The embarkation was speedy and we had our cases within 10 minutes of reaching our cabin.The ship is brand new and everything was excellent.The cabins are a good size with ample room to move about. T he bathroom was very good with an excellent shower. The beds are very comfortable with top quality bedding.The facilities on the ship are excellent including a swimming pool with small bar at the rear of the ship. The lounge bar area is large and has very comfortable seating the bar staff are very good and friendly and quickly get to know passengers preference in drinks. There is entertainment most evenings and the cruise director Darren is very good quickly gets to know passengers deals efficiently with any problems that arise.The restaurant is spacious and the food service is very good breakfast and lunch is buffet service while evening meal is waiter served.Lunch and dinner are served with complimentary drinks. Each day there is guide led tour of each port of call which is free which gives a good insight into each town the tour last about 3 hrs and after lunch you are free to wander around each town. Everything was well organised and disembarkation was very good with transfer to airport / rail station or hotel.

I have only one criticism of the ship it is fitted with lovely upper deck with chairs,tables loungers and shade but the nature of the river and bridges means that the upper deck was closed for 90% of the trip whilst travelling due to low bridges. But having said that we would go on this trip again and would most certainly travel with Emerald waterways again.