Emerald Cruise Review

[AndrewShooter]

A 7 day river cruise completed 7-14 Aug 18 with Emerald Cruises on MV Emerald Destiny.

 

I’m a very regular balcony cabin Ocean Cruise participant whose only previous experience of river cruising was on the Nile many many years ago. This river cruise was one of the best, water based, holiday breaks I have had in recent years. The following comments are of course, only In My Opinion(IMO)!

 

Cost. More in hard cash than equivalent time on sea cruise but, IMO, well worth it. My package (premier balcony) included flight, airport tfrs, 7/24 meals, 7/24 drinks, daily escorted walks/coach tours, all tips both on board and guides/drivers etc. Some additional special interest trips were available at cost. You make your choice - you pay the money. I did a Classical Music evening concert in Vienna and a morning trip to Bratislava. Others also enjoyed a Julie Andrews moment in Salzburg.

 

Flights and Travel. Flying from/to UK = short haul and Economy but quite adequate. BA (my choice to Emerald) Baggage allowance is 2 x 23 Kg plus cabin hand bag per pax. I took just 1 bag well under weight and with all I needed including jacket. Wife similar with different dress for each evening! A supposed only 20kg for coach transfers and ship porterage was never checked. All baggage handling from airport pickup to airport drop off was well managed by Emerald. Munich airport pickup, for me, was bad. We waited at the airport for two hours with some 30 other ship pax for four other pax on the coach transport manifest that did not actually exist. They had cancelled several days before but a good/bad example of left and right had presented. Return flight via Budapest was good regarding accounting for all baggage on to correct coach etc but bad at the airport. Not Emeralds fault/responsibilty at all though; all mechanical baggage handling was down at the airport leading to massive checkin queues, old ladies fainting in the heat - I could go on but you get the drift. The Hungarians surprisingly appeared to revert to Soviet type - do nothing, ignore it, say nothing and nobody will notice. For those of us that remained calm the resultant entertainment from the short tempered and vocal few provided light entertainment throughout. Tip - we flew BA. Their only available onboard M&S sandwhich meal option was an expensive immeadiate throw away choice to be avoided!

 

Itinery. Superb. Scenery, cultural, architecture presented in well balanced programme. Sailing overnight on the less interesting river stretches, by day on the beautiful, Wachau Valley for instance, and a not to be missed Budapest city lights by night. Called by some the ABC cruise, another bloody castle/church, but another beautiful castle/church more appropriate.

 

Accomodation. Very good. Cabin very similar in size to traditional sea cruise cabin but modern and making excellent use of space for storage etc and a proper shower you can actually get into with ease. Large size cases easy fit under the bed.

 

Facilities. A small infinity pool, emptied at one stage when river level was particularly low and to help us “scrap” into Budapest. Well done Captain - many other similar ships did not make it! Tip - pool. Get there early to get one of only a few loungers. A small gym that was sometimes open. Free wifi throughout ship although sometimes a little hit and miss in signal availability and speed. An excellent lounge/bar area with sufficient seating for all pax if in attendance together. Good fresh brew coffee 7/24. A well stocked bar with quality branded spirits etc On my package, I could have for instance, as many large Hendricks/decent single malts as I wanted/wife would let me at no extra cost. Light breakfast, light lunch and high tea served here together with canapés and light evening snacks. Area in front of main bar used for any local evening entertainments, a traditional Bavarian Band and a Hungarian Folk Band and Dancers on this cruise. Cruise Director, a very pleasant very informed and multi lingual Hungarian chap, gave a brief from here each evening. He invariably took 20 mins to cover that better presented in 5 but it did give time for an extra G&T/whiskey!

 

Dining. All freedom and sometimes a bit of a bun fight/rush to get to sit where you wanted (next to the port/starboard windows best) or with who you might want. Quite a few tables for two but soon snapped up. Breakfast and lunch both self service from a central island server station. Adequate, because you could make repeat visits, but not that exciting. Evening meal, waiter service. For my appetite, not adequate and again, generally unexciting but with regional specialities served appropriate to location. Both at lunch and dinner optional cooked to order waiter ordered main courses (steak, fish or chicken) are available every day. I had steak and chips on three nights. For me, the dining was a bit of a let down - I was hoping for a fine dining experience, at least in the evening, and for me at least, this did not happen. Tip. Do not sit immeadiately next to the central server station - meal time saw the traditional bun fight at the OK Coral and it was not unusual to see somebody's backside appear near your meal as they pushed and shoved their way around with/against the natural order of civilised self service dining!

 

Passengers. Overwhelming British. Some from USofA and few Chinese/Japanese and from Oz. On overall balance everybody got on really well in a very friendly and helpful way. There were just one or two who, IMO, dressed/behaved not quite in the manner of the rest of the pax but no significant issues.

 

Dress. Casual throughout. Evenings, smart trousers and shirt. On a couple of Gala Nights (don't get excited - the Captain eats with passengers and a pre dinner glass of fizz) a lot wore a jacket as per sea cruise semi formal but not an issue if you didn’t. The ladies without exception dressed sea cruise semi formal for dinner and very good they looked too.

 

Crew - about 40 strong.Internationally sourced, all speaking good English and all very efficient, helpfull and friendly. IMO, virtually faultless.

 

Summary. 95% success which has convinced me to research completing another Emerald river cruise. And as I said in intro, all IMO!

 

 

 

 

 

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[SpringBreakMom]

Thanks for the review! Did you use your balcony much?

[AndrewShooter]

Thanks for the review! Did you use your balcony much?

 

 

 

The balcony system on Emerald is different to the norm. In essence, the whole top half of the completely glass wall/ window slides down and you actually sit inside your cabin/on your thus created balcony. For us this worked extremely well, space management wise. You did not lose a large part of your cabin to a mostly unused part of your living space. Yes we did use this balcony facility, mostly mornings pre/during breakfast and late afternoons pre dinner. For the most scenic parts of the trip, Wachau Valley and the night time Budapest lights cruise for instance, it is best on top deck where the sights to be seen need a 360deg viewing platform. According to fellow pax, those cabins with just a window were literally eyes at water level with a very small viewing platform and a little claustrophobic.

 

 

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[gnome12]

Note that this balcony system is what is generally referred to as a French balcony.

 

 

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[AndrewShooter]

Note that this balcony system is what is generally referred to as a French balcony.

 

 

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Vous voulez dire un balcon français?

 

 

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[G.M.T.]

Vous voulez dire un balcon français?

 

 

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Becareful, one of C ruise critics rules is that messages must start off in English after which a foreign language can be used. I once fell foul to it.:halo:

[AndrewShooter]

Becareful, one of C ruise critics rules is that messages must start off in English after which a foreign language can be used. I once fell foul to it.:halo:

 

 

 

Thank vous! 🤭

 

 

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[ericosmith]

Note that this balcony system is what is generally referred to as a French balcony.

 

Yes and no. I believe the Emerald design is unique by having the window that goes down. The great thing about the design is that the full width opens. Also the shades are roll up rather than those that draw across. That leaves the total end of the room as glass, the top half of which can be lowered as little as desired down to half way. It also works electrically so it's up and down at the touch of a button. Great design!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Yes and no. I believe the Emerald design is unique by having the window that goes down. The great thing about the design is that the full width opens. Also the shades are roll up rather than those that draw across. That leaves the total end of the room as glass, the top half of which can be lowered as little as desired down to half way. It also works electrically so it's up and down at the touch of a button. Great design!

 

Now being copied by Celebrity for their ocean ships in the EDGE class!

[ericosmith]

Now being copied by Celebrity for their ocean ships in the EDGE class!

 

I almost said that too. I'm not sure I would like it on a large ship though. It's nice to be able to go out on the balcony, close the door and actually sit outside. I think it works well on a river ship where there just isn't room for a traditional balcony and where there is always something new to see outside the window.