Lueftner Cruises

Entertainment
You can look forward to stimulating evenings and memorable experiences on our AMADEUS ships as we take it to our heart that our onboard ship experience is as lively and captivating as your time on shore! Varied folklore shows, insightful and intriguing lectures, regional themed evenings, culinary demonstrations and live music events are just some of the entertainments awaiting our passengers. In the evening, let our on-board musicians entertain you and perhaps take to the floor yourself and dance to some of your favourite tunes! Take time for something special – yourself!

Dining Experience
With loving attention to detail, the head chef on your Lueftner Cruises' vessel will create new and imaginative menus for you every single day. Drawing inspiration partly from the regions you travel through as well as the season, our chefs will produce fresh and authentic symphonies of flavour to tempt you away on a culinary voyage of discovery. Of course, you are always free to choose between your classic favourite dishes and sophisticated specialties, vegetarian alternatives and delicious gourmet treats. On all our vessels your taste buds go on a voyage of discovery too, as you enjoy the region’s culinary delights as well as its scenic delights. You’ll be surprised at the, as it were, symphonic temptations that emanate from the kitchen! Get the day off to a good start by tackling the magnificent breakfast buffet in our elegant Panorama-Restaurant. For lunch, there’s the choice between varied menus and buffet specialities in the restaurant and a light alternative in the AMADEUS Salon. In the afternoon our experienced patissiers produce exquisite desserts each day and spoil you with lovingly prepared cakes and pastries to go with your tea or coffee. Our carefully composed evening 5-course menus provide the tastbuds with all sort of surprises. We serve regional specialties of the countries we travel through, sophisticated menus, classic favourite dishes and vegetarian alternatives.

Excursions
All our cruises are designed so that you experience the best of the countries and regions that we travel through – primarily through our carefully planned programme of excursions with experienced English-speaking guides. How deeply you want to immerse yourself in a country and get to know its people is up to you. We offer you a range of different excursion packages that you can book at a discount in advance compared to paying for individual excursions on board. A river cruise offers you what is probably the most comfortable way to discover new countries, cultures and people. You can, for example, enjoy a choice wine tasting in romantic Burgundy, visit vibrant cities like Amsterdam, Cologne or Budapest, take a walk along the Black Sea or visit the Dutch Keukenhof during the tulip season. Whatever you decide, all our excursions are unique and are sure to be unforgettable!

À la carte – or in a well-priced set of excursions
Owing to the variety of available excursions it’s often difficult to choose between them – so on each cruise we offer up to four tailor-made and carefully composed sets of excursions that you can book in advance at favourable prices. You can, of course, still book all excursions individually, à la carte, for the point is for you to be able to select the shore programme that suits you best.

The AMADEUS concierge service
Feel like discovering the regions we travel through on your own? In that case we recommend you take advantage of our exclusive onboard concierge service. Whether you just want to make a dinner reservation on shore, stroll around the shops, get tickets to a museum exhibition or plan a private city tour, our experienced and well-connected concierge is on hand to provide recommendations and assistance at any time during your planning and will always have useful addresses available.

Experienced tour managers: ashore and on board
Our experienced cruise managers on board look forward to acquainting you with the highlights of the last two millennia of European art and culture and providing you with insights into the life and history of the regions through which we travel. Experienced local tour guides also accompany our shore excursions. With their regional expertise and genuine enthusiasm you can be sure they will take you on inspiring voyages of discovery so that you can gain a full appreciation for the region and its culture.

Amadeus Audio-Guides
You will be provided with feather-light, wireless AMADEUS Audio Guides during all of the land excursions. The receiver is carried around the neck or in a pocket and practical headphones enable you to hear every word of your travel guide all the time. It provides maximum flexibility and convenience without missing a moment of fascinating commentary. Our AMADEUS Audio System is, of course, also compatible with hearing aids.

Complimentary bikes on board
Away from the normal routes there are also many wonderful sights that are worthwhile seeing. What better way of getting to know a country and its people is there than setting off on an individual shore excursion on a bike? You can borrow one of our onboard bikes, free of charge, if you want to be independent ashore - electrical bikes are also available on request.

Social Distancing

Operational procedures on board have been arranged to ensure a minimum distance of 1.50 metres between each person.

Passengers are required to wear face masks (covering mouth and nose) in public areas onboard if the required minimum distance is not possible.

The crew will forego usual welcome rituals such as shaking hands, etc. until further notice.

In comparison to other establishments on land, the river cruise industry developed proven hygiene standards already many years ago and these continue to remain valid. In addition to the measurements already in place, cleaning intervals for surfaces that are known as transmission platforms such as door handles, railings, gangways, key-boards, etc. will be increased.

Hand sanitising points will be installed in all areas on the ship with heightened passenger traffic (entrance, lobby, restaurant, Panorama-Bar, Amadeus-Club, sun deck and entrance and exit of crew areas). All cleaning and disinfecting products used on board have been specially rated by the individual manufacturers as being effective for the successful disinfection of coronaviruses.

Additional measures

An adequate supply of personal protective equipment such as face masks are available on board. However, tour operators should, encourage passengers to bring their own face masks.

For cleaning and disinfection on board the current valid guidelines of the “EU Healthy Gateway” will apply.

The air conditioning system is designed to discharge air to the outside of the vessel which prevents a re-circulation of air within the vessel. Additional technical measures and filter systems, which are used within the health industry, will be tested and implemented for critical areas such as public spaces. In addition, crew members are instructed to increase fresh air ventilation.

Cabin crew members are required to disinfect their hands every time before entering a passenger cabin and wear face masks while working in passenger cabins.

Items that can be shared amongst passengers (e.g. magazines, bar snacks, etc.) will not be offered until further notice.

• Passenger contact with certain, shared objects (e.g. menus, trays, etc.) will be reduced to a minimum and such items will either be disinfected or replaced if necessary.

Information and instructions regarding social distancing, sneezing and coughing etiquette as well as correct usage of disinfection stations and personal protection equipment

will be posted in public areas.

Cabin keys will be disinfected each time they are returned to the reception desk.

A minimum distance of 1.5 meters measured from table corner to table corner in the restaurant, as well as in the Panorama-Bar and Amadeus-Club will be adhered to. Seating will be assigned by the Maitre’d to ensure the following seating arrangements:

Maximum of 4 Passengers per table (families are excepted from this requirement)

Passengers accommodated in the same cabins will share a table

Face masks are not required while sitting at the table. Depending on the amount of passengers onboard, we reserve the right to schedule two seatings for meals.

Shore Excursions will be organized in accordance with the local rules and regulations. These may vary depending on the country and can also differ for group sizes and maximum participation for guided tours and visits. In order to guarantee minimum distance requirements between participants while on excursion, the usage of wireless audio guides is mandatory.

Health Questionnaires:

Our partners will receive Health Questionnaires before the start of each cruise, which have to be completed and certified by all Passengers and Tour Leaders without exception. This ensures that only Passengers who meet the requirements outlined in the questionnaire will start their cruise with us. The Health Questionnaires will be collected by a crew member before embarkation.

It is our goal, in cooperation with our Partners and within the measures available to us, to safeguard and protect our Passengers and Crew from a possible infection.

Health of Crew:

All Crew members receive a medical examination before they come on board.

All Crew members are allowed to work on board only if they test negative for Covid-19 and if the test is not older than 4 days.

Continuous health checks and body temperature measurements will be administered for the crew while working on board.

All Crew will be provided with an adequate amount of protective personal equipment such as face masks/face shields, disposable gloves, etc. and will receive detailed instructions on how to use this equipment effectively.

Check In:

Access to the cruise ship will be controlled by a crew member positioned at the entrance of the vessel.

All Passengers have to pass a contactless body temperature check before embarkation. Passengers with a body temperature of 37.5° degrees or higher will be denied boarding.

All luggage handles will be disinfected in front of the ship before being delivered to the cabins by the Crew.

All Passengers and Crew are required to disinfect their hands each time prior to boarding the ship.

Proper social distancing between passengers at check in at the reception desk will be observed.

If scattered arrival on embarkation day (i.e. busses with arrival time separation) is not possible, additional waiting areas will be created in front of the ship and access to the gangway coordinated by a crew member.

In all cases, additional rules and regulations of the local port authorities will be observed.

By being fully committed to observing the ecological principles, Lüftner Cruises has taken a leadership position in meeting the growing challenges of environmental sustainability in river cruising. To reduce environmental impacts, Lüftner Cruises has implemented many energy and water-saving practices into the daily routine that include the use of a sophisticated computer calculations system to travel at the most fuel-efficient speed at all times, recording and monitoring of energy and water usage, energy-efficient lighting and appliances, preventive maintenance policy, reuse program for towels and installment of low flush toilets as well as the elimination of all styrofoam products on the ships. Lüftner Cruises is dedicated to a high level of service and all crew members are trained on environmental practices along with customer service.

This op has the following sustainability certifications:
Green Award

These are the initiatives that this operator has in place to make your adventure more sustainable:

Sustainability Programs
- Invests a percentage of revenue back into community projects or sustainability projects 

Reducing Carbon Emissions
- Offers carbon offsetting solutions to our passengers

Supporting Destinations and Local Communities
- Hires local guides
- Brings our passengers to locally run restaurants & businesses

Company Culture
- Educates passengers about sustainability while on tour