Viva forever: discovering the waterways on a budget

Clients tightening their purse strings? Tell them about Viva Cruises, which offers competitive value river voyages in these cash-strapped times. Jane Archer takes to the waterways to see for herself

Did I really hear that? I’m in the courtyard of Gravensteen Castle in Ghent, and I swear the guy on the audio guide has uttered an expletive – and then congratulated me on getting inside without being dowsed in boiling oil. This tour could be more fun than I expected.

And to cut a long story short, it is. Voiced by a Belgian comedian, we hear stories of torture, witchcraft, adultery and crusaders, with the castle’s history sprinkled in here and there. I can honestly say it is the first time I have ever listened to an audio tour from start to finish.

The castle, built in the centre of town by Philip of Alsace because he wanted to show the locals who was boss, is quite a find – as is Ghent – with its cobbled streets and seemingly endless supply of churches, restaurants and trams, the latter gliding silently along what the unwitting (us!) assume are pedestrian areas.

Hear tales of witchcraft and adultery at Gravensteen Castle. Image: Jane Archer

We’re here on day five of a voyage around the waterways of Holland and Belgium with Viva Cruises, a Swiss river cruise line based in Dusseldorf in Germany with eyes on the UK and fares that include drinks, tips and wifi, but nevertheless won’t break the bank.

That’s manna from heaven for agents and clients alike in these belt-tightening times, especially as the experience goes above and beyond what we’d expected. We’re on Viva One, a modern river ship launched in 2021 – although the cruise will be on Viva Moments in 2023.

The cabin is spacious and the mainly Indonesian and Eastern European crew excellent; all speak English (many had taught themselves German to work for Viva), and in the restaurant, they always have an English menu to hand.

The bar and lounge on Viva One

Excursions cost extra and Brits must book in advance so the line has time to lay on English-speaking guides – but we’re saving money by going it alone each day. And that’s easy as we dock right in most of the cities we’re visiting (the exception is Ghent, but there’s a free park and ride bus into town five minutes from the dock that river cruisers can use); more importantly, we can dip in and out of what interests us.

Cruising in Holland and Belgium in autumn, when the days are chillier and there isn’t a tulip to be seen, might seem odd (spring is the top time to go) but ours is a great city-hopping itinerary, sailing on rivers, over manmade lakes and though numerous locks as we tick off Amsterdam, Hoorn, Rotterdam, Ghent, Antwerp and Nijmegen.

Ghent offers cobbled streets, churches and restaurants. Image: Gokul/Unsplash

It might have been out of season but Amsterdam is buzzing, with people, cyclists and cars all vying for space along the canals. The other cities are quieter, which makes the visits very pleasant. We don’t have to pre-book for the Gravensteen, and in Nijmegen we visit a German WWII bunker built to protect a bridge from advancing British and US troops, without having to queue.

Hoorn turns out to be a picturesque town with a long history, beautiful harbour and grand church that has been converted into a stylish hotel. Aptly named Heavens, it opened in summer 2022 and is stunning, with a bar and restaurant in what would have been the nave and glass above so you can see up to the church’s beautifully-preserved timber ceiling.

In Rotterdam, we hop on the Pannenkoejenboot, otherwise known as the Pancake boat, and cruise the Maas River while eating as many pancakes as we can. “Get ready…go!” says the waitress and we all rush towards the kitchen where chefs are piling up plates of bacon, plain and apple pancakes that we coat in sweet or savoury toppings. “The record is 17 pancakes in 75 minutes,” the waitress tells me. I’m not sure if that deserves a medal or a stretcher.

Take a moment to reflect in picturesque Hoorn… Image: Jane Archer

The deal

From £1,550 per person for a seven-night Ijsselmeer Discovery cruise round-trip from Dusseldorf departing September 2, 2023. Price includes all meals, drinks, tips and wifi. Flights, transfers (€3 per person one-way by train) and excursions cost extra. viva-cruises.com/en

Our writer’s view 8/10

“The cruise – and the food – went above and beyond what we’d expected. We liked that everything is paid for before you get on board, the crew was excellent and quickly got to know our likes and drinks were free-flowing. The excursions are limited but we found doing our own thing was much more fun anyway.”
Jane Archer

Agent view

“Viva’s Swiss German heritage means you can be sure of high standards. The ships are modern and the itineraries unusual, with different start and end ports to other operators. With cruises of seven nights or less, itineraries can be combined into eight, nine or 10-night holidays. Prices include a lot and are competitive.”
James Hill, GoRiver Cruise