Emerald Dawn Review
-- / 5.0
Editor Rating
starlady21
First Time Cruiser • Age 50s
Rating by category
Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Additional details
Sail Date: Jul 2019
Our first cruise of any type - ocean cruises have never appealed to me - but this trip ticked all the boxes for places I wanted to visit, with the added bonus of a private performance in Vienna by Strictly stars Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, and a dance masterclass/Q&As on board with them the next day. Ship facilities top notch and staff/service an absolute joy. All thoroughly professional yet relaxed and friendly. We particularly loved the glass and mirrors decor which made the ship feel so light and airy.
An apparent improvement this year was the introduction of an events manager, so that aside from the two nights where excellent local musicians came aboard to perform, there was always some evening enterainment provided, such as "Battleships/scategories","Family Fortunes," 70s/80s disco night, etc. He also provided an excellent cabaret as a singer himself one night. There was the occasional film night and aquarobics in the pool. Special mention to our Tour Manager, Nina who was a delight - efficient, and very open and friendly.
Food: Evening meals were a 4 course nouvelle cuisine menu with a meat/fish/vegetarian option, or you could chose from 3 set menu options each night (steak, chichen breast etc). These were all very tasty, albeit low on the potato side of things! and on the 2 Captain's welcome/farewell nights there was also a palette cleanser sorbet course. Breakfast was a sumptuous spread of everything you could possibly want, with a chef cooking eggs/omelettes live to order. Lunch usually consisted of 2 "hot" dishes, sometimes cooked live, 2 soups, salads, etc, cheeseboard, cakes/desserts. You could also order a main course from the daily menu. Would have to say the hot dishes didn't stay very hot in the warmers, but it would have helped if the plates were warmed as well! Would have appreciated soup spoons as the one-size dessert spoons I felt were too big for the deep sided bowls. Wine, draught beer and soft drinks all included at lunch and evening meal. But bottled cider and beer were charged for.
Cabin Review
Cabin D Stateroom
We were warned by other reviewers that this cabin was right under the gangplank so were prepared for noise when the ship docked. As this was usually between 6 and 7 in the morning it may not be a problem if you are an early riser! You are also on the waterline so there is a background noise at night of the water movement and the engine but if you are a good sleeper then it shouldn't be a problem. Air-con was on 24/7 though we managed to turn it down a little bit. Speaking to other passengers, if you go for a top deck balcony suite then you lose space between the bed and the bathroom. Ours was adequate and never felt cramped. Bathroom facilities excellent and our cabin steward, Dyas, was most efficient and polite.
Port Reviews
Bratislava
Morning guided walking tour around the Old city then about 1 1/2 hours free time. We walked up to the Hrad (fortress) and back again leisurely. In the afternoon we opted for the drive out into the Slovakian countryside for wine and cakes with a typical Slovakian in their own home. Very interesting and enjoyable.
Regensburg
1/2 hour coach drive into the city from landing stage at Kelheim then had an excellent guided walking tour around the medieval city. Usual hour or so free time afterwards before getting back to the coach. This time an hour's drive to catch up with the ship. Some places of interest pointed out en route.
Nuremberg
This was our point of disembarkation. 15-20 mins drive from the city. For us, luckily a late transfer to Munich at 2pm meant we could take a taxi into the city and actually get to visit the place. Most other passengers weren't so lucky. Strongly suggest that you travel in a day early to Nuremburg if you really want to see the city before sailing. Same the other end in Budapest if you are travelling from that direction like we did. Worth noting that lunch is provided on the ship that day if you are still awaiting airport transfer, as well as for the new arrivals, which we hadn't expected.
2 Helpful Votes
Find an Emerald Dawn Cruise from $2,491
Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.