Board ABC - Interesting facts from A to Z

The crew and your DCS cruise director look forward to welcoming you on board as our guest. Enjoy with us unforgettable days on the most beautiful rivers. With this on-board ABC you will have all the important information you need during your cruise at your fingertips.

Air conditioning: The ship is equipped with air conditioning. While the air conditioning in the restaurant, bar and public rooms is centrally controlled, the temperature or ventilation in the cabins can be regulated individually. Please do not forget to close the windows before turning on the air conditioning to keep the temperature constant.

Alarm: The alarm buttons located all over the ship may only be pressed in case of actual emergency! In case of emergency, a loud alarm will be sounded on the ship. When you hear it, please go immediately to the sun deck to the designated meeting points, where the crew will give you further instructions.

Beds: Your beds will be prepared by the cabin stewards in the morning and in the evening.

Beverages: In the bar/salon, which is open daily, we offer a varied range of drinks. Bottled water is offered in your cabin. The consumption will be charged to your on-board account.

Board announcements: The ship is equipped with a public announcement system, which allows us to reach you throughout the ship. At interesting sections of the route, you will hear the route commentary of the DCS cruise director. In addition, the calls for the start of the excursions and announcements about program changes are made.

Board language: The crew is international. The board languages are German and English.

Boarding passes: When leaving the ship, we always ask you to exchange your personal boarding control card for your cabin key at the reception. When you return, your cabin key will be returned to you in exchange for your boarding pass. This serves to check whether all passengers are back on board when the ship departs.

Cabin key: Your boarding pass is also the key card for your cabin. Please always carry this card with you to avoid misuse. Should you ever lock yourself out, please contact the reception. Please also note the topics "Excursions" and "Boarding passes".

Cabins: Cabin cleaning begins at approximately 7:30 am. If you would like to sleep in, please hang the appropriate tag on the outside of your cabin door.

Changes in the program: Changes to the schedule for technical reasons or due to unforeseen events (e.g. high or low tide) are always possible despite careful planning. All changes, including those affecting land programs, will be communicated to you by the DCS cruise management immediately.

Clothing on board: Sporty and comfortable is the motto on board. We kindly ask you to enter the restaurant and the salon in appropriate clothing. Shorts and swimwear are not allowed in the restaurant and bar. For the gala dinner we recommend appropriate clothing. For the excursions, sturdy shoes are advisable.

Credit card charge: Some of the ships are operated by foreign shipping companies. Thus, credit card settlements are also made through foreign countries. If payment by credit card on board requires authorization, you will be informed accordingly by the reception. This can lead to additional foreign charges or foreign fees of your bank, on which the shipping company has no influence.

Daily program: The daily programs for the next day will be placed on your cabin the night before during dinner. In addition to the meal times, you will also find the arrival and departure of the ship, the start of the shore excursions and the times for other activities on board.

DCS Cruise Director: At the marked information points the DCS cruise management is available for questions and requests.

Deck chairs: Comfortable deck and lounge chairs are at your free disposal on the sun deck. Enjoy the ride on the ship and let your soul dangle. However, we kindly ask you not to reserve deck chairs more than 15 minutes in advance, in consideration of other guests. Otherwise, the staff will be instructed to remove any items left behind from "abandoned" chairs, which you can then collect from the reception desk.

Disembarkation: You will receive detailed disembarkation information at the end of your trip. You will receive colored stickers to mark your luggage in addition to your luggage tags.

Doctor/Pharmacy: Please contact the reception if you do not feel well. Please note that there is no doctor on board and for legal reasons the hotel crew is generally not allowed to hand out any medication to you. However, a doctor can be reached ashore at short notice at any time. The reception can be reached by telephone around the clock.

Doors: The doors in the reception area are automatic doors. They open and close themselves by pressing a button. Therefore, do not stand between the doors, as there is a possibility that the door will close even then. At night the doors in the ports are closed.

Electricity: In your cabin there are several sockets with a voltage of 220 V (European standard). For safety reasons, no electrical appliances other than razors, hair dryers and chargers may be used in the cabin.

Excursions: All information about excursions and shore excursion arrangements will be provided by your DCS cruise director. Before you leave the ship, please exchange your cabin keys with your shore leave card at the reception. Please pay attention to the announcements! Payment for excursions can be made with major credit cards (such as VISA-Card, MasterCard, or Maestro) or cash in EURO from your cruise director.

Fire and emergency exit: In case of fire, please notify the reception and wait for further instructions from the ship's management. The emergency exits are marked accordingly. For further safety instructions, please refer to the display on the cabin door.

Guest survey: Towards the end of the cruise, you will find a guest questionnaire in your cabin. We ask you to fill out this form and hand it in at the reception. We are constantly striving to improve our service and to meet the wishes of our guests. Therefore, we are grateful for your suggestions.

Hair dryer: There is a hair dryer in each cabin. Please note that on some of our ships the hair dryer does not work when the lights are off. On board DCS Amethyst we also ask you to use only the socket next to the mirror in your cabin for the hairdryer. The socket in the bathroom here is only suitable for razors.

Health: Dear guests, you are in a confined space with many fellow travelers. In times of various infection possibilities, we would like to keep the risk as small as possible. We have taken preventive measures for your own safety. Therefore, we ask you to always disinfect your hands when you come back on board or go to dinner.

Identification documents: Your required identification documents will be received by the reception on the first day and kept safe until the next day.

Information: On board, all staff members will be happy to answer your questions at any time. The DCS cruise director will be happy to provide you with information on travel-related matters and excursions.

Internet: Internet use is possible on board via W-LAN. You can ask for the valid daily rate at the reception. Here you will also receive the voucher with the Internet access code.

Laundry service: The designated laundry bag is in your closet. Please fill out the enclosed laundry request and place it on your bed together with the laundry bag. The clothes will be returned to you washed and ironed within 24 hours. Please refer to the price list displayed in your cabin for the cost.

Lift: Please observe the current distance and hygiene regulations on ships that have a lift.

Locks: We ask for caution during entry and exit at locks. Please do not lean over the railing and out of the window, there is a risk of injury!

Lost and found: Please turn in found items at the reception desk! If you have lost something, please also contact the reception. Please make sure that you do not leave anything in your cabin at the end of the cruise. Forgotten items from the cabins will be given to the DCS cruise management, kept for a maximum of 4 weeks and only forwarded by mail or cash on delivery upon request.

Mail: Postcards and stamps are available at the reception. You have the possibility to hand in your mail at the reception. Mail is always delivered to the nearest major city. Please do not forget to indicate the country name under the address and use the stamps of the country you are in.

Meals/diet or special diet: In the morning you can help yourself to our rich breakfast buffet. For lunch and dinner, we serve healthy and varying cuisine. The mealtimes are announced in the daily program. For lunch and dinner, we would like to ask you to arrive on time for the start of the mealtimes to allow for a smooth service. We will be happy to take care of your physical well-being in the restaurant. However, please understand that it is not permitted to take food out of the restaurant. Your seat at the table in the restaurant, which you have been assigned on the evening of embarkation, you will keep during the entire trip. If you are on a special diet, please inform the cruise director on the day of arrival if not already specified at the time of booking.

Payment: The currency on board is EURO. On board, your personal expenses such as drinks or store souvenirs will be booked to your cabin and paid at the end of the trip with major credit cards (such as VISA-Card, MasterCard or Maestro) or cash in EURO. The exchange of foreign currency is not possible on board.

Pets: Pets are not allowed on board.

Phone: Each cabin is equipped with a telephone, which allows you to make free calls within the ship.

Phone number of the ship: You will find the emergency number on your shore leave card.

Port berths: It is common practice in some cities for port authorities to assign a common berth to several vessels due to the high volume of traffic. In these cases, the vessels are docked next to each other and the unobstructed view from your cabin may be impaired. DCS is entitled to a berth but has no influence on the location and order.

Reception: The reception is open for you 24 hours. In addition, it can be reached by telephone. While the night steward makes his mandatory security rounds, there may be a short waiting time. We ask for your understanding.

Remarks: For requests for changes, suggestions, or complaints, please contact the DCS cruise management or the hotel manager right away, to immediately remedy or implement requests. Please do not wait until the last day.

Safe: Each cabin of the DCS Amethyst and DCS Amethyst Classic has a safe. The operating instructions are in the safe. Please read them carefully before operating the safe. No liability for the loss of valuables and money is assumed by the shipping company or DCS.

Safety regulations: You are on a ship with high safety standards and highly reliable crew. Nevertheless, alert cases may occasionally occur. If this should be the case during the voyage, we ask you to remain calm and follow the instructions of the crew. The life jackets are located on the sun deck or directly in your cabin.

Smoking: Please note that smoking is only allowed in the designated areas. Smoking is generally prohibited in the ship's rooms and cabins. On the sun deck we ask you to use the ashtrays. For safety reasons, please do not throw cigarettes overboard. Please also note the absolute ban on smoking in locks.

Souvenir shop: A small souvenir offer is ready for you in the reception area. You can buy the displayed items directly at the reception desk.

Stairs: Please note that some of the stairs on board are very steep and there is an increased risk of slipping when wet. One of the hands belongs to the ship. Make sure you always make use of the stair handrails and behave with appropriate caution on board.

Stay at the landing places: After landing in each port, you can of course leave the ship after the authorities and the captain have cleared it. Please pay attention to the announcements on board! The departure times of the ship and when you must be back on board, please refer to the daily program. We kindly ask you to be on board at least 15 minutes before departure, as we will depart on time. We ask for your understanding that our ship cannot wait for late passengers due to the given schedule.

Table reservation: You will receive a permanent seat in the restaurant upon embarkation for the entire duration of the trip.

Tap water: The water on board is basically of drinking water quality. Since drinking water is bunkered in various ports and is not running water, the water may not always taste the same. For drinking, we recommend that you order water at the bar or in the restaurant.

Television: The ship is equipped with a satellite system, so that television reception is guaranteed for most of the route. Short-term interruptions in reception may occur when passing bridges and when staying in locks as well as on certain sections of the route. We ask for your understanding. A remote control and a list of channels are in your cabin.

Tipping: Today, tipping is of great importance in the shipping industry. With the tip "right" for you, you may show your satisfaction with the services of the crew at the end of the trip. Please use the envelopes that will be brought to your cabin the evening before departure. A designated box at reception will hold these envelopes. All gratuities will be distributed equally among the crew. Would you like a tip recommendation? If you are satisfied with the service, a guideline of € 10.00 - € 13.00 per guest and day may apply.

Toiletries: If you have forgotten your toothbrush, deodorant or shaving utensils, etc. at home, no problem! The reception has a small selection of health and beauty products for you to buy.

Toilets: We strongly urge you not to throw anything that is not intended for this purpose into the toilet, otherwise the entire system may become clogged. Please use the trash can for all sanitary waste.

Towel change: To protect the environment by reducing the use of detergents, we ask you to put the towels that you want to have replaced on the floor. Towels on the stand mean that you want to use them one more time.

Travel documents: Please carry a valid identity card or passport during the trip.

Wake-up service: We will be happy to wake you up at the time you request. The reception will gladly accept your wake-up call request.

Windows: Please always close the windows when you are on the port side and leave your cabin.

We wish you a wonderful and exciting stay on board!

Do you still have questions? Please feel free to contact us - we are happy to help! +49 (0) 9236 92-100