Considering your first Saga river cruise?

p>by Cathy Winston

Imagine gazing out onto some of Europe’s loveliest scenery, from historic cities to vineyard-lined valleys – all without any effort on your part. It’s little surprise that Saga’s river cruises are becoming more popular every year.

As well as discovering a string of new destinations and enjoying spectacular views, you only need to unpack once, then relax in your spacious en-suite cabin as the ship whisks you from port to port.

But if you’ve never cruised before, it’s easy to feel uncertain about what’s actually involved.

If you’re thinking about a river cruise with Saga, we’ve answered 10 of the most common questions.

1. I’ve never cruised before. Will I enjoy it?

What’s not to like? Fantastic destinations, boutique ships, friendly crew and hassle-free. You’ll be collected from your front door and chauffeur-driven to the airport or Eurostar terminal, before being transferred to the ship.

On board, our attentive crew are on hand morning and night. As you journey along Europe’s great rivers, you can explore each port with a range of included excursions designed to help you discover the highlights of each destination.

2. Is it good value for money?

One big advantage of a river cruise with Saga is that the price you pay is truly all-inclusive –once you’ve booked, there are no hidden extras.

Saga also has a Cruise Price Promise, which means that if we reduce the price of your cabin grade after you’ve booked, you’ll automatically receive the difference in value so you never have to worry about missing out on last-minute deals. If you book early, you can snap up discounts of up to 25% off.

All restaurants on board are included, so you won’t be charged more to enjoy speciality dining, along with all port taxes and fees, porterage, an excursion in every port, WiFi around the ship, and tips on board. We even offer local flights at no extra cost. You can see the full list of inclusions here.

3. Will the ships feel busy?

Our spacious river ships stretch 135m in length and four decks high. Along with the outdoor sun deck, there’s a lounge with bar and self-serve café, two restaurants including one speciality option, plus a library and gym, not to mention your own comfortable cabin – upper and middle deck cabins are 17 square metres while lower deck cabins are 14 square metres.

4. I’m on my own – is a river cruise a good option?

Saga’s river cruises are ideal for solo travellers with 12 dedicated cabins for solo guests aboard Spirit of the Rhine, Spirit of the Danube, Spirit of the Moselle – and Spirit of the Lorelei too when she launches next year.

Our restaurants include a dining table for solo guests so you’ll have company at meals if you prefer, as well as on our port excursions. You’re always free to join in with as much or as little as you like, with plenty of options to get to know fellow guests or simply to enjoy your own space.

5. What if I have special dietary requirements?

Our chefs will do all they can to cater for most dietary requirements, just let us know when you book.

There will always be vegetarian options available. The size of kitchen on a river cruise ship does mean options for other dietary requirements may be more limited so we’d suggest mentioning it to your Saga Cruise Director once you’re on board – they will then do what they can to help accommodate these. Please see here for more information about specific dietary requirements. Please note that we can't cater for kosher or halal diets.

6. How much walking is involved?

We assign walking grades to each of our excursions, so you know what to expect, and provide a leisurely option for those who prefer a slower pace.

These range from Grade 1, where any walking off the ship is at your own discretion, such as on panoramic coach tours where you’ll only need to walk to photo stops.

Grade 2 is listed as minimal walking, up to around 500 yards on mainly flat surfaces with the possibility of some steps, while Grade 3 is moderate walking, covering between 500 yards and one mile on more mixed ground, often with steps.

Grade 4 is the most energetic, listed as considerable walking, so you can expect to travel more than a mile on foot, which may also include uneven terrain and more frequent steps.

You may also need to walk between the ship’s gangway and tour vehicles, with distances depending on the berth assigned, river water levels, local port safety and how many other ships are moored, so it’s not covered in the excursion grading.

If you have mobility issues these should be discussed prior to booking. As long as you can climb up and down three flights of steep stairs and walk at least one mile unaided, then a river cruise should be suitable for you.

7. What if I need to change or cancel my plans?

No problem. We have a 14-day cooling-off period, so if you do change your mind during that time, you can simply cancel or change your plans. After that point, if you’ve taken advantage of the optional travel insurance policy when booking your Saga river cruise, this includes additional cancellation cover.

8. What’s the best season for a river cruise?

There’s something to tempt you onto a river cruise all year-round.

Spring is a wonderful time with milder weather, tulip fields blooming in the Netherlands and pleasant temperatures for walking tours.

Summer brings sunshine across Europe and the longest hours of daylight to enjoy glorious views – June cruises normally escape the bigger crowds and higher temperatures of peak summer.

Set off in autumn to enjoy the wonderful changing colours of the landscape with river banks erupting in shades of gold and deep orange. It’s also the time of the grape harvest along the Douro in Portugal, as well as the Rhine, Moselle and Danube.

Or brighten the shorter days with a Christmas market river cruise in December, visiting some of Europe’s biggest and most traditional Christmas markets. You could even see in Christmas and the New Year from on the water.

9. Is there a dress code?

We understand how important it is to know what to pack, so we’d advise the following.

During the day, stick with casual clothes to suit the weather and comfortable shoes, especially if your excursions include walking tours and cobbled streets. You may need to cover shoulders and knees in churches or religious sites.

Our evening dress code starts from 6pm, and although there are no stringent rules, we’d ask that polo shirts, T-shirts, shorts and denim are kept for daytimes.

Women tend to wear a smart dress or elegant top with trousers or skirt, with a smart shirt and trousers for men – open-neck is fine, so don’t feel you have to wear a tie. If you’d like to dress up even more, the welcome drinks reception and Captain’s gala are great opportunities to do so.

10. What if I decide I don't like the river cruise when I’m onboard?

In the unlikely event that you aren’t enjoying your river cruise, we’ll do everything we can to put things right for you. We’re so confident that you’ll have a great time, we have introduced Saga’s Love It First Time guarantee, a promise made to all guests on their first Saga boutique cruise.

If you aren’t enjoying yourself during your first few days on board, let us know, and if we can’t resolve the issues within 48 hours, we’ll arrange your travel home from the next available port at no extra cost, and refund the price of your cruise in full.

But more likely, you’ll love it so much that at the end of your first Saga cruise, you’ll be booking the next one!