Your first-time river cruise clients may very well appreciate the great value and active sightseeing options on Emerald Cruises’ seven-day Danube River itinerary.

The 180-passenger Emerald Destiny sailed this past fall from Nuremberg, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, with about 125 passengers, a reduced capacity due to COVID-19 social-distancing requirements.

The Danube River is a preferred route for many first-timers because it offers a wealth of sightseeing, including the scenic wine-growing Wachau Valley. Emerald’s “Danube Delights” itinerary calls at Regensburg and Passau, Germany; Melk, Dürnstein and Vienna, Austria; and Bratislava, Slovakia.

Here are some highlights of the ship and itinerary.

Accommodations

Emerald Destiny, one of nine “Star-Ships,” has 91 staterooms, the majority of which are Panorama Balcony Suites. They measure 180 square feet and are designed so there’s a place to store everything most travelers need for a seven-night cruise. This category and the larger suites include a floor-to-ceiling window that lowers to a halfway point by pushing a button, essentially turning the stateroom into an airy balcony.

There are four 315-square foot Owners One-Bedroom Suites and eight 210- square-foot Grand Balcony Suites, all on the upper Horizon Deck.

On the lowest passenger deck are 17 Emerald Staterooms that measure 162 square feet and have a picture window instead of the retractable window. The two single-occupancy staterooms on that deck measure 117 square feet and are available at reasonable fares.

What's Included

Emerald includes meals, gratuities, airport transfers, port charges, daily tours, Wi-Fi and use of bicycles. A selection of complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks is offered during lunch and dinner. Guests can charge additional drinks to their onboard account or buy a beverage package.

What's for Dinner?

Meals are taken in the Reflections Restaurant and Horizon Bar & Lounge. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style in Reflections with a wide variety of selections.

The Horizon offers a limited meal service for early- and later-risers’ breakfast and light lunch, which might include sandwiches, soup and pasta dishes, as well as sweets.

There is waiter service for dinner. The menu includes local specialties, such as Hungarian beef goulash, Wiener schnitzel and Zwiebelrostbraten, a beef dish with fried onions. Always available selections include salmon fillet, grilled chicken breast and sirloin steak.

Best Entertainment

Evening entertainment took place in the Horizon lounge and included sometimes raucous trivia and name-that-tune contests, as well as music for dancing.

Emerald offers a wide variety of complimentary Emerald ACTIVE sightseeing, ranging from walking tours to a 22-mile bike ride through the Wachau Valley to a strenuous hike up to the Dürnstein Castle Ruins. Yoga, stretch and Pilates classes are offered, as is water aerobics in the indoor pool.

Just the Facts

Cruise Line: Emerald Cruises

Ship Name: Emerald Destiny

Size: 180 passengers, 443 feet long

Year Introduced: 2017

Facilities: Reflections Restaurant, Horizon Bar & Lounge, indoor pool, sun deck with shaded areas and a putting green

Price: The seven-night “Danube Delights” cruise is priced from $2,295 per person. It operates from April through late October.

Base Commission: 12 percent; can go higher with sales revenue

Contact: www.emeraldcruises.com/agent-portal | 855-222-3214