Safety in River Cruise Port Towns
Local habits that keep a stroll through town carefree.
Get Free River Cruise QuotesRiver cruise stops are mostly small, historic and welcoming. A handful of local habits keep a stroll through town carefree.
Watch the Lanes, Not Just the Sights
The most common hazards in Dutch, German and Belgian river towns are not crime at all; they are traffic you are not used to. Cycle lanes are often red or marked with a white bicycle, and bikes move fast and quietly. Tram tracks run through many old centers and can catch a narrow wheel or a walking cane. Cobblestones are beautiful and uneven, and they get slippery in rain. Look both ways for bicycles as well as cars, keep to pedestrian areas when you stop to take photos, and choose sturdy shoes over sandals.
Crowds, Markets and Pickpockets
Big-city stops such as Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest or Paris, and seasonal events like the Christmas markets along the Rhine and Danube, draw large crowds. That is where pickpockets work. Carry a cross-body bag closed and in front of you, keep your phone in an inside pocket rather than on a café table, and leave your passport in the cabin safe unless the day’s program says you need it. A photo of your passport on your phone is handy if something goes missing.
- Check the State Department travel advisory for each country on your route before you go.
- U.S. citizens can enroll in STEP so the nearest embassy can reach them.
- Save the ship’s phone number and the day’s docking address in your phone.
- Use official taxis or ride-hailing apps rather than a stranger’s offer of a lift.
- Agree a meeting point with your travel companion in case you get separated in a crowd.
Finding Your Ship Again
Unlike an ocean terminal, a river landing can be one of several along a long embankment, and in busy cities your ship may move to a different berth while you are ashore, or be moored outside another ship. Before you leave, check the daily program for the all-aboard time and the docking location, and take a photo of the landing and a nearby landmark. If the ship moves, the program or the reception desk will tell you where it will be. Running late? Call the ship — it is usually a short taxi ride away.
Want help choosing tours in each stop? Our sister site Europe Port Excursions covers excursions in European ports, and Cruising Checklist has printable packing and document lists.
Evenings Ashore
One of the pleasures of river cruising is that the ship often stays in town after dinner, so you can stroll along the river at dusk or hear a concert. Go with a companion, keep to lit, busy streets, and carry a card with the ship’s name and landing. Embankment paths can be dark and close to unfenced water, so stay back from the edge, especially after a glass of wine. If the ship is sailing that night, the all-aboard time still applies — the crew will not wait long for one missing guest when a lock slot is booked.
Plan Port Days You Will Enjoy
Tell us how you like to explore — guided, independent, gentle or active. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will pick river itineraries with stops that suit your style and send free quotes.
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