10 | First Time River Cruise Guide
The rivers have their own captivating and
unique way of life. If you have never been on
board a river ship, there are a few things to
know that may surprise you.
RIVER LOCKS
River lock s are an engineering mar vel used
since the 14th centur y in Europe. They are
designed to allow vessels to overcome the
height dif ferences of rivers, enabling them
to navigate the length of a river seamlessly.
You will experience lock navigation on many
European rivers, the Mississippi and the Nile.
Europe has some of the highest lock s in the
world, with some up to 25 metres high. Some
itineraries will only transit a few lock s, while
others will pass through up to 77 lock s over
15 days.
A s your ship approaches a lock, the for ward
door opens, allowing the ship to enter the
lock compar tment with the door closing
behind. The lock compar tment is then filled
with water or emptied of water as your ship
raises or lowers to the new river level height.
The far door then opens, allowing your ship
to continue on its way. Your Captain will
exper tly navigate your ship through these
lock s, sometimes with only centimetres
to spare on each side. Lock transit is a
fascinating experience, and your Captain
will invite you to the sundeck for some
lock transits to experience this remarkable
engineering mar vel up close.
HIGH AND LOW WATER LEVELS
From time to time, the rivers can experience
B U DA P ES T, H U N G A RY
LIFE ON THE RIVERS
Our elegant ships will gently carry you into some of the most
incredible cities and picturesque towns
