I have just returned from the CLIA conference in Vienna with 9 members of staff from Miles Morgan Travel to look at the different River Cruises there are on the market. What I took away from this trip was that there really is a river cruise for everyone.
Let's start with the food!! One word AMAZING! Each night you would sit down with an option of the chef's recommendations so this could be a local dish for the area you are in. What I thought was great is that they also offered a standard choice which would often include chicken, pork and a vegetarian option, and after a few days of rich food, this can be a godsend! Some of the river cruises included drinks with the meal or you can purchase a drinks package (this is well worth the money).
Entertainment on the ships is very understated you might have someone playing an instrument or a singer. They often bring in local performers which is fantastic to support the local economy. Once they have finished you often have time to have a little dance yourself! Most ships have a small gym which you can take advantage of or if you prefer something a little less strenuous, a game of giant chess. Some of the ships even have a small swimming pool or a jacuzzi/hot tub. These are the type of things to look out for when picking the right ship for you as each ship is different.
Moving onto the cabins. Every ship is different however you tend to have lower-deck cabins with small windows. Mid deck and the upper deck with Juliet or full balcony cabins. There's nothing quite like sitting out on your balcony enjoying a coffee in the morning and a G&T at night! Cabins have tea & coffee facilities, a good size ensuite and you can even upgrade to a cabin with a bath. The ships also have single cabins which were of a good size.
River cruises are an amazing way to visit many destinations in one holiday. For example, if you were to visit the Danube you would be visiting Vienna and Budapest just to name a few. For me, there was nothing quite like sailing into Budapest in the dark with all the buildings lit up. It's something I will never forget. Most of the River Cruise operators include one excursion per port of call. They will also offer alternative excursions which are available for you to purchase.
There is one thing I did take away from the ship visits, and until having to do it myself I wouldn't have realised could well be a problem for some clients. When you are moored next to another ship, on some occasions you need to go onto the neighbouring ship. Now, this doesn't sound too bad however at one point we had to climb up a flight of stairs across the ship and then down another flight of stairs. For some people, this might be a problem if they have walking difficulty.
In summary, like I said at the beginning there really is a River Cruise for everyone. If you are someone who enjoys City Breaks, visiting many different destinations or just relaxing and watching the world go by a River Cruise is a must.
