I chose this cruise for a variety of reasons the first being value for money, the second being the route along the Danube visiting cities that I had never seen. I had never taken a river cruise and I did not know what to expect. We arrived in Budapest early to really see the city and this is a must! The city is spectacular and the two days we spent was really not enough. We met the boat and immediately encountered a wonderful welcome and met some of the crew who would serve us for the next 7 days. The Emerald Destiny is a sparkling new boat and we were surprised by the large , functional cabin even though I had opted for the lower cabin with a smaller view rather than the panoramic window. Cost was a factor here and I personally didn't think the extra money was worth it especially since most cruising was done at night and daytime views were everywhere in the common areas of the boat. There were only a total of 168 people on board making for a cosy atmosphere. If you like the hullabaloo of the huge cruising ships, this may not be for you. What a great way to meet people from different countries and backgrounds. We made some great friends over the sumptuous dinners and the art of conversation is very much revived in the comfort of the large lounge. The cities visited were spectacular and the daily guided tours were very informative and made especially easy with the new earplug monitors so you can hear the guide at all times. I can't say enough about the attentiveness of the crew. My wife is gluten free and the head waiter searched her out every day to make sure she was happy. We ended our trip in the fairy tale city of Nuremburg which is also worth a night or two the we traveled to the most picturesque city in the world. Prague is truly the jewel of Europe and should not be missed. I live in Montreal Canada but I am Australian. I was proud to hear that Emerald is an Aussie company. Onya guys!!!
Beautiful cabin and great size. Very well thought out with plenty of room for everything.