Travelers who want a mid-priced Douro Valley cruise with an outdoor pool.
Think twice if: No indoor pool or cinema, unlike the rest of the Emerald fleet.
See her Europe sailings ↓ · Where is she now? → · Emerald Cruises (river)'s page for this ship →
What she's like
Docks close to the town centre in most ports. Under 200 guests, so no lines and no tender boats.
English for all staff, announcements and lectures
Our judgment, from $ (budget) to $$$$$ (ultra-luxury).
Transfers, meals, drinks with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, some shore excursions, port charges, onboard gratuities. Optional DiscoverMORE tours cost extra.
The line doesn't say.
Casual and comfortable
Where she sails in Europe
Douro
We don't have her sailing-by-sailing schedule yet. See the line's site for dates.
What it costs beyond the fare
| Tips for the crew | included (onboard); Added to your bill automatically? n/a (in fare) |
|---|---|
| Drinks package | Several drinks packages sold on river; most popular is the Premium Drinks Package (price not published) |
| Wifi | included |
| Money on board | EUR on Europe Star-Ships |
How tipping and money work on a European cruise → · Build a full trip budget →
Her restaurants · 1 included, 0 extra
| Where to eat | Cost |
|---|---|
| Reflections Restaurant | Included |
| The Terrace | Not stated |
Which cabin to book, and which to avoid
| Cabin type | Size | Decks |
|---|---|---|
| Emerald Riverview Suite (RA) | 300 sq ft | 3 |
| Owner's One-Bedroom Suite (SA) | 285 sq ft | 3 |
| Emerald Panorama Balcony Suite (A) | 160 sq ft | 3 |
| Emerald Panorama Balcony Suite (P) | 170 sq ft | 3 |
| Emerald Panorama Balcony Suite (R) | 188 sq ft | 2 |
| Emerald Panorama Balcony Suite (B, C) | 160 sq ft | 2 |
| Stateroom (D) | 170 sq ft | 1 |
| Stateroom (E) | 160 sq ft | 1 |
| Stateroom (F) | 153 sq ft | 1 |
Good to know before you pick
- The lift reaches the lowest cabin deck.
- The lift does not reach the sun deck.
- Horizon Deck (3) cabins sit below the Sun Deck walking track, deck chairs and Sky Barbecue; the Serenity Pool is just forward of the cabin block, per plan positions
- Cabins with windows that don't open: 1 (Riviera Deck): Staterooms D/E/F (no balcony); window type not stated on plan.
If you use a wheelchair or walk with difficulty
Lifts serve three of four decks; Sun Deck by stairs only; tell Emerald about mobility issues when booking Elevators: Lift midship on Riviera, Vista and Horizon Decks; not on the Sun Deck Our accessibility guide →
Find your way around
Our own deck plans, drawn from the line's official plan: tap a deck to see it from above, with what's at the front, middle and back of the ship. Use “Find on board” to light up every deck with a pool, a bar or a restaurant. Not to scale.
- Deck 4 · Sun Deck , Walking track; Sun deck with deck chairs; Sky Barbecue; Spa-style Serenity Pool; Navigation bridge
- Deck 3 · Horizon Deck , Riverview Suites (RA) and Owner's Suites (SA); Panorama Balcony Suites (A); Panorama Balcony Suites (P); Lift; Reception; Horizon Bar & Lounge; The Terrace
- Deck 2 · Vista Deck , Panorama Balcony Suites (R); Panorama Balcony Suites (C); Panorama Balcony Suites (B); Lift; Reflections Restaurant
- Deck 1 · Riviera Deck , Staterooms (D, E, F); Wellness Area; Fitness Area; Lift
What to book, and when
Booking, check-in and reservations
Complete Trip Personaliser before travel or you may not sail. Documents 2-4 weeks before departure. Optional tours booked on board or via reservations.
Paying and cancelling
Optional Flexible Booking Plan: defer or cancel up to 90 days out for 24-month travel credit (standard penalty schedule not found)
Tips for her Europe sailings
Pool on Star-Ships 6am-6pm; becomes evening cinema. Small amounts of local currency at reception.
If the river is too high or too low
"Alternative arrangements for the duration of the itinerary" if water is too high or low
How much walking on the included tours
Some tours by coach (must manage coach steps); others guided walks; EmeraldACTIVE options
Low bridges and the sun deck
Sun Deck open 08:00 to late (official); bridge closures not addressed. Sun deck can be closed by crew under low bridges. †
The ship in numbers
- Cruise line
- Emerald Cruises (river)
- Kind of ship
- River
- Built
- 2017
- Guests
- 112
- Crew
- 37
- Cabins
- 56
- Guest decks
- 3
- Length
- 89 m (292 ft)
- Width
- 12 m (39 ft)
- Flag
- Portugal
- Class
- Emerald Star-Ship, 89 m Douro ship (one of a kind)
- In Europe 2026–27
- Douro
Highlights
- Built for the Douro: 112 guests, 56 cabins
- Outdoor spa-style Serenity Pool on the Sun Deck instead of the indoor pool
- No cinema on this ship
- Exclusive Riverview Suite cabin grades
More pictures
Sources & what we could not confirm · 6 sources · checked 2026-11
- Emerald Cruises: Star-Ships in Europe
- Emerald Cruises: Europe ship layouts (deck plans)
- VesselFinder (registry aggregator)
- Emerald Cruises FAQs
- Emerald booking policies
- Emerald Radiance deck plans (Emerald Europe ship layouts page)
- Flag and beam from VesselFinder (registry aggregator).
- Emerald Cruises (river): Deposit, final payment and penalty schedule not found on pages fetched.
- Emerald Cruises (river): Kids' minimum age not published.
- Emerald Cruises (river): Drinks package price not published.