River cruise in Europe – 10 tips to make the trip better

I went on a river cruise on the Danube on a press trip with Viva Cruises, but, as always, everything written here reflects only my personal thoughts and opinions.

Gliding along a river, docking in the heart of Europe’s most beautiful cities and waking up to new views every morning – it’s easy to see why river cruises are so popular. In June, I went on my first ever river cruise, which was an incredible experience that I highly recommend! But before you set off on your first cruise, there are a few things you might want to know – for the experience, the planning and the packing. Here are ten smart tips to help you choose the right trip and get the most out of your river cruise!

Would you like to read more about my river cruise on the Danube? Here you will find Danube River Cruise with Viva Cruises – How Does It Work?

1) Find out which day of the week you arrive in which city – before you book! I was looking forward to going to the large Museum of the Future in Linz, but we visited the city on a Monday. On Mondays, all museums are closed in almost all of Europe. So if you see a museum as a must, it is recommended to check the cruise program carefully before booking. In many countries in Europe, Sundays are also a day when shops are closed, so if you are planning to shop in a particular city, it is a good idea to check beforehand.

2) Be prepared for changes to the program! Cruise operators will do everything they can to ensure that you see the cities and places you have booked your cruise for, but sometimes things happen outside their control. One example is that Europe has had heat waves in recent summers which have caused water levels in the Rhine and Danube to be at record lows. This means that some ports cannot be reached and some parts of the journey may have to be made by other means than by boat. The greatest risk of low water levels is during the summer months.

3) Pay extra for balcony? The ship always docks with the bow in the direction of the river flow for better maneuverability and easier departure. This is an important point if you pay extra for a room with a balcony. When the boat arrives at the cities, it does not always dock directly at the quay, but often docks next to another boat. This means that one side of the boat will be right next to another cruise ship. In this case, you may not want to use your balcony, but it may be nice to have curtains drawn in the room. I had a room with a French balcony, where basically the entire outer wall was a glass wall that could be pulled back. Even though we didn't use it much in port, it was very nice to open it up and enjoy the boat gliding along.

4) Listen to the daily information meeting! During my cruise with Viva Cruises, information meetings were held daily before dinner. Make sure you attend and listen to these. This is where you will find out about any changes to the excursion program and changed departure and arrival times.

5) Experience the locks! I was surprised by how much time is spent on locks during a trip. Maybe I had a simplified image of locks from the Göta Canal, but the locks on the Danube are gigantic! It is well worth standing on deck when the ship goes through the locks to get a sense of how enormous the height differences along the river are – even if it is early in the morning! The largest lock on the Danube is just outside Vienna.

6) Bring good walking shoes! River cruise ships are relatively small, which gives them the advantage of being able to dock in the middle of cities. During my cruise on the Danube, we walked everywhere directly from the boat and didn't have to take public transportation except in Vienna, where the boat was within walking distance of a subway. Sure, sandals are nice, but good walking shoes are a must on a river cruise! A river cruise usually means a city break on steroids, so expect to hit 10000 steps every day.

7) Find out if there is a dress code during dinners! On my cruise, it was casual chic every day except the last night, when it was a gala dinner and everyone dressed up a little extra. Take the opportunity to dress up a little, everything is more fun when everyone makes a little extra effort!

8) Bring binoculars! Sitting on the boat roof with a cup of coffee and watching the birdlife (and all other life and living) becomes much more enjoyable if you see what you see.

9) Personal room key. All passengers have their own room key that is personal. This key is used to keep track of the guests' whereabouts. Every time you leave the boat you “blip” yourself out and every time you come back on the boat you “blip” yourself in. This way the boat knows if all passengers have arrived on board or if they are missing someone. So don't mix up your cards with your travel companion!

10) Please plan a few extra days before or after the cruise. Flights can be fully booked or cancelled, so it can be nice to have some margin. Also, the boats almost always depart from very nice cities, so it's not a sacrifice. On the cruise I went on the Danube, there was a free day planned in Vienna already, where you stayed on the boat and had all the services available. Very smart and convenient!

Have I forgotten any tips? Please comment below!