ABOARD THE EMERALD LUNA — There's much to like about the Emerald Luna: the attentive staff, the comfortable lounge, the tasty multicourse meals. But as I consider my favorite aspect of this 2021 ship, my mind keeps drifting to the balcony.
I know, a balcony on a river ship cabin isn't groundbreaking, but this balcony is an extension of the sitting area of my owner's suite, sealed by glass and acting like a sunroom. During the ASTA River Cruise Expo, I was delighted to discover my cabin on another ship had a balcony, but didn't use it once because of the unseasonably cold temperatures.
Truthfully, the wet chill dampened my mood a bit during the conference, and I bitterly eyed my balcony each time I entered my suite, dismayed I couldn't use it. I had left a 60-some-degree day in New York and arrived in Vienna to enjoy one day of similar weather, which was quickly replaced by cold rain.
Imagine my unabashed glee when I stepped into my cabin on the Luna to find an enclosed balcony waiting for me. The balcony sits behind a curtain facing a floor-to-ceiling window that I can send up and down with a button.
It's where I find myself each morning, sipping a sugar-loaded espresso shot or a staff member's favorite take on a cappuccino (make a standard cappuccino but add one extra espresso shot for a bit more zing). In the afternoons after an excursion while I type away on my laptop, I sit there watching the communities along the Danube pass while I float down the river.
It gives me a captivating view of the countries on my itinerary but without having to brave the elements. Finally, the weather has perked up a bit and the sun has returned, meaning I can crank down the window without the fear of shivering.
The feature is not limited to the four owner's suites onboard the Luna. Passengers in Grand Balcony cabins and Panorama Balcony Suites also enjoy such balconies.
Perhaps what I enjoy best about this balcony is that it reminds me of my grandparents' screened-in porch on their former farm in West Virginia. I can't help but feel nostalgic as I sit here while the sun streams in, reminded of the countless meals I ate on the porch and time I spent with my nana and papaw in their favorite place. For many, a kitchen is the heart of a home, but for them, it was that porch.
The childhood memory of my grandparents' porch is strengthened by the constant stream of snacks staff members bring each day, with plums being a frequent guest on the serving tray. One bite of the sweet and tart fruit and I'm transported back to picking fresh plums off a neighbor's tree after spending a day alongside my grandparents. Although not my favorite fruit, I haven't passed up the opportunity to nosh on them on my balcony, watching the towns and castles of the Danube stream by, while the purple fruit unlocks memories made half a world away.