Ship review: Emerald Liberté

World of Cruising embarked on Emerald Cruises’ Emerald Liberté for a seven-night Sensations of Lyon cruise which sailed north from Arles in the south of France to Avignon, Viviers, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Lyon and Chalon-sur-Saône before ending in Lyon.

With two main decks plus a sundeck, the ship was easy to navigate; it has a capacity of 130 so it felt intimate too; by the end of the cruise, we'd chatted to most people on board and were on first-name terms with about a third.

Style & character: 4.5/5

Built in 2017, the ship looks new and has a contemporary design. Glittering gold orbs in the atrium greeted guests on arrival. Enormous windows meant little space for artwork, but we didn’t miss that while waving to fishermen and campers along the River Rhone’s leafy banks and admiring shuttered houses in medieval villages.

The sundeck was closed during sailings because the River Rhone’s bridges are too low for guests to stand on it safely. That, along with the summer heat, meant we didn’t spend much time on it, even though canopies offered shade. Lanterns and cushions would have enhanced it.

Cabins: 3/5

It’s important to realise that a Panorama Balcony Suite doesn’t actually have a balcony; instead, you press a button and the window moves down halfway. Our cabin, number 330, had two chairs next to the window.

The room felt compact – the safe didn’t fit our camera, and the TV took up space on the desk – although it had space-saving designs such as a cupboard beneath the bed for luggage and a desk that lifted to reveal a phone.

There were plenty of plug sockets, international chargers and a good selection of lighting options. Also, the air conditioning was simple to work – always a bonus.

A sliding door, a step away from the bed, led into a compact bathroom with a shower and Espa toiletries. The shelves were narrow and it would have benefitted from a few more.

Food & drink: 4/5

There was only one restaurant, Reflections, which didn’t bother us because it had glass walls and the view constantly changed. The food was excellent; varied, delicious and well-presented.

The breakfast buffet featured pastries, toast, fruit and yoghurt, muesli and porridge, salad and cheese, eggs cooked to your preference, and a cooked breakfast, which included sausages, eggs and bacon.

Lunch was part buffet, part a la carte, with salad and pasta cooked in front of you, and special dishes of the day.

Dinner was a la carte and featured dishes such as truffle soup and frogs’ legs to start, steak and catfish for mains and our favourite – perch atop a buttery risotto with apple and walnut. Sorbet and a cheeseboard were regular options alongside changing desserts such as meringue or crème brûlée.

My preferred spot for a pre-dinner drink was outside Horizons Bar & Lounge, at the front of the ship. The bar also served snacks and light meals.

Service & facilities: 3/5

The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, although service was often slow at meal times. Guests arrived for dinner at 7pm and the ship was nearly full, but some guests were served pudding before others received their main course.

The cruise director, Jana Pakstaitis, was excellent. She explained what would happen each day and told a funny poem about cruising with the recurring line, “It must be time to eat” which made everyone laugh. The executive chef, Adrian Draghici, introduced each dish before the meal and spoke to diners at their table.

The pool floor is raised for morning exercise classes and evening film nights and lowered during the day so guests can swim. I loved the morning Pilates, yoga and stretching classes, which took place in the pool area in front of a glass wall with river views.

Entertainment and excursions: 3/5

The onboard entertainment was, overall, low-key – there was a doodling session, a quiz and a guess-the-lie game. One afternoon a handful of us tried line dancing, inspired by a guest who was a regular dancer, which was fun. There was also a DJ one night and traditional dancers in folk dresses on another.

For guests who prefer a quieter night, there were films on a big screen with popcorn in the pool area and a wide selection of films on TVs in the cabins.

There are a variety of included and paid-for excursions, so there’s no chance of being bored. Emerald Cruises prides itself on offering an active excursion included in the price each day. We went kayaking, hiking and cycling – the ship has 20 electric bikes. There were daily guided walking tours too, which were heavy on history. We paid extra to visit a medieval village, aqueduct and limestone cave by coach.

Value for money: 3.5/5

It’s a fair price considering that Wi-Fi, guided walking tours, active excursions and entertainment were included.

Drinks cost extra, which will suit guests who don’t drink much. There’s a good-value premium package with includes house wine, draft beer and soft drinks for €14.50 euros (£12) a day and a platinum package for €28.50 (£24) which includes cocktails, sparkling wine and branded spirits too.