My night on board the Emerald Sky

My first night in Amsterdam was to be spent on the Emerald Sky….now this was the first ever river ship I had stepped on and so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I wasn’t expecting if I’m honest that a river cruise ship was going to wow me like an ocean cruise ship would….I was so wrong! From the second I stepped on board I was totally  impressed.

Walking towards the Emerald Sky I couldn’t believe how long the ship actually was…443 feet long to be exact, with 4 decks, first impressions were great! The thing that struck me were the huge floor to ceiling windows giving what would be fantastic views. The Emerald Waterways river cruise ship,  Emerald Sky has 92 cabins, the ship is tiny compared to some of the huge ocean cruise ships I have been on so I was looking forward to experiencing this first hand.

Impressed with the outside of the ship I couldn’t wait to step on board. Emerald Sky is stylish, chic, contemporary….I loved the ship instantly. We were welcomed on board by the staff and shown to our cabins. Again not sure what to expect,  I opened the door to my Panorama balcony Suite….wow it was fabulous. Stylish, chic and much more spacious than I had imagined. As I said this was a panorama balcony suite…different to the usual type of balcony I have seen on cruise ships. You can see by my photos the huge floor to ceiling windows and the very clever concept of the top window opening with a simple press of a button giving you that balcony feel and a great place to sit and take in those amazing view. The cabin was stylish with very sleek lines and a very inviting bed! I think I expected something much smaller, but the floor space and the storage space were impressive.

The dining area struck me as again very stylish, and elegant with a very relaxing atmosphere. Reflections is nice and informal so there is no need for dinner jackets and cocktail dresses, I think that was one of the main things I took away was that the river cruise experience whilst busy in port, whilst on board your ship  relaxation is the key. Low key entertainment, informal yet very impressive dining on board and just taking everything at a slow pace. The Terrace is a perfect area for a bit of Al Fresco dining.

A favourite place of mine in board was the swimming pool with the retractable roof which transforms into a cinema..yes a cinema! A brilliant concept of having the pool area which then turns into the cinema area. The floor of the pool rises, the water drains and you then find yourself in the cinema! Very clever concept especially on a small ship where space is so valuable, I thought this was a great idea for a river ship.

There isn’t a shortage of places to relax on board, although a small ship the Emerald Sky is so well designed it feels spacious and open. There is the bar & lounge area with the full length windows giving that feeling of space and light. The Sun deck area again lots of space to get away from it all and take in the views.

I wasn’t sure before I saw the river ships for myself if it would be my kind of cruise, and I can honestly say I would love to go off on a river cruise…of course on one of the premium ships! The ships are beautiful, great value also when you consider that for most your drinks with meals are included, your excursions are included. And the best part of all if that you get to see so much more, you dock in the heart of the cities and you get the very best out of your itinerary.

If you think you may like to try a river cruise for the first time, or you have cruised before with one of the river cruise lines and are thinking of another trip do get in touch.

Give me a call 0330 303 8201 or drop me an email [email protected]

Abbi