Nicole Edenedo
Nothing says summer quite like a barbeque. And grilling season has officially arrived now that Memorial Day, the unofficial kickoff to the summer season, is behind us.
When it comes to river cruising, there are ample opportunities to fire up the grill, break out an assortment of condiments and indulge in a spread of meat, seafood and vegetables, all while sailing by lavender fields in France or through the castle-lined valleys of the Rhine.
Most river cruise lines have a variety of ways to kick back and relax on their top deck. There is often an additional bar on the sun deck with a comfortable, usually canopied lounge area (perfect for those summer days when you need to seek shade), and some ships have sports-oriented activities to enjoy topside, like putting greens, shuffleboard, life-sized chess sets and pickleball courts. Many ships these days have pools or smaller hot tubs on the sundeck where guests can cool off on a hot day.
Add to these amenities a grill station, and you've got all the trappings of a great rooftop party that's likely to last all summer long.
Probably one of my favorite aspects of an afternoon BBQ onboard is seeing what chefs decide to whip up on the grill.
I've had grilled oysters and scallops onboard Riverside Debussy and Riverside Mozart with Riverside Luxury Cruises; lobster tail on the AmaLucia with AmaWaterways; and veggies grilled to perfection on cruises with Avalon Waterways and other lines.
The pool on AmaWaterways' AmaPrima is a good place to head to cool off on a hot summer day. Photo Credit: AmaWaterways
My favorite dishes at these gatherings so far have been the scallops and lobster. I find it's generally hard to go wrong with grilled seafood on these voyages -- it's usually lighter than red meat, so I can sneak in an extra bite or two (or two-and-a-half) and not feel overstuffed.
The good news is that even if travelers do fill up on the grill items, they can power walk a couple of laps around the sundeck or take up some calisthenics in the pool to burn off those extra calories.
That's what I love about summer on the rivers: Sundecks become their own social environment, especially when there's both a grill station and lounge area coupled with different activities.
Guests dine alfresco with a plate of grilled bites and a refreshing drink while their spouse or friends cool off in the pool or practice their putt on the green. Sometimes the cruise director will set up a few speakers so everyone can enjoy some music while the BBQ vibes continue on the sailing or while the ship is docked in port.
Even if a traveler is on a ship that doesn't have an outdoor grill station or barbeque opportunities, I highly encourage having an open-air meal or two on the deck or somewhere else on the ship. It's well worth making the switch from the main or bistro restaurants.