Accommodations
Accommodation on board Emerald Star has been designed to feel comfortable and intuitive, offering spaces that are easy to relax in from the moment you arrive. Staterooms and suites are bright, well laid out, and thoughtfully furnished, providing a calm retreat after days ashore or an inviting spot to enjoy a quiet moment as the river scenery drifts by. The focus is on everyday comfort, with subtle touches that enhance your stay.
All staterooms and suites feature queen-size or twin hotel-style beds, dressed in high-quality linens, along with a modern en-suite bathroom complete with a revitalising shower and luxury toiletries. Soft details such as bathrobes and slippers add comfort, while a hairdryer and generous storage make it easy to settle in.
To support life on board and ashore, each accommodation includes a mini-bar, bottled water replenished daily, and Wi-Fi throughout the ship. A combined flat-screen HDTV and infotainment system provides easy access to information and entertainment, while individual climate control lets you adjust the temperature to suit your preferences. Practical additions such as a personal safe, telephone, umbrella and walking poles reflect Emerald’s thoughtful approach to both comfort and exploration.
Emerald Staterooms feature a picture window that welcomes in natural light. Simple, well-equipped, and quietly comfortable, they make a relaxing base to return to after busy days ashore.
The Panorama Balcony Suites are built around Emerald’s all-weather balcony concept, using a floor-to-ceiling window that lowers electronically to create a flexible indoor viewing area. This clever design allows you to enjoy the scenery comfortably, whatever the weather, while keeping the space bright and open.
Offering additional space and a more indulgent layout, the Grand Balcony Suites include an open-air private balcony, ideal for enjoying the view at quieter moments of the day. A pillow menu allows you to personalise your sleeping arrangement, adding an extra layer of comfort.
The most spacious accommodation on board, the Owner’s One Bedroom Suites are available in limited numbers and offer a distinctly residential feel. With separate living and sleeping areas and a generous walk-in wardrobe, these suites are particularly well-suited to guests who appreciate extra room and a sense of separation during their cruise.
Activities
Life on board Emerald Star offers flexibility rather than structure, allowing each day to unfold in a way that suits you. Activities are there to complement the destinations, not compete with them, giving you the freedom to explore, learn or relax as you choose.
Guests can choose between more energetic EmeraldACTIVE excursions, often involving activities like walking or cycling, or the EmeraldDISCOVERY programme, which focuses on immersive cultural experiences and local encounters. With a number of bicycles available, exploring independently is simple and rewarding. It’s an enjoyable way to see more of a destination at your own pace, particularly in riverside towns and scenic areas.
On some sailings, themed talks or presentations provide insight into the history, culture or traditions of the regions you’re visiting. These sessions are informal and designed to enhance your understanding of the places you explore.
During sailing time, the putting green and Games Area on the Sun Deck offer light, sociable entertainment, ideal for relaxed afternoons outdoors.
Entertainment
Entertainment on Emerald Star is understated and atmospheric, designed to enhance evenings rather than dominate them. The emphasis is on creating a pleasant end to the day, with options you can enjoy casually or simply pass by.
On selected evenings, the heated pool area transforms into an open-air cinema, offering a relaxed alternative to traditional entertainment. Elsewhere, you may find local musicians, a pianist, or occasional themed evenings or quizzes, all delivered in keeping with the ship’s calm, sociable tone.
Food & Drink
Dining on Emerald Star feels flexible, shaped around your day rather than fixed routines. With several dining and lounge spaces on board, meals can be enjoyed at a pace and setting that suits your plans ashore and time on the river.
As the ship’s main dining venue, Reflections Restaurant, nestled on the Vista Deck, is the anchor point for dining on board Emerald Star. It’s the venue that you’ll want to return to for the day’s key meals. The setting is smart and contemporary, with a relaxed atmosphere that suits early starts, leisurely lunches, and evenings spent lingering a little longer over good food and conversation. It’s designed to feel comfortable and sociable rather than formal, making it equally well-suited to couples, friends, and solo travellers. In the morning, Reflections offers a calm start to the day, with space to take your time if you’d like to ease into things before heading ashore. Later, it becomes a welcome pause for lunch, ideal when you want to sit down, recharge and enjoy a proper break between excursions. The restaurant’s role really comes into its own in the evening, when dinner feels like a natural end to the day: an inviting setting, attentive service and a pace that encourages you to relax rather than rush. It’s a lovely place to share stories from the day, plan what’s next, and enjoy the simple pleasure of dining well as the river scenery continues beyond the windows.
The Terrace, situated on the Horizon Deck, is well-suited to lighter meals and informal dining, particularly when you’re coming and going around excursions.
When conditions allow, the Sky Barbecue offers open-air dining with a more casual feel, an enjoyable alternative on warmer days.
A comfortable space for most moments of the day, the Horizon Bar & Lounge is ideal for coffee, a relaxed drink, or a quiet pause while watching the scenery pass.
Relaxation & Fitness
Emerald Star offers clearly defined spaces for unwinding and keeping active, allowing you to balance rest and movement throughout your cruise.
The Sun Deck provides open views and comfortable seating, ideal for spending time outdoors while sailing. The heated pool on the Horizon Deck is a popular spot for a gentle swim or time poolside, while the Wellness Area on the Vista Deck offers a quieter environment for downtime between excursions.
The fitness area on the Vista Deck supports light workouts and stretching, while the walking track on the Sun Deck offers an easy way to stay active outdoors during sailing time.
Emerald Star destinations
Emerald Star journeys along some of Europe’s most captivating waterways, including the Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle rivers. These routes reveal a varied mix of historic cities, vineyard-lined valleys and smaller riverside towns, offering a richly layered way to experience the heart of Europe.
