Emerald Cruises
Featured Cruises View all
15 Days Marseille to Porto
Operator: Emerald Cruises
18 Days Porto to Nice
Operator: Emerald Cruises
15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest
Operator: Emerald Cruises
10 Days Amsterdam to Basel
Operator: Emerald Cruises
Popular Destinations View all Explore the following regions on one of 1,850 cruises with Emerald Cruises
20 River Cruises
36 Yacht Cruises
168 River Cruises
55 Yacht Cruises
Cruise Fleet View all Inclusions, itineraries, onboard facilities & deck plans of each Emerald cruise ship.
Emerald Cruises is launching a new superyacht, the Emerald Kaia, in 2026. This next-generation yacht is the third in their line of luxury vessels, building on the success of the first two while maintaining the ethos of luxury small-ship...
The Emerald Astra is set to launch in 2026, adding to their award-winning European fleet cruising the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. With a sleek design and innovative features including a pool that transforms into an evening cinema, the...
The new 110-metre Emerald Sakara, a sister ship to Emerald Azzurra, undertook her maiden voyage in a new destination for Emerald Cruises – the Seychelles, in early 2023. Custom-built to access ports only the smaller vessels can reach,...
The Emerald Luna is the seventh luxury star-ship built to cruise the Danube, Main, and Rhine Rivers. Onboard you'll have full access to a wellness area, hair dresser, fitness room, onboard entertainment, daytime pool & bar and of course...
Emerald Cruises Reviews View all
Cabins were adequate, with a reasonable ensuite and over the top room service (2x daily) - sign said to reuse towels unless on floor, but this was ignored and wet towels changed every day. The bad points far outdated the good. Number one is the noise in the dining room, which was unbearable - we left one night and skipped dinner on two occasions because of the noise. Lounge was too small to hold all guests and was noisy, either from loud music or too many people, so we avoided all entertainment, except the Zittar player, who was very good. Other entertainment was quizzes of various sorts, golf putting, singing, etc -very unsophisticated. Seats in lounge were mostly uncomfortable. Lounge also had cold water on tap (still and sparkling) and basic coffee machine (using UHT milk and OK if you add a double espresso to anything). Drinks were bar prices and packages from about $20 per day per person.
Front deck was poorly furnished with old seats and not very comfortable. Pool was OK, but small (converted to cinema at night, with mostly uninteresting movies). Sun deck was closed for nearly half the cruise due to low bridges/high water levels.
Guided tours were in big groups (30 plus), so like cats being hearded around. They have gentle walking group, but no faster walking group, so saw much more walking around independently. Little time is spent at most locations (full day only in Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest), and a lot of time is spent on the boat. No day tours by bus included, unlike on other cruises. Some day trips available at extra cost, but very expensive. Active program is aimed at those who don’t exercise very often and are slow. Bike tour guides were good, but too slow eg 5 hours to do 35km. Passengers were mainly native English speakers, with most from Australia.
Information about bus returns to boat was hard to obtain unless you went on the guided tour (always told “tour guide will tell you”) and sometimes plainly wrong. People were left in Budapest for two hours on a hot day, when they had expected to be taken back to the boat after the bus tour around town. Best the tour guide could say was “get a taxi” when there was public bus that dropped you opposite the boat and was free for over 65s. No maps provided for towns (allegedly for environmental reasons, but they had paper cups in lounge), but you could get them at information centres (but not told where they were). Would definitely not do another river cruise like this.
The Emerald Azzurra crew were also amazing. Friendly, personable and attentive. Nothing was a problem for them. There are a few things Emerald need to work on such as food choices and consistency of quality though. We were told they are bringing people from Scenic Eclipse to elevate the experience. Emerald Azzurra is not in the class of Scenic Eclipse yet but has all the elements to be just as impressive with a bit more work. Overall we loved the trip and would travel with Emerald again.
Emerald Brochures View all Download the latest Emerald brochures to read at your convenience.
Europe River Cruises (2025)
Yacht Cruises (2024-26)
The Emerald Cruise Experience Choose to travel with Emerald Cruises on your next adventure!
Explore the rivers of Europe and the Mekong on a stylish floating hotel, where all-inclusive service and contemporary design create an impressive river cruise experience.
Boasting ample public areas with floor to ceiling windows, a relaxing sun deck, a restaurant, bar and lounge, pool, and wellness area complete with a gym, there is everything you need at your fingertips.
Enjoy the onboard facilities of the Emerald fleet as you discover the treasures of the Rhine, Danube, Rhône, Douro and Mekong rivers.
Emerald Cruises is bringing its award-wining reputation and first class service to ocean cruising!
Set sail on the voyage of a lifetime. Whether you’re searching for a tropical haven, looking for sunny shores, wanting to explore new cultures, or longing to relax on board, you’ll discover a world of adventure when sailing with Emerald Cruises.
Discover the Mediterranean and beyond aboard their new luxury mega yachts the Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara or Emerald Kaia, who is embarking on her maiden voyage in April 2026. With a maximum of 100 guests and the amenities of a luxury cruise, these luxury yachts are sure to exceed your expectations.
Dock in the heart of destinations, enjoy direct access to charming towns and historic cities, and take part in high quality experiences. Emerald Cruises brings incredible destinations to life with an included excursion on almost every day of your cruise.
All itineraries feature a selection of complimentary handpicked excursions that showcase each region visited. Guests can also enjoy EmeraldPLUS experiences that delve deep into local culture and EmeraldACTIVE hiking and biking tours at no additional cost.
A selection of DiscoverMORE optional excursions are also available to purchase featuring exclusive activities and deeply immersive experiences.
As part of the Scenic Group, Emerald have been operating river cruises since 2014 - their deluxe river cruises have built a reputation for excellence which they continue to deliver on, time and time again.
A team of experienced Cruise Directors, coach drivers, and expert local guides are passionate about showing you everything each fascinating destination has to offer, and the onboard staff are always on hand to deliver high level service every step of the way.
Join the Emerald Cruises family and let them share their passion for river cruising with you.
A deluxe river cruise with Emerald Cruises includes all onboard meals with flavours carefully created by the expert culinary team. Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks are also served with lunch and dinner.
Guests can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi and cruise with the peace of mind that all tipping and gratuities, airport transfers to and from your Star-Ship, and all port charges and taxes are included in your cruise fare.
With no single supplement payable across a variety of Emerald Cruises' river cruises it's also an ideal choice for solo river cruisers offering exceptional value and an unrivalled experience.
Explore More Your guide to travelling with Emerald Cruises
17 June, 2024
Exploring the Adriatic and Ionian Coasts: Our Experience On Board the Emerald AzzurraGlobal Journey's CEO, Campbell, and his wife Frances, recently cruised the Adriatic and Ionian coasts on board the Emerald Azzura. My wife and I have just returned from an extended trip to Europe, part of which was dedicated to exploring the Adriatic and Ionian coastline on board the Emerald...
23 April, 2024
Introducing Emerald Kaia: The Next-Generation SuperyachtEmerald KaiaEmerald Cruises has just announced their new chapter in luxury yacht cruising - Emerald Kaia. A visionary addition to their prestigious fleet, which includes Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Sakara, the Emerald Kaia is scheduled for its maiden voyage in April 2026. This splendid yacht...
Emerald Cruise FAQ's Frequently asked questions for those considering travelling with Emerald Cruises
Terms & Conditions All the boring small print. We recommend you read them, as no one likes surprises!
- Please read Emerald Cruises Terms & Conditions
- Please also read Global Journeys' Terms & Conditions if you haven't already.
