River Cruising in Style

Jumping on board the wonderfully elegant MS Lord Byron in Budapest, I was excited to set sail on board just a beautiful ship.

Although I have been on many Ocean cruises, this was my first time on a River Cruise. This journey I recently experienced is part of their 15 day Cruise the Heart of Europe sailing.

After boarding, I took a walk around the vessel to familiarise myself with what’s on offer and where everything is. My first impression told me it was pretty obvious that the Lord Byron has been designed to some impeccable standards. The marble floored lobby is spacious, feeling light and airy. There’s a small boutique on board, leading to a lounge with a bar.

This lounge offers panoramic views on the Diamond Deck. It’s here you can find a perfect spot to relax, socialize or play a game of bridge with glass of wine overlooking some astounding views and you sail on by. There’s a really good atmosphere in the evening, as the boat provides entertainment ranging from a string quartet to a piano player.

To my surprise, I found the cabins amazingly spacious for a small vessel. My cabin was beautifully decorated, providing all the facilities you’d expect from a luxury hotel. Now, the view from your cabin depends which deck you are on. The Upper and Middle decks have French balconies. These balconies have floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. If you’re on the lower deck, your cabin will have a smaller fixed window. It’s for this reason that I would recommend booking a cabin on the top/middle deck, so you can take full advantage of the views.

The food on board was impressive, even the buffet offered a pretty big range of meal choices.

Having only sailed on board ocean cruises before and knowing this river cruise was a significantly smaller vessel, I had doubts that there may not be much to do on board. I was wrong. You’ll never get bored when you’re sailing, as there’s plenty of things for you to do. For ultimate bliss, you could treat yourself to a spa treatment or maybe a new hairstyle at the Salon.

When the sun is out, spend some time on the sundeck. Relax and soak up the sun on a comfortable sun lounger (tried and tested) or if you like a bit of competition, get your game on at the small putting green or giant chess board.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with life on board the MS Lord Byron. The cabins and facilities are like those of a top hotel. If it wasn’t for the beautiful views you could almost forget you're sailing, as you can feel no movement on the river. The crew on board could not have been more helpful and attentive, the food is delicious, there’s plenty to do and the sights and sounds of Europe’s great rivers are unforgettable.

Travel Blog by Miles Morgan