10 things to know before your first European river cruise

25th wedding anniversary! Where has the time gone? And most importantly, what to do for the celebration? A few days later, with suspiciously perfect timing, an ad for a Viking river cruise arrived in our mailbox.

Twenty years ago, we tried a Caribbean cruise with a big ship, lots of people, and lots of food and drinks, but we never went on a second cruise. But a European river cruise sounded appealing. Smooth waters, visiting a new city every morning on a small boat with fewer than 200 passengers, top-notch dining, and a customizable mix of culture, lectures, and activities.

Ten months later, we flew to Budapest, Hungary to begin an 11-day trip to Eastern Europe on Viking Cruises. Here are 10 things I learned from my first river cruise.

1. You’ll Wind Up Feeling Young Again

If you’re in your 50s and miss feeling young and energetic, you could do worse than take a river cruise. We knew the average age would likely skew towards the 60s, but we didn’t expect to be the youngest couple on our ship. We didn’t care either. Surrounded by elderly people in their 70s and 80s, we enjoyed seeing new places and became an inspiration for our own future.

2. There aren’t that many first-time cruisers.

People a generation before us were busy. We stood out not only because we were relatively young, but also because this was our first river cruise. Almost everyone we met had been on a cruise, not just on Viking, but on other routes around the world. Ron, a former army sergeant major, is on his seventh Viking cruise and even admitted to doing the 15-day Great Europe trip from Amsterdam to Budapest twice.

“I would love to do it a third time if they let me do it for free,” he told us.

3. Unexpected detours may occur due to water levels.

For my wife, the big appeal of river cruises was the lack of ocean waves. No waves = no seasickness. However, unlike the ocean, the water level in a river rises and falls. If it’s too high, river boats won’t be able to pass under certain bridges. If it’s too low, like we did, the ship will have to stop short of some destinations and passengers will spend extra time on the bus. For us, the drop in water levels meant an unexpected substitution of shore excursions in Bulgarian cities, as well as a longer bus journey to Bucharest. It’s unfortunate, but it’s manageable. In some cases, passengers may need to abandon the river boat and change buses to the same boat upstream to continue their journey. Get ready.

4. Every day is a casual day

We were to go to Europe and cruise on a luxury ship, but our fellow passengers were older than us. Therefore, my wife and I intended to dress properly: collared button-down shirts, stylish sweaters and blouses. Buffet doesn’t have formal dinners and focuses on a relaxed atmosphere, but I still mostly brought a jacket for the evening.

I’m glad I didn’t have to do that. Our passengers overwhelmingly preferred bright, luxurious sneakers that were comfortable and casual. Jeans; shorts and a few Harley T-shirts were also fine. Admittedly, there were some of us who eschewed the jeans-and-sneakers style. If you want to dress nicer, you should, but it’s not necessary.

5. Enjoy conversation

If you’re afraid of starting new conversations with new people multiple times a day, you might be afraid to take a river cruise. Don’t be afraid. Most of the experienced river cruiser passengers seemed eager to meet new people and were easy to chat with.

During my first 24 hours on board, I heard stories about a failed encounter with Australian Perth gold miners, met a man who received a Purple Heart after a helicopter crash in Vietnam, and met a 75-year-old man who received a Purple Heart after a helicopter crash in Vietnam. I admired the old man’s dismembered fingers. A former New England hockey player, I listened to my dinner companion say, “If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have married her husband.” with him.

6. I would like both main dishes, please.

Yes, the food on river cruises is delicious. Nearly every meal featured local cuisine from neighboring countries. Minutes before dinner begins, the head chef will explain the creations he will choose for the evening. It was like a halftime speech. Once he finished cooking, we all hurried (and sometimes limped) out of the lounge and into his dining room, pumping ourselves up for the next delicious meal.

However, while the food on board may be delicious,…

7. Eat local

Don’t limit yourself to sophisticated onboard cuisine. Just a short distance from your anchored ship, you’ll find flavorful local cuisine that’s worth eating. My favorite meals of our trip were a platter of Cevapučić in Belgrade under a portrait of Uncle Tito (the leader of Cold War Yugoslavia) and a melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin phyllo pastry in Croatia.

8. At your own pace

When you’re visiting a new city every day and have limited time, it can be exhausting trying to do too many things. At one point, our new friends Victor and Leslie admitted they had been on too many tours. There is a limit to how much anyone can sample in a few hours or a day, and we accepted that. A travelogue found in the ship’s library. much moregave a satisfactory answer to that dilemma. “Always leave something for next time, something that will make you want to come back.” You’re on a cruise. Make time to relax and take in the views on the sundeck or terrace.

9. Find a river less traveled by.

Have you heard about the Iron Gates on the Danube? Neither did I. All the passengers were taking pictures as our ship slipped into this dramatic canyon between Serbia and Romania. At one point, the huge face of an ancient Dacian king carved into the rock wall stared back at us.

While other European rivers in heavily traveled countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and France are mostly river cruise transport, we have had the pleasure of discovering more unfamiliar Eastern European countries. I did. Every day gave us new stories and perspectives, often including histories we had never heard of. Nor was all this history ancient. Day after day, we heard thoughtful perspectives on the Balkan wars of the 1990s from a local Croatian tour guide and from her Serbian guide. Consider lesser-known destinations when choosing your cruise itinerary.

10. Cabin class selection is important

After choosing your cruise date and itinerary, choose your cabin class. I was worried about that. Due to budget constraints, the cheapest or “most affordable” cabin for us was on the lower deck and featured only a narrow window just above the waterline. My online research highlighted that most of the time spent onboard is at night, which is dark anyway. Additionally, even during the day, ships were often parked next to docks or sandwiched between other cruise ships, with windows inches apart.

All of that was certainly true. And once on board, it’s clear that no matter how spacious the cabin, nothing can match the nearly 360-degree views from the outdoor terrace and top-floor sundeck, where passengers gather on sunny afternoons. did. Still, I wish there was more window space in the stateroom. On your next cruise, you might just splurge on a luxury verandah cabin.