Are boarding policies different on river cruises? How early can you board?

[Chicagomom]

I've been on several ocean cruises, but never a river cruise.  How is the boarding procedure different?  What time do the ships generally leave port?  How early can you board?

[Host Jazzbeau]

River cruises are much more informal than ocean cruises.  There is no cruise terminal – you go directly to the ship and crew will jump into action to grab your bags.  You can come as early as you like, although your cabin won't be ready.  They will store the bags and invite you to the lounge, where a light lunch will be served.  Departing passengers with late flights may also be there – a good chance to find out the 'must do' things!  

 

[fine print:  this is based on my cruises on AMA and Scenic and many reports here on Cruise Critic about other river cruise lines]

[mskaufman]

Agree, we arrived early and they took our bags and let us wander the ship or go out for the day.

[CDNPolar]

On our last Viking River cruise, we arrived at the ship at 10am.  There were light refreshments available in the morning - cookies, muffins, etc., coffee and tea - and then a light buffet lunch started at Noon.

 

Viking gave us a white card with our cabin number on it and advised us if we were on the ship to lay it on the table face up and as cabins were available a Viking Crew member would walk through the lounge looking for the guests belonging to that cabin and would take you to your cabin.

 

Many left the ship and wandered the town.  Many stayed on board and the socializing began.

[Planning to cruise]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

On our last Viking River cruise, we arrived at the ship at 10am.  There were light refreshments available in the morning - cookies, muffins, etc., coffee and tea - and then a light buffet lunch started at Noon.

 

Viking gave us a white card with our cabin number on it and advised us if we were on the ship to lay it on the table face up and as cabins were available a Viking Crew member would walk through the lounge looking for the guests belonging to that cabin and would take you to your cabin.

 

Many left the ship and wandered the town.  Many stayed on board and the socializing began.

Good to know, many thanks.  

 

Next year we arrive at the embarkation port a couple of days in advance.  It will be good to get on board without delay.

We have done a few Viking Rivers but always arrived latish after flights and transfers.  That has never been good and this time we decided to get ahead.  

[Canal archive]

On our first Scenic cruise we arrived latish morning the receptionist took us to the lounge and introduced us to another waiting couple saying maybe you’d like to sit with ******** they have cruised with us before so may be able to help with any questions, the crew were busy and in relaxed mode we had questions answered we not have thought to ask. Some may think this an imposition it turned out to have been an excellent idea - one obviously used before - helpful in many ways. As Jazz says it seems most lines are not so strict with boarding times just give the crew time to service the cabins, change over themselves and do all those itty bitty things that go towards a great cruise. 
Please try after a sometimes long tense travel session not to take it out on the first crew member you meet on your ship, I’ve seen that happen more than once.

[CDNPolar]

17 hours ago, Planning to cruise said:

Good to know, many thanks.  

 

Next year we arrive at the embarkation port a couple of days in advance.  It will be good to get on board without delay.

We have done a few Viking Rivers but always arrived latish after flights and transfers.  That has never been good and this time we decided to get ahead.  

 

If you are fairly local in a hotel that has a checkout of 11am or Noon, then do your thing in the morning, and don't plan to leave the hotel until checkout.

 

Unless your goal is to drop luggage at the ship early and then go off on your own again until lunch time, then there is nothing to do but sit in the lounge and wait.  You know this as you have been on Viking River before.

 

In this situation we would arrive for Noon, drop the luggage, have the light lunch, and if the cabin is not ready then go for a wander.

 

We love to get into the cabin as soon as we can as we like to fully unpack immediately and get the luggage out of the way.

 

Definitely prefer the early arrival over late arrival.

[Host Jazzbeau]

In answer to your other question, about what time ships leave port:  that is quite variable depending on the mileage to the next port, lock schedules, etc.  The first day, even if you are staying in port overnight, there will likely be a meeting with the Cruise Director to go over the plans for the entire trip (around 6 pm?), followed immediately by dinner.  That will also be the pattern on subsequent days:  meeting with CD to go over the next day in detail, then dinner.  The ship will often sail while you are at dinner [except on the Douro where all sailing is during the day]

[Planning to cruise]

The timings above are the reason why we have now decided to try to arrive on board earlier even if it means overnighting in a hotel.   

Travelling on the day of departure has resulted in more than one arrival on company transfers during the talk or the start of dinner without time to freshen up.

We share cdn polar s views about getting unpacked and settled.

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 hours ago, Planning to cruise said:

The timings above are the reason why we have now decided to try to arrive on board earlier even if it means overnighting in a hotel.   

Travelling on the day of departure has resulted in more than one arrival on company transfers during the talk or the start of dinner without time to freshen up.

We share cdn polar s views about getting unpacked and settled.

On our first river cruise we flew in day-of [flights booked thru AMA so we thought safe].  Everything was on schedule, but we arrived at the ship jet-lagged so took a nap in our cabin – only to be rudely awakened by the 15-minute warning for the CD's welcome talk!  Rush to dress and straggle into the lounge for the last two seats.  [It ended well, because we were in a small couch and chairs grouping with four other passengers who became fast friends!  But I will no longer fly in day-of.]

[Chicagomom]

Thanks for all your responses.  They are most helpful!!!

[ural guy]

Just received our travel documents for our Riviera cruise that boards in Budapest 30 September.  They have 'Your room won't be ready until 1700.  Please call the ship if you are planning on arriving earlier than 1700.'

 

This really surprised me.  We are flying in a day early, and have plans for the 30th, so we'll just leave our luggage at our lodging when we check out. Looks like we're staying just a block from docking location.

 

I've only cruised with Viking and Vantage, this is a first.

 

Edited September 11 by ural guy

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, ural guy said:

Just received our travel documents for our Riviera cruise that boards in Budapest 30 September.  They have 'Your room won't be ready until 1700.  Please call the ship if you are planning on arriving earlier than 1700.'

 

This really surprised me.  We are flying in a day early, and have plans for the 30th, so we'll just leave our luggage at our lodging when we check out. Looks like we're staying just a block from docking location.

 

I've only cruised with Viking and Vantage, this is a first.

 

 

Wow... that is a strange one.  Never knew this about Riviera.

Does anyone else know, is this standard or Riviera?

[Chicagomom]

9 hours ago, ural guy said:

Just received our travel documents for our Riviera cruise that boards in Budapest 30 September.  They have 'Your room won't be ready until 1700.  Please call the ship if you are planning on arriving earlier than 1700.'

 

This really surprised me.  We are flying in a day early, and have plans for the 30th, so we'll just leave our luggage at our lodging when we check out. Looks like we're staying just a block from docking location.

 

I've only cruised with Viking and Vantage, this is a first.

 

Ocean cruises often tell you to arrive a lot later than we show up, and we've never had a problem.  But then, I've never been on a river cruise, so I don't know how they differ.

[ural guy]

Guessing it has to do with Riviera being a UK line, so those flights not being so long, the time works for them. 

 

We'll slide over when we return from Szentendre, see whats what.