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Emerald Star
Emerald Waterways Cruise Review: Nuremberg to
Trier
A river cruise on Emerald Star via the Main-Danube Canal
and the rivers Main, Rhine, and Moselle.

ABOVE: Emerald Star arrives in
Miltenberg, Germany on its way to the Rhine.
Text by Durant Imboden, photos by Cheryl
and Durant Imboden
Germany may be the
birthplace of European river cruising: In the 19th Century, long before
English-speaking travelers flocked to the inland waterways of Europe,
sightseeing boats of companies such as KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt and
Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt were carrying daytrippers up and down
the Rhine, Moselle, Elbe, and other German rivers.
Even today, when hotel-style ships attract an
international audience to waterways from the coasts of Western Europe to the
Black Sea, Germany is the spiritual and geographic heart of European river
cruising.
And so, when we had a chance to cruise with
Emerald Waterways in 2016, we chose an
all-German itinerary: a journey from Nuremberg to Trier via the Main-Danube Canal
and three rivers (the Main, the Rhine, and the Moselle). The cruise on
Emerald Star lasted a
week and took us past scenery that ranged from medieval castles to some of
Germany's finest vineyards.
(We should note that Emerald Waterways is a subsidiary of
Scenic, an Australian company that has
offered luxury river cruises in Europe since 2008. Both Emerald Waterways and
Scenic Cruises cater to English-speaking travelers from around the world.)
About this review:
This
Europe for Cruisers review will describe Emerald Star, our cruise's itinerary, and
what it's like to cruise aboard a modern "Star-Ship." (Spoiler
alert: We had a great time.)
We'll also share our personal
day-by-cruise photo diary, which shows what
to expect during a voyage between Nuremberg and Trier with Emerald Waterways. Next page:
Emerald
Star: the ship
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