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4. MS Mendula

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MS Mendula

A very special cruise awaits in 2024 as we are thrilled to be able to bring you our recent addition to the Riviera fleet, the magnificent MS Mendula.

This spectacular twin-masted yacht, at a stately 36 metres, can easily access the wonderfully picturesque little ports along the Dalmatian coast so when you drop anchor and hop ashore, immediately you’ll be fully immersed in every destination we visit with no time wasted. This exquisite vessel offers a thrilling and authentic experience on a classic sailing ship yet with all the comfort and glamour of a modern-day private yacht. With just 15 cabins available for 30 guests, the atmosphere on board is convivial and relaxed with a touch of exclusivity – and you’re assured a first-class service throughout.

Instantly recognisable and causing quite a stir on the quayside, as you are welcomed aboard by our dedicated crew, you’ll be made to feel completely at home in your elegant surroundings. Delight in the ample and stylish sun deck where you can sit and unwind over a long cold drink and catch up on some reading or chat with your fellow sailors and take in the panoramic vistas as you glide through the glistening water. When it’s time to cool off, take a dip off the ship’s platform straight into the Adriatic’s crystal waters then back on board to dry off in the sun – once you’ve discovered this way to holiday, you won’t look back!

Dine in the air-conditioned restaurant where the attentive crew serves daily breakfast with hot and cold options and either lunch or dinner featuring local dishes, from salads to hot Mediterranean specialities, meats and fish. At the ‘Captain’s Dinner’ celebrate food from throughout the Adriatic. Moored in delightful ports overnight, on the remainder of the evenings you are free to dine where you wish.

Cabins are comfortably furnished and feature individually controlled air-conditioning, safe, wardrobe, dressing table, hairdryer, and bathroom with shower and toiletries. Free Wi-Fi is available on board.

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Accomodation Types

With just 15 cabins available for 30 guests, the atmosphere on board is convivial and relaxed with a touch of exclusivity – and you’re assured a first-class service throughout.

Cabins are comfortably furnished and feature individually controlled air-conditioning, safe, wardrobe, dressing table, hairdryer, and bathroom with shower and toiletries. Free Wi-Fi is available on board.

Category A+ Cabins

Category A Cabins

Category B Cabins

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Deck Plans

With just 15 cabins available for 30 guests, the atmosphere on board is convivial and relaxed with a touch of exclusivity – and you’re assured a first-class service throughout.

Cabins are comfortably furnished and feature individually controlled air-conditioning, safe, wardrobe, dressing table, hairdryer, and bathroom with shower and toiletries. Free Wi-Fi is available on board.

Upper Deck

Main Deck

Lower Deck

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Dining

Dine in the air-conditioned restaurant where the attentive crew serves daily breakfast with hot and cold options and either lunch or dinner featuring local dishes, from salads to hot Mediterranean specialities, meats and fish. At the ‘Captain’s Dinner’ celebrate food from throughout the Adriatic. Moored in delightful ports overnight, on the remainder of the evenings you are free to dine where you wish.

Restaurant

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Entertainment

Delight in the ample and stylish sun deck where you can sit and unwind over a long cold drink and catch up on some reading or chat with your fellow sailors and take in the panoramic vistas as you glide through the glistening water. 

Sun Deck

Terrace

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Enrichment

A daily programme is produced on board and delivered to your cabin each evening, detailing the following day’s activities.

On our river cruises we love to take you right into the heart of each town or city you visit along the way, and during your cruise local guides will offer a variety of guided walking tours, panoramic coach tours and/or visits to museums and local cultural favourites such as a wine tasting in Burgundy and a train journey through the Swiss mountains.

You will have a good mix of touring and free time to learn about the history and the little quirks of each place, with plenty of time to explore at your own leisure. Please check the itinerary of the cruise for more specific details.

Visits to places of interest are organised for most of the days of your holiday, but it it is not compulsory that you go on all the included experiences that have been arranged.

Please note: entrance fees to museums are not usually included in the price of your holiday.

Onshore Experiences

We are a well-travelled collective - made up of our guests as well as our team. We'll admit it - we're obsessed with travel.

But that's not our only interest. We also love architecture, history, the arts, and gastronomy - everything that makes a culture unique. And we plan our itineraries to ensure we're catering to those interests. Perfecting every excursion to ensure you get the most out of your onshore adventures.

Most days are filled with full or half-day excursions. Whether that's a city tour, an introduction to a brand-new town or a more in-depth visit to a specific landmark or attraction. You'll see the very best of every destination. Not just the legendary locations, we'll uncover the top-secret local spots too.

World-famous landmarks

You'll get to experience some world-famous destinations in the company of our passionate local guides. Sites like the Benedictine Melk Abbey on the Danube, spectacular Pont du Gard on the Rhône, Keukenhof Gardens - the world's largest flower gardens - on the Dutch Waterways and Cologne with its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe.

A taste of your destination

Food has the uncanny ability to reveal the softer parts of the destination most tourists overlook. Recipes passed down through the generations slowly become ingrained within a culture, featuring fresh local produce and traditional cooking techniques. Our excursions often include delicious local produce perfected over centuries - sample cheese in Switzerland and chocolate in Germany (it's not a cruise for those watching their weight), wine tasting in the world-famous wine region of Burgundy and port in the port wine cellars of Porto.

For even more, why not choose one of our Gastronomy themed departures?

Authentic cultural experiences

Our river cruise itineraries deliver authentic and engaging moments to fully immerse you in the culture. You'll remember being seduced by the fiery passion of flamenco dancing after a cruise along the Douro. Hold on to that feeling of wonder you felt as you watch the glassblower creating the most beautiful vase out of a glowing mass. And tell the stories you heard during a Hungarian folklore show to your grandchildren at bedtime. The memory of these authentic cultural experiences will last a lifetime. 

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Health & Fitness

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Kids & Teens

Please note: There are no dedicated children's facilities on board.

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Useful Information

Dress Code

There is no requirement to bring formal dress - smart/casual is acceptable for both day and evening as there is no dress code enforced. However, men are requested not to wear shorts for dinner or vest tops at any time in the dining room. You may wish to wear a jacket and tie for dinner. The Chef's Dinner offers the opportunity, should you wish, for more special attire.

Drinks Packages

We have a drinks package included for all European river cruises in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Superior Drinks Package

For all 2024 and 2025 European river cruises:

Over lunch in our restaurants enjoy unlimited drinks from a choice of:

• Red, white, rosé and sparkling house wine, including non-alcoholic
• Draught beer, including non-alcoholic
• A selection of soft drinks and juices

Then from 6 pm until midnight in our bar and restaurants, enjoy all of the above, plus unlimited drinks from a choice of:

• Our cocktail and mocktail of the day
• House spirits and mixers (including gin, vodka, rum and whisky)
• A recommended regional wine during dinner
• Martini & Sherry pre-dinner
• Port & Brandy after dinner

All-inclusive drinks package

Available on 2026 European river cruise departures

Available from 10am to midnight each day:

• Red, white, rosé and sparkling house wine, including non-alcoholic​
• A choice of draught beer, including non-alcoholic​
• A selection of soft drinks and juices​​
• Our cocktail and mocktail of the day​
• House spirits and mixers including vodka, gin, rum, whisky, martini, sherry, brandy, port and Baileys (excluding liqueurs)
• Daily recommended wines ​
• Tea and coffee from the bar

View more about our drinks packages.

Air Conditioning

Our ships are fully air-conditioned throughout. Each cabin has individual air-conditioning and heating controls.

Age Restrictions

The minimum age limit is 12 years old at the date of departure. We reserve the right to limit the number of children on any particular cruise. Any minor must be accompanied by and share a cabin with an adult aged 21 or over. If the adult is not the minor’s parent, a ‘Parental Consent Guardianship Form’ must be signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to sailing.

Dietary Requirements

Breakfast: In the morning a full breakfast is served which includes healthy options and your choice of eggs made to order.

Lunch: For lunch enjoy salads from the buffet, soup and a choice of main courses, including local dishes, plus dessert.

Dinner: The four course a la carte dinners include a selection of international and regional specialities.

We cater for most dietary requirements, please ensure you advise our sales team when making the booking.

Medical Facilities

If you have any concerns about your health whilst on tour, please see your Cruise Director or Concierge. They will be able to advise you about chemists and availability of doctors, etc. In an emergency you could always phone our emergency number as issued on your itinerary. There are no on-board medical personnel, although specific crew members will have basic first aid training. However, the ship can stop at any time to transfer any passenger requiring emergency medical attention to local medical facilities.

Disabled Facilities

We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us.

Please take a look at our Passengers with Reduced Mobility FAQs page for more information.

Alternatively, you can contact us online or call us on 01283 688 164 to discuss these concerns. 

Our ships are not adapted for wheelchair access. If you are intending to take a wheelchair or mobility scooter with you, it is essential that you contact us to let us know.

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be used on excursions but they cannot be used on board the ships due to safety reasons and must not be left in corridors, the lounge or restaurant or any other public areas. They must be stored in your cabin.

River cruises operate with a smaller crew than ocean cruises and do not have the crew available to personally attend to passengers with reduced mobility, therefore a travelling companion would need to be able to help with any physical needs.

The itinerary we include with our river cruises involves shore excursions visiting places with cobbled streets which can be on an incline making navigation of these streets difficult for anyone with reduced mobility.

If you can’t do many shore excursions, river cruising in Europe can still be very enjoyable and worthwhile. Cruising down the Rhine, Danube or any of the European rivers we offer gives you the opportunity to take in the spectacular scenery and there is a lot to enjoy from the comfort of the ship. Please contact us with any concerns you may have.

Whilst most of our ships have a lift on board, it does not operate to all decks.

We include mobility information regarding lifts between decks on each ship under the deck plan section of the page. You may wish to view all of our ships before booking.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi available for your convenience

Smoking and E-Cigarette Policy

Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted anywhere on board except for designated areas on the sun deck. More and more countries in Europe are adopting a stricter legislation on smoking in public places.

Smoking is not allowed on any public transport and there may be other restrictions in hotels, bars and restaurants.

Facilities and Services

Details on the facilities on each ship can be found in the individual river cruise ship pages.

Hairdressing services

• Most ships, with the exception of the MS Douro Elegance and MS Douro Splendour, offer a hairdressing service.

Medical services

• There are no on-board medical personnel, although specific crew members will have basic first aid training. However, the ship can stop at any time to transfer any passenger requiring emergency medical attention to local medical facilities.
• If you have any concerns about your health whilst on tour, please see your Cruise Director or Concierge. They will be able to advise you about chemists and availability of doctors, etc.
• In an emergency you could always phone our emergency number as issued on your itinerary.

Laundry service

• A limited laundry service is available on board, except on the day of disembarkation.
• A dry cleaning service is not available.

Library

• There is a small library on board with a selection of books, games and puzzles.

Gift shop

• There is a gift shop on board.

Lifts

• There is a lift between all three internal decks but not the sun deck on most ships.