A “typical day”…on a Europe River Cruise....

Each new morning finds the ship underway. Early risers are greeted by the fragrance of fresh coffee while they enjoy the sounds of an awakening countryside on the sun deck..

The views from the stateroom’s panoramic window could be pastoral farmland, craggy canyon walls topped by gothic fortresses or a mixture of villages, vineyards and bustling cities. Each morning is different.

A breakfast buffet full of familiar dishes soon entices the passengers to the single open seating dining room. and gives them a chance to make new acqaintances and to recount the previous days activities and to plan for today’s new experiences.

After breakfast the ship pulls alongside a centrally located dock in the morning’s featured port of call. This allows passengers to wander ashore directly into the center of the port to either explore on their own, or to join the shore excursion which on many ships is an inclusive part of the day’s activities.

In some ports it could be a motorcoach excursion to a site of historic interest or an informative and entertaining walking tour escorted by knowledgeable English-speaking guides. Passengers could find themselves walking along paths Caesar’s legions once marched or shopping where souvenirs for travelers have been available for centuries, or perhaps humming a tune that one of the locals composed…a local like Bach or Schubert or Telemann.

By lunchtime, passengers have either rejoined the ship, or the ship, having cruised to the next destination, rejoins the passengers who re-embark for a pleasant lunch underway. After luncheon, passengers can be found enjoying the changing panorama from a chaise lounge on the popular sundeck, or quietly enjoying a book. Perhaps a regional expert will come aboard and provide a historic insight of the region which you see gliding by through the panoramic windows of the lounge.

As the ship docks in the heart of yet another regional center or rustic village, passengers enjoy cocktails in the lounge followed by lively conversation over the evening meal. The single-seating, open-seating dining room offers a non-smoking environment (as do all public areas inside the vessel). Passengers select their own table companions. And selections abound with the menu as well. Five-course dinners are the norm, with an expansive wine list to add just the right touch to the exquisitely prepared international cuisine.

After dinner, embark on an evening excursion or there might be a performance by noted local entertainers or a lecture about the region, its history, people, art and architecture. Finally a stroll around the deck as the ship proceeds to its night anchorage, or into the village, or into the lounge for a nightcap finishes the day.

Each day is different. How can one compare a day in Budapest or Paris with the tranquil sunny afternoon gliding along the Elbe, or a sunrise over the lavender fields of Provence with a walk through Amsterdam’s Rijks museum? It’s all available for the enjoyment of the passengers of a River Cruises