Emerald.Prague to Budapest.

[janecambridge]

Hello.

The men in 'just shorts'were in the lounge for afternoon tea! No shoes no shirts.queuing for sandwiches....sweaty backs.....etc etc.:eek:

 

Restaurants....

Light breakfast 06.30-10.00 in lounge

Breakfast 07.30-09.30 in restaurant

 

Light lunch 12.45-14.15 in lounge

Lunch 12.45-14.15 In restaurant

 

All above are buffet only.evening meal is only in Restaurant,at 19.00.we have to get there prompt in the evening or there are not many seats left. I really would like to eat elsewhere in the evening.It is a shouting match.There is no room service..

 

Anyway a few things I forgot..

There are receiver and earplugs for tours,in your cabin,charging permanently.

Mirrors are everywhere,but the one point a lady may need the most,for drying hair is at an angle from the plug point.The dryer is on a concertina lead and very difficult to style one side of your head!

 

Pool can get busy but it is good I think even though small.There is a current to swim against that has a different level of force.That can be turned off.Towels provided,small bar and hot drinks available.

 

Off to Melk Abbey this morning.beautiful cruise down the river yesterday. There were many clouds to begin with and that was a great relief from the sun.Back to mid thirties again today...

Some sort of crew show this evening.....!:confused:

[Di Princess]

I have no problems with the shorts - even if the guys are older and legs aren't great. It it the issue of "just" shorts, which I take to mean WITHOUT a shirt - that would upset me. And, I guess I may be a considered a prude if I say that tank tops on men (or "wife beater" t-shirts as the undershirt version is called in my area) don't count.

Fran

:eek: No shirt ?

No, Fran, you are not a prude. I also think it obnoxious to appear in public in your underwear, and that is what the wife-beaters are. They should never go out of their house in those. I saw my GrandSon wearing one once and was surprised but he works out and is a real hunk. In his home, however. He is an attorney and wears suits, ties, & cufflinks. Got his first tux at 12 years old for a cruise.

People who don't dress nicely (even if it is K-Mart or Target-smart) are just lazy.

[janecambridge]

P.S. I believe there is room service but only for owners suites and I am not sure if that means evening meals as well..Anyone booking an owners suite will need to check that out...

 

We do dock from time to time against other ships,or other ships dock alongside us.Be careful when opening curtains in the morning!!!

 

Just been reminded that the desktop that we have folded down,has a mirror in that when open can be used for drying hair.I had forgotten about that as we put that down and use the lid as work top..

Edited July 7, 2015 by janecambridge

[pully8]

sweaty backs and no shoes for afternoon tea in the lounge. yuk. did they sit on the lounge chairs like that? never in 8 river cruises have we seen such behaviour. it sounds unhygienic and unsafe. enjoying your review though.

[pully8]

ok with shorts but no shoes sounds unsafe. sweaty backs yuk for afternoon tea in the lounge. lets hope they did not sit and spread sweat on the lounge seats.

[janecambridge]

Melk Abbey today.Lovely.again I won't say anything as it's nice to go somewhere and be surprised.

Tonight was the crew show.Really good and well worth getting a good seat.I won't tell you what it is about because it will spoil the fun for you...

After that was a disco but unfortunatley we like modern music.Plenty of people dancing.

Tonight's dinner of 3 sorts of salt marsh lamb was superb.Cooked as it should be..

Dinner times vary we discovered.tomorrow is another buffet evening meal due to people going to the Vienna concert.so out of 21 meals,only 5 are served at the table during a weeks sailing.

More swimming today.Bit cold but well worth it..

Staff are still superb and can't fault them...

[I_r_a]

Thanks for sharing, J

 

Ira

[janecambridge]

You are all welcome.

Today saw us arrive in Vienna.some people have done the bus tour or visited various landmarks.

We decided to use the bikes again and we cycled into old town and back.Fortunately the weather has changed for a day and is cool with storms.One day of rain is a relief.Would hate to be on here with constant wet weather.

Tonight we have an early buffet with the 108 people eating at 6pm because they are going to an opera.The rest of us eat at 6.30pm....So expecting a quieter evening in the restaurant.

The afternoon tea is very nice,with cakes and sandwiches..

Has not been worth having a balcony of any description today on the odd number side,due to other ships moored alongside.Total darkness in the cabin.

Every night we have a port talk from the tour director.She is very good,very clear.There is also an information leaflet left in our cabins each night for info on the following days activities.

We have not been to see a movie.Thought about going tonight but it's a Michael Buble concert..!

No BBC on the TV and so unable to watch Wimbledon.!

We have decided that the package for all inclusive drinks is worth it,even though we get free wine,it's not always to our taste..so we can drink alternatives.

[janecambridge]

Arrived early in Bratislava.Again we now have ships either side,so no privacy in cabins with curtains open, Just part of River cruising and doesn't affect us as we are on the lowest deck...

Not sure what happened last night with buffet...Really disappointing evening.Did not eat much. When we went in at 7pm the place was a mess and tables full of dirty glasses,plates etc.Buffet work tops dirty,dishes empty/half empty.Why they didn't put the concert goers up one end and then let the rest of us sit the other end,I don't know.Also staff clearing tables and prepping for breakfast,with the manager going around at 8.10pm aaking if we had all finished using the buffet.Those who went to the concert enjoyed it.Lovely goulash served in lounge at around 9pm,when everyone back.We were contemplating eating out tonight but there is a farewell gala dinner tonight.

Keep thinking of things to tell you..

There is a very small blue light in the bathroom,which stays on and is very useful at night.A really good idea..

There is no security when embarking and disembarking.Something we all find strange. When against other ships,they use our gangways to come and go.

Hope I don't sound like a moaner but I have put down very positive points too.

We all have our dislikes and likes and we personally like a good meal,that isn't rushed,served to us and not in noisy environment.

Off to get disembarkation talk now 48hrs ahead of disembarkation..

Report back later.

[RDC1]

Jane,

 

Since most of your meals have been buffet style, how well have they managed the flow? How has the food quality and selection been?

 

Viking only had one buffet style dinner on the recent cruise I was on, but they did not seem to handle flow very well at all.

[janecambridge]

The flow isn't too bad really.They replace food quickly.there is generally a good assortment of food to choose from and the salad choice is good..

Quality is variable.The other night when we had 2 sittings because of the concert in Vienna,it was poor...another time it may be really good..

There are always the same 3 choices of freshly cooked main courses in the evening at the bottom of the menu,buffet or not..

We have taken a plate of food from the buffet and walked upstairs to eat outside most of the time.

As you noted we have had very few sit down waiter service meals (5 in fact).

When it is a service night,we all have to go in together at 7 pm as they like to serve everyone's starter at the same time soup same time,etc etc...It is a bit of a scrum as you always get the ones who have to have certain tables...!

If you are in a group of 4 or more you do need to be prompt..

As Drewlin said in another thread,the tables are close together.So if you have a table for 2 you will virtually be with a table of 4 as well.

The wines have been good.The restaurant manager asked me one evening if I liked the wine and that evening it was a French dry white.I said not really and he promptly went and got a different one for me.Those little touches are something that is exceptionally good on here.

Just arrived in Budapest and will report later on last night and today..

[janecambridge]

Bratislava was amazing.I really wanted to visit this city and it didn't let me down.I think everyone I spoke to,felt the same..their favourite..

We did the little train tour round the streets and others did the walking tour.

We moored directly next to the centre,so easy for on and off..

We decided to have a break from the buffet lunch and ate out as recommended by our guide.We ate in a restaurant adjacent to an old monastery,where all the old Jewish houses were ( only this one left now). It was called Flagship.Very near our mooring.It has an old stone walkway( like a secret tunnel) to get to main dining area.Full of old relics.2 course lunch is 4.70 euros.Very cheap city...

In the afternoon we visited a Bratislavian family for afternoon tea,except our family had a vineyard at the end of their suburban garden,so we did quite a lot of wine tasting! There are about 10 passengers per family.It was great fun and well worth doing. Everyone enjoyed it and those that didn't go,missed out..

Evening time was a gala dinner after captains cocktail party.We had chateaubriand,which was very good.( The kitchen seem to do red meat dishes very well.)Somehow we managed you get a table at the back of the restaurant and it did seem quieter.

Overnight we sailed to Budapest arriving around 8am.Today saw all the cabins on the odd number side(starboard) get the best view of all.A lovely treat for them after having so many days of being tethered to other boats.We moored directly opposite Parliamant building,with no other ships adjoining us on this side.A real treat. Only 4 of us stayed onboard today whilst the rest of the passengers went on a 4 hour tour of the city.When the tours returned,we went out walking.A lovely peaceful morning on our private yacht!

The night tour along the river and back to see Budapest all lit up was a big highlight.Not to be missed..Then the evenings entertainment was one of the best.

We have been given coloured labels for our cases and they don't need to be put out overnight,just left in our rooms when we check out.Our checkout is a reasonable 9am to go on into the city for 2 more nights...

 

P.S.there is a very good guide book in the cabin and we had forgotten about it,so pkease make sure you read it..Also we get a daily sheet with all the times of the various activities,dining etc on it.Also what currency is needed,weather,phone numbers etc..

And...when you use the putting green on sundeck,beware of static shock when touching handrail and getting ball out of hole.Because of AstroTurf,there ia a lot of static.

Edited July 11, 2015 by janecambridge

[janecambridge]

Had to leave the ship at 9am and transferred to The Courtyard Marriott.

Could not check in until after 12 so if you do this leg of the trip,make sure you have what you need for the first few hours.

Another incredible city and I would thoroughly recommend you add a few days here after the cruise( or before). A lot of people said they wish they had added a few days..

There is the city's gay pride parade this afternoon so unfortunately the tour bus( hop on and off) finished early and missed a lot of stops due to roads being shut.

Wi if is not free in this hotel but if you go immediately next door to the shopping centre,just as you walk in there is a bench and there is free wi fi.(hence me being able to post).

Another very hot day at 35c.

[nancyevans]

Have really enjoyed reading your posts. Looking forward to some more info about Budapest.

[janecambridge]

Thank you Nancy

We bought 10 tickets for the underground to cover our travels over the next few days. You just walk to the subway and enter your ticket to validate it and hop on the tube.There are inspectors everywhere checking you have a ticket.

It is cheap here off the main track.

The hotel seemed ok today but it isn't in a nice area really at night.It could just be that's it the height of the summer,Saturday night and also the parade we had.

The buildings take your breath away.Everywhere is just jaw dropping.Today we went in a 'ruin pub'.These are bars are generally around a courtyard set up in virtual derelict buildings.They may not be to everyone's taste but worth a visit.There are 32 of them.. Mainly in the the Jewish quarter.Szimpla being the most popular..

We have booked lunch under a recommendation from a friend,tomorrow,in Heroes square overlooking the lake.Our Emerald Rep and the bus rep said it is a very good choice.I will report back.

The Citadel and The castle on Budapest side is worth a visit for the beautiful views,if nothing else..

We also went to the Central market hall.It is budapests largest market,undercover. It originally housed an indoor canal for delivery of goods.It sells everything from fresh meat and veg to handcrafts and linens.Worth a little peak.

There are so many lovely streets that are pedestrianised.

[janecambridge]

ENJOY A FREE PREMIUM DRINKS PACKAGE WORTH UP TO £756, PLUS SAVE £1,000 PER COUPLE!

 

Book a 2016 river cruise by 31st August 2015 and you will enjoy great savings, plus unlimited complimentary drinks from the moment you step on board.

 

 

 

Had this in an Emerald email today.!

Edited July 11, 2015 by janecambridge

[nancyevans]

Thanks for such a prompt reply. If the restaurant is the one I've seen pictures of, its lovely. We go to Budapest before our cruise and the pictures all look so l interesting. I'll have to try and add a ruin pub to our growing list of things to do.

[RDC1]

Based upon the pros and cons would you select Emerald again?

[janecambridge]

Based upon the pros and cons would you select Emerald again?

 

Tough one.:rolleyes:

I would say that we would not do a river cruise again.Its not an Emerald 'thing'.I cannot compare to other companies as it's our first river cruise.

The reason being that we felt we could not get away much from the other passengers.Most were lovely but there are always those that know it all,shout,rude and selfish.In a river ship it is magnified as there is nowhere else but the lounge to go to.I cannot imagine a wet or cold trip..The sundeck wasn't opened for 48 hours and that was claustrophobic for a lot of people.

There were lots of groups of four onboard.Dining was an issue for us ( and a lot of others). The scramble for a table together,buffets, strict dining times( and I mean strict.some people were later then 7pm and were sent to the back to a table with no air con and on its own,known now as the naughty table).manager even tapped his watch if he saw you arrive late..

I did not feel relaxed on this holiday except when swimming with hubby in the river. So it was very much a personal issue for us and maybe others won't mind tha above.

Because the ship is so modern and the dining room has very low ceilings and no soft furnishings,every dining time is a shouting match..

Emerald seemed to be a good company and they have listened to feedback.When we filled in the comments card at the end,most of my answers were excellent ones...there were so many good points.Lots of lovely surprises,wonderful staff,every one of them is well trained,polite and professional.really good cabins..I hope I have got that across to you..

Friends have said that they wouldn't do an ocean cruise because of all the people but from experience,for us,they are less stressful and more relaxing then a smaller river ship.

Organisation was up there with the excellent comments.

The lowest cabins are really a good option.Although we always have a balcony on an ocean ship,I did a lot of research on cruise critic and all the negatives of having slide down windows or balconies were true.We can now go on a short Cunard trip with the money saved! ( I did miss the early morning fresh air though!!)

:D

[janecambridge]

:eek:

One other thing...

The horse riding school in Vienna,is shut June to August...

[janecambridge]

Another busy day.We bought the 2 day hop on and off bus.This,with the pack of 10 metro tickets has been invaluable in this hot hot weather.We have the option of the red buses or the green buses and the metro.Dont know if I mentioned it but you get a free beer voucher for a bar,free goulash,free one hours bike ride on Margaret island and an hour trip down the river.

We ate in the restaurant called Robinsons,over the lake at Heroes square.It was absolutely superb.different menus lunch and dinner..Thorougly recommend it if you have time.Book early for a table on the lake.

Other passengers are writing to Emerald to say how disappointed they are with the location of the hotel.We are all happy with the hotel but it is in a rough area and when the rep makes a point of telling you not to go right out of the hotel,you know there is something amiss.We saw last night how rough it was but it wasn't until breakfast time that we noticed all the homeless etc and all the mess..We are ok with it but some older frailer people are justifiably concerned.

One or two couples had already pre organised a change to the Marriott on the River.

Had a peek in the New York cafe in the Boscolo Hotel.It is stunning.We also walked past the Terror house.A museum and memorial to the victims who were detained,tortured and murdered during the communist and facist regimes.we could not bring ourselves to enter after going to the shoes memorial on The Danube( 60 pairs of iron shoes to remember the hundred of Jews told to remove their shoes and then shot and thrown in the river.).There are many similar memorials all over the city.

[RDC1]

Tough one.:rolleyes:

I would say that we would not do a river cruise again.Its not an Emerald 'thing'.I cannot compare to other companies as it's our first river cruise.

The reason being that we felt we could not get away much from the other passengers.Most were lovely but there are always those that know it all,shout,rude and selfish.In a river ship it is magnified as there is nowhere else but the lounge to go to.I cannot imagine a wet or cold trip..The sundeck wasn't opened for 48 hours and that was claustrophobic for a lot of people.

There were lots of groups of four onboard.Dining was an issue for us ( and a lot of others). The scramble for a table together,buffets, strict dining times( and I mean strict.some people were later then 7pm and were sent to the back to a table with no air con and on its own,known now as the naughty table).manager even tapped his watch if he saw you arrive late..

I did not feel relaxed on this holiday except when swimming with hubby in the river. So it was very much a personal issue for us and maybe others won't mind tha above.

Because the ship is so modern and the dining room has very low ceilings and no soft furnishings,every dining time is a shouting match..

Emerald seemed to be a good company and they have listened to feedback.When we filled in the comments card at the end,most of my answers were excellent ones...there were so many good points.Lots of lovely surprises,wonderful staff,every one of them is well trained,polite and professional.really good cabins..I hope I have got that across to you..

Friends have said that they wouldn't do an ocean cruise because of all the people but from experience,for us,they are less stressful and more relaxing then a smaller river ship.

Organisation was up there with the excellent comments.

The lowest cabins are really a good option.Although we always have a balcony on an ocean ship,I did a lot of research on cruise critic and all the negatives of having slide down windows or balconies were true.We can now go on a short Cunard trip with the money saved! ( I did miss the early morning fresh air though!!)

:D

 

I know exactly what you mean. We just completed our first River Cruise on Viking. Previously we have done a number of independent trips, land tours and ocean cruises (we do 2-3 international trips each year). While the ship was very nice and service was outstanding, we found the river cruise to be less flexible then we have experienced on any of our other trips. While Viking delivered everything they promised, river cruising does not seem to be for us. We were wondering about Emerald because of some of their features (bikes, pool, etc.), but from your description the items that do not appeal to us seem to be a characteristic of river cruises in general.

Edited July 12, 2015 by RDC1

[RDC1]

Another busy day.We bought the 2 day hop on and off bus.This,with the pack of 10 metro tickets has been invaluable in this hot hot weather.We have the option of the red buses or the green buses and the metro.Dont know if I mentioned it but you get a free beer voucher for a bar,free goulash,free one hours bike ride on Margaret island and an hour trip down the river.

We ate in the restaurant called Robinsons,over the lake at Heroes square.It was absolutely superb.different menus lunch and dinner..Thorougly recommend it if you have time.Book early for a table on the lake.

Other passengers are writing to Emerald to say how disappointed they are with the location of the hotel.We are all happy with the hotel but it is in a rough area and when the rep makes a point of telling you not to go right out of the hotel,you know there is something amiss.We saw last night how rough it was but it wasn't until breakfast time that we noticed all the homeless etc and all the mess..We are ok with it but some older frailer people are justifiably concerned.

One or two couples had already pre organised a change to the Marriott on the River.

Had a peek in the New York cafe in the Boscolo Hotel.It is stunning.We also walked past the Terror house.A museum and memorial to the victims who were detained,tortured and murdered during the communist and facist regimes.we could not bring ourselves to enter after going to the shoes memorial on The Danube( 60 pairs of iron shoes to remember the hundred of Jews told to remove their shoes and then shot and thrown in the river.).There are many similar memorials all over the city.

 

Any towns or cities that you found you would like to go back and spend more time in? Any recommendations on where to stay (either specific hotel or neighborhood) in your beginning and ending cities? We are looking at planning a trip to the area next year.

 

Are you in the Marriott courtyard City Center?

Edited July 12, 2015 by RDC1

[bcchickadee]

Jane I am wondering if you saw any gluten free options offered in the buffets or in the menu. I have celiac and need gluten free meals. I have booked an Emerald cruise next summer but I haven't spoken to Emerald about my dietary needs yet. Janice

[janecambridge]

Jane I am wondering if you saw any gluten free options offered in the buffets or in the menu. I have celiac and need gluten free meals. I have booked an Emerald cruise next summer but I haven't spoken to Emerald about my dietary needs yet. Janice

 

We got friendly with a couple and he was gluten free.Now he said they did not gluten free bread/ rolls.I am not sure about that.I am not saying he lied,but I have a feeling he didn't ask.On the menu it did say to have a word with the hotel manager if you have specific dietary requirements.They went out of their way with any problems we had,to solve them.I even wondered at one point if they had seen my blog!! So I would imagine you will be fine.I know they had fish everyday and a vegetarian option.Also I discovered different rusks/ryvitas etc in packets by the bread.