Emerald Waterways – The Emerald Star
Having worked in the travel industry for over a decade, I’ve seen trends come and go in terms of popular destinations people want to visit as well as modes of transport. You get a sense for those things that will sustain over time and those which will be replaced by the “next big thing”. Without question, I’ve been asked more about River Cruising than any other aspect of travel in the last two years. And not just from the usual suspects of seniors with a bit more of a disposable income and time on their hands. But also by Baby Boomers (the backpackers of 20yrs ago who still experience wanderlust but are trading hostels for more luxurious accommodations) and young families looking for a comfortable and safe mode of transportation to visit several destinations while also providing an educational value for both themselves and their children.
Despite having cruised many times in ships as large as 3,000+ passengers to as small as 500 and locations as varied as the Caribbean, Central America and the Mediterranean, we recently had the opportunity to experience our first River Cruise along the iconic Danube River in Eastern Europe.
Our home for the week was the Emerald Star, a virtually brand new 435ft, 1058 tonne ship from the Emerald Waterways line which debuted this year. Emerald Waterways is a privately owned 4 star deluxe river cruising line (think the Oceania or Celebrity of River Cruise lines) that are the only river cruise line to have 2 distinct brands in the water –Emerald & Scenic Tours—and custom builds their own ships.
Boarding the ship is quick, easy and very welcoming. Bags are placed in your stateroom while the very courteous Emerald staff welcomes you aboard, gives you your room key and shows you the amenities available throughout your journey.
The ship is beautifully decorated with modern, clean lines. She has three interior decks and a full rooftop deck as well. The first deck is given to just staterooms; the second deck has the dining room towards the bow and the third deck has the Lounge, which has a bar and is very comfortably furnished with sofas and comfy chairs. Large windows keep the room light and airy and allow guests to take in the views of the surrounding countryside. The room is very comfortable: stylishly decorated with the right blend of formality that lets you know you are on a first class cruise line but with a casualness that lends itself to relaxation and meeting other guests. There is also a very nice small deck on the bow of the ship, just forward of the Lounge. Comfortable chaise lounges, tables and chairs allow guests to relax outside and take in the sun and watch the scenery go buy. It is a particularly good spot to sit as you sail through some of the bigger locks.
At the stern of the ship is the indoor swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by attractive teak decks with comfy lounge chairs. The roof above the pool opens allowing for it to be an indoor or an outdoor pool, depending on the weather. There is a small bar in the corner which makes the pool area a nice place to come and swim and then sit and enjoy a drink afterwards as you watch the constantly changing shoreline. At night a floor covers the pool and a screen drops down in front of the aft windows turning the room into a small theatre where nightly movies are shown.
The 92 cabins on board range from 2 single Staterooms, 18 double occupancy Staterooms, 60 Panoramic Suites, and 8 Grand Balcony Suites, to 4 luxurious Owner’s Suites. Each category of the staterooms from single to the Owner’s Suites, are extremely well designed, maximizing space at every opportunity with a modern design accentuating clean lines and a bright, open feel. The Panoramic Suites, Grand Balcony Suites and Owner’s Suites feature windows that are divided horizontally in half with the top dropping down turning the room from an indoor to an outdoor balcony with a flip of a switch.
Emerald Waterways has clearly gone out of their way to provide comfort and luxury as well as those added extras that truly exude a personal touch. Along with a mini bar, built-in USB ports, a souvenir guide book and personal listening devices for each guest, every cabin is also given a pillow menu allowing guests to customize pillow choices from quantity to firmness to stuffing. Wine, Beer and soft drinks are included with meals and unlike many other cruise lines, Emerald doesn’t discourage alcohol being purchased in port and brought back on board for consumption—they even provide cabins with a corkscrew & wine glasses. The only restriction is bringing open bottles into the restaurant or lounge as they are licensed. That being said, pricing on board was very reasonable with a glass of beer costing about $4 Canadian.
Behind the scenes in the Galley on the Emerald Star:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_KUlTtZm0c
Emerald also includes a city walking tour with each port. They usually depart first thing in the morning leaving the afternoon open for free time to explore ports on your own or join one of the optional excursions that usually feature a very port-specific experience such as a taking in a live classical music concert in Vienna. We found the tour guides to be excellent—well versed in the subjects they were leading, easy to understand and kept the tours moving at a very good pace.
Seven days, four countries, and several new friends later, we can honestly say we would not hesitate to go on another River Cruise. The fact that we were able to experience the Best New River Ship of the Year (according to Cruise Critic for the North American & UK markets) certainly set the bar high but believe the hype, River Cruising is here to stay and is a fantastic way to travel.
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