How
to Best Enjoy a River Cruise:
What Not to Pack Tidbits and Seasonal Advice
Most
of the cruise ships traveling up and down the great
rivers of Europe have pretty much the same room layouts, with
limited storage space under the bed. As a seasoned traveler
I've learned to travel lean under every circumstance, and my
Viking River Cruise was no exception. This report on the "how-to"
of river cruise travel is based on my recent Danube cruise,
which was outstanding due to good planning.
Those
of us who began traveling in the sixties, with our five pieces
of Hartmann luggage, including a hat box, find travel today
a bit restrictive. However, if you want to travel trouble free
and insure having your wardrobe arrive with you, keeping it
light is absolutely key. On my recent trip I took a small sized
roller suitcase, and a medium carry-on bag that allowed me everything
I needed for my ten day trip. I also now wear a travel vest,
with pockets that hold my small camera, passport, sun glasses,
wallet, ear phones, eye shades and more. This keeps things I
need handy and makes my carry-on a bit lighter.
Danube River View from Buda Castle
Leave
the basic products at home,lovely soap, skin lotion, hair products
and a hair dryer are provided in your bathroom on board ship,
and products are replaced as needed. I did bring a tiny electric
hair curler along with my personal cosmetic items.
Travel
insurance is very affordable today, and with the unexpected
changes in air travel, and unpredictable weather conditions
that may affect your individual travel plan it is often prudent
to select some advance protection. AAA offers some good travel
insurance programs, as well as a variety of additional companies.
Try a little comparison shopping and find a plan that works
for your individual budget.
Small Suitcase with Cruise Ship Tags
Keeping
outfits simple and color coordinated, with sweaters or a warm
shall for cooler days and evenings, along with dress up scarves
and jewelry for dinner gets the job done. Most ships only have
one 'dress up' night on board, and a lovely scarf with jewelry
over a simple top and pants worked perfectly for me. Bringing
one nice pair of sandals or flats for dress is a good idea if
you are planning to go to shore for dinner or a theatre performance.
For every day use a good pair of walking shoes is imperative.
A quick dry washable nightgown, which can be found in travel
stores, is all you need for sleeping on board. Viking provides
lovely robes and slippers to guests who make a request in advance,
and they will be in your room when you arrive. You may need
a warm jacket and hat. It can be cool in the evening and while
touring so I recommend wearing your warm jacket and a hat on
the plane to save room in your luggage.
Prior
to departure I purchased a rain poncho that came in a small
pocket sized case that I kept with me at all times and it was
a life saver when unexpected showers happened. I also brought
a small umbrella, however, Viking provides umbrella's for guests
to take on tours, as well as bottled water. I always bring a
small case with meds and over the counter solutions for things
like upset stomach, headaches, sleeping, motion sickness, etc.
to be ready for any emergency. Viking has a store on board to
purchase Viking logo rain jackets, sweatshirts, and t-shirts.
Ship Attire Is Casual
Communication
on board ship is often spotty, and I don't recommend bringing
a laptop unless it's imperative. There are several computers
for guest use to check emails quickly, but the daily schedule
does not allow much time to get this accomplished. Most guest
are staying at hotels in advance of their trip or at the end
of their trip and these hotels provide internet access. Regarding
advance or post stays on Viking cruises I would advise doing
a pre cruise stay to ensure you will be in the departure city
in advance. Cutting flights to close could be a nightmare if
for some reason a flight is delayed. It's best to be aware and
make sure you have plenty of time to get to your ship between
flight arrival and ship departure. I stayed in Budapest for
a few days at the end of my trip, which worked quite well for
me, but you must know that you are financially responsible to
get yourself to your hotel and to the airport for your return
flight.
I
was told it is a good idea to go to the bank in advance of my
trip to order the money I would need in countries I was visiting,
which worked out very well for me. I had mostly euros, but it
really helped to have forints in advance when arriving in Hungary.
Don't forget to let your banker put an alert on your account
listing the countries you will be visiting to insure your credit
cards are accepted. Many people were caught by surprise when
their strip cards were not accepted in numerous places in Europe
because some business owners are now only accepting the new
chip cards.
Pocket Rain Poncho A Lifesaver In Regensburg
If
you are looking for gifts to bring home be sure to check what
is necessary to transport them and any charges attached. It
can be costly to bring things like wine home, and you can eliminate
any surprises by investigating costs in advance. Going through
customs was simple and easy for my trip, and although I was
concerned about traveling through Charles De Gaulle in Paris
it was for naught. If you must change flights during your trip
make sure you are on the same carrier on both flights, this
may make things very smooth, and will probably ensure your bags
will go all the way through to your final destination.
I
can honestly say I traveled without any "should have"
regrets, and that the time I spent doing advance planning was
time well spent. I'm hoping my report will answer some question
you may have regarding river cruising, and I'm wishing you a
wonderful, well planned and memorable trip.
For
detailed cruise information visit: www.vikingcruiselines.com.
By Bonnie Carroll
About Bonnie Carroll
Bonnie Carroll has been a food/travel/lifestyle writer since
1983. She is the founder & publisher of Bonnie Carroll's
Life Bites News - www.lifebitesnews.com,
does travel and food reporting on KZSB1290 radio, and contributes
to a variety of national and international travel/lifestyle
publications. Her first children's book C.C. Charles was published
in 2002 and she is currently working on a second book. Contact
her at Contact her at writebc@aol.com.