What’s the ONE thing you wish you had known about river cruising?

[Gopherpharm]

Hello all! I’m departing on my first river cruise, a Uniworld Rhine cruise, in just a few weeks.

My family has been pretty isolated for two years now, and the stress of working in healthcare means I would be happy with a rowboat (assuming someone else is doing the rowing!). 
 

I’ve been on a handful of ocean cruises and I know this will be different: magnitudes smaller in terms of ship size and passenger load. I know ports could change or be skipped, or land transport used, if there’s a problem with water levels or something else. I also know this is the first cruise I’ve been on that includes tips (even for your guides!). 
 

Help me have an amazing first river cruise experience! What is something you wish you had known about river cruising?

[PhD-iva]

Have a great cruise! ( I know you WILL!). 
Since covid everything has changed so much! I cruised the Danube on Uniworld in August 2021. We had a great trip!
 I think our Uniworld cruise was one of the earliest back on that part of the Danube; Budapest to Bucharest. It was just us and a Viking ship. This was back when, just a few days before I was scheduled to fly out, the Hungarian police website still posted that no Americans were allowed to fly into the country (it all got worked out last minute).

So, when you fly out in a few weeks, things will be very different than they were last year…….actually we’ll be awaiting your posts to update us on what you wish you had known before leaving home this year.
It’s all changing, rapidly…….even as we speak…..

who can say…..?

PS. I still did leave some tips to my favorites on board …..it’s a personal decision…..

I’d say tip the excursion driver a euro and if you liked the excursion, also tip the guide 2 - 3 euros per person.

[Ritabob]

Gopherpharm,

how exciting!  It sounds like you are ready to go with the flow and an open mind.   Always have some euro coins for public toilets when on walking tours.. 

Don't expect glitzie entertainment in the evening.  

There is a menu available at breakfast in case the buffet is not enough.😉

The decor on Uniworld ships may not be your style,  but just pretend you are staying with an eccentric relative.

You can have your bed made up with a duvet or with sheets and blankets.

Start saving for your next river cruise.  We were hooked after the second day. Hope you will be too.

RB 

 

[Canal archive]

That’s easy I just wish I’d discovered it sooner! Gopher will you make a chart of your answers now that would be interesting!

[Gopherpharm]

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

That’s easy I just wish I’d discovered it sooner! Gopher will you make a chart of your answers now that would be interesting!

I can do that!

[Wings55]

12 hours ago, Gopherpharm said:

Help me have an amazing first river cruise experience! What is something you wish you had known about river cruising?

 

After being used to ocean cruises we were surprised at how easy it was to meet fellow passengers and develop some good friendships.

As @Ritabobmentioned the decor on can be a little overwhelming on a Uniworld ship but the the service and the food is outstanding. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as we did. Have fun!
Paul

[travlr21]

We have been on Viking  and on Uniworld. We enjoyed them all, they are quite different from ocean cruising. I don't know if I missed it in the documentation for either cruise line, but they offered an excursion in the afternoon of embarkation day. For Viking it was a guided walking tour in Amsterdam, and for Uniworld they gave us tickets for a cruise on the Seine in Paris. 

[Roz]

I really can't say I was surprised by anything due to the excellent information and advice available here on CC.  Having taken a land tour of 4 European countries, I was amazed at how easy traveling was by river boat.  No living out of a suitcase and having to get on a bus every morning with a suitcase and schlepping off the bus every evening.  No long days getting from place to place.

 

I agree with @Canal archive; wish I had discovered river cruising earlier.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Roz

[Gopherpharm]

1 hour ago, Roz said:

I really can't say I was surprised by anything due to the excellent information and advice available here on CC.  Having taken a land tour of 4 European countries, I was amazed at how easy traveling was by river boat.  No living out of a suitcase and having to get on a bus every morning with a suitcase and schlepping off the bus every evening.  No long days getting from place to place.

 

I agree with @Canal archive; wish I had discovered river cruising earlier.

That is the very reason I love cruising to begin with - so easy to see lots of places without packing and repacking a bunch of times! I’m about 10 years into this “hobby” (or spending habit, more like) and am finally venturing to non-ocean waterways!

[Gopherpharm]

2 hours ago, travlr21 said:

We have been on Viking  and on Uniworld. We enjoyed them all, they are quite different from ocean cruising. I don't know if I missed it in the documentation for either cruise line, but they offered an excursion in the afternoon of embarkation day. For Viking it was a guided walking tour in Amsterdam, and for Uniworld they gave us tickets for a cruise on the Seine in Paris. 

That’s a great tip, we will listen and see if something is offered in our last day. 

[Gopherpharm]

6 hours ago, Wings55 said:

 

After being used to ocean cruises we were surprised at how easy it was to meet fellow passengers and develop some good friendships.

As @Ritabobmentioned the decor on can be a little overwhelming on a Uniworld ship but the the service and the food is outstanding. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as we did. Have fun!
Paul

My eyes have been accosted by Farcus’ designs many times, so I think I’m prepared for the “ornateness” on Uniworld. I know we will have a great time. 

[slidergirl]

1 hour ago, Gopherpharm said:

My eyes have been accosted by Farcus’ designs many times, so I think I’m prepared for the “ornateness” on Uniworld. I know we will have a great time. 

I have not seen Farcus' name in awhile...

 

[Second seating]

The bedding on Uniworld is the BEST, I do have them remove the duvet.

 

Second seating

[Gopherpharm]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

I have not seen Farcus' name in awhile...

 

I have had many great times on Carnival but I will admit the designs can be garish. Everything has a season, and my time for a historical period drama-inspired ship is here!

[Gopherpharm]

1 hour ago, Second seating said:

The bedding on Uniworld is the BEST, I do have them remove the duvet.

 

Second seating

I love the weight of a duvet but it’s usually too warm for sleeping for me. 

[Roz]

I would describe Uniworld's interiors as rich and opulent.  

[Ritabob]

No need to worry if a duvet is too warm, you can control the temperature in your cabin.  And if you are on the upper deck you can sleep with your window open, but beware if you end up rafting to another ship. 😁

RB 

[Host Jazzbeau]

38 minutes ago, Ritabob said:

No need to worry if a duvet is too warm, you can control the temperature in your cabin.  And if you are on the upper deck you can sleep with your window open, but beware if you end up rafting to another ship. 😁

RB 

And unless you have a full screen, beware of insects at night!

[Gopherpharm]

4 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

And unless you have a full screen, beware of insects at night!

Low temps around 30 F for us at night so we definitely won’t be sleeping with the window open! 

[Host Jazzbeau]

28 minutes ago, Gopherpharm said:

Low temps around 30 F for us at night so we definitely won’t be sleeping with the window open! 

But no insect worries then...

[Gopherpharm]

23 hours ago, Ritabob said:

Don't expect glitzie entertainment in the evening.  

 

Our preferred evening is cocktails, dinner, and reading or two player card games…so I think we may love river cruising!

[Ritabob]

33 minutes ago, Gopherpharm said:

Our preferred evening is cocktails, dinner, and reading or two player card games…so I think we may love river cruising!

Well you are ticking off the boxes, so how do you feel about  an early breakfast and starting a tour by 9?

[Gopherpharm]

7 minutes ago, Ritabob said:

Well you are ticking off the boxes, so how do you feel about  an early breakfast and starting a tour by 9?

Considering our kiddos wake up at 7 and they won’t be joining us, positive! It’s easier to be a morning person when you only have to get yourself dressed and ready!

[travelingman]

I believe a lot that came to my mind have already been mentioned. 

Will reiterate one item - rafting.  Don't be surprised if you are "docked" next to another ship and they have to pass through your ship to get to shore or you have to walk through the other ship to get to shore.  For this reason you may want to peek out you window before you throw open the curtains only to have someone looking into your cabin while you stand there in your nightgown or less.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you might need to more lenient with the ships schedule.  Due to high or low water you might end up docking earlier or later or not at all.  It is possible you could have to change ships somewhere in the cruise due to water levels.  Or, you could have to be bused due to the water levels.

Another scenario is the ship docking in one place and leaving from another place due to the harbor master moving them.  So, if you plan on going off on your own check with reception prior to getting off and be sure to have the ships phone number with you.

As mentioned earlier, a lot of the morning excursions leave pretty early but if it is a short morning excursion you might have a chance to do an afternoon excursion also or to go off on your own exploring the town.

As with all vacations the key is flexibility and enjoying the trip regardless of what comes up.  Be the "duck" and let the water run off your back and go with the flow.

If you are lucky you will meet some new "best" friends who you will want to spend time with.

Enjoy your trip.

 

Stan

[Canal archive]

Okay a few reminiscences on one cruise it just happened without us realising it we had chosen four mornings of early starts at the port talk on the fourth evening when we were told the start of the next day’s excursion you would not have believed the cheer that went up. Don’t get me wrong we all enjoyed our excursions but we had a lie in of at least half an hour - bliss. Luckily we’ve not had to breast up whilst on board apart from once we got talking to our neighbours on the other boat offered them a drink (we had our mini fridge to raid) it ended up just a smidgen of a party with others across and besides us a pleasant time was had by all. It was a very interesting way to see another cruise company first hand, I wish I could remember which one.