By Danny Almon, Travel Columnist
River cruising is becoming extremely popular, increasing rapidly after the Covid terror we experienced. While usually more expensive than the average ocean cruise (keep in mind that river cruising, with most companies, is all inclusive), there are a number of factors that make this mode of travel so enticing.
The numbers of guests on board typically will number no more than 250 and, in most cases, as few as 150. This translates into noticeably short disembarkation for excursions and return to ship, often rendered into mere minutes. With open seating for meals at tables that can accommodate from 2 to 10, you can choose whether you wish to romantically dine by yourself or sit at a table and have four to eight complete (but friendly and like-minded) strangers join you.
With most cruise lines, local beer and wine is included at no extra charge with meals. If you choose a higher level cruise line, alcohol, often top shelf, is included, along with gratuities, and to top this off, many river cruise companies are offering up to free flights paired with their cruises. With flights averaging $1400 —to $1850 pp, it is an extremely attractive incentive.
Cruises tend to be seven nights in duration, but some cruise lines are offering three, four, and five-night options to accommodate those who wish to have a longer land option added, pre- or post-cruise. Conversely, most cruise lines offer 14 nights (or more) for certain itineraries such as the Rhine and Danube Rivers: in fact, a couple of cruise lines are offering packages that combine seven night itineraries in various parts of Europe. You can enjoy a Southern France Rhône River itinerary together with a Rhine River itinerary: the cruise line provides transportation, often by high-speed train from the disembarkation port of one cruise to the embarkation port of the next. They coordinate departure times in conjunction with arrival times.
Destinations: the most common “starter” cruise is either the Rhine River or the western Danube River. We started our love affair with river cruising 18 years ago with a two-week cruise from Budapest (Danube) to Amsterdam (Rhine). Since that time, we have enjoyed our experiences on the Rhône River in France, the Douro River in Portugal, numerous rivers in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and closer to home the Mississippi River. There even is a St Lawrence Waterways cruise here in Canada!
All these cruises included phenomenal excursions, allowing the small number of guests on board to get a deep look at the culture and people at the destinations visited. When a river cruise is combined with an extensive land tour (China, Vietnam, Egypt, and Italy, for example), then the best of both worlds can be combined: a river cruise and a coach tour.
Every river cruise has commonalities: unpack once, breakfast and lunch and dinner on board the ship, often with local ingredients (in most cases), nightly casual entertainment provided, together with special local entertainment, an included high quality excursion every day, and authentic, knowledgeable, and local guides. Where the difference from river cruise to river cruise occurs is the itinerary, the country, and the locale. Each itinerary offers a significantly unique experience.
We, personally, are fortunate enough this spring to add a barge cruise experience in France to our repertoire. Add to that a Rhine River cruise on a remarkable new 5½ star river cruise line, as well.
AlmonTravel is the official travel agency to CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) NS. For 50 videos on travel with a wide variety of cruise lines and tour operators, please go to https://www. almontravel.ca/videos/ or call Danny at 902 431 4932. E-mail: danny@ almontravel.ca
