Cruising German, Dutch & Belgian Waterways Aboard Viva Enjoy (2026 REVIEW): Roundtrip From Düsseldorf On The Rhine & Scheldt Rivers

Above Photo: The author and the Atomium, one of the many attractions seen on the “Diamond Route” cruise with Viva Enjoy.  Credit: Mike Masino

German, Dutch & Belgian Waterways Cruise Review

By Peter Knego

First, Viva Enjoy From A Godmother’s Perspective

Anyone who has met U.K.-based cruise and travel writer Jeannine Williamson, knows how special she is, both as a knowledgeable reporter, dedicated and disciplined writer, and all round lovely and kind human being. It comes as no surprise that Viva Cruises chose her to be the godmother of the Viva Enjoy when the vessel was introduced in 2025.

Having just returned from a cruise aboard the vessel she christened, I asked Jeannine to share some of her thoughts about that experience and what makes the Viva Enjoy such a special vessel.

“I was absolutely speechless when Viva Cruises said they wanted me to be godmother of their third new-build ship, Viva Enjoy.”

“Having covered numerous ocean and river cruise christenings over the years in my capacity as a cruise writer and travel journalist, it had never even entered my mind that I might be invited to be ‘on the other side' of the ribbon and join the likes of really famous people such as Sophia Loren, Priscilla Presley, Dame Judi Dench, Oprah Winfrey etc. who are all godmothers. It was a huge accolade and really the highlight of my career, so of course I said yes.

The christening day in Düsseldorf was amazing — the sun shone and the Champagne bottle broke — and I was made to feel like royalty and given wonderful gifts, including the scissors I used to cut the ribbon and the top of the broken bottle in a keepsake frame. I was interviewed in front of all the guests by German TV presenter Marco Schreyl who asked me how I felt. Humbled, privileged and hugely excited were among my words, and this really sums up how I feel about it.

I went back on Viva Enjoy this New Year (2026) and will be celebrating the 2027 New Year on her, and I felt very proud to walk back on ‘my ship' and hope everyone who travels on her really enjoys the experience.

Naturally I am biased, but I really do think Viva Enjoy stands out from the crowd (along with the two earlier new-build ships Viva One and Viva Two) through the innovative design. Unlike ocean ships, it is very hard to do something radically different with European river ships as they are all limited in length, height and width by the locks and bridges they have to navigate.

Yet shipbuilder Scylla, which makes ships for other lines such as Tauck and Riviera, and launched Viva as their own cruise brand, managed to achieve this by reworking the layout of the traditional combined bar and lounge found on most river ships. Having a completely separate bar on a lower level at the front of the ship creates a very sociable area for guests to enjoy a drink, while others can choose to sit in the lounge.

The new-look ‘open plan' design also involves taking away part of the main restaurant ceiling, so part of the dining room is visible from the lounge and bar, which makes all of these areas seem very light and spacious. Also, by having two entrances at each end of the dining room, it cuts down on congestion and lines.

Viva Enjoy (and its siblings) also stand out for having three very distinct dining venues, which is a rarity on river ships and gives guests a lot more choice. In addition to the main dining room, there is the intimate Moments restaurant, which I think really has the vibe of a land-based restaurant, and the casual Viva Bistro.”

Düsseldorf Origins

With many thanks to Jeannine for sharing her Godmother’s ruminations with QuirkyCruise, it was a delight for me to follow in her wake on one of the Enjoy’s four-night “Diamond Route” sailings from Düsseldorf to Belgium and Holland this past March. giving me the opportunity to review the same German, Dutch and Belgian Waterways cruise with Viva.

After numerous cruises along the Rhine, Seine, Saone, Douro, Danube and Rhone, all of which were delightful for a smorgasbord of reasons, it was a pleasure to experience a new series of European waterways via this splendid, innovative vessel.

Our late March sailing was a couple weeks early for the full tulip bloom season but was nonetheless filled with gorgeous scenery and fewer crowds as we navigated fascinating and historic ports in Holland and Belgium.

Viva Cruises, which was formed in 2018, will by 2027 be operating 10 vessels plying no less than 10 rivers in Europe. The company is based in Düsseldorf, where we boarded the Viva Enjoy after taking a train from Amsterdam.

Düsseldorf is a delightful city and well worth spending a night or two in before or after a cruise with Viva. We enjoyed its bustling waterfront, which is lined with cafes and a long promenade, paid a visit to the The Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen modern art museum with its impressive permanent collection and new exhibits, walked to the Media Harbor area with the Neuer Zollhof, a trio of Frank Gehry-designed buildings and rode up to the top of the Rheinturm Tower for its panoramic views of the Rhine and verdant countryside. And yet, even after all that, we still barely scratched the surface of Düsseldorf’s attractions.

Elegance & Innovation, Viva Style

After rolling our luggage a mile or so from the central train station, we found the Viva Enjoy berthed directly aft of her fleet mate, Viva Moments, along the Altstadt (or Old Town) near the Oberkasseler Bridge.

Upon boarding, our luggage was whisked off by a crew member to our stateroom, while we checked in at reception.

A quick tip: although guests can request their dining preferences at any point, since our cruise was only four nights and to guarantee a chance to sample all of the dining options, we quickly reserved space in the two complimentary but reservations-required alternate dining venues, the Italian-themed Moments and the International-themed Bistro.

The Viva Enjoy has four decks, beginning at the top with Sun Deck, which has open and sheltered sitting areas, including a space behind the pilothouse that has protective glass screens (for smokers) on either side and a small wading pool.

The next level, Diamond Deck, has an open observation terrace on the bow, a tiered bar and the Panorama Salon that is stepped up half a deck as you head aft. You can also take a half flight of stairs down to the Riverside Restaurant.

For a river boat, especially, it’s an impressive space with the extra ceiling height and full-length windows bathing it in natural light, even on cloudy or rainy days.

Aft of the Panorama Salon, there is a mezzanine overlooking the reception with a self-service coffee/espresso and tea station on the port side and a water filling station on the starboard side. Eight suites follow, leading aft to staterooms and the handsome Bistro, which also has an open terrace overlooking the Viva Enjoy’s wake.

Ruby Deck begins with the Riverside Restaurant, which has full length windows on either side and a buffet in its center. The Reception follows on the port side and you will find the boutique on the starboard side. Staterooms continue aft from here.

Emerald Deck is the lowest level, beginning with the Moments Restaurant, which has an Italian menu in the evening but otherwise serves the same cuisine as the Riverside Restaurant for breakfast and lunch. It is actually a very charming space with a sunken midsection framed by an iron balustrade, but the view is slightly compromised with the narrow windows at the top, versus the full length windows of the Riverside.

Next up, there is a stretching room, massage room and gym that lead aft to staterooms that have narrow windows that do not open, due to their water level location.

An elevator connects the three bottom levels.

Chic & Comfortable Accommodations

We had a standard double cabin, number 335 on aft/port Diamond Deck. Measuring 172 square feet, it was nicely laid out with two twin beds put together as a queen, floor to ceiling windows with a door that slides open to create a French balcony, and a long counter top with enough space to stow my computer.

A Nespresso machine and tea kettle are provided, along with coffee pods and tea bags, a welcome bottle of Prosecco, a stocked mini bar with German beer, juice and soft drinks, a tall boy wardrobe with shelves and hanging space and a full-length mirror.

Aluminum water containers that can be refilled near the gangway or in the Bistro are also provided and are for guests to keep. The outlets are European, so make sure to bring an American converter for your electronics.

The bathroom had a nice mirror with flattering, built-in lighting, a marble sink counter with plenty of space for toiletries and the shower had a glass door and a nozzle that could be adjusted for height or handheld, if preferred. Viva provides shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap and lotion.

In all cabins and suites, the soft fittings are a chic and tasteful combination of blues, white and beige, offset with the ash wood tones of the cabinetry.

One thing to note is that daily programs are only available on the in-cabin television or the screen at reception. I’m a bit old fashioned in that I love to have a printed program to look at in the cabin or take along on excursion, so I made a nightly habit of photographing the next day’s schedule on the screen at reception so it was always available without having to turn on a television (or navigate an app).

There are three overall accommodation categories on Viva Enjoy, including eight suites that measure 258 square feet and have a nice sitting area. The suites are also in a prime location on Diamond Deck near the reception.

On the other end of the spectrum are the 161-square foot Emerald Deck staterooms, which have the same floor plan as the Diamond and Ruby Deck staterooms with French balconies but are slightly narrower and due to their location at the water line, have a wide panoramic window that cannot be opened.

VIDEO: Below, Peter shows us around his cabin, #335.

 

Viva Deliziosa!

Shortly after boarding, there was a safety drill, welcome gathering and introduction of the staff in the Lounge. The Enjoy was fully booked with 190 guests and of them, there were four who were in the English-speaking sector; us and a couple from Portugal.

That said, our fellow, mostly German passengers were friendly and welcoming (most we encountered spoke English), ranging in age from their early 20s to 70s and 80s with most in their 40s and 50s. There were quite a few multi-generational families, but no small children.

As the Viva Enjoy began her journey up the Rhine, we toasted with chilled flutes of Prosecco in the Lounge as the Cruise Director Stefan Zinkraf gave us a brief overview of the itinerary and introduced the captain, officers and department heads in both German and English (all announcements were in both languages).

Out on deck afterwards, with Dusseldorf and a nice sunset in our wake, it was a bit chilly but not impossibly so as the scenery gradually transitioned from urban to rural.

The Signature Gala Dinner that first night was the same in both of the main restaurants. The lower Moments was a bit less crowded, so we found a nice table there and were wowed by the attentive service and excellent cuisine as well as the included wines, a Cotes-du-Rhone and a Riesling, which were generously poured. The breads were superb and served with a trio of spreads (butter, cream cheese and olive tapenade).

From the appetizer (gravlax with citrus fruits, juniper berries, pretzel croutons and honey dill mustard sauce) to the soup (white tomato cappuccino with basil foam), the Intermezzo (porcini agnolotti with parmesan cream, sun dried tomato and grilled asparagus), the main course (black angus tenderloin with potato mouselline and a vegetable bouquet), dessert (chocolate nougat tart with strawberries) and the trio of post dinner cheeses served with mango chutney and hazelnuts, not to mention the petits fours with cognac aftermath, it was an epicurean introduction to the Viva dining experience.

Sated and quite frankly very impressed with our first meal, especially for the Viva price point, we made it up to the Lounge to relax before heading off to bed.

The next morning, we slept in a bit, then headed down to Moments for breakfast, which has the same menu and buffet for breakfast and lunch as the Riverside. The breakfast buffet spread is very nice, with quality ingredients that include fine cheeses, fresh fruit, yogurt, cold cuts, fresh baked breads and pastries.

The menu offered an excellent avocado toast (topped with a fried or poached egg), eggs Benedict, omelets (with a variety of fillings), waffles and berries, banana split poke bowl (a strange name for a delicious, honey-infused yogurt on top of banana strips with caramelized pistachios and fresh berries) and porridge.

After ordering a very nice omelet on the first day, I settled in for a daily routine of avocado toast and that strangely named poke bowl to fuel each morning, accompanied with fresh brewed cappuccinos, either from the excellent machine in the lobby or from a member of the wait team who could substitute regular milk with almond or soy.

At 10:15, we joined the Portuguese couple for the English briefing about Antwerp and then I spent the rest of the morning fueled by multiple cappuccinos and roaming the upper decks as we navigated the Schelde River.

After passing through some verdant farmland, we were soon enveloped in an industrial setting of oil refineries, power plants and tankers that belied the upcoming Medieval, Renaissance, Art Nouveau and Art Deco splendors of nearby Antwerp.

Not that we needed it after that breakfast, but lunch was available at 12:30, so why not?

The buffets in both Moments and Riverside had a salad bar with already made salad selections, and very fresh veggies to create your own with, in addition to a selection of dressings and a variety of olive oils and vinegars.

There were also breads, daily appetizers (wild boar terrine, smoked mackerel with tomato sauce, grilled zucchini.), fresh fruit and of course, cheeses. Menu choices included a cream of carrot and ginger soup and a choice of main courses (pumpkin, sage and parmesan risotto; picatta Milanese spaghetti; breaded haddock fillet and meat-stuffed bell peppers).

We skipped dessert, figuring we would have some form of chocolate during our tour of Antwerp, where we had arrived just as we polished off our entrees.

A Show Of Hands For Antwerp

We stepped off the boat to join the “Antwerp Highlights” walking tour that focused on the city's art, architecture and history, surprised, along with our guide, that we were the only guests doing the English tour. Our multi-lingual guide, Luis Martinez, was an excellent and informative host, who provided just the right amount of background and history as we walked through Antwerp’s historic district.

In the striking seven-sided Grote Markt city square, the Brabo Fountain features a statue of the victorious Silvius Brabo, a young “David”-type who severs the hand of the legendary “Goliath”-like Antigoon, who cut off and tossed the hands of boatmen into the river when they could not pay his extortive toll. According to the lore, this is why the name Antwerp is often attributed to the Dutch phrase “hand werpen” or “hand throwing.”

Or, perhaps less fancifully, one could also attribute Antwerp’s name to the Celtic “Andoverpis,” which means “those who live on both banks.”

After visiting the Cathedral of Our Lady with its Rubens paintings, including the triptych “The Descent From The Cross,” and sampling cookies and chocolate at a local shop, we joined the German-speaking tour for a short bus ride through some of Antwerp’s interesting neighborhoods, ending up at the magnificent Art Nouveau train station completed in 1905.

VIDEO: Below, a quick look at Antwerp's beautiful train station, from an AmaWaterways river cruise Heidi took in the Netherlands and Belgium a few years ago.

 

On the walk back, we passed through an impressive indoor shopping arcade, visited the Chocolate Line chocolatier and even rode the wooden escalator, the world’s oldest, built between 1931 and 1933, that descends to a tunnel that crosses under the river.

We were back aboard Viva Enjoy in time for a quick workout in the fitness center and afternoon tea in the Lounge with a nice spread of appetizers and hors d’oeuvres.

Dinner that night in Moments was exceptional. The menu started with a choice of four Aperitifs (Aperol Spritz, Limoncello Spritz, Negroni and a rum-infused Italian Breeze with amaretto, pineapple and other ingredients). There are also two non-alcohol Aperitifs, one with sparkling water and the other with tonic, as alternate choices.

The buffet offered up a superb selection of antipasti, which could have been an entire meal unto itself (salads, cold cuts, cheeses, crackers and fresh fruit). The first served course was a minestrone drizzled with pesto sauce — absolutely delicious! — followed by a choice of six entrees: sea bass filet (with vegetables); grilled lamb rack on polenta with garlic-thyme jus; gnocchi Nero with beef, truffle parmesan sauce and shallots; tagliatelle primavera with buffalo mozzarella, spinach and cherry tomatoes; risotto with oyster mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes and eggplant folls with fresh ricotta, spinach and tomato sauce.

After much deliberation, Mike went with the lamb and I lavished over the eggplant rolls. Dessert was a pannacotta with biscotti. I’ve gained weight just writing about it…

It was 70s and 80s Night in the Lounge, where we enjoyed the DJ’s European musical tilt with a procession of melodic pop hits by Abba, The Bee Gees, Boney M, Blondie, The Human League and more.

From Atomic To Gothic In Brussels

We awoke the following morning as the Enjoy was tying up at the Brussels cruise terminal, which is in the outskirts of the European capital.

We had just enough time for breakfast and to grab a cappuccino and water for the 30-minute bus ride to the first stop on our “Best Of Brussels In A Half Day” tour (excursions are included in the cruise fares!), the strikingly futuristic Atomium, which was built for the 1958 World’s Fair.

This remarkable structure, like the Eiffel Tower, was never intended to be a permanent fixture but better minds prevailed. In recent years, the iron molecule-shaped monument has been painstakingly restored and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Frustratingly, there was only time for an outside photo-op but I am determined to return to Brussels and do a full visit and interior tour.

During the next few hours, we would experience brilliant but cool sunshine, wind, rain and even hail. My advice to anyone taking this trip early in the season is to bring a very warm coat and all sorts of layers, scarves and warm caps.

Further, on the subject of packing, Viva is a rather casual line, so fancy clothes are neither required nor needed, although the German guests tended to be well dressed and chic without being too fussy or formal. Some wore jackets, but we never spotted a tee shirt at dinner (thank goodness).

From the Atomium, our bus drove into the city center of Brussels, where we enjoyed a walking tour, once again, as the only two English speaking guests and once again, with an excellent guide, Matteo.

Between the deluges of rain and hail, we were able to visit the Mannekin Pis, a 15th-century sculpture of a boy peeing into a fountain that is a mega selfie stop, along with the nearby “L-Envol” statue of Jacques Brel, the legendary Belgian torch singer.

We would also walk through the glass dome-topped Royal Galleries of St. Hubert, an enclosed “shopping mall” with fine shops and cafes dating from 1847, ending up at the gloriously Gothic Town Hall that presides over the Grand-Place square, where we had an hour to explore and shop on our own.

During the coach ride back to the Enjoy, we drove through the impressive European Quarter with its many parks, state buildings and monuments.

Brussels was even more fascinating and enchanting than I had expected even with already high expectations, especially after visiting Antwerp the day prior. Both cities are well worth a return.

Yet More To Enjoy

Back on board, we decided to try lunch in the Bistro, as Viva Enjoy began her downstream journey to Nijmegen, which would give us the rest of the day and the following morning to enjoy the passing scenery.

Lunch in the Bistro, which is open seating, began with a delicious tomato soup with ricotta foam and basil oil. Two salads were offered: Mesclun with cherry tomatoes, walnuts and a carrot-apple dressing or Spanish beef salad with strips of beef, cucumbers, tomato and roasted pepper with a honey-mustard vinaigrette.

There was a choice of meat or vegetarian burgers with fries, either garnished with a special house sauce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and cheddar on toasted brioche. Or a choice of “World Classics,” with the following options: Fish and chips with tartar sauce; a club sandwich with chicken breast, caesar dressing, lettuce, gouda, tomato and eggs with fries; a Black Forest flammkuchen, which is a flatbread topped with creme fraiche, bacon, ham, mushrooms and onions); a garden flammkuchen with creme fraiche, tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, arugula and pine nuts and; finally, a Massaman curry with vegetables, peanuts lime, coriander and jasmine rice.

Desserts are either a Valrhona Chocolate Flan with pineapple sauce or their excellent ice cream selections. Service was friendly and very quick, allowing us plenty of time up on deck afterwards to watch the Viva Enjoy clear a series of locks, which even for the frequent river cruiser, are fascinating to observe as gates open and close and the vessel is lowered or raised.

Later, as the sun intermittently broke through the cloud cover, it was so nice to lie back in our comfortable cabin, nap a bit and watch the passing scenery, then eventually squeeze in a workout on the treadmill.

As the afternoon transitioned into eve, we passed the familiar spires of Antwerp and that fascinating industrial region before the farmland and rural landscapes returned.

It would be a “Double Bistro” day as we had reservations there for dinner that evening. With its already pleasant ambience enhanced with artificial candlelight, The Bistro becomes a reservations-required but complimentary alternate dining venue.

There is a choice of starters (tomato and basil crostini, black angus beef carpaccio, or Caesar salad), soup (tom kha gai — Thai chicken coconut soup) and five entrees (sirloin steak, sesame coated pork tenderloin, halibut steak, garlic cajun tiger prawns or crispy falafel). These come with a choice of sides (grilled vegetables, French fries or baked potato) and sauces (peppercorn, forest mushroom, bearnaise or garlic butter).

We were duly impressed with the crostini, tom kha gai, pork (for Mike) and the best falafels I’ve had on any boat or ship thus far.

Once again, with the open kitchen only steps away, the service was fast and friendly and the bananas Foster dessert was absolutely dreamy, or for those who might prefer, there was also a choice of a fruit or cheese platter.

What was probably the most impressive about the Bistro is how good the varying international selections were. Normally, a chef might excel at one style or region but this one mastered them all. We were so smitten with the Bistro that we inquired about dining there the following (and final) night, but it was fully booked.

Nijmegen & The End

At 11:00 on the fourth morning, we arrived in Nijmegen, which is located on the Waal River, close to the German border and is the oldest town in Holland, dating from the Roman era. Once again, we had a “private” English speaking tour with guide Jan, a self-avowed ex-flower child of the 60s and a very popular former schoolteacher.

As he led us through the ruins of the castle on a bluff overlooking the river and through the quaint town, we lost count of the locals who stopped to chat with him.

During World War Two, Nijmegen was heavily bombed, but parts of the old city square and shopping district remain. We had a little time on our own at the end of the tour to browse the shops and make our way back to the Viva Enjoy.

That evening, as we began packing, we were a bit morose that our time on this wonderful cruise was nearing its end but enjoyed the farewell cocktail and the rousing parade of the crew.

In the Riverside Dining Room, we joined a German family who were very nice, although I always feel a sense of guilt about not speaking their language. Not that I wouldn’t mind learning German, but I’ve already found myself tongue-tied when trying to converse in French and Spanish before giving up.

On that last night, it was actually good for us to try a “regular” dinner in the Riverside since the first night’s was a fixed menu. To sum it up, there was a choice of three appetizers (roasted veal with tomatoes; arugula, tomato and pine nut salad; Caesar salad), roasted sweet potato soup, a local main dish (Dutch battered codfish with aioli, salad and fries) and five main courses (grilled vegetable garden, seared barramundi filet, duo of pork belly and filet (Mike’s choice), and “always” choices of chicken breast or salmon (my choice). And, as with all of the meals we experienced on Viva Enjoy, it was excellent.

In the Lounge, we unwound to the nice singing and piano notes of Daniele, who is also the Viva Enjoy’s DJ.

The following morning, we had breakfast, bid a fond farewell to the Viva Enjoy and rolled our luggage off to our hotel, accompanied by a light rain. Talk about metaphors…

Our only regret was that this was a short cruise, just long enough to see some fascinating places and to quickly get to know the boat and our fellow guests. In every way, from the vessel, itself, to the service and especially the food, Viva exceeded our expectations.

We hope to return with them on another itinerary one day.

Interested In This Cruise?

Hope you enjoyed my German, Dutch & Belgian Waterways cruise review. Similar four-night itineraries to my sailing round-trip from Düsseldorf are are called “A Journey of Diamonds and Cathedrals” and all-inclusive fares start at $1,475 USD per person, very reasonable considering the quality of the boat, food and excursions I experienced for four nights.

Viva also offers three- and seven-night itineraries round-trip from Düsseldorf.

For more info, visit the Viva website (though the Viva site isn't the easiest to navigate); for booking assistance, we can help! Show your interest in the form below.

Vielen dank!

 

 

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