A Day in the Life of a Programme Director on the Romantic Danube Itinerary
- jenniferdaulby
- Mar 7
- 5 min read
If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a river cruise, let me take you through one of my busiest days as a Programme Director on Viking’s Romantic Danube itinerary.
This is one of those days that keeps the entire crew on their toes, but it’s also one of the most rewarding, the kind of day that you book a cruise for.
8:00 am – Arrival in Krems, Austria
The day begins early as we arrive in Krems, a charming, picturesque town along the Danube. On this itinerary, the guests don’t really get to see the town unless they decide they don’t want to go on the included excursion.
Whilst the guests are enjoying breakfast, I’m already in motion preparing for the included tour of the stunning Gottweig Abbey, a real peaceful and serene experience which is welcomed after the guests have just had the hustle and bustle of Budapest and Vienna.
8:30 am – Organising the Departures
Because we want to give every guest the best possible experience without overwhelming the abbey, we split the tour into two ‘waves’ which means several groups of guests depart the ship to the abbey at various different intervals. My job at this point? Logistics, logistics, logistics.
I make announcements indicating when guests should proceed ashore
I go back and forth from the ship to the coach park, ensuring guests are on the right bus at the right time. I have some directional help from some of the crew members for this part as it’s a good five-minute walk to the coach park.
During the first run to the coach park, I deliver the tour paddles and Quietvox audio equipment to one of the bus drivers who takes it up to the abbey and hands it to the guides waiting there.
I co-ordinate with the guides waiting at the abbey to make sure they know exactly when to expect the first coach.
Once we’ve successfully dispatched the first wave of guests, I hop on the coach with the second group to oversee the tour and make sure everything goes according to plan.
11:30 am – Back to the Ship and Scenic Sailing
After a morning of organising, guiding and troubleshooting, we return to the ship and immediately set sail towards the Wachau Valley.
Of all the days I’ve experienced on cruise itineraries, this is the day guests are most likely to miss the ship! There is a lot of specific timing involved in the running of the day that guests need to take note of. Vacation brain kicks in easily when you’re strolling down the pier with an ice cream after a beautifully relaxing tour. Before we know it, I’m arranging taxis to take guests to our next port of call! Thankfully this doesn’t happen too often.
For the next two hours, I’m stationed in the Wheelhouse (the ship’s bridge), delivering live commentary as we glide through the Wachau Valley region, we pass medieval castles, vineyard-covered hills and picturesque villages. This is one of my favourite parts of the itinerary – helping guests connect with the stunning, history steeped landscape around them.
3:00 pm - Apple Strudel Cooking Demonstration
No visit to Austria is complete without indulging in a warm, flaky piece of apple strudel!
It’s time for the galley team to shine as I introduce the Executive Chef and some of his team members to the lounge.
Guests watch as the chef masterfully stretches the dough paper-thin, fills it with perfectly spiced apples and rolls it into a perfect strudel. There’s always plenty of laughter when the volunteers come up to have a go at rolling the dough, there’s storytelling, recipe sheets and -of course- plenty of delicious samples to try at the end!
4:00 pm - Admin Tasks and Preparation for the Evening
After an action-packed day so far, I finally get a couple of hours to do the necessary administration tasks that need to be done daily. This is when I:
Log attendance numbers and services in the system
Confirm numbers with vendors for upcoming tours
Address outstanding guest queries
Check in with the Guest Services team to approve the Viking Daily (our onboard newsletter)
Freshen up and change into my evening uniform
Then it’s time to switch gears and engage with the guests in a different way.
First up: Our future cruise talk, Discover the World in Comfort. I present an overview of some of the incredible itineraries on offer, highlight any discounts we may have running, answer questions and hopefully inspire guests to start planning their next adventure.
Next: The Port Talk. This happens each evening before dinner and is when I brief the guests on the following day’s destination, covering:
A little bit of history and culture of the destination
What excursions are running and what to expect from them
Practical details such as weather outlook, mobility considerations, back onboard time etc.
7:00 pm – Dinner and Entertainment
After what any land-lubber would consider a pretty full day, I finally sit down to dinner, sometimes with guests, but often this is a chance to dine with the Hotel Manager and perhaps the Captain to chat about how the day went and the challenges that may be ahead. It’s almost like an informal meeting, with the added bonus of delicious cuisine.
My night is not over yet though!
After dinner some of the guests join me in the lounge for one of my favourite parts of the job, hosting fun, interactive activities for guests. Tonight, it’s a lively music quiz, where guests compete to name songs and the artist. It’s always a great way to wrap up the evening with laughter and a little friendly competition.
10:00 pm A Little Socialising and Finally, Rest
After the quiz wraps up, I take some time to chat with the guests, answer any lingering questions and wind down myself in the relaxed lounge atmosphere. This day brings many opportunities for the guests to connect with the crew and with each other, it’s always worth the little bit of extra effort to stick around and hear how special the day has been for them.
By the time I finally head to bed, I know that in what feels like just a few hours, it will all begin again—another exciting day, another beautiful destination, and another opportunity to make this voyage unforgettable for our guests.
And that, my friends, is a day in the life of a River Cruise Programme Director!
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