Question re: Luggage From A River Cruise Newbie

Just wondering if we can expect baggage porters at the entrance to the dock for embarkation as you find when doing an ocean cruise, or if everyone just brings their own bags onboard - ?

Also, I read a post in which someone said it can be a long walk on a dock to where a ship's boarding area (check in and/or gangway, I assume?) is located. So, if someone were to be dropped off by a taxi, it's often still quite a walk to get to where they need to be? Guess that's the point of knowing about porter service - whether we will be schlepping our bags quite a way or not (?).

We don't have our final paperwork yet and won't for a few weeks, so I'm not sure what to expect procedurally when it comes to boarding a river cruise boat.

Hoping someone can clue me in! Thanks.

I can't vouch for every river cruise line, but several have crew members watching for taxis to arrive -- they run up and grab your luggage before you can touch it, and it appears in your room in minutes. Much easier than ocean cruises.

In my experience so far, the most difficult thing is actually getting to touch your luggage before it goes onboard.

By the time you are out of your taxi your luggage will be half-way to your cabin :)

Just remember to put the supplied luggage tag on your bag which usually shows your cabin number. That should make for a faster transfer.

Just remember to put the supplied luggage tag on your bag which usually shows your cabin number. That should make for a faster transfer.

THIS!!!

I had to help an elderly single find his luggage which had not been labeled. I checked the transfer bus luggage compartment & dock. empty. It was on the top inside deck behind a chair.

In Haarlem on embarkation, walk was non existent. Ditto disembarking in Amsterdam.

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River cruise ships usually don't come up to a big dock like ocean going vessels. In Amsterdam, it was right next to the sidewalk where our taxi dropped us off. Our Uniworld ship was rafted with some other river cruise ship (that had seen better days - I remember thinking how glad I was we were on the SS Antoinette) and we had to walk up a small ramp to that first ship, walk through its lobby, and then cross another small ramp to the SS Antoinette. It was very fast and a very, very short walk. Once onboard, they checked us in at the front desk and then we had a lovely lunch.

Ahhhh, good news then. Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies!

Occasionally in Amsterdam you can be sent by the Harbormaster to a docking berth further away. If so, Viking will have a shuttle bus.

Usually there is someone waiting outside on the dock to help you. I do not recall ever carrying my own luggage on board unless I indicated I would take a certain suitcase. However, if you arrive independently (by taxi), do not let the taxi leave until you confirm this is your ship. Ships look alike, so look for the name or the companies' flag. Ships do not always dock at the same place for each cruise or where your documents said they would be because the harbor master decides where they go. We learned this on our first trip where we arrived independently in Basel, Switzerland and our ship was not where the documents said but our cab driver knew another possible place. You can also call the ship and ask where they are docked. All of our seven cruises with Viking have been wonderful.

We've only done 1 river cruise - on Viking. We took a taxi from our hotel (not a Viking extension) and I had gotten the docking information by contacting the ship and through the Port of Amsterdam app. There was the red Viking tent and a Viking ship docked right on the other side of the sidewalk. We got out and the Viking people came right over (those red luggage tags stand out!). Turned out that wasn't our ship - we needed the tent a bit further down. The first Viking people flagged the second group and they came running! They whisked the bags away and we walked leisurely down to the other ship - which was docked behind the first ship (but not rafted).

It was wonderful. They took good care of us. Highly recommend the Port of Amsterdam app for anyone leaving from there.

Thanks again for ome very good and helpful info. shared in the last 3 posts!

I can easily see how someone might find themselves at the wrong ship! (Not so likely with regard to ships docked at major ocean cruise ports as the ships are huge and can generally be seen well before you are at the proper terminal, with port signage, the ships' names on the side of the bow and cruise line flags, funnel styles and other identifying feature usually visable on your approach.)

We'll be cruising with Emerald Waterways. So if we see red tents, I guess those won't be for us, lol!

We're supposed to be supplied with a number to call the morning of embarkation day to find out exactly where our ship will dock, but the harbormaster app sounds very helpful as well.

I assume the beds on board will allow luggage to be slid underneath them like on ocean cruises? Also, are the cabins serviced every morning and night, or just once per day?

I assume the beds on board will allow luggage to be slid underneath them like on ocean cruises? Also, are the cabins serviced every morning and night, or just once per day?

Can't speak to Emerald, but on the AmaCerto, which I just returned from, there was room under the bed although I just put my single suitcase in the corner out of the way. My room was made up in the morning and again, with turn-down service, in the evening while I was at dinner. A couple of days the morning make up had not been completed by noon though.