While my cruise did not have the most auspicious start courtesy of a delayed flight to Marseille thanks to the huge fire that shrouded the city in smoke (a useful reminder that it always pays to make sure you build in enough travel time leeway to ensure you don’t miss your holiday of a lifetime), I started my cruise along the Rhone in Avignon. The check in process was simple and with only 100 passengers on board (and 85 crew) the whole process of boarding was quick. It was not long before I was being shown to my cabin with its amazing picture window view.

The ship itself is spacious with an uncomplicated layout which makes it easy to find your way around the ship. The top deck is open and well equipped with awnings and seating during port days but is not accessible while sailing for safety reasons – the vessel needs to ensure it has the correct clearance when going under bridges and through locks, safety of passengers and crew when on board is of paramount importance.

All suites are very well designed with floor to ceiling windows. Fixtures and fittings were of the highest quality and the soft furnishings were both tasteful and comfortable. While one doesn’t want to spend a cruise entirely in one’s suite staring out of the window, one can certainly while away a few hours on Ravel watching the world glide by from bed, chair or sofa.

The menu for every meal in The Waterside restaurant was divine, with the food being of exceptional quality and the service was excellent. From eating in the dining room to al a carte, there is something to suit everyone with a good variety to choose from. The ambience in the bar “The Palm Court” was refined and elegant and it proved a great location to meet and share stories from each day’s excursions.

Speaking of excursions, the beauty of a river cruise is the destinations one can enjoy – if not off the beaten path then the towns, cities and sights along rivers are certainly a reminder that there is depth in the interior of most countries that ocean cruise excursions often cannot reach.

Destinations

Chateauneuf-du-pape

Wine tasting in Châteauneuf-Du-Pape was fabulous. The experts taught us how to smell and taste wine properly like a connoisseur with the added bonus of not having to spit it all out (with accompanying bread and cheese).

Viviers

On this tour my fellow passengers and I enjoyed the sights and smells of the lavender fields. We also got to make our own lavender body butter AND sample lavender flavoured biscuits, wine and ice cream. 

Ardeche Gorge

If you like history then this tour is for you. An evening stroll around the historic town centre of Viviers provided great photo opportunities and a different perspective from a rushed dash around a busy town centre.

Tain-l’Hermitage

This fantastic winery allowed us to sample at least 10 different wines. The tour also showed us how the Winery’s product is produced from start to finish. A real education.

Finally, Lyon

In the city centre our tour visited the beautiful cathedral with its outstanding and unique byzantine, gothic and Romanesque architecture before we headed into the old town to visit the shops. In addition, we visited the absolutely Marvelous Medieval city of Perouges which is about 40km from Lyon. This is a beautiful little city is best known for being the set of The Three Musketeers in the 1960’s. It is quite easy to visualise Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D’Artagnan in this special location.

In conclusion, as a confirmed ocean cruiser I was a little nervous about my first experience on a river cruise. I needn’t have been. The crew were exceptional. The food and service were the very definition of luxury and I enjoyed the voyage in every aspect from start to finish. I am very definitely a convert to riverine travel and I look forward to cruising with Riverside again at the earliest opportunity, but next time I will make sure it’s for longer and further.