I Tried an Emerald River Cruise: My Honest Review

Before sailing on Emerald Luna, I wasn’t sure whether river cruising would feel relaxing or restrictive.

By the end of the week, I had found some features I absolutely loved, a few things I hadn’t expected and one of the most sociable cruise experiences I’ve ever had.

Here’s my honest review of the cabins, food, excursions, facilities and what it is really like to cruise the Rhine with Emerald.

Disclosure: I travelled as a guest of Emerald Cruises. As always, all opinions are my own.

My Rhine cruise itinerary

I sailed on Emerald’s eight-night Jewels of the Rhine itinerary, travelling from Switzerland to the Netherlands with stops in Breisach, Strasbourg, Mannheim, Koblenz, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam.

The trip began with a flight to Basel and an overnight hotel stay before we joined the ship in Breisach the following day. At the end of the cruise, Emerald Luna stayed overnight in Amsterdam, giving us more time to enjoy the city before flying home.

Flights, airport transfers and the pre-cruise hotel were all included, so the journey felt more like a complete holiday package than a cruise booked in isolation.

On paper, the itinerary offered exactly what I had pictured from a Rhine river cruise: historic cities, smaller riverside towns and plenty of scenic sailing.

In reality, some parts were exactly as beautiful as I’d hoped, while others were very different from what I had imagined. That contrast turned out to be one of the most interesting parts of the whole trip.

First impressions of Emerald Luna

As we stepped onboard and were greeted with a refreshing cold towel and a glass of something nice, I was blown away by how modern and luxurious the ship looked.

Emerald Luna is one of Emerald Cruises’ purpose-built Star-Ships, and it feels far more like a boutique hotel than the traditional river cruise ship I had pictured.

Emerald owns and operates its river fleet rather than chartering ships from another company. That gives the cruise line more control over everything from the cabins and dining to the service and onboard facilities, and the whole experience felt polished and consistent.

Inside, the ship is bright, contemporary and filled with natural light. Huge windows wrap around the lounge and restaurant, so even when you are eating, having a drink or cooling off indoors, the Rhine is still very much part of the experience.

One of my favourite places was the outdoor seating area at the front of the ship. It was shaded, peaceful and gave you an uninterrupted view of whatever was appearing around the next bend.

My Panorama Balcony Suite

I stayed in a Panorama Balcony Suite, which I absolutely loved. It was modern and comfortable with plenty of storage. Although it’s called a suite, I’d say that it’s a little smaller than the average balcony statetoom on an ocean cruise ship.

The standout feature was the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window. At the touch of a button, the upper section of the window lowered to create an indoor balcony-style space.

This is a clever design because you don’t lose any internal floor space to a separate outdoor balcony. You can sit beside the open window and enjoy the fresh air and views while remaining inside your cabin.

All suites on Emerald Luna have floor-to-ceiling windows, although the exact design varies depending on the accommodation category.

My suite included plenty of amenities…

• Queen-size or twin hotel-style beds
• En-suite bathroom
• ESPA toiletries
• Bathrobes and slippers
• Hairdryer
• Minibar (extra charge)
• Bottled water replenished daily
• Flat-screen television and infotainment system
• Air conditioning
• Safe
• Umbrella
• Telephone
• Walking poles
• Wi-Fi

The bed was very comfortable, the décor felt fresh and the panoramic window made the room feel light and spacious.

One thing to be aware of on river cruises is that ships sometimes dock side by side. This can temporarily block the view from your cabin and may mean that another guest’s window is directly opposite yours.

This is normal on busy rivers and isn’t unique to Emerald Cruises, but it is worth remembering before opening your curtains in the morning!

What is included with Emerald Cruises?

Emerald Cruises describes its approach as “A Better Way to Cruise”, with many of the main holiday expenses included in the fare.

Depending on your booking, inclusions can include:

• Return flights from up to 16 regional UK airports
• Airport transfers
• Pre-cruise accommodation on selected itineraries
• All onboard meals
• Beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• At least one included excursion on each touring day
• Complimentary use of bicycles
• Wi-Fi
• Port taxes and fees
• Gratuities

I particularly appreciated that the included gratuities also covered the guides and drivers on Emerald’s excursions. There was no pressure to give additional tips every day, although guests could still give something extra if they wished.

(Exactly what’s included may depend on your itinerary and booking terms, so it is always worth checking the details before confirming.)

Food on Emerald Cruises

The food was one of the highlights of my cruise!

Emerald Luna has just one restaurant, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. The menus are naturally smaller than those on a large ocean ship, but everything I tried was fresh, well prepared and attractively presented.

Breakfast was buffet-style, with a wide selection of hot and cold options. There was also an egg station. The food was tailored well to the different nationalities onboard, with British-style baked beans, American-style bacon, bagels, pastries, fruit and cereals.

At lunchtime, starters, salads and desserts were served buffet-style, while the main courses could be ordered from a menu. The salad selection was particularly good. It changed regularly and included plenty of colourful, fresh and nutritious ingredients.

Dinner was served at the table, with several courses and a choice of dishes that always included a meat option, a fish option and a vegetarian option.

The food generally felt healthier than the food I often eat on ocean cruises. There wasn’t the temptation of pizza, burgers and ice cream being available all day. Instead, there were three substantial meals made with good-quality ingredients.

Emerald also arranged a dietary meeting, giving guests the opportunity to discuss allergies, preferences and special requirements with the head chef, which was excellent. Each day, anyone with dietary requirements would receive a copy of the menu for the following day under their door. That gave us the option to speak to the chef ahead of time, to request any adjustments, although I never actually needed to.

Drinks on Emerald Cruises

Beer, wine and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner. Speciality teas, coffees and filtered water are also available throughout the day.

Guests who want drinks outside mealtimes can either pay as they go at the end of the cruise, or purchase one of Emerald’s additional drinks packages.

I thought the individual drinks prices were reasonable. During my sailing, beer cost around €4, wine was approximately €6 per glass and cocktails were generally around €8 or €9. There was no additional gratuity added to the advertised price.

This means that guests who only want the occasional drink in the evening may not necessarily need to purchase a drinks package.

There was a fantastic selection of cocktails to choose from, and the bartenders were happy to make things that weren’t on the menu too. I particularly loved the frozen cocktails. Emerald Cruises uses reusable glass straws, which is a great touch.

The wine waiters were very generous at mealtimes and our glasses never got empty! Officially, there was a choice of red or white, but I always asked for rose and was given it without question. Non-alcoholic wines and beers were also available.

The swimming pool that becomes a cinema

One of the most unusual features on Emerald Luna is the indoor swimming pool at the back of the ship.

Many river cruise ships either have no pool at all or only offer a small hot tub. Emerald Luna has a proper pool with large windows overlooking the river, comfy padded sunloungers and egg chairs.

The water was cool enough to be refreshing during the exceptionally hot weather, and it was a lovely place to relax after returning from an excursion. If you press a button, a current activates which you can swim against.

In the evening, the pool floor rises, the water disappears underneath and the space transforms into a cinema. A large screen is lowered, chairs are arranged and popcorn is served.

The same area can also be used for activities such as yoga, Pilates and stretching classes in the morning.

This flexible space is a brilliant idea and one of the features that most clearly distinguishes Emerald Luna from many other river ships.

Complimentary e-bikes

Emerald Luna carries a large selection of e-bikes which can be used on organised cycling excursions. When they are not required for a guided activity, guests may also be able to borrow them independently.

E-bikes are particularly well suited to river cruising because many European river routes have flat cycle paths running alongside the water. They also make it easier for people with different fitness levels to cycle together.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t use them because I had broken my big toe shortly before the cruise, but several other guests took advantage of them and they had a great time!

Excursions

The excursions were one of the strongest parts of my Emerald cruise. At least one experience was included on each main touring day, so you could see the key sights without continually paying for extras.

Most tours were led by knowledgeable local guides and introduced us to the history, culture and main attractions of each destination. Depending on the port, there were usually different ways to explore.

Included guided tours – these are the classic sightseeing options, such as guided walks through historic centres and visits to the area’s main landmarks.

EmeraldACTIVE excursions are designed for guests who wanted something more energetic, such as guided hikes or cycling tours using the ship’s e-bikes.

EmeraldPLUS experiences go beyond a standard sightseeing tour and focus on something more distinctive or culturally immersive, such as a classical music concert.

The privated concert was fabulous and I couldn’t believe it was included it the cruise fare. It definitely felt like something that should have had an additional charge.

Emerald also offers optional DiscoverMORE excursions for an additional charge. These give guests the chance to add further experiences beyond the included programme, often with a deeper focus on local customs, food, culture or places farther from the ship.

You certainly don’t need to book them to enjoy the destinations, as the included programme is already substantial. However, they are useful for anyone who wants to fit more into the trip or has a particular interest in one of the optional experiences.

Gentle walking groups

The gentle walking group was one of my favourite aspects of the cruise.

Because I had a broken toe, I was worried about keeping up with the excursions. Emerald divided the guests into a standard walking group and a gentler group for anyone who wanted or needed a slower pace.

The gentle walking group wasn’t only for guests with obvious mobility issues. It was also great for guests who simply preferred to stop more often and take photographs.

The guides looked for shaded places to pause and gave us time to sit down while listening to the commentary. This was particularly valuable during the heatwave we experienced.

This makes Emerald a good option for couples or groups whose members have different walking speeds. However, you should still bear in mind that European river cruises can involve cobbled streets, uneven ground and some walking from coach drop-off points, so they’re not suitable for everyone.

The daily schedule

River cruising is generally much more structured than ocean cruising.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served within set periods, and included excursions leave at specific times. Some excursions started early, so on most days we needed to set an alarm to wake up.

Because the excursions are already included, most guests tend to follow the organised programme rather than exploring entirely independently. I enjoyed this structure, but it may not suit someone who wants to sleep late and decide what to do at the last minute.

There is only one main restaurant, so you won’t find the huge choice of dining venues available on a large cruise ship. However, guests can choose where and with whom they sit.

The cruise offered a good combination of active days ashore and relaxing periods onboard. I was never bored, but the itinerary was busy enough that I was usually ready for bed by the end of the evening.

What is Rhine river cruising really like?

Before the cruise, I pictured sailing continuously past vineyards, medieval villages and castles.

There are certainly some spectacular stretches, particularly around the Middle Rhine Gorge. However, I learned that the Rhine is also a busy working river.

At different times, we passed factories, warehouses, railway lines, cargo vessels, beaches and modern towns.

I actually found this variety interesting. You never knew whether the next thing to appear would be an ancient castle, a picturesque vineyard or an industrial ship carrying scrap metal.

There were plenty of beautiful sections, and the design of Emerald Luna made it easy to enjoy them. The restaurant, lounge and cabins all had large windows, while the sun deck offered uninterrupted views from above.

Entertainment

Entertainment on Emerald Luna was fairly limited, but that’s normal for a river ship.

There is no large theatre or permanent production cast. Most guests spend their days sightseeing, and evenings tend to be more relaxed.

During my cruise, Emerald brought local entertainers onboard. These included musicians performing with traditional cowbells and a violinist. There was also a farewell disco, where the music leaned heavily towards 1980s classics.

The cinema provided another evening option, and the main lounge was a sociable place to enjoy a drink.

The atmosphere onboard

This was the most sociable cruise I’ve ever taken!

The main restaurant had tables for four and six rather than lots of tables for two. We sat with different guests throughout the week and quickly got to know people through meals and excursions.

There was a good international mix of British, Irish, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand guests, with English used throughout the ship. This is different from other river cruises, where announcements and port talks may be delivered in several languages.

Most passengers were approximately between 50 and 70 years old, although there were also some younger adults travelling with their families.

By the end of the cruise, guests and crew members knew each other well. The ship felt friendly without being overly formal.

Solo travellers may also appreciate the sociable dining arrangements. It would be difficult to feel isolated onboard as the whole ship is arranged in a way that encourages people to socialise. That said, if you prefer your own company, you may find that to be overwhelming at times.

Service

The service on Emerald Luna was a definite 10 out of 10. Because the ship is small, the crew quickly learn guests’ names, cabin numbers and drink preferences.

The cruise director and senior officers were visible around the ship and regularly stopped to speak with guests. The waiters and bartenders were warm, efficient and genuinely friendly.

The service felt personal without being overbearing, and the crew created a relaxed atmosphere. This is one of the biggest advantages of sailing on a ship with fewer than 180 guests.

Dress code

Emerald Luna was much more casual than I had expected.

During my cruise, some guests wore shorts, T-shirts and sandals to dinner. Other guests dressed more smartly, but there was no need for formalwear.

I would recommend packing a mixture of casual daytime clothing and smart-casual evening outfits.

There are no formal nights, and you don’t need cocktail dresses, suits or ties, although of course you can wear them if you wish.

Comfortable footwear is essential because many excursions involve walking on cobbled streets or uneven paths.

Accessibility

Emerald Luna has a lift connecting the main internal passenger decks. However, the lift does not go all the way to the sun deck, which must be reached using stairs.

I found the lift very helpful while travelling with my broken toe, and the gentle walking groups made the excursions much more manageable.

However, river cruising is never fully accessible. Ships may dock alongside one another, requiring guests to walk through or across another vessel. Water levels and local docking arrangements can also affect access.

Anyone with significant mobility requirements should discuss them with Emerald Cruises before booking. As a mimumum, you’ll need to be able to manage a flight of stairs and to be able to walk for at least a few minutes at a time.

What I loved about Emerald Cruises

The highlights of my cruise were the people – both the crew members and the other guests who we got to know very well.

The food was incredible and the drinks were always flowing, which made mealtimes a very sociable affair. It was so lovely to meet up with people each evening and chat about what we had seen during the day.

I also love the design of Emerald Luna. I believe that Emerald has several other ships that are almost identical. The fresh, modern decor is beautiful and the pool is a real highlight.

I recently attended the CLIA RiverView conference in Amsterdam where I visited lots of different river cruise ships and learned about the different companies and what they offer.

Emerald Cruises stands out for me as the excursions are included. On a river cruise, I think excursions usually offer the best way to explore, and having them included means that you don’t need to worry about extra costs mounting up.

The other area in which Emerald stands out from the crowd is that all of the guests are English speakers. That means that everyone can socialise together easily, and also that you don’t have to sit through port talks and announcements in other languages!

What could be better?

The main weakness was the limited evening entertainment. This didn’t bother me because the itinerary was busy, and I was usually tired after dinner. However, guests who enjoy big shows and lots of nightlife may find the evenings quiet.

The structured schedule may also feel restrictive to travellers who prefer complete flexibility. There is only one main restaurant, meals are served at set times and excursions often begin early.

These are features of river cruising generally rather than specific faults with Emerald Cruises, but first-time river cruisers should know what to expect.

Who is Emerald Cruises best for?

I think Emerald Cruises would particularly suit:

• Travellers who enjoy organised excursions
• Guests who appreciate healthy food and wellness activities
• Sociable people who like meeting other passengers
• Active guests interested in cycling or walking
• Mixed-ability groups who may benefit from gentle walking tours
• First-time river cruisers who want a modern ship

It may be less suitable for people who want late-night entertainment, complete freedom from schedules or a wide selection of restaurants. If that’s you, I think an ocean cruise would be a better choice.

My final verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed my cruise on Emerald Luna. The ship felt modern and comfortable, the food was excellent and the crew provided some of the best service I have experienced at sea.

I also loved how sociable the cruise was. With fewer than 180 guests, included group excursions and shared tables in the restaurant, everyone quickly got to know one another.

The entertainment was fairly limited and the daily schedule was more structured than on an ocean cruise. However, neither came as a surprise, and the balance of sightseeing and relaxation worked very well.

Emerald would be an excellent choice for anyone looking for a contemporary Rhine river cruise with plenty included and some genuinely unusual facilities.

Related Posts:

• Scenic vs Emerald River Cruises
• How To Pick The Best European River Cruise For You
• River Cruise Prices: Why They Cost More Than Ocean Cruises