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Review summary
Emerald Cruises UK receives consistently positive reviews. Customers particularly appreciate service and quality, though some mention concerns about customer service and expensive.
Although at first the price appeared high it’s not when you consider what is actually included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Bar Snacks each evening
Beer and Wine at Lunch and Dinner
Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate, Cookies 24/7
Popcorn on movie nights.
Tours with excellent tour guides.
Local entertainment on board ship
Professional, friendly, hardworking staff.
We did the Danube from Budapest to Passau then a coach to Prague for 4 Days. Our trip included stops of some beautiful places with ample time to explore. Emerald is our “go to” river cruise company which I strongly recommend to others to give them a try.
Our Duoro river cruise was excellent.
All the staff were friendly, efficient and our every need was catered for. The bar staff were great fun. The cabin was comfortable and always kept clean and tidy. We were also impressed that a lot of the staff came from Porto.
A beautiful experience. Thank you
The cruise from starts to finish was memorable for all the right reasons. Staff, the ship, food, accomadation all wonderful. Each day different with multi choices… relax in board, sightsee yourself, sightsee with a guided tour or be adventurous and do an active activity. Something for everyone.
We have been on a number of sea cruises but decided to try a river cruise for a change. We chose the Emerald Waterways “Jewels of the Rhine” because of the itinerary, going from Basel to Amsterdam and the all inclusive deal offered seemed quite attractive. We were not disappointed with our choice. We enjoyed the whole experience and the excellent service and great attitude of all the crew made us feel quite special. The cabins were a little smaller than we were used to on sea cruises and things could get a little noisy at times when negotiating locks at night. However the accommodation was adequate for purpose and the public rooms were comfortable and well appointed. The food and beverages were very good with plenty of variety. All in all a great trip.
A Wonderful experience
The first river cruise we have been on and it didn't disappoint from the moment we stepped onboard to when we left there was nothing we would have altered. The staff were certeous, friendly, hard working and would do their best to help. The food was amazing and plentiful. Special mention should go to Geanina, the way she was calm, always smiling and the most efficient and always there when you needed. We will certainly recommend Emerald Waterways
To be honest, I'd choose my next cruise with the same airport arrival/ship departure - Munich airport was a nightmare, followed by 1 1/2 hour coach journey to Nuremburg. Frankfurt airport wasnt quite as bad, but it involved a 2 1/2 coach journey from Bernkastel, which means you spend the first and last days of your cruise travelling to and from.
Once there, however, everything was superbly organised. I'd thought 50 people arriving to check in at same time would be mayhem, but it was handled very well and took no time at all.
my only slight gripe would be the veggie food - only one option at dinner and that rather unimaginative most nights...not to mention, very small portions! The breakfast and lunch buffets were fine though.
I'm certainly looking at another Emerald cruise for next year ...
Aware of your good reputation for River Cruises and after seeing the good reviews and recommendations on your website for this cruise, we decided to book your Dalmation Coast by Luxury Yacht cruise, and whilst we enjoyed the cruise, it was far from the "unrivalled luxury on-board" as you quote in your brochure. Also on looking more closely at the reviews mentioned above, it is apparent that most if not all the reviews are only relevant to your river cruises. This is false representation to quote these on your website for the Dalmation coastal cruise and this could be considered in contravention of the Trades Description Act.
I list below the 'bullet points relating to our recent experience :-
• The cost of the cruise was definitely not value for money, even when adding the early booking discount and the on-board credit you gave at the last moment. Our experience does not relate to your advertising saying "The Dalmation Coast by Luxury yacht" - quoted from your brochure and website, "A floating boutique hotel" and "This exquisite yacht" - quoted from your brochure - Our impression of The boat, Adriatic Princess, came across, to quote the Ford model nomenclature, as the 'Popular Plus' variant compared to the Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions that we witnessed when crossing other boats to get ashore. Had we booked this cruise direct with Elite Travel, which effectively it was and not Emerald, the final cost including flights etc would have been considerably less than what we paid to you.
• Not being able to use a credit card on board is unbelievable - to expect cruise passengers to go onshore to an ATM to get cash to pay their tab is, quite frankly, ridiculous. In your pre cruise booklet titled "Important Information" it clearly states, and I quote "Credit Cards : Euro card, Master card, Visa cards are accepted in all countries in major shops, restaurants and hotels as well as to settle your shipboard account"
• The crew, whilst very pleasant and helpful, were not what you'd expect on a luxury cruise. In no way could the guys serving drinks "help you pair the perfect beverage" to quote from your brochure, and they did not circulate the sun deck asking if any drinks were required. Accepting that you actually chartered the cruise from Elite Travel although it was marketed as Emerald, we would expect Emerald to have at least one representative on board such as the Cruise Director - this was not the case - Ivana was employed by Elite Travel, as were the rest of the crew and the only reference to Emerald was the flag on the prow of the boat and the ball point pen given to us.
• The noise insulation from the engines and transmission was totally inadequate. The noise in our cabin, No 10 on the middle deck, was so bad that when woken up at engine start-up in the morning at 06:00 was like having a vintage Massey Ferguson Tractor firing up in the cabin. I judge that the noise levels would have actually required ear defenders under HSaW legislation. It was so noisy that you could not hear the TV or announcements from the in-cabin speaker, and we were told by passengers in the cabins on the lower deck that the noise was horrendous - "Sumptuous cabin" quoted from your brochure - it most certainly was not.
• We could not believe that a box of tissues was not provided in the cabin and bathroom, or a face flannel - even the cheapest motel or B & B provides these. This is 'penny-pinching' in the extreme and certainly not what you'd expect on a luxury cruise.
• The food, whilst very good, was considered to be 'good home cooking', certainly not fine dining as you would expect on a luxury cruise and you had to accept what you were given for the dinners - no choice available.
• The pre cruise booklet titled "DiscoverMORE - Optional Tours" was totally irrelevant to the Dalmation Coast Cruise - all the tours were only applicable to your various River Cruises.
I await with interest your comments and compensation for not providing what you claim and indeed what we paid for.
I think Emerald has got it right with the river cruise holiday. It is as relaxing as you want it to be but there are lots of good excursions available. Entertainment is good, not over the top but enough. The cabins (especially Panorama suites) are so well laid out and convenient for everything. Lovely and clean and bright.
A very pleasurable experience.
Thought the cruise very good the administration terrible
Thought the cruise very good, staff and food good. Trips most were waste of time eg. Supposed to go to a fort drove past it twice, another fort just looked at it from a distance back on coach, a walking tour was taken to square pointed out church, banks, ATMs restaurants that took Euros lasted 5 minutes then told to be back on coach in an hour. We have never been on cruise before booked through ROL there administration was the worst I have known, lack of information of flights not told depart T5 return T3 as no paperwork would never go through this company ever.
Fantastic "Legends of the Moselle, Rhine and Main" rivers cruise on board the Emerald Destiny - lovely new ship. Very efficient, well organized, friendly crew - nothing too much bother for them. In particular Banasz (excuse spelling) is the best cruise director we have had - and we have been on lots of river cruises. The booking process was also efficient and easy.
Will certainly cruise with Emerald again.
Well done to everyone.
This was our first river cruise with Emerald having done 7 previously with other cruise lines. The food was somewhat disappointing and the homeward travel arrangements were not good having to wait 5 hours at Frankfurt airport, we believe other available flights would have resolved this problem. As the sun deck was closed ,due to low bridges, for the first 3 days, which were hot and sunny, and there was only 6 outside seats available, it was unacceptable to have to sit in air conditioned lounge when on board cruising. (A complaint shared by many passengers)
Emerald Destiny was immaculate, modern and very shiny. The cabin was excellent and staff very obliging. All arrangements for onshore visits were very satisfactory.
We loved every moment of our cruise up the Rhine, Main and Moselle.
The holiday on the Emerald Destiny could not have been a better break for us both. Extremely comfortable, delicious food and wines, luxurious cabin with everything we needed. The staff were brilliant, polite and helpful and to top it all, the trips ashore, visits to the villages, castles as well as wine tasting, will be remembered for ever. Thank you and we shall definitely go on holiday with Emerald Waterways again.
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