The Cruise Report With Cruise Specialists Cruise Reporter Ralph Grizzle

Cruising or considering cruising the river Danube on Uniworld’s River Empress? This “know before you go” guide will enhance your journey and perhaps help you avoid making costly mistakes. It goes without saying that you should check your documents before departing home, but some people miss the fine details even after combing over them a few times.

Moments before this article was posted, for example, I met a couple in the reception of River Empress who had made one big mistake: They arrived a day early. Fortunately, River Empress staff helped them by giving them a room on the ship. The passenger documents clearly stated that their cruise began not today, but tomorrow.

For tips on what to expect and how to prepare for your cruise, read on.

Uniworld’s River Empress isn’t the newest vessel on the Danube. She was built in 2002 and refurbished in 2005.

There are no balconies gracing the 63 double cabins and four suites. Cabin sizes are fairly standard for river cruisers: 151 square feet; and 214 square feet for the suites.

Generously sized bathrooms feature showers with soap, shampoo and other bath amenities provided, so you can save room in your suitcase by not packing those items.

I checked into my hotel in Budapest, Hungary, and checked out a week later in Passau, Germany. Each evening, sometimes after I had fallen asleep, my hotel moved, from Budapest, to Bratislava, to Vienna, to Durnstein and Melk on the same day, to Linz and finally Passau. If you’re scratching your head, I’ll let you in on a secret: My hotel was a river cruiser.