A Day on Board 

Life on a river cruise tends to start early in the morning, as most days include fairly intensive sightseeing. Waking up to the sound of birdsong is a wonderful way to start the day, and early morning is a great time to be up on deck with a cup of coffee, communing with nature in the fresh, damp air.

Breakfast is a hearty affair, usually with a hot and cold buffet and, on more luxurious vessels, an omelette station. A lot of European vessels have German-influenced breakfasts, with cheeses and cold cuts. If the vessel is sailing, everybody will be up on deck soon after breakfast, sunbathing, reading and watching the scenery drift by. If there’s something of note to see, the on-board lecturer will often provide running commentary. Some vessels have binoculars and birdwatching books in the library, too. A day on the river has a dreamy quality, and after a few hours, it’s easy to appreciate why people find river cruising so relaxing.

On days in port, you’ll see coaches lined up on the quayside, and most passengers will disappear on excursions soon after breakfast (sometimes as early as 8am). There won’t be anything laid on for those who choose to stay behind, although lunch will, of course, be served. In Europe, a lot of tours involve walking, as medieval town centres were not built for buses, so those with walking difficulties should be careful about which cruise they book. Also, bear in mind that a lot of the docks are a long way from the town, so independent sightseeing can be tricky and involve long walks or cab ­journeys. The Nile is an exception; Nile cruisers almost always dock in the middle of Luxor or Aswan.

Lunch is always a buffet. There will be a good choice of fresh green salad items, although dressings may be standard and unimaginative. In ­continental Europe, low-calorie, low-fat, low-salt and low-cholesterol salad dressings are often difficult to find.
Sometimes the vessel will stay in port all day and sometimes it will move at lunchtime to the next port of call, and there will be another short excursion before dinner. People usually gather in the bar before dinner, and sometimes there is a talk from the on-board guide about the following day’s excursions.

Dinner will typically consist of a choice of a hot or cold appetiser, choice of two entrées (one fish, one meat), and dessert. Some vessels provide ­lavish, seven-course meals, which are impressive but not good for the waistline (take some exercise by walking around the deck a few times, and/or walk as much as possible on shore excursions). Vegetarians can be catered for but the food may be a little stodgy or unimaginative.
Typically, you’ll share a table with other passengers, usually speaking your language. This can be a great way to make new friends, but if it doesn’t work out, it is perfectly acceptable to ask to be moved.

After dinner, there may be entertainment in the bar in the form of a local dance troupe, or a talk on the following day’s excursions. Often, there will be an evening excursion ashore, for example, to the ballet in Moscow, or to a Johann Strauss recital in Vienna. These are usually great fun and a good break from the routine of life on board. Otherwise, people tend to gather in the bar, or, on hot nights, on deck with a digestif. The bar usually stays open until the last person leaves. River cruising does not, however, involve wild nightlife; people tend to go to bed fairly early. If the vessel is in port all night, though, there’s nothing to stop you sampling the local scene. You can return to the vessel whenever you like, provided you have taken your key and id with you.