River Cruises – What You Must Know
First of all, port visits are always subject to change. It is in the terms and conditions of any cruise company.
Probably the most important thing about taking a river cruise in Europe is that many rivers can be very subject to tidal effects. Remember about lunar effects on tides? A full moon equals generally higher tides. And bad weather could totally wipe out your cruise because of too much water. If you have ever been white water rafting, you know what I mean about having too much water. And, some rivers have locks that you must travel through. There are small rivers in Bourgogne (Burgundy) along which you can walk to the next port town faster than the boat maneuvers through the locks.
Trying to estimate or obtain tide schedules is way too much planning work, but I guess it is possible for the truly retentive among us. And some rivers are less affected by tides than others. If you have problems being flexible, make sure your choice in a river cruise is less prone to tidal effects. The weather, on the other hand, cannot be guaranteed a year in advance when you make your reservations. Did you know it was 115°F in Paris this last week and 120°F in Spain?
Port construction could also be an issue. AMAWaterways sent us a letter to our address in America, while we were in France, letting us know the Pauillac port was closed for construction, so that port would be omitted from the cruise. But, the cruise line did visit a Pauillac chateau by bus. Make sure you have given your cruise company contact information other than just your home address. While we totally missed out on the actual town of Pauillac while we were in Bordeaux, our private guide did get us an exclusive tasting during the prior week at Mouton Rothshild closed to all except international wine buyers because it was on my “must-see” list.
All employees on the AmaWaterways boats work for Sea Chefs, a 3rd party company, except for 1 person. The Cruise Manager is the best person to befriend as they work directly for AmaWaterways. This is typical of most, if not all, of the river cruise companies in Europe. Sea Chefs is a large company that hires employees who are qualified to do the work, but to some people it is just a job, not a lasting career as shown by their poor customer service demeanor. The Hotel Manager on our boat, Mr. Crisp, would never keep a similar position in America unless he worked at a Motel 6. Okay, maybe a Super 8. You can see why knowing the Cruise Manager is important if you are not receiving a level of service you expect from a high quality cruise company. On the other hand, we found a server we liked so much that we requested her every meal if her section was available. There were other exceptional crew, too.
Look carefully on the right side of the lounge bar on an AmaWaterways boat and you should find a Nespresso coffee machine on the granite counter that is available at all hours for you to use. And this machine fresh grinds beans for each cup of coffee. I am not sure of Viking cruises or other lines, but it was a great find for us.
If we had known that finger foods would be available when boarding in the early afternoon, we would have missed out on one of the best “burgers” at Ibaia Café that I have ever eaten. However, you should know that a light snack was available in the boat’s lounge area during the boarding hours.
Shore excursions have no additional cost and the guides are typically local. The excursions are supposedly geared toward different types of travelers; active, sleep-in, and us “normal” people. You will get a wireless headset so you can hear the guide no matter how far away you are and in the language of your choice. Just don’t get too far away (like 200 yards) or you may miss your call for taking the bus back to the boat. Hmmmm … who’d do something like that? Tipping tour guides is optional, but no one will complain if you give them a couple of dollars for an exceptional tour or going out of their way for you.
While you will find some really nice gift shops during your trip, there is one incredible collectable to look for if you are a wine lover. Many Chateaux sell wooden box ends with the Chateau’s logo that cannot be used on their wooden wine cases (usually because they are slightly warped). These were typically about 6 euros, are very light weight, and pack incredibly well for your return trip home.
Wine Cruises visit the same ports and have the same excursions as other river cruises, except you have a designated host during your cruise who pours wines from their winery’s collection. I booked a cruise with Judd’s Hill Winery as the host and would definitely look for them or a winery I similarly enjoyed for a future cruise.
