Luxury All Inclusive Blue Danube River Cruise

River cruising is a much more intimate way to travel, with smaller ships, fewer guests and ever-changing scenery right outside the window. Instead of sailing between coastal ports, you travel through the heart of each destination, often arriving close to historic towns and city centres.

One of the big advantages of river cruising is how centrally ships can often dock. In many destinations you can step ashore close to the main sights, meaning less time travelling from a large cruise terminal and more time actually exploring.

River cruising is very different from being out at sea, with no ocean swell and generally much calmer water. While movement can never be ruled out completely, many guests who are concerned about seasickness find river cruising a much gentler experience.

Not at all. River cruising appeals to anyone who enjoys discovering new places, great food, culture and a more relaxed style of travel. This Cruise with Derek should feel particularly sociable too, as the entire ship has been taken over exclusively for the group, with only around 150 places available.

Life onboard is relaxed rather than packed with big-ship attractions. There's a panoramic lounge, Sun Deck with loungers and shaded areas, splash pool, putting green, fitness room, sauna and wellness facilities, alongside plenty of comfortable spaces to simply sit back and watch the scenery glide past.

Evenings are relaxed and sociable, usually centred around the Panorama Lounge with drinks and live music. There can also be destination-inspired entertainment, and on this itinerary there's a live classical recital in Vienna and a Hungarian folklore show during the overnight stay in Budapest.

Full-board dining is included throughout the cruise. The main restaurant offers open-seating dining with changing menus, while the smaller Bistro provides another more intimate dining option. There are no speciality dining surcharges to worry about.

Riviera Travel includes a selection of drinks throughout the day, including wines, beers, spirits, soft drinks and hot beverages.

All accommodation onboard MS Geoffrey Chaucer is suite-style, with hotel-style beds, marble bathrooms with walk-in showers, a Nespresso machine, mini-fridge, television and plenty of storage and seating space.

The atmosphere onboard is smart but relaxed rather than overly formal. Comfortable casual clothing works well during the day, particularly for exploring ashore, while guests generally choose something a little smarter for dinner and the evening.

MS Geoffrey Chaucer is particularly well suited to British guests, with a UK three-pin socket available in the accommodation as well as European-style sockets, so you shouldn't need to rely entirely on travel adaptors.

No. The 9 included destination experiences are there for guests who want to make the most of them, but there's no obligation to take part in everything. You can choose the experiences that appeal most and enjoy the cruise at a pace that suits you.

Yes. The itinerary has been designed to balance guided experiences with time to explore independently and periods of relaxing scenic cruising. Several days specifically include free time after the organised visit.

There are different styles of experience throughout the itinerary, including coach-based sightseeing and choices between more relaxed and more active options on selected days. Guests should still expect some walking in historic destinations, but joining every organised experience is not compulsory.

We've taken over the entire MS Geoffrey Chaucer exclusively for Cruise with Derek. That means every guest onboard will be part of the group, with exclusive Cruise with Derek events and get-togethers planned throughout the week.

There are only around 150 places available for this exclusive sailing, making it one of the most intimate Cruise with Derek adventures yet.

Exclusive Cruise with Derek events and get-togethers will take place onboard alongside the Riviera Travel itinerary. Full details will be announced closer to departure, with guests also able to get to know each other before travelling through the Cruise with Derek community.