A typical day of meals
River cruise dining is usually a highlight, and most lines build their reputations on it. The pattern is similar across lines:
- Breakfast: buffet plus cooked-to-order dishes.
- Lunch: a lighter buffet or a plated option, often with a regional touch.
- Afternoon: coffee, tea and small snacks on many ships.
- Dinner: a multi-course meal in the main restaurant, often built around local cuisine.
Because the ships are small, kitchens produce food for a limited number of guests, which is one reason many travellers rate the food above what they’d expect from an ocean buffet.
Breakfast
Expect a spread of cold cuts, cheeses, breads, pastries, cereals, fruit and yoghurt, plus eggs and hot items prepared on request. Some ships add regional specialities such as local pastries. Many lines include sparkling wine or fresh juice, although this varies.
Lunch
Lunch is often a buffet with salads, hot dishes and desserts, sometimes with a plated option or a themed station. On excursion days, some itineraries offer a packed lunch or a quick onboard meal. If you want more detail on mealtimes around tours, check your daily programme.
Dinner and regional menus
Dinner is usually the main event. Menus typically include a choice of starter, soup or salad, a few main courses and dessert, and many ships include a vegetarian option and a regional dish that reflects where you are sailing. Chefs often adapt menus to the stretch of river, so you may eat Hungarian dishes on the Danube and Alsatian dishes on the Rhine. Cheese and dessert courses are common.
Specialty and alternative venues
Some ships have more than one place to eat. For example, certain Viking Longships have an alternative restaurant that serves a rotating menu, and some AmaWaterways ships have a smaller chef’s table restaurant. These are often included in the fare, unlike specialty restaurants on ocean ships, but may need a reservation because space is limited. A casual terrace or lounge menu is also common for lighter meals. Check your ship’s deck plan and menu to see what’s on offer. See what Viking includes for the line’s usual setup.
Open seating and timing
Most river ships use open seating, which means you choose where and with whom you sit, and there’s no assigned table or fixed sitting. Dinner is usually served in the early evening, often around 7 pm, and the timing is set around the day’s excursions. Because capacity is small, joining others at a shared table is common if you want to meet people. This is helpful for solo travellers.
Drinks with meals
Many mainstream lines include wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Premium wines and spirits are generally extra, unless you’re on a luxury line that includes a wider drinks selection. See our river cruise lines comparison for how this varies.
Dietary needs
River cruise kitchens are used to requests for vegetarian, gluten-free and other dietary needs, and typically ask about them in advance. Tell the line when you book, and remind the head waiter on the first day. If you have a serious allergy, confirm the arrangements in writing with the line before you travel.
Taking food to your cabin
Policies differ. Buffet food is intended to be eaten in the dining areas, and many lines discourage taking it to your room. Room service may be limited or offered only at certain times, unlike the room service on many ocean lines. If you need to eat in your cabin because of illness or mobility, ask the crew. See accessibility on river cruises.