Your essential guide to river cruising

1. WHY GO ON A RIVER CRUISE?

River cruises offer a fantastic opportunity to explore more than one destination in a single trip, all while only unpacking once. With TUI River Cruises, you can discover everywhere from Amsterdam – while its tulip fields are in full bloom – to Germany and its Medieval castles. Plus, we've lined up under-the-radar spots that you might not have even heard about – traditional bakeries and half-timbered houses in Oberwesel? Yes, please…

Find out more about our river cruise itineraries

2. WHAT ARE YOUR RIVER CRUISE SHIPS LIKE?

Think of our three adults-only ships – TUI Isla, TUI Maya and TUI Skyla – as floating hotels that’ll transport you from world-famous cities to lesser-known towns. Each ship flaunts modern interiors, plus multiple restaurants and lounges for wining and dining. Oh, and did we mention you won’t find any inside cabins, so waterfront views are guaranteed? Some cabins have French Balconies, too, so you can slide open your floor-to-ceiling doors and let those scenic vistas and the refreshing river breeze in.

The ships are small and intimate – with a relaxed atmosphere and a maximum of 155 guests onboard at any time – which means you can get to know your fellow passengers, while still having your own space. And, with one crew member to every four guests, you’ll be on first-name terms with our friendly team in no time.

Get more clued up our river cruise ship facilities

3. CAN I RESERVE A CABIN AHEAD OF MY CRUISE?

Yes, you can pre-book a cabin up to 14 days before your departure, either online or in a TUI Store. You’ll only pay £50 for this service, too. Take a look at the deck plan of your ship to see the range of cabins and pick your favourite. 

Check out the cabins on our river cruise ships

4. WHAT’S INCLUDED ON A RIVER CRUISE?

On our TUI River Cruises, your flights – which are always direct from UK airports – transfers, three meals with drinks per day, your tips and your luggage allowance are all included as standard. You can enjoy soft drinks, tea, coffee, beer and wine at mealtimes as part of your standard Full Board Plus package. But, if you fancy a bigger selection of drinks or want a coffee or a glass of wine outside mealtimes, you can upgrade to All Inclusive. You can add this during the booking process, or after your booking by calling 0800 975 4477. And outside meal times, complimentary tea and coffee is available from the self-service station in the Atrium.

Enjoy the happy hour, every evening from 18.30 to 19.30 in the Observatory Lounge, plus afternoon tea, once per sailing, in the Observatory Lounge. What's more, you'll get up to £120 shore experience credit per person to use towards our range of experiences, so you can get right to the heart of your destination.

You can book your experiences online or by calling us on 0800 975 4477.

5. TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR RIVER CRUISE EXPERIENCES...

Unlike other cruise companies, we don’t limit our free experiences to walking tours. Instead, we give you up to £120 per person to spend on our full range of shore experiences. You could go wine tasting in the Moselle Valley, follow in the footsteps of ‘The Sound of Music’ sights in Austria, or watch an opera in Vienna.

Because we know everyone’s tastes are different, it’s up to you to decide which experiences are included with your cruise. You can pack in as much as possible with daytrips to UNESCO-listed forts and evening dinner shows. Or, you can stick to bus and walking tours in each port and not dip into your own pocket once. 

Within 24 hours of booking your river cruise, you’ll be contacted with a voucher code, which you can use to redeem your shore experience credit on our experience website. All you need to do is enter your ship and departure date and then you can browse and book our full selection of experiences for each day of your itinerary.

Read more about our best river cruise shore experiences

6. WHAT’S LIFE LIKE ONBOARD A RIVER CRUISE SHIP?

Like ocean cruises, our river cruise ships are cashless – so, if you want to buy anything extra onboard it’ll be charged to your onboard account. You’ll then settle your account at the end of your trip. You’ll just need to register your credit or debit card when you check in. And, you’ll get free, unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the ship, so you can keep in contact with your friends and family as much as you'd like. Speeds may vary.

7. ARE SPECIAL DIETS CATERED FOR?

Yes, in our onboard restaurants, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and diabetic-friendly meals are available on request. If you have a dietary requirement, please let our Customer Welfare Team know on 0800 975 4477 when booking your trip. Then, once you're on board, you can meet with the Maître D' to discuss your requirements further. 

For more information about dietary requirements, please visit our FAQs page

8. WHAT SHOULD I PACK AND IS THERE A DRESS CODE?

With every river cruise, you’ll get 20kg luggage allowance. It’s entirely up to you what you pack, however we suggest comfortable clothing for sight-seeing. There is a dress code onboard our TUI River Cruises – it’s smart-casual. During the day, the rules are quite relaxed, however beachwear can’t be worn in the restaurants. In the evenings, the dress code is smarter. Men will need to wear long trousers or smart tailored shorts, a shirt or polo shirt and closed shoes. You might choose dressier clothing on our gala night but there's no requirement to do so. 

9. ARE RIVER CRUISE SHIPS SUITABLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS?

There are no lifts onboard any of our river cruise ships, and they are not wheelchair friendly. Getting on and off the ship can also be tricky because of the steep ramps. If you find stairs a challenge or have another disability, please contact our team for more details before you book. You can also find more information in our FAQs.

TWO FUN TUI RIVER CRUISES FACTS:

- To clear low bridges, the top deck of our ships can collapse entirely down to deck level.
- Europe’s waterways are home to locks – used for raising and lowering ships between stretches of different-levelled water – so you might sail through one, or a few, on your TUI River Cruises sailing.



 

Have another question?

Check out our river cruise FAQs or call us on 0800 975 4477. Or, if you’re looking for inspiration, read our articles on the best European river cruises and best river cruise shore experiences.

Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.

Author: Jessica Houtby