The Crew

The crew are trained professionals and you should expect to receive professional accommodating service, experienced guides, and welcoming, friendly, helpful and efficient crewmembers and tour directors to assist you with whatever you desire.

There will always be at least one, if not several, English-speaking crew members. On a river ship, the captain will make himself available when he is not navigating and there is usually one or two cruise directors in charge which you will see all of the time. Often you will come in contact with the same crewmembers in the restaurant as they are usually assigned a particular area of the assigned-seating. For a barge cruise, whether family owned and operated or run by a company, the ratio of crewmember to passenger is very favorable and part of the wonderful pampering experience of canal cruising.

Daily-Life on Board

The river ship, boat, or barge will move every day, as cruising, sitting on deck, and watching the scenery go by is the defining pleasure of a river cruise in Europe, Russia, or Egypt. There will be daily-guided sightseeing excursions and ports of call to visit, plus a variety of activities and leisure pursuits available on board, as well as time just to relax, take it easy, and float down a river.

Days might begin pretty early in order to maximize the navigation, sightseeing, and excursion time. Early morning is a special moment on a river or canal and enjoying a cup of coffee or tea on deck is a magical way to start the day. Breakfast is a self-serve buffet meal, frequently with cold cuts and cheeses, in addition to pastries, eggs, fruit and yogurt, and a selection of cereals.

If the boat is moving in the morning, people usually gather on deck to watch the scenery go by, do some sunbathing, read, or take a stroll around the deck. River cruising is extremely relaxing and a few hours lounging on deck will demonstrate to you just how uniquely relaxing and unwinding a river cruise can be.

If the river ship is in port, the day may be fully filled, with half-day or all-day excursions departing early in the morning in the coaches or mini-vans lined up waiting to bring the passengers to their chosen sightseeing destination. For those on board, life can be completely unhurried and leisurely, with nothing particular organized for the day and ample time to stay on deck and make the most of relaxing or leisurely pursuits or wander around the port town if it is sufficiently close to the mooring spot. Often the landing is some distance away from the real center of the town or city, so independent sightseeing can be challenging, but the reception desk can inform you if there are shuttles into town or can arrange taxis, if so desired.

Lunch is served buffet style, with a selection of hot and cold starters and salads and a selection of main-course offerings. The boat may navigate during lunch, in order to reach the destination point for an afternoon excursion, or stay moored at the landing.

In the evening, passengers often make their way to the bar for an aperitif before dinner. Dinner is generally a more formal occasion than lunch and is served at table, with either assigned or unassigned seating. As is the custom in Europe, coffee is served after dinner and not with dessert. Dinner is often followed by an after-dinner drink, or digestif, taken in the bar or lounge. Many passengers often take time for a stroll on deck after dinner if the weather is agreeable, or into the port of call if the boat is moored in a city or town or within walking distance of one.

There may also be light entertainment provided on certain evenings, usually typifying the local or regional music, dance, or custom. For example, you might have whirling dervishes on the Nile in Egypt and a classical string quartet on the Danube in Vienna, Austria.

Usually there is one Gala Evening or Captain’s Dinner, which will be more formal and even very formal on some of the more luxurious river ships. This event is usually comprised of a special, more gourmet, dinner menu and the Captain of the ship or Barge joins the passengers in celebrating the river cruise.