So we are checked into our flight back to Toronto and have some time that I thought I would some up what's its like to be on a river cruise. So here goes.
There is a definite schedule and rhythm to a river cruise. For instance each morning for us early risers, coffee and tea and some croissants are available in the little bistro at the back of the boat. Yes this is a boat not a ship. There's is also a nice machine that will spit out espresso, cappuccino and of coarse Americana coffee's. If your not an early riser or want to wait for the real food, the dinning room opens around 7:30. We get our caps and go up to watch the view go by. Then head down to Breakfast. We both are still trying to watch what we eat for the most part. In the morning they offer a buffet offering the usual suspects- yogurt, dry cereals, fruits (all kinds) muffins lox, cheese, bacon, baked beans, sausage and runny scrambled eggs. There is also a chef that will cook your eggs to perfection any way you desire. He also makes great omelettes as well which is what I enjoy. He will also flip pancakes or make a small waffle for you.
After breakfast, we normally have by this time arrived at our destination for the day. Sometimes though we have had a afternoon stop for the day. Since all tours are included in the cost of the cruise all we need to decided is which tour you want or go it yourself. Most ports only offer one guided tour, but its offered as leisure walkers, regular walkers, or introductory tours only. The guides are always local guides and they have been excellent.
Our visits in ports (they're really not called ports but they are the towns located on the river) are usually only several hours long and then the boat moves on. We are really not used to this, we are used to getting off the ship first thing in the morning and being gone all day long, or overnight. This half day thing tends to make me feel rushed. HOWEVER if we stayed all day in a town the itinerary of places we visit would be much smaller. The boat needs to keep moving.
And then there's the subject of the 68 locks we have to travel through. You don't just slow down and then toddle through a lock. You need a reservation just like the Panama Canal. If your early you need to tie up or idle somewhere until its your turn. And then being in the lock itself is very time consuming. You float in and maybe tie to one side, stop the engines and then wait while the doors close behind us shut. The water starts to either rise or falls to match the water on the other side of the forward gates. Sometime it takes a good half hour. The whole process can eat up a lot of "River" time. Frankly after about 7 of these locks we were "Locked" out. What another lock oh no...
To Be Continued....
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