General

We offer a selection of varied Shore Tours – available at additional cost – at almost every stop on our inspirational river cruises, to further enhance your experience and ensure the time you spend ashore is as rewarding as the moments you enjoy taking in awe-inspiring river scenery aboard Brabant. We’re dedicated to helping your discover the very best of your destinations. Our team of experts handpicks our Shore Tours; and many of the tours are accompanied by experienced guides who use their extensive knowledge to present you with some of Europe’s finest highlights and delights, from centuries-old historical monuments and magnificent architectural marvels to fashionable shopping boutiques and charming wine taverns. All Shore Tours are subject to charge, service operation and availability. Full details of the tours for your specific sailing will be confirmed and available to view within the ‘My Cruises’ section of our website approximately fourteen to sixteen weeks prior to cruise departure. You will be notified by email once they are available to book online in the My Cruises section of the website. All guests will also receive a printed book. If you have any issues viewing Shore Tours within ‘My Cruises’, or have any questions regarding tours and how to book, please contact our Shore Tours Department on 01473 746 163, and we will be happy to assist you. Bookings can be made either online, through My Cruises, by completing the booking form in the back of your printed book, or by email to our Shore Tours Department. Alternatively, If you prefer, you can wait and book your tours once you have boarded Brabant for your holiday.  Our Shore Tours Department is open from Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00.

In keeping with the experience offered on Fred. Olsen ocean cruises, our River Cruises are characterised by the comfortable ambience, intimacy and ample space of our vessels; the personal, friendly service provided by our staff; and our ability to bring you closer to stunning destinations and spectacular scenic wonders. Naturally, along with all the similarities, there will be some differences. On a Fred. Olsen River Cruise you’re taking very different routes to see the world. The itineraries are crafted strictly for scenic sailing and you’re never too far from shore-side amenities. This means your holiday has a strong emphasis on destination, rather than what to do on board. Guests familiar with our ocean-going cruise ships will find there are some facilities which are not available on board Brabant, such as... All Inclusive package* Casino Bureau De Change Duty Free Photographers In-cabin tea & coffee making facilities Self-service laundry On board Medical Centre Extra Celebration Packages *However, guests make wish to take advantage of our Dining Drinks Upgrade package, where, for £10 per person, per night, you can enjoy as much red and white house wines, European lager, bitter and branded soft drinks at lunch and dinner as you like.

All prices on board Brabant are in Sterling. This includes your bar bill, gratuities, shore tours and anything purchased in the on board shop. Any additional currency required will depend on the ports of call and countries you visit on your river cruise itinerary, as well as the activities you have planned for time spent ashore. Please see below a handy reference when planning your additional currency needs for your cruise. Austria - Euro Bulgaria - Bulgarian lev Netherlands - Euro France - Euro Germany - Euro Hungary - Hungarian forint Romania - Romanian leu Serbia - Serbian dinar Slovakia - Euro Switzerland - Swiss franc For currency required for shoreside, we recommend ordering from City Forex, call 020 7621 0090, visit www.cityforex.co.uk or email cruiseorders@cityforex.co.uk, and your currency can be delivered to your home address prior to your holiday. Please note there is no bureau de change on board Brabant so please ensure you have all relevant currency before you embark on your cruise.

Whilst on board please speak with the Reception team about any property that you feel has been lost. If post cruise, please e-mail customer.relations@fredolsen.co.uk or call them on 01473 746 177, and we will endeavour to assist you as soon as possible.

Brabant will take you to the heart of a number of Europe's finest destinations, docking closer to some of the very best sights and experiences on the continent. This ensures a minimal amount of walking for guests, and allows more time to explore the fascinating towns, cities and villages featured on our itineraries. For instance, in Vienna your river boat will dock in Nussdorf, a nearby suburb, from which you'll journey into the city to take your pick of the cultural attractions available. Find out more about the ports visited on Brabant's river cruises.

Our river cruises are suited to the adult traveller, so regrettably we cannot accept children under the age of 12. If you wish to bring Grandchildren (12 years or older) on board we kindly request that you bring a letter with you to present at embarkation, signed by the children’s legal guardians and detailing the names of the guests who are taking the children on holiday.

We’re so confident that you’ll enjoy the whole Fred. Olsen River Cruise experience that if within a couple of days of sailing you find it’s not for you, let us know and we’ll arrange for a flight back to the UK from the next port and give you your money back. So your relaxation starts the moment you choose Fred. Olsen.

If there are any mandatory requirements for your cruise, you will be advised at time you make your booking and/or it will be detailed on your confirmation invoice. However, due to ever-changing health regulations, we suggest that you contact your local GP approximately 12 weeks prior to departure for the most up-to-date information. Further information can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office - www.fco.gov.uk. It’s also worth remembering that in some foreign countries general standards of hygiene, care and safety may differ from those in the UK. So, when visiting ashore, ‘common sense’ is the watchword, especially when choosing drinks or sampling the local cuisine. It is the responsibility of all non-British passport holders to ensure that they are in possession of a valid passport and where necessary entry visas or permits for their chosen cruise. If you are unsure as to whether you are required to obtain such documents you must contact the relevant Embassy or Consulate. Failure to comply with this request may result in refusal of carriage or the imposition of individual fines by the local immigration authorities.

WiFi internet is included in the price of your holiday and is available throughout Brabant, so you can connect your laptop, tablet, phone and other mobile devices and browse to your heart’s content as you cruise Europe’s beautiful rivers. You can search for more information about the next destination on your itinerary or one of many historical monuments on your horizon; share your river cruise experience with friends and family on social media; check your emails; or simply stay up to date with all the latest news back home and beyond, and all at no extra cost. If you don’t have any WiFi enabled devices you can also browse the internet at the Amadeus Club, where two desktop computers are available for guests to use.

eTickets will be sent to you via e-mail 21 days before your cruise, if we do not have your e-mail address you will be sent a paper ticket in the post. Please note that if you booked your cruise via a Travel Agent your tickets will be sent to them to pass onto you as their customer. We are unable to send your cruise tickets to you without the completed Guest Information Forms, so please ensure you have completed all the required information within the My Cruises section of our website.

Embarkation and disembarkation of Brabant may be challenging for guests with limited mobility, therefore we suggest that river cruises may not be suitable for guests who rely on the use of a wheelchair. It is industry standard practise that, when boats are moored next to one another, boarding and leaving your river vessel may involve crossing over or through other vessels. As a guide, we suggest that if you are comfortable with multiple sets of stairs, you will be able to board Brabant. For peace of mind, we advise guests with impaired mobility who wish to travel on Brabant to be aware of the following information: Wheelchairs, scooters and rollators are not permitted to be used on board the vessel and must be stored in the guest's room on board whilst not in use. Guests who require the assistance of a walking stick or any other device should be aware that: The lift on board is only between Haydn Deck and Mozart Deck. The sundeck is only accessible via stairs. When the vessel is tied up alongside other vessels (known as rafted moorings), guests must make their way across other vessels to reach the gangway. This may involve going up and down stairs. There is no assistance provided for guests to take advantage of when crossing other vessels. Owing to the infrastructure of some European river ports, there may be many cobblestones which can provide difficulties for guests with impaired mobility. When taking shore tours, guests have to step up and down when boarding and leaving tour coaches without any assistance. No assistance can be guaranteed due limited staff numbers. We reserve the right to refuse boarding at the port on the day of departure if, in our opinion (through observation) you or any of your party’s impaired or limited mobility prevents you from safely boarding the vessel, negotiating steps or moving around the vessel in a safe and secure manner at all times. If anybody in the party is unsure if they meet this mobility requirement then please declare this before making the booking and a Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines representative will call you to discuss your requirements further before proceeding. Failure to comply with this policy could lead to denied boarding, the loss of your River Cruise holiday and a total loss of all monies paid. If you have any questions and would like to speak to a member of the Fred. Olsen Team, please call Guest Services on 01473 292 444.

Family members and friends can get in touch with guests on board via one of the following ways: Via telephone: Exact details of the phone number will be confirmed shortly. The caller will be required to know which ship the guest they're contacting is travelling on and their cabin number. Calls to this number are charged at €2.00 per minute. Via email: You can email Fred. Olsen at internet@fredolsen.co.uk (please include the name of our guest, the ship and room number if available and your email will be passed on). Please note this email inbox is only manned Monday-Friday, 0900-1700hrs. It is also worth noting that Wi-Fi on board is complimentary, so guests will be able to connect their electronic devices to the internet.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines are pleased to work in association with specialist cruise insurance providers Holiday Extras, to help you find the right insurance for your cruise holiday. Holiday Extrascruise insurance policies will ensure our guests have insurance that meets their needs.  For a quote, call Holiday Extras on 0845 458 0748 quoting FOBR1, or visit Holiday Extras > Cruise Insurance Holiday Extras are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.