile with brilliant service. Could not have done more. Even had our anniversary covered with lighted cake with all the waiters in line singing our congratulations, when we hadn’t even told anybody except agent here in UK. Very pleased with the Emerald concept, good Managers, cruise director and events manager. Would be delighted to return, the Rhine Gorge in particular was stunning and worth getting up at 6.30 as we sailed through it. Read Less

This is our third cruise with Emerald. Did same cruise 3 years ago. Beautiful ship. Spacious and spotlessly clean cabins. Excellent service and choice of food and drinks. Very attentive and friendly staff. Interesting shore excursions every day. Good entertainment. Absolutely no problems or concerns. Definitely recommend. Daily information sheets and maps of each excursion. Cruise director very knowledgeable about places visited. Guided daily tours very informative regarding town and village histories. Comfortable coaches to same. No problem airport pick up and drop off. Emerald staff at airports to help. Lovely pool on board which converts to cinema during the evening. Free tea and coffee machines 24/7. Free wine beer and soft drinks with meals. Excellent selection of food at breakfast. Buffet or a la carte at lunch. A la carte for dinner with choice regional foods (5 course) or steak, chicken or fish if preferred. All in all an excellent cruise line. Definitely be visiting again. Thank you Emerald for yet again a wonderful 2 weeks. Read Less

Wished to go on Danube river cruise for emerald wedding anniversary and the Emerald Dawn and its itinery fitted the bill. The boat/ship was far better than we imagined having been on a Russian river cruise on an old Russian boat. The cabin was much more spacious than we thought it would be and was looked after by a very nice chap. The itinerary was very good though we could not do alot of walking. The choice of food for all meals was excellent. We had excellent service from all members of the crew. The highlight of the cruise was the appearance onboard of Anton and Erin, their dancing display and their willingness to mix with all passengers on the cruise. It was so good overall that we are now thinking of booking another cruise for next year. Many thanks to all members of the crew for making our anniversary very special. Read Less

This was my third trip using Evergreen (Australia), known as Emerald in Europe. My first 14day river trip. From the moment of embarkation to our disembarking, I could not fault this trip. All crew members were , at all times friendly, happy and 100% professional. The onshore trips were most enjoyable and local guides knowledgeable, and pleasant. The meals on board were excellent, with lots of choices. A very big thank you, must go to our Tour Director , Luis His organizational skills were first class, and the whole trip went very smoothly. At all times, the ultimate professional, but also interacted well with the passengers. He had a great sense of humour, and a very happy disposition. (thanks for the dancing and the karaoke !!!!!) I was also fortunate to do the Paris and Prague extensions which also were well organised and enjoyable. One should not forget to mention Adam, the cabaret singer, and entertainment director. A pleasant young man, who also interacted well with the guests. I cannot speak highly enough of Evergreen tours, and I sincerely hope to be able to enjoy more travels with them. Read Less

What a great experience we had sailing from Budapest to Nuremberg on the Emerald Dawn. It was our first cruise of any kind. We went with another couple and also made some friends along the way. What did I like so much? - We arrived in Budapest a day early. We called to see if we could drop our bags early on the day of embarking, so we could enjoy the whole day in Budapest until dinner. They were accommodating and welcomed us so warmly when we arrived. FYI - the docking spot is close to a subway stop! Recommend the Szechenyi Baths. As the boat stayed in Budapest overnight, we walked up Buda Hill behind the boat (20 min walk uphill) for stunning views of Budepest at night! - Choices/options each day for activities. We like to be active and adventurous and we appreciated the option to go on a hike or bike, or do our own thing at each stop. The guided tours we did do were also well worth the time! Favourite days? Bratsilava and bike trip from Dürnstein to Melk! - Very comfortable rooms, that are well appointed and organized. We were on the bottom floor. Although it would have been nice to be able to open the window for fresh air, we never missed out on views. I was worried about noise, but other than the unavoidable noises like going into locks, we heard little from our room and slept very well on the very comfortable bed! - Many lovely spots to enjoy the boat - large sun deck, lovely patio on the bow near the bar, beautiful restaurant with views from every table, and a very comfortable lounge! And you could always get lovely coffee drinks, tea and cold water. - Favorite spot? The pool with views at the stern, with coffee/tea machine. Great morning spot! - Crew was exceptional! Captain inspired confidence in his ability to navigate the waterways, the room was always well cleaned at respectful times, the dining room staff was attentive, professional and fun! - The food was excellent! And so well planned...loved the flexibility of breakfast (early and late breakfast option), buffet lunch, and the evening meal was always beautiful! Tea time was nice if you missed lunch staying longer in town! - And what made the trip run so smoothly was Nina, our amazing cruise director! She was very kind, enthusiastic, organized, kept things on time, and was so responsive to everyone’s different wishes! Much gratitude for a wonderful trip Emerald Dawn! Read Less

Our first cruise of any type - ocean cruises have never appealed to me - but this trip ticked all the boxes for places I wanted to visit, with the added bonus of a private performance in Vienna by Strictly stars Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, and a dance masterclass/Q&As on board with them the next day. Ship facilities top notch and staff/service an absolute joy. All thoroughly professional yet relaxed and friendly. We particularly loved the glass and mirrors decor which made the ship feel so light and airy. An apparent improvement this year was the introduction of an events manager, so that aside from the two nights where excellent local musicians came aboard to perform, there was always some evening enterainment provided, such as "Battleships/scategories","Family Fortunes," 70s/80s disco night, etc. He also provided an excellent cabaret as a singer himself one night. There was the occasional film night and aquarobics in the pool. Special mention to our Tour Manager, Nina who was a delight - efficient, and very open and friendly. Food: Evening meals were a 4 course nouvelle cuisine menu with a meat/fish/vegetarian option, or you could chose from 3 set menu options each night (steak, chichen breast etc). These were all very tasty, albeit low on the potato side of things! and on the 2 Captain's welcome/farewell nights there was also a palette cleanser sorbet course. Breakfast was a sumptuous spread of everything you could possibly want, with a chef cooking eggs/omelettes live to order. Lunch usually consisted of 2 "hot" dishes, sometimes cooked live, 2 soups, salads, etc, cheeseboard, cakes/desserts. You could also order a main course from the daily menu. Would have to say the hot dishes didn't stay very hot in the warmers, but it would have helped if the plates were warmed as well! Would have appreciated soup spoons as the one-size dessert spoons I felt were too big for the deep sided bowls. Wine, draught beer and soft drinks all included at lunch and evening meal. But bottled cider and beer were charged for. Loved the Vienna concert and performance by Anton and Erin. Our only slight disappointment was that the Active PLUS cycle ride option the next day, which we really wanted to do actually coincided with the Masterclass onboard so we had a tough choice to make. Would have liked to have been able to do both! Port and shore excusions were well organized and very enjoyable, with "gentle" options for those less mobile. Would have to say that if you want to see more of the embarkation location (in our case, Budapest) it would be best to arrive a day earlier. We boarded at 2pm the day we arrived and only got one morning to see the city before the ship sailed at 1pm for Bratislava. At the other end of the trip, Nuremburg, we were fortunate in that our transfer to Munich was not until 2pm so we were able to make our own way into the city for the morning (by taxi) and spend a few hours there before returning to the ship for lunch. Other passengers had morning transfers so saw nothing of the final destination as the ship docks some 15-20 mins drive from the city! The only other nuisance was that we were transferred to Munich airport 6 hourse before our flight, and were therefore lumbered with our luggage for 4 hours before the bag-drop opened. Read Less

This was all about Anton and Erin joining our cruise in Vienna, and what a show they put on. The whole cruise has been great but the show and next day masterclass were definitely what most people on board came to see. Never having been river cruising before I will definitely be back. Such a relaxing atmosphere as opposed to the big cruise liners. Very friendly staff and with only 150 guests on board you meet and speak to many more people than on the large ships. The infinity resistance pool was an absolute bonus. The food was great and the trips well thought out and executed. There were both leisurely and active programmed and you could sign up for these or nothing at all. The crew were there to make sure you had everything you needed. The cabin assistant was lovely and looked after us superbly. I loved everything about this trip. Read Less

Had high expectations for Danube cruise. Paid nearly £5000 for two for 1 week. Turned out to be very poor value for money. Not very much to say that is positive apart from visiting the beautiful cities of Budapest and Vienna. Food was not very good, not a lot of choice and found the staff did not always replenish quickly. Drinks were included with lunch and dinner but only one choice of red, white so if you didn’t like what was on offer you had to pay for an alternative. Not much on offer entertainment wise apart from Anton and Erin being on board for one night which was excellent. You sometimes had to ask to get another drink as not enough staff. Most of the staff were very nice although a few were rude. If we ever do another river cruise it definitely will not be on an emerald boat. Read Less

Everything about our cruise was of the very highest order, from the ship itself to the crew and the food - all absolutely 5 star. Special shout out to cruise director Luis who was, all at the one time, friendly, accessible and thoroughly professional all the while maintaining a great sense of humour. Can’t thank him enough for his efforts on behalf of all passengers aboard this superlative river cruise ship. There was a time during our cruise when the water levels on the Rhine were low and potentially problematic and indeed a number of ships from other lines just gave it up with everyone having to continue by coach. Not our mob though, they kicked off the passengers (for a shore activity we would have been doing anyway), drained the pool and the water tanks thus raising the ships water level and successfully managed to get through. We reembarked a bit further down the river and the cruise continued with barely a blip and. They went the extra mile for us where others others would not and we were so very appreciative. Cannot say enough nice things about Emerald Dawn and her fantastic captain & crew. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the location and price. We were met at dockside by the tour director (Nina), dropped our bags off. She took us onboard where we could have a snack and a coffee. We then went off to explore Amsterdam. There was no set seating in the dining area so you could choose to join others or be by yourself. The meals were a la carte and lunch and dinner usually consisted of five courses, breakfast was a very good buffet. Service was great, attentive but not hovering over your shoulder. The only negative about food/dining was that sometimes it was slow but overall very good. The Rhine River was spectacular, the shore trips were excellent and very well organised, english speaking guides on every occasion and we were provided with a listening device so that it wasn't necessary to be next to the guide to hear him. My big gripe is that on this particular trip Emerald/Evergreen had a film crew on board,complete with models to produce a advertising clip. That was a pain, go to the pool and they were there filming, you're lying in the sun on the top deck and the next thing there is a drone buzzing up and down,around the ship filming. I thought it was intrusive. Another thing it seemed that the film crew had special privileges, they were allowed to smoke on the Terrace (which is a non smoking area) everyone else had to smoke at a special area at the stern. Read Less

My wife and I have been on a couple of ocean cruises and I was not really thrilled with them. Last year we thought that we would give River cruising a try, and chose a trip from Budapest to Passeau on the Danube. All the reviews of Emerald were great so we booked our trip with them. Our experience was excellent on that cruise and we booked this cruise up the Rhine almost as soon as we got back home. What makes Emerald so exceptional to me is the staff. From the time you get on board until the time you leave, they are there trying to make your stay as pleasant as they can. Our cabin assistant Paul would greet us with a hello and how are you, or how was your meal, every time we saw him. The bar staff quickly became aware of what our favorite drinks and we hardly had to say what we wanted before it was there for us. The serving staff at meals were always questioning how we had enjoyed what we had just been served, and were ready to address any issues we may have had. One evening, a dining partner found the meat of his dinner to be especially good and asked if it was possible to receive more, within minutes he received a new plate with an additional double portion of the meat. What I also find exceptional with Emerald is the way that they treat the staff. On both cruises, all of the staff on board were presented to the passengers giving us an opportunity to show our appreciation. On a tour of the kitchen I found out that the ship provides meals to the staff similar to the passengers but also based on their dietary and religious needs. On this cruise I have to single out the Cruise Director Nina, for the work that she did in juggling the tours that we went on. Due to events beyond her control she had to make last minute scheduling changes that could not have been easy. The Activities Director kept the evenings highly entertaining with a variety of shows, musicals, and games that engaged everyone on board. The one final person that I would like to mention is the Hospitality Director Albert Andrei. We were fortunate enough to meet him on our previous cruise and were surprised to see him on this ship. While it was a surprise, it also indicated that we would be well taken care of. A happy, efficient staff is not magic, it is built and encouraged by management and I credit this to Albert on the Emerald Dawn. So how was the ship and everything else about the cruise? It was everything that I had experienced the previous year. The room was great, the food was great, the excursions were informative and of the right duration, the scenery while cruising was beautiful. Did we have any issues on this trip? Sure. You can’t take a trip like this without having minor inconveniences. However, we enjoyed every minute of it. Our challenge now is to decide which Emerald cruise to take next year. It is down to Portugal, or Southeast Asia. Read Less

We chose this cruise as it suited us and our friends date wise, number of days wise and places it visited. Having done 3 cruises on large ships (2 in the Caribbean and 1 to the Norway fjords) we were surprised how different it was. It was so relaxing watching the world go slowly by and you could barely notice the movement. Sea sickness doesn't happen on these cruises, yet you still visit other places from the same 'hotel' room. Our only downside was getting up early most days for trips, which started between 0815 and 0915. The cabin was spacious, the food great, the service wonderful and the staff so friendly. We enjoyed the violinist and opera singers - two separate entertainers on different days. The pool was lovely for cooling off in too, though rather small for swimming in. Our drinks package worked well and was far more economical. Being with around 170 passengers, you get to know more people on the cruise and a lot of the staff. We are already planning our next river cruise! Most people on the cruise were 60-75, like us. If you are younger and don't mind being in the minority then that is fine. Read Less