IS RIVERSIDE THE ULTIMATE RIVER CRUISE?
In the humble opinion of this travel writer, there is simply no better way to travel than on a river cruise. You can discover many of the world’s most fascinating places, people and cultures all on a river cruise. From the Far East to the Amazon, from the Nile to the Douro, river ships transport you to the breathing heart of these places. Nowhere is that truer than on the rivers of Europe. The Danube as it crosses no fewer than 10 countries. The Rhone and the Soane as they bring the South of France alive. And, of course, the rivers of Germany– most especially the Mosel, the Main and the magical Rhine. Quite frankly, this writer has never taken a single river cruise that he didn’t count as one of the great travel experiences of his lifetime. Unpack once and let the ship take you where you’ve never been—and where you’ll want to go back to. I have sailed on five major River Cruise lines, every one a winner. So, I am not here to knock here to knock the competition. But I am here to say a Riverside cruise should be on your bucket list.
WHAT MAKES RIVERSIDE DIFFERENT?
We can start with the size of Riverside’s luxury fleet. At the same length as virtually every river cruise ship– governed by the length of the shortest lock these vessels must pass through–Riverside’s Flagship Riverside Mozart carries just 160 passengers. It’s sole competitor size-wise carries 196. And Riverside’s two smaller sister ships, Riverside Debussy and Riverside Ravel carry just 110 guests compared to the industry standard of 190. What this translates into is a truly spacious ship and truly spacious ‘suites’. Ours aboard River Debussy was the third category from the top and it was, quite simply, perfect. Dare I call it ‘man-sized’? ‘Couple-sized’ is more like it with plenty of room for two. It included a walk-in closet, a desk/bar/makeup area, a fully stocked mini refrigerator, an expresso maker and a superb bathroom with two sinks! The 40- inch television competed with the complete wall of glass that showcased the river from the supremely comfortable king-sized bed. This ‘balcony window’ can be opened if you wish. The cabin service is flawless. You have a butler at your beck and call for room service or virtually anything else you wish. Your cabin stewardess is lightning fast and refreshes your suite twice a day.
Suites above our “Riverside Suite” category are astonishingly large—far more comparable to ocean-going suites than to anything we’ve ever seen on the rivers. Many of the suites connect allowing families to enjoy every suite amenity. And finally, there are no “Aquarium” suites at all—those water-level affairs that are entry level on most river cruisers.
Elsewhere on board, there’s a swimming pool which is both heated and covered. And the spa and sports facility are truly impressive. The gym has Technogym equipment, free weights, balls and Thera-bands for those who cannot miss their workouts. For the rest of us, there’s the spa. This writer had the great pleasure of a facial massage by Riverside Debussy’s delightful therapist. It was intensive, soothing and simply a pleasure.
AND HOW WAS THE FOOD?
Astonishing! Riverside makes much of its cuisine and well it should. Riverside Cruises is owned by the Gerlach family, proprietors of 12 luxury hotels in Germany, Spain, the Maldives and Gran Canaria. There Theo Gerlach established his first hotel over 30 years ago. Now Theo’s son Gregor Gerlach and his daughter Anouchka have assumed responsibilities for Riverside. Included in those is a commitment to Culinary Excellence that has served their land-based “Seaside Collection” so very well. In talking to Riverside Debussy’s remarkable Chef de Cuisine, Gareth Gradwell, special praise was heaped on the Gerlach’s commitment to stellar food and the resources to make it happen.
For starters, there are four dining options aboard Riverside Debussy to serve its 110 guests. (Actually, there are five if you count 24-room service. One of our fellow passengers ordered well after midnight and proclaimed his Club Sandwich and Fries superb.)
Guests could barely move around Riverside Debussy without being tempted by an amazing , all-day array of ‘small delicacies’ in The Bistro. That same venue hosted a spectacular Tapas night and serves as the late riser’s breakfast option. The Waterside Restaurant is Riverside Debussy’s showcase of great food. In the mornings, the breakfast buffet offers an astonishing array of choices. Staffed by white-gloved waitstaff, once your selections are made, you’re treated to regal service. Lunch is served at Waterside as well, with an ever-changing array that somehow manages to serve everything from Sushi to local specialties that change daily mirroring the route of the vessel. The wine selection is vast and the glasses bottomless. The Breakfast and Lunch buffets are positioned in a separate space at one end of the dining room. So when dinner is served the Waterside takes on the look of a very elegant restaurant.
In terms of grandeur, nothing quite compares to the Vintage Room. Seating just 10, this extra-charge restaurant rivals any Michelin-starred locale ashore. The venue is host to Chef Gradwell’s 7 course-by-course menu which is accompanied by 7 wines selected and introduced by Sommelier Ivaylo. The unforgettable meal is aptly ended with the handiwork of Riverside Debussy’s Executive Pastry Chef, Jozsef Reichenbach.
Likely one of the most popular dining experiences aboard Riverside Debussy, is a pop-up! On the ship’s top deck four, there’s a full-service bar and on two great occasions, the ship’s Kitchen Brigade goes to the supreme effort of cooking on two “Green Egg” grills and serving the passengers two phenomenal menus. The first took place while we were docked in Frankfurt at lunch and the second in Koblenz after surely one of the great highlights of our Riverside Debussy itinerary. That was the phenomenal afternoon we sailed that stretch of the Rhine known for its extraordinary castles. In true Riverside fashion, passengers were given maps with the names of all 24 castles lining the river, a 15-page history of each castle and the story of Loreley, an integral part of the Rhine experience. Accompanying this was a ‘guided tour’ to upload to your cellphone. While we sat in the shade the castles on the Rhine passed by and both champagne and Rhine Reisling flowed freely.
WHAT’S ON TAP WHEN YOU GO ASHORE
Riverside offers a plethora of shore excursions, much in line with all river cruises. These fall into categories for the physically fit –the ship has 6 electric and 6 ordinary bicycles. Walks are offered at various paces. Wine and Food Tours are on the schedule at almost every stop. But what astonished us was the intuitive nature of the ship’s phenomenal Shore Excursion Manager Karolina Bolek and her able assistant, Zed. We’d pre-selected almost all our excursions but Karolina steered us to two more excursions that she knew would excite and please us. So off we went to Goethe’s House in Frankfurt, delighted to experience its interiors and history. And in Cologne, she encouraged us to have our first experience with Virtual Reality at Cologne’s Cathedral. It was nothing short of amazing. On any river cruise Karolina and Zed would be called “Cruise Directors”. They organized entertainments, spur of the moment games and gave wonderful port talks. They were the most ‘present’ Cruise Directors we’ve ever encountered.
WHO IS RIVERSIDE LUXURY CRUISES FOR?
I am tempted to say absolutely everyone. It’s for people who have been everywhere but want to see it in luxury mode. It’s for families with adult children and worldly teens. It’s for people who want suites not tiny staterooms. It’s for gourmets, wine-lovers and pastry buffs. It’s for couples who want some alone time and couples who are hoping to meet kindred spirits. It’s an absolutely splendid experience that people will remember for the rest of their lives. And my guess is, they will remember exactly who recommended Riverside to them.
Story Photos, credit Monte Mathews
Cover Photo: Riverside Debussy, credit Riverside Luxury Cruises
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