What’s the most current way to experience Europe? Try relaxing while gazing at the Danube’s changing riverfront landscape, docking right in the heart of a quaint town on the Rhine to explore its bank and city center, or trading stories of the day’s adventure with new friends made on board a floating small luxury hotel.
During the past 10 years the number of passengers who set sail on one of Europe’s river cruises has more than quadrupled, according to the Web site MarketResearch.com. Experts predict the popularity of these trips will continue full steam ahead for at least another two decades. River cruising offers several competitive advantages to both traditional ocean odysseys and the more tried-and-true mode of exploring Europe: the tour bus.
A DIFFERENT STYLE OF CRUISE The extraordinary growth in passenger bookings is also due to the fact that river cruising has some definite competitive advantages over ocean cruising and bus trips. The smaller sailing vessels that river cruise lines employ allow access to inland areas of countries that big ocean liners can’t approach. Instead of the endless horizon of ocean waves, there’s always a changing and amazing view to look at out the window or from the deck, whether it’s a castle, a mountain or a pastoral panorama. Passengers may
easily sightsee from the comfort of the vessel. This can be a particularly appealing feature for guests who might have mobility challenges. On a river cruise, it’s much easier to interact with the scenery. Ships dock regularly in towns, vineyards, historic sites and villages along the route. Onshore visits to cities and sites of cultural or historical interest are typically built into the itinerary. This feature makes trips on a riverboat resemble a tour more than a cruise. In general, river cruises are more educational and less hedonistic than ocean cruises.
River cruises also give guests more quality time and easier access onshore. There are no long lines waiting to travel to shore from the ship, or to the city center from a faraway industrial port ocean cruises use. Passengers can use their own two feet to disembark, finding themselves right in the middle of an area of interest when they do leave the ship. Compared to a traditional bus tour of Europe, a river cruise offers far more luxury, convenience and comfort. A peaceful waterway has far less traffic and, therefore, far less stress than the Autobahn or a narrow cobblestone city street. There’s no need to stay belted in a coach seat for hours on the road when a riverboat allows access to the deck, cabin and common areas. And there’s no need to wait for pit stops for refreshment or coin-operated restrooms. River cruise passengers spend less time hauling, loading and unpacking than they would on a motor coach tour. While bus tours require a different hotel almost every night, a river cruise
allows guests to unpack and pack once in their floating hotel. Passengers can settle in, sleep in the same bed each night and experience much more relaxation.
MORE INTIMACY, SMOOTHER SAILING European river-cruise ships are smaller than ocean vessels, transporting around 150 passengers. With fewer than 200 people on board, guests find it easy to make new friends and get to know other passengers and staff. The attention and personal touch provided on a river-cruise ship surpasses a large vessel where staff must serve a sea of guests. There are no large crowds on board, allowing a deeper connection with fellow travelers, the crew and the cruise boat itself.
With a shorter guest list, passengers find themselves with far more freedom on board. Instead of rising to get in the breakfast buffet line in time, guests can wake up at leisure and make their way to the dining room for a breakfast made to order. Rather than tightly scheduled, rushed early or late seating times at assigned tables, dinners are generally open seating with one seating. There’s still entertainment, but a smaller scale: a music performance highlighting the region or an educational presentation. The sailing is smaller-scale too. River cruises travel generally by day only,
with daily port visits to break up the time underway. Perhaps best of all, seasickness is a rare occurrence on the calm, flowing waters.
A FEW FINDS FOR FLOATING Europe’s waterways lend a flowing setting for a week or a month of meaningful travel along well-known and well-kept secret areas. This sailing sampler shows a few options of dozens to choose from when booking a river cruise.
Grand European Cruise Avalon Waterways, www.avalonwaterways.com
This 16-day excursion traverses the continent from Amsterdam to Budapest. Highlights include a guided tour of Cologne, the Rhine Gorge, sightseeing in German villages along the Main River, and exploration of the twin cities of Buda and Pest.
French Cruise Uniworld River Cruises, www.uniworld.com Sunny Provence and Burgundy provide the waterway’s backdrops on this journey blending wine, art, nature and history. See the landscapes that inspired van Gogh and Cézanne, while sipping Côte du Rhône wines and savoring Valrhona chocolate.
Themed Cruises Peter Deilmann Cruises, www.deilmann-cruises.com
These weeklong river vacations are perfect for passengers who are passionate about classical music, wine, golf, wellness, gardens, cycling and more.
Christmas Market Cruise Amadeus Waterways, www.amadeuswaterways.com After two nights in Prague, fans of the holidays and history will spend nine days on the Main and Danube rivers shopping for tradition at the famous Christmas Markets between Nuremberg and Budapest.
