Emerald Sun

The vast majority of the Emerald Sun is made up of what the ship calls suites, so there are only 19 traditional staterooms on board. None of these have balconies or outdoor access inside the room, but all do have a decent sized picture window to let in light. Each stateroom also offers individual climate control, a bathroom with a separate shower, and either a queen or twin sized bed. There is a hairdryer in the room, as well as a minibar, a flat screen TV, in-suite telephone, and access to free wi-fi on board.

The vast majority of the Emerald Sun is made up of suites, all of which have balcony access. The eight Grand Balcony Suites and 23 Panorama Balcony Suites all have glass walls which open at the touch of a button, turning the whole room into what’s essentially a balcony. By contrast, the Owner’s one-bedroom suite—of which there are four on board—has a sliding glass door that opens onto a balcony attached to the sitting room. There are two chairs on every balcony, perfect for kicking back with a glass of wine and watching the landscape roll by.

The smallest suite offered is the Panorama Balcony Suite, which comes in at 180 square feet and is nicely appointed with a queen bed, soft linens, tons of storage including an ample closet and room under the bed for luggage, plus a bathroom with a separate shower. The Emerald Grand Balcony Suite is a hair bigger at 210 square feet and offers all the previous amenities plus access to an in-suite Nespresso machine and a menu from which to choose your preferred pillow. The biggest room of all at 315 square feet, the Owner’s one-bedroom has a separate lounge with two high-backed lounge chairs, complimentary continental breakfast delivered each morning, a walk-in wardrobe, and the ability to have four items of clothing laundered every day. Owner’s one-bedroom suite travelers also have access to an in-room iPad, meaning you’ll be able to surf the web on the boat’s complimentary wi-fi with even greater ease.

The Emerald Sun has just four decks open to passengers, and three are accessible by elevator. Unfortunately, like all other river liners, you’ll need to take a short set of stairs to get to the sun deck at top of the boat, and that’s where you’ll find the vast majority of the boat’s outdoor space. Otherwise, much of the boat feels accessible, with wide hallways, reasonably spacious rooms, and ramp-like gangways at ports.

All food on board the Emerald Sun is included in the cost of the trip and dining takes place in the Reflections Restaurant on the ship’s Riviera deck. It’s a lovely room, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that make dinner a scenic affair. Tables range from two-tops to eight-seaters, and diners can sit wherever they wish.

 A central serving station acts as the hub for breakfast on board and includes a hot station where a chef cooks up omelets and eggs to order. All the breakfast standards are typically offered, save more American fare like pancakes or waffles, and you can find healthier options, too, like chia seed pudding or fresh fruit.

 For lunch, diners can also find some fare on the restaurant’s central serving station, like salads and cold sandwiches. Noontime diners can also choose from a limited hot menu set by the kitchen where you can ask for things like fish and chips, hamburgers, or the pasta of the day. During the nicer months, travelers can expect at least one meal to come out of the Sky Barbecue area on the ship’s top deck, as well.

 Dinner is a fairly formal affair, with diners typically arriving at or around a set time (say, 7:30 p.m.) and choosing from a menu offering two cold appetizers or salads, two hot appetizers, two or three entrees, and four different desserts or cheese plates. On the right side of the dinner menu the chef will note his preferred selections from the menu, but if you want to go totally rogue, you can do that, too: Salmon filets, grilled chicken breasts, sirloin steaks, and fries are always available from the kitchen, should you ask.

It’s worth noting that there is always an early-riser breakfast offered for those who love to greet the sun, as well as a late lunch, both of which can be enjoyed on the ship’s indoor/outdoor terrace. Complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks are always served with lunch and dinner on board, and if you get a little peckish off-hours, there are typically cookies available around the coffee station or nuts behind the ship’s bar. Every room also has a mini-bar that’s stocked with chips or candy for purchase.

The Emerald Sun boasts two bars, though only one is open most of the time.

 Situated on the Horizon Deck and taking up about one-third of that deck’s available square footage, the Horizon Bar is where passengers can relax, grab a beverage, and chat with new friends. There are plenty of couches for lounging, tables for cards or laptops, and smaller armchair seating arrangements, plus seats at the bar should you want to chat up the server there. Port talks and safety briefings are also held in the Horizon Bar, which has four massive TV screens that can be used to display important information, videos, or, during the ship’s Christmas cruises, videos of roaring fireplaces to make the whole space feel a bit more cozy. Given that all the walls of the Horizon bar are floor-to-ceiling glass as well, it’s a great place to kick back and just check out the sights.

 There is a second bar near the pool, as well, and that’s typically staffed during the daytime when people are on board and swimming. Both bars boast a robust list of boozy options, with the Horizon Bar even offering passengers a bound menu of beer, wine, and spirit options, as well as a docket of cocktails they might enjoy, from old fashioneds to pina coladas.

Even though the Emerald Sun is a smaller boat, it still offers a fairly varied range of entertainment options, from movie nights in the pool turned cinema to trivia contests and disco nights with a live DJ in the Horizon Bar. Some evenings, the ship even brings in outside entertainers based on where you’re docked, meaning a stop in Budapest might yield a night of entertainment from a traditional Hungarian band and troupe of four folk dancers.

 If you’re more interested in entertainment on your own terms, each room has a flat screen TV with access to dozens upon dozens of movies to stream, from fairly recent releases to decades-old classics.

As a company, Emerald Cruises has made wellness a priority, offering EmeraldACTIVE excursions on most of its voyages. Those treks give passengers the option to, for instance, take a bike tour through German wine country or a hike up Buda Hill in Hungary.

The ship has plenty of complimentary fitness options on board as well, from a fully-stocked gym with an exercise bike, rowing machine, and weight bench to morning stretching sessions or aqua aerobics with an on-board wellness expert. There’s also a walking track around the edge of the sun deck, as well as a small putting green. Bicycles are also available for use in port, and helmets and locks are provided.

Passengers more interested in being pampered than getting sweaty will find a surprisingly serene and modern spa on board, with moody lighting, ambient music, and a full menu of available services, from facials to foot rubs.