I am not a cruise person per se, but during planning for this trip, Emerald stood out as an all inclusive value oriented option that included active excursions on about every stop along the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers. We took advantage of the active offerings and averaged over 6 miles a day walking or hiking in the various cities along the cruise route. The active tour director did a good job of organizing numerous worthwhile offerings that had a steady group of participants.

At the time of booking, the Emerald Luna was in the final stages of construction and we took into account it would be almost new when we sailed in September 2022. We docked alongside many other cruise lines vessels during our trip and many looked old and tired. Their slider / screen door balcony combos looked out of date to us compared to the .

Pricing allowed us to choose an Owner's Suite located mid ship. The owner's Suite included an ample seating area with a panoramic window opening, walk in closet, daily breakfast, canapes and an evening treat delivered to the room. The space allowed for in-room relaxation as an alternative to joining the crowd in public space during cruise times when the upper deck was closed due to low bridge clearance. The queen size bed was super comfy and high quality linens, as advertised. 4 pieces of laundry were included daily. A full complementary mini-bar and snacks were tailored to our requests and restocked daily. On-board bikes were available for independent exploring or on a couple of organized rides. Read more