Is a River Cruise Right for You?

Why I love river cruises

1. A river cruise allows access to towns and places for exploration you may never get to otherwise.

2. Small ship size (often around 130 people) feels like a floating boutique hotel.

3. You don't need to worry about repacking and lugging your stuff from one location to the next.

4. Pre and post-extension excursions are offered. Add on to your trip to immerse yourself in a culture either on your own or with one of the extensions offered by the cruise line for hotel, transport and activities.

5. This mode of transportation is the perfect way to travel with an older relative.

6. Chefs and dining experiences are often designed to reflect the regions you are visiting and local ingredients are sourced from each port.

7. You cover a lot of ground. Many places I probably won't return to in my lifetime.

8. You meet like-minded people.

9. Often tours in each port are complimentary. The whole experience is of great value.

10. Enrichment is offered onboard daily.

11. Daily happy hours and drinks are included in the price. Local wines are celebrated.

12. Everything is well organized.

13. You can pick and choose your itinerary based on your interests.

14. The patience, friendliness and service of the staff are unparalleled. Your room is cleaned daily.

15. Every day is a new adventure and the waters are calm.

My cruise experiences

As a travel writer, I sailed on Viking in 2022 and brought my mom on the
Seine from Paris to Normandy and back. Check out my travel blog to learn why you'll love cruising with Viking on a river cruise and read how this Viking river cruise brought my mom and me closer.

In 2023, my husband and I cruised the Danube from Budapest to Vilshofen,
Germany – and then traveled on our own to Cesky Krumlov and Prague – with
AmaWaterways. It was the most active vacation we have ever experienced as
we chose to bike over 17 miles a day in three ports. We biked through the
Wachau Valley in Austria, pedaled around Vienna and zoomed along the
scenic shores of the Inn River through wooded hills and beaches of poplars,
where we gaped at the cobblestone town’s pastel-hued Baroque buildings from
Passau, Germany to Austria. Read more about our experience on AmaWaterways on my blog – the boat offers bikes with local guides in ports in addition to walking and hiking excursions.

Today, a plethora of river cruise options are available. Some cruise lines
are theme-based, such as wine, wellness, tulips, Christmas markets,
family and Black history.

More dream river cruise destinations to consider

• Douro River through Portugal

• Rhine and Moselle Rivers through six countries in Europe

• Christmas Markets in Europe

• Tulip time in the Netherlands

• Lower Danube: Germany to Romania

• Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia

• Nile River in Egypt

• Amazon River in South America

Looking to book a river or ocean cruise? Reach out to discuss how I can
make your dream trip come true with added perks and the best rates. I have
booked clients on Norwegian, Windstar, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Viking, AmaWaterways and more.

Perks I have been able to get clients include $500 off per person, free airfare, buy-one-get-one-free airfare, $150 shipboard credit, complimentary spa experiences and specialty dining experiences.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on cruise travel. In need of further inspiration? Check out my guide, Mendocino Coast in Northern California: 5 Inns to Fall in Love With.