Photo, Courtesy of Uniworld
River cruising isn’t new, but its popularity has increased exponentially over the past few years. And many people want to know why. What makes river cruising so special?
Here are five reasons I love them.
1) Close to the action. Riverboats dock right in town. No tendering or long road trips to get to the main city. Step off the ship and you’re off and exploring immediately. You’ll be able to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations, participate in authentic experiences, and have more free time to check out local cafes, markets, and sites. Many ships even provide bicycles for passengers to use while in port.
2) Cultural immersion both onboard and off. On-board entertainment includes local performers, artists, lecturers, culinary lessons, and wine and beer tastings of local fare. There are special interest cruises with added focus for art, history, food, and holidays of various regions throughout the world. For example, you can enjoy a wine connoisseur journey through Provence or horticultural experience during springtime in the Netherlands.
3) No crowds. Most riverboats hold 150-160 guests, so passengers don’t overwhelm the destination. Have you ever had that sense or even certainty that the population of a port doubled or tripled when the mega-cruise ship docked? Not with a riverboat cruise! No lines getting on/off the ship. One seating for meals; no waiting to dine.
4) Best of traditional cruising, plus added benefits. There are many advantages to traditional cruising: unpacking only once while visiting several ports, sampling destinations for future in-depth exploration, the exemplary service round the clock. River cruising has added advantages: the shoreline is visible while cruising so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery as you cruise. Rivers are generally calmer than open ocean waters, so less movement means reduced chance for motion sickness if you are susceptible. No lifeboat drill because there are no lifeboats. OK – there is a safety drill. But it is comfortable, indoors, and you don’t have to don life jackets.
5) No end-of-cruise sticker shock! You know, that tab you’ve been running all week that gets delivered under your door the night before disembarking? River cruises include many more amenities than traditional ocean cruises. Usually included in the basic fare are transfers, shore excursions, internet access, entertainment, concierge, and alcohol. The only additions to the basic fare are personal items such as spa service, gift shop purchases, or added adventures.
And, they are great for group sizes of 10 – 150.