Arrival in Cologne - Welcome to Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities! Board your five-star ship and meet the friendly English-speaking crew who will be looking after you for the next week. They will welcome you and help you to your cabin. After settling into your spacious and well-equipped accommodation, it’s time to familiarise yourself with this floating boutique hotel that will be your home for the next seven nights.
Cochem - The first morning on board a river cruise is always a thrill, awakening to the peaceful lapping of the water outside as the scenic valley sides slip past your cabin window – there’s no other holiday experience quite like it. This morning, you'll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery. You’re cruising some of Europe’s most dramatic and romantic waterways – the mighty River Rhine and its tributary the Moselle - so there are endless beautiful views to enjoy, as picture-postcard villages with slanting timber-framed houses pass by. After a leisurely breakfast, get a cup of tea or coffee and take it to the Sun Deck, or head to the lounge and simply watch the scenery slip by. After a delicious lunch onboard, we glide into our moorings at Cochem, where we'll have an afternoon guided tour. This is the traditional centre of the Moselle wine trade, so dominating the scene is a multi-turreted castle crowning a vineyard covered hillside, but Cochem’s real charm is its jumble of narrow streets lined with pastel-coloured buildings and peppered with quirky shops and wine cellars. There’s ample time to explore here, immersing yourself in the relaxed ambience of this quintessential riverside town, before stepping back on board to enjoy a five-star dinner, served in the ship’s restaurant. Then delight in the upbeat sounds of Rhenish folk music with a live performance on traditional instruments.
It would be very easy to simply describe the MS Emily Bronte as ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.
Cabins
A gleaming wood door opens revealing your exceptionally appointed suite. At 17 square metres (183 square feet), its generous dimensions are amongst the largest you will find on a cruiser gracing any European river. Imaginatively designed and appointed to the highest specification, with all the luxury you would expect to find in a smart ‘boutique style’ hotel, your comfort definitely won’t be compromised on any level!
The sparkling marble bathroom features a powerful fully glazed shower with a large ‘rainshower’ head, superbly refreshing after a hard day’s sightseeing. Clever design allows for ample space, and contemporary lighting, complimentary quality cosmetics and fluffy towels, makes preparing for the day ahead an absolute pleasure.
The chic styling of a talented designer’s eye extends to the entire suite with generous use of hand-crafted tropical hardwoods blended with premium fittings, discreet thoughtful lighting and a colour scheme of calming neutral tones, creating an ambience to put you in the most relaxed frame of mind from the very first minute! A full size bed assures a good night’s rest in crisp cotton linen of the finest quality - a turndown service each evening adds the finishing touch. Please note all suites have two twin beds with individual bedding which can be moved together or separated accordingly.
You will enjoy a particularly generous seating area with two chairs and a table, enabling you to unwind in comfort in the privacy of your own suite whilst a bow camera conveys live images of the ship’s progress to your flat screen TV, ensuring you won’t miss a thing. Careful consideration has been given to the tiniest details with individually controlled air-conditioning so you set the temperature that you desire, a hairdryer, safe, mini fridge, telephone and the convenience of tea (our meticulous planning even extends to familiar teabags!) and coffee making facilities ensure a home from home experience.
Suites on the Diamond and Ruby Decks have ‘French Balconies’ – panoramic floor to ceiling sliding glass doors bringing riverside life just that little closer!
View a 360 tour of MS Emily Brontë