Strengths –
1 – Guides Tomas Brabek in Prague and Veronika in Paris.
2 - The included sightseeing in both cities well arranged and informative - two highlight dinners were very good with musical entertainment.
3 – Walking tour thru very crowded old Prague with group of 25 a challenge/ well done. T. Brabek encyclopaedic info.
4 – Transfers from Paris to Trier and Nuremberg to Prague with these guides.
- use of TGV train to Metz/coach to Luxemburg/Trier whilst moving luggage by truck from Paris to Trier very smooth.
5 –Yasmin hotel in Prague – a bit austere/plain quiet rooms but great location and excellent breakfast, good WIFI. I would choose it again.
6 – Tour to Blatna Castle from Prague said to be very good by fellow pax. – We did not to go.
7 – Trier embarkation and Nuremberg disembarkation in very smooth, well organized.
8 - Included shore walking tours from vessel – esp. guides Claudia in Koblenz and Charles in Wurzburg.
9 – Emerald staff on Star friendly, helpful, hard working, esp. restaurant/lounge crew.
10 – Food and wine good – early light b’fast in lounge area good, 24 hr coffee machine popular.
11 – Cabins as advertised – modern, clean, comfortable, worked well, could use a smaller bed to gain some floor space next to bathroom.
Cabin “door key” finicky – need two hands to open door – motorized drop down window worked well.
12 – Less than 182 pax on board meant adequate space in both restaurant and lounge.
13 – Daily info, Moselle/Rhine/Main River maps, briefings by Cruise Director Michael.
14 – Ability to modify shore programs /times, coaches when Star delayed in locks on Moselle and Main rivers.
Unexpected – good - Emerald back packs with docs/vouchers and Amsterdam to Black Sea guide book in cabin.
- Glassblowing demonstration/sale on board. Prague airport very modern, comfortable, functioned well.
“ - Not so good – closure of Sun Deck for ~ 50% of 7 day voyage, some (unlucky) rainy weather in Paris and Prague.
Shortcomings –
1 - Failure of both airport transfers -
1a – no one at Paris CDG to meet us and 6 other pax. from Canada – had to phone number provided in Emerald docs. Fortunately we had a mobile phone and speak French. Eventually a Scenic person turned up to greet some Scenic pax. – this young (from Moldova?) Scenic man was very helpful, arranged a car for us.
1b – no car/driver at Prague Yasmin hotel by 0715 hrs Saturday 16th morning – we called guide Tomas Brabek who arranged alternate taxi within 10 minutes.
2 – Late arrival at CDG airport, then no gate, bussed to terminal after 35 min. on tarmac - crowded luggage area – this NOT Emerald’s fault
3 - Marriott Rive Gauche in Paris – remote location, convention hotel, very slow elevators, poor breakfast 2nd and 3rd days – otherwise OK/very quiet room.
4 - Failure before boarding Star to indicate inability to use Sun Deck on Main River due to low bridges - many pax. from UK unhappy about this.
5 – Docking in industrial areas of Trier, Bamberg and Nuremberg, with time in Trier much less than indicated in 2016 Emerald brochure.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
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