River cruising has become popular in recent years — the river cruise companies can’t seem to produce enough boats for the demand.
Most popular are river cruises in Europe, particularly on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. But other prime areas in Europe include the Rhône and Saône Rivers in France, the Douro River in Portugal, the Po River and Venice, Russian river cruises, the Nile in Egypt, the Yangtze in China, The Mekong or Red River in Vietnam, Chobe River in Africa. Closer to home is the Mississippi River and the St Lawrence Waterways. The most well-known companies that cater to the North American markets are Scenic, Emerald Waterways, Avalon Waterways, AMAWaterways, Viking Cruise line, Uniworld, American Queen, CroisEurope and Riviera to name a few. All have excellent reputations for the river cruise experience.
Similar to the ocean cruise experience, a river cruise is an “unpack once and see a variety of countries.” The difference is that though river cruises tend to be more expensive, they are also “more inclusive” with — at no additional cost — high quality excursions offered, full epicurean meals with wine and beer served each day, plus local entertainment. While perhaps not as exciting as Broadway-type shows on big cruise ships, it is reflective of the local culture on board virtually every night.
One other notable difference is that every cabin has an ocean-view, from a large upper window in the lowest categories often to an actual balcony in the upper categories. This allows guests to view from their cabins the ever-changing scenery that passes by — from other ships/boats on the water, to wild-life, to small medieval towns around every other bend to cathedrals, museums and palaces, to historic castles, both ruined and restored. Add to that the small number of travelers on board (150—200) together with docking ability right in the city centre and you have quick and easy disembarkation right where the action is!
Picture this: Wake up to a different view in a different destination every morning from the comfort of your cabin. What wondrous sights await you when you step out onto your private balcony or look out of your stateroom window?
On a wine-theme cruise, experience dramatic terraced vineyards, gentle rolling countryside or astounding fairytale castles.
On a Nile cruise in Egypt, for example, step back to the time of the Pharaohs, stand in awe before the staggering mystical and spiritual – and physical – wonders. Touch carved hieroglyphs and feel the texture of the paint that has been there for 3,000 years!
On an Asian cruise (Mekong, Yangtze or Ganges) walk a path less travelled. Discover the magic and beauty of an exotic land bordered by flourishing forests, lush green hills and colourful local houses, delve deeply into local culture and meet extraordinary people who have a remarkable resilience to life. All locations are home to a variety of UNESCO heritage treasures including Ha Long Bay and Angkor Wat.
On an African Chobe river cruise adventure, encounter elephants, giraffes, leopards, zebra, Hippos, crocodiles and Cape Buffalo amongst other wildlife. Be amazed by the glorious Victoria Falls, Boulder beach African penguins, the famous Stellenboschwine country and the unforgettable Table Mountain outside Cape Town.
It may seem like a dream, but it’s not! Much like a dance, your vacation is carefully choreographed to ensure your journey will always be a memorable one. Because of the popularity of river cruising, those interested in a river cruise — especially at popular times — need to book at least a year in advance to ensure that preferred dates are available.
We at AlmonTravel have experienced more than 10 different river cruise itineraries around the world and would be delighted to speak with you about our experiences and help you with your itinerary. Speak to your agent at AlmonTravel.
The two-week European River Cruise with Scenic Cruises was as much, and more, then we expected. All went well through the locks though we understand the next sailings might have problems with the water levels in the canals. I think we were only tied up beside another ship twice in the two-week trip here in the food was excellent — I gained 5 pounds which I’m gradually shedding now! Our accommodations on board were great as well. All of the sites on the excursions were wonderful — as were the many and varied guides we had along the way. I also really appreciated the free time they allowed us at various spots, with shuttle buses if we were a distance from the city centers. Great entertainment — on board and off. Thanks again for looking after everything. The drive in from the Budapest airport was really welcome and I enjoyed the GoSiteSee app, as well as the wonderful little cake you arranged for us on board. All the details that make for a perfect travel agent!
Back last night from our trip and once again it was amazing! Thank you for all your planning and careful attention to detail. Not a single hitch. The hotel in Nuremberg was lovely and perfect location with its proximity to the old part of the city. The hotel in Budapest was good too. Old and elegant mixed with all of the modern updates. It was a bit of a walk to the main tourist area but that was not a problem for Nick and me. We could not have asked for better service. Reception staff were very helpful and spoke excellent English. Even gave us boxed lunches to take with us to the airport! The flights you chose for us worked very well. The return flight was so much easier when we didn’t have to backtrack to Halifax. Thank you so much for your gift of yummy candies which was in our cabin.
It was a wonderful trip! Thank you very much! The stay onboard the Zambezi Queen (river cruise) was awesome. It is not really a cruise per se as the ship can’t travel far and is very affected by wind. It is essentially a luxury floating boutique hotel. Only 28 guests onboard, 30 staff! There are plenty of opportunities to take side trips so you don’t get bored! We were extremely lucky to get 4 nights as the regular stays are usually 2 or 3 nights. The guide who we had in Zimbabwe (Ernest) to take us to Victoria Falls was outstanding. We had two guides in South Africa. The second one (Philip Botha) who was with us from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth was outstanding. Organised, informative, pleasant, etc. I would specifically ask for him again. On the whole, accommodations were first class.
Remember … using a travel agent usually does not cost any more than booking by yourself on the Internet but you get the assistance you need to make an accurate booking and look after you during the booking process, during the trip, and after the trip if you have experienced any problems.
Check with your agent at AlmonTravel.