Sun part 2

The Reflections dining room, all meals are served here. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.  If you prefer a light meal in the Lounge (living room) they have for breakfast some pastries, scrambled eggs, potato cakes, yogurt, muselix, smoothie, meat and cheese with of course coffee and tea.  There is a really cool cappuccino machine that makes lattes, espresso, hot water for tea, hot chocolate.  For a light lunch they serve BLT's, soup, meat and cheese, pasta salads, salad.  Have not checked out the light dinner yet but will before we leave.

Their wine collection is extensive, plus the cool thing is if you are a beer or wine drinker they have selections from the town you are in that day !   They also have a 'midnight snack', tonight it's Goulash soup.  But I digress. 


The staff is very concerned with you not wanting for anything, if you don't like your selection no problem, they bring you something else.  The food has so far been so very tasty and appealing.  Absolutely no complaints.

Halibut atop veggies with cream sauce.

 



Chicken wrapped in bacon with glazed carrots and polenta
 

This is the rooftop deck for alfresco dining



 ok, you have to see this.  The pool, is enclosed so you can use it during the winter months.  There is a glass roof that they open in the spring and summer.

There is a little bar for drinks AND.....tatataaaa
the coolest thing is that they cover the pool at a certain point at night and pull down a screen for MOVIES !!!  Plus they have popcorn and drinks while watching.  I'll take a photo of it tonite when we watch our movie.

And if for whatever reason you are missing your ocean cruise towel animals, look no more.  Every night you get something special.

This is what we all call lovingly the "Living Room", for it is here that so much happens.  It's the main 'bar/lounge', plus this is where you can have a light breakfast, lunch, dinner.  Late night snack.  24 hour cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, tea machine.  There are daily newspapers put out for your information.  Every evening before dinner you get your "port talk" which tells you what's coming up for the next day.  But don't worry if you miss it, you will get a 'daily' in your room every night just like on an ocean cruise.  It's where everyone gathers after dinner to talk about their day, joke, play cards, board games or just relax.

I have to tell you our funny but not so funny story, I'll make it short.  Caitlin and I traveled on the same flight, but her luggage didn't make it from Amstedam onto the connecting flight to Budapest on the way over.  BIG problem haha.  So they said they would deliver it to the ship after the last flight came in at 11:00pm.

 Well don't think for one minute that Caitlin wasn't calling the airport directly at 11.  They assured her it would arrive.  We were in our robes by that time and after 30 more minutes they said it would be to the ship by 1am.  So we decided we needed to stay awake despite the jet lag so we went to the "Living Room' in our robes and slippers to get wine.  At 12:30pm we didn't think anyone would be up right???  NOT - there were about 10 people sitting and telling jokes.  So they immediately see us and yell "ROBE TIME"!  We laughed and explained our situation and they were like "come and sit with us we will keep you company till it gets here".  This is the type of people tat River Cruise, kind - friendly -  helpful.  ! 

I know I'm a couple days behind but there is just so much to see so tomorrow's post will be about our first day in Budapest......say tuned.

The Emerald Waterways Sun

 

This is what I saw when I opened my door to Stateroom P324, Panorama Balcony Suite. (180 square feet)  I am on the Emerald Waterways Sun, a most beautiful River Cruise Ship.   This is my first river cruise and I can honestly say not my last.

Sooooo different in so many ways from an Ocean Cruise Ship.  The first thing you will notice upon boarding is that the ship has 3 floors plus the 'roof top deck'.  It is extremely long weighing in at 443 feet.

The second thing you will notice is that ALL the staff speaks English amazingly well and they truly enjoy seeing you every day, they remember the things you say, what you like to drink, your habits, etc.

I found a robe and slippers on my bed for my use throughout the trip.  Quite a treat for me since I love robes.  There is ample storage space with the closet and two overly large drawers under the tv.  Also a makeup applying table with large mirror, hair dryer and two floor to ceiling mirrors for checking out how you look when you leave your room.  Also a mini bar, safe and umbrella in your closet.

The window you see is really cool, there is a button you push that brings it down from the top.  So if it is cold *which I'm traveling up the Danube in December so average temp is tops 40* but mostly in the 30's, you can leave it up and sit in your chairs enjoying the scenery. 

Beautiful reception area.  This ship is decorated in a very contemporary way so for those of you that like sleek lines and no wasted space this ship is for you. 

I think my only complaint on the room is the bathroom seems rather small.  And it is located next to the bed with a barn-style door that you slide across the wall to closet the bathroom off from the bedroom.  But it's not really an issue, my daughter Caitlin and I are great roomates and don't get in each others way.

 

 

Also in the room are two 'receivers' that have an ear piece attached to them, you take them with you on every excursion, set it to the channel your guide tells you and voila, you can hear your guide with no need for shouting.

 The shower is adequate size with a trench drain instead of one in the middle of the floor.  The water is perfect with good pressure.  And the towels are fluffy, there is also storage under the sink by way of a drawer that slides out.  Toilets are typical cruise ship style.








FOOD AND DINING NEXT.....................