{"id":5299,"date":"2014-07-04T17:47:08","date_gmt":"2014-07-04T17:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/avidcruiser.com\/livevoyagereports\/?page_id=5299"},"modified":"2016-06-29T08:11:32","modified_gmt":"2016-06-29T14:11:32","slug":"day-1-embarkation-budapest","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/live-voyage-reports\/emerald-waterways-emerald-sky-budapest-nuremberg\/day-1-embarkation-budapest\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 1 – Embarkation in Budapest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Embarking Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Star in Budapest<\/h3>\n
\"Emerald<\/a>

Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Star at her berth in Budapest on Saturday, July 12, 2014. Both the line and the ship are brand-new to European river cruising. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Aaron Saunders, Live Voyage Reports<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

After flying overnight from North America, this afternoon I boarded Emerald Cruises<\/strong>\u2019 Emerald Star <\/em><\/strong>at her berth in Budapest<\/strong> for a weeklong voyage along the Danube<\/strong>. She is docked opposite the spectacular Hungarian Parliament building on the Buda side of the Danube.<\/p>\n

My journey to Budapest even started off on the right foot: when connecting through Frankfurt on Lufthansa<\/strong>, I zapped my boarding pass at the gate and, to my surprise, the machine spit out a little ticket stub. Coach must have been overbooked, because I\u2019d been given a new seat assignment in Business Class \u2013 which, on Lufthansa, is pretty spectacular, even flying within Europe.<\/p>\n

\"Welcome<\/a>

Welcome Aboard! Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Once the Boeing 737 touched down in Budapest and I\u2019d collected my luggage, I met the Emerald Cruises representative in the Arrivals area of Budapest\u2019s Ferenc Liszt International Airport, which is still popularly known as Ferihegy Airport, its name prior to 2011. Every Emerald Cruises river cruise includes complimentary transfers to and from the airport; a nice touch that really takes the stress out of arranging transportation into town \u2013 particularly here in Budapest, where dock spaces are numerous and taxi drivers aren\u2019t always aware of the exact location of a particular ship.<\/p>\n

I remember coming here for the first time nearly three years ago. For whatever reason, I thought this would be the city I enjoyed least \u2013 and I quickly discovered it was one of the cities along the Danube that I enjoyed most.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The gorgeous Hungarian Parliament building, as seen from Emerald Star. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The capital of Hungary, Budapest originally started out as two neighbouring cities separated by the Danube River, which serpentines across the landscape. In fact, it wasn\u2019t until November 17, 1873, that the two sides \u2013 Buda<\/strong> and Pest<\/strong> \u2013 were united as one city: Budapest. To this day however, locals will still refer to themselves as being from one side of the city or the other, and a friendly competitive rivalry exists between those on opposing sides of the Danube.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A Panorama Balcony Suite aboard Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Star. Note the neat number plates on the outside of the door. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

For the next week, my home aboard Emerald Star <\/em>is a Panorama Balcony Suite<\/strong> located on Deck 3. At 180 square feet, calling it a suite is a bit of a misnomer, but the first thing you notice when you walk in is the spectacular floor-to-ceiling window that stretches for nearly the entire width of the stateroom. It is flanked by two chairs and a small table, and features faux teak decking instead of carpeting.<\/p>\n

Of course, the first thing I did was to head straight over to the window and push the switch located on the side of the frame. The upper half of the window dropped down (simply let go of the button to stop it at your desired position), and the fresh breeze of the Danube wafted into the room. Cleverly, if you have your window open, it disables the room\u2019s air conditioning system so as to not unduly burden it.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/a>

Inside my Panorama Balcony Suite aboard Emerald Star. Note that the window stretches the entire width of the room. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

When I was admiring the view of the Hungarian Parliament across the river, my luggage arrived in my room, and I set about unpacking. There\u2019s just one problem: I couldn\u2019t find the closet. These rooms have been cleverly and unobtrusively designed. You won\u2019t see any handles, levers, or ledges on any of the drawers or doors.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The reverse angle, looking toward the bathroom (right) and the entryway door (left). Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The closet is cleverly hidden. Everything in these staterooms is designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

It turns out I\u2019d been staring at the closet without realising it: it\u2019s next to the Panorama Balcony. Inside, there\u2019s space for anything that needs to be hung up, but some of the available space is taken up by the mini-fridge and safe. Fortunately, for any clothes that don\u2019t have to be hung up, plenty of storage space is available in the drawers opposite the bed. Just push in on the drawer, and it pops out. Super-easy.<\/p>\n

The room is attractively designed, and feels very European. It has a large queen-sized bed that, interestingly, cannot separate into two twins \u2013 perhaps something to be aware of for friends travelling together. On the other hand, the bed does boast twin European-style duvets \u2013 one for each person \u2013 which I absolutely love. It\u2019s a trend that is common in many European hotels, and one I wish would catch on in North America.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The fantastic Panorama Balcony in my stateroom, opened to let the fresh air in. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

For the power-conscious, there is a single North American outlet and two European outlets available at the end of the \u2018desk\u2019 that the flat-panel television resides on. Next to this is the stateroom telephone, and your QuietVox-esque radio devices for use when on tour ashore.<\/p>\n

Even after I had unpacked, the allure of the balcony pulled me in, and I sat down and enjoyed a glass of water while watching the other ships zip back and forth along the Danube. Bottles of still and sparking water are provided complimentary in each stateroom, though items from the mini-bar carry a small surcharge.<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>

Looking toward the television and the entry door in my Panorama Balcony Suite. Note the abundant drawers; they pop open when you push them in. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

I definitely prefer the style of balcony that Emerald Cruises has created over the traditional French Balcony. What\u2019s the difference, you ask? A French Balcony typically has doors that slide open, with an exterior railing acting as a barrier. With Emerald\u2019s Panorama Balconies, the lower portion acts as a railing, complete with wooden trim. It\u2019s an ingenious design, and one that is similar to the powered window design I enjoyed on Tauck\u2019s ms Inspire<\/em> \u2013 a ship with per diems that are far higher than Emerald Cruises.<\/p>\n

\"Panorama<\/a>

Panorama Balcony Suite bathroom. The toilet is out of frame on the left. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The only thing I\u2019m not \u2018feeling the love\u2019 with in my Panorama Balcony Suite is the bathroom. To enter the bathroom, you have to squeeze yourself between the wall and the bed nearest the wall; the door doesn\u2019t open onto the entryway as is common on most ships. Now, since I am sailing solo, this isn\u2019t a problem \u2013 but you can imagine the logistics of trying to use the bathroom in the middle of the night without waking up the person sleeping on that side of the bed.<\/p>\n

\"Getting<\/a>

Getting to the bathroom can be a bit of a tight squeeze. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Two huge positives: there is a little blue \u201cnight light\u201d that stays on in the bathroom at all times, allowing you to use it at night without kicking the overhead lights on. The second thing I love is the shower, which is uncommonly spacious. The sink, on the other hand, is unusually small and accented with the largest faucet I\u2019ve ever seen in my life; one that tends to splash water everywhere and makes it difficult to, say, brush your teeth because of how far out it extends over the basin. It can swivel out of the way, but it seems more \u2018form\u2019 over \u2018function.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Toiletries<\/a>

Toiletries can be placed on shelves located behind the mirrors above the toilet. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Without any shelves or sink space, toiletries are tucked away behind two mirrors above the toilet. It\u2019s clever, as these hidden shelves have more storage space than some other river cruise ships, but it can be a bit of an annoyance at the same time, particularly for frequently-used items. Still, I hope that Emerald will tweak the design of the bathrooms when Emerald Dawn <\/em><\/strong>and Emerald Sun<\/em><\/strong> launch next year.<\/p>\n

Despite the shortcomings of the bathroom, I do appreciate that Emerald Cruises is trying new and different things rather than just opting to copy features introduced on other lines. Emerald Star<\/em> has her own unique style that is unmistakable for any other ship, and the onboard ambiance that the line has cultivated is wonderful. I feel less like a tourist onboard Emerald Star<\/em>, and more like a local staying in a swanky European hotel.<\/p>\n

Let’s have a look around!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Swimming Pool aboard Emerald Star. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Reception,<\/a>

Reception, Deck 2, as seen at night. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Cruise Director’s ‘office’ adjacent to the Reflections Restaurant. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Emerald<\/a>

Emerald Star’s glittering Atrium at night, as seen from Deck 3. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Stateroom<\/a>

Stateroom Corridor, Deck 3. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Reflections<\/a>

Reflections Dining Room Detail. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

Here\u2019s what\u2019s happening today onboard Emerald Star<\/em>:<\/p>\n

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