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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Booking a River Cruise

How do I book a river cruise?
What is included in the price of a river cruise?
Is airfare included in my cruise price?
Can I use frequent flyer miles to pay for the air portion of my reservation?
How do I pay for my river cruise?
Can I put down a deposit?
What if I have to cancel?
When will I receive my cruise tickets?
What is a cabin or stateroom category?
What is a shipboard credit?
What are transfers?
Can beds in the cabin be apart or put together?
Can we start the cruise halfway through (or disembark early)?
Can I travel when I'm pregnant?
Are river cruise ships wheelchair accessible?
Are pets or service animals allowed?
Is there a minimum age requirement for traveling on river cruises?
Are there any group discounts available?
Can optional excursions be purchased in advance?
Can the river cruise company change my itinerary after booking?

Questions About Our Site

The Onboard Experience

How many people are on the ship?
What activities and entertainment are offered on board?
Are there any days you are on the river all day?
Will I have time to explore the great cities we pass on my river cruise?
What is a shore excursion?
Is Internet service available on board?
Can I use my cell phone on board?
What happens during embarkation?
What happens during disembarkation?
What are the smoking policies on board?
Are there set dining times?
Can the ship accommodate special dietary needs?
What type of dress is appropriate on the ship for daytime vs. dinner?
What language is used on the ship and on shore excursions?
What type of currency is accepted on the ship?
How much should I tip the cruise director, staff, tour guides, etc.?
What happens if the water level on the river is too low or too high and the ship can't sail for a portion of the itinerary?

Preparing For Your Cruise

 

General Questions

How long are river cruises?

When is the best time of year to take a river cruise?

Are there any theme cruises available?

Is a river cruise suitable for families with kids?

Are river cruises suitable for single travelers?

What kinds of ships are offered and what can I do on board?

How are river cruises rated?

 

Booking a River Cruise

How do I book a river cruise?

Booking a cruise with us is easy. To find your ideal cruise, use the box on the left to search by destination, company, travel dates or trip duration, or for advanced search options, click here. Once you've narrowed it down, give us a call and one of our river cruise specialists will verify availability, answer all of your questions and help you confirm your booking. [top]

What is included in the price of a river cruise?

Is airfare included in my cruise price?

Can I use frequent flyer miles to pay for the air portion of my reservation?

How do I pay for my river cruise?

Can I put down a deposit?

What if I have to cancel?

When will I receive my cruise tickets?

What is a cabin or stateroom category?

What is a shipboard credit?

What are transfers?

Can beds in the cabin be apart or put together?

Can we start the cruise halfway through (or disembark early)?

Can I travel when I'm pregnant?

Are river cruise ships wheelchair accessible?

Unfortunately, there are not many ships that cater to people who use a wheelchair. River cruise companies welcome guests with disabilities but note that challenges will exist on board and during shore excursions. Some ships have elevators and some do not; some ships have split-level decks and/or significant thresholds that could make movement difficult. Under some circumstances, guests are able to use wheelchairs on board, but shore excursions may require movement over cobblestone roads or up and down stairs. Accordingly, there may be no shore excursions offered in certain ports due to the terrain or lack of transportation vehicles that can accommodate wheelchairs.

The exception to this is river cruising in the United States. Some lines that operate in the United States, such as American Queen Voyages and American Cruise Lines, offer boarding, staterooms and deck layouts that are wheelchair accessible.
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Are pets or service animals allowed?

Is there a minimum age requirement for traveling on river cruises?

Are there any group discounts available?

Can optional excursions be purchased in advance?

Can the river cruise company change my itinerary after booking?

 

Questions About Our Site

Can I access my Vacations To Go confirmation online?

Yes, you can view details on any booking that has not traveled by visiting our My Account page. You will need your email address and the booking number provided by your Vacations To Go travel counselor to retrieve your confirmation. [top]

How do I update my email address?

Please visit our My Account page to change your email address. [top]

How do I unsubscribe from or reduce the frequency of the river cruise newsletter?

To unsubscribe or reduce the frequency of our newsletter, please visit our My Account page. You will be given several options for reducing the frequency or opting out of our newsletter. [top]

How do I log out of your site?

An option to log out is available on our My Account page. Please note that there is generally no reason to log out of our site unless you are using a publicly accessible computer. If you do log out, when you return, you will be asked to enter the email address you used to register. [top]
 

The Onboard Experience

How many people are on the ship?

What activities and entertainment are offered on board?

Are there any days you are on the river all day?

Will I have time to explore the great cities we pass on my river cruise?

What is a shore excursion?

Is Internet service available on board?

Can I use my cell phone on board?

What happens during embarkation?

What happens during disembarkation?

What are the smoking policies on board?

Are there set dining times?

Can the ship accommodate special dietary needs?

What type of dress is appropriate on the ship for daytime vs. dinner?

What language is spoken on the ship and on shore excursions?

What type of currency is accepted on the ship?

How much should I tip the cruise director, staff, tour guides, etc.?

What happens if the water level on the river is too low or too high and the ship can't sail for a portion of the itinerary?

 

Preparing For Your Cruise

What are the essential items to pack?

You'll want to bring comfortable, casual clothing. Most river cruises do not have formal nights, although some guests choose dressier clothing for Captain's Dinners. Other items you'll probably want to bring include a pair of comfortable walking shoes and dressier shoes, a collapsible umbrella or rain gear, a lightweight jacket or sweater, sunglasses, a hat or sun visor, toiletries, electric converter and/or adapter and any needed medications. Consider the region's weather when packing. Remember to dress respectfully when visiting places of worship and other religious sites where you may be denied entry if you are wearing clothing considered to be inappropriate.

You should also bring electronic or hard copies of your travel documents. Other optional items you may want to bring include camera gear, extra memory cards and batteries, a small calculator for foreign exchange calculations, binoculars, anti-bacterial wipes, hand sanitizer and a travel journal.
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How much luggage can I bring?

Will I need a passport to take a river cruise?

How long does it take to get a passport?

Will I need a visa?

Are any inoculations required?

Can I bring my own hairdryer?

Can I bring my own iron?

Do I need an electricity converter or plug adapter?

Can I bring alcohol, bottled water or soda onboard?

How early should I arrive for boarding?

What happens if I miss the ship?