I had been on a few river cruises prior to cruising the Danube in Europe this past May including the Amazon River in Peru as well as the Yangtze River in China. However, these two are very different than the quintessential European river cruises we’ve all heard so much about–I know that without a doubt now. A European river cruise is a beautiful, relaxing, and extremely immersive experience that everyone should have at least once!
You’re in a unique place each day and it’s extremely easy to get off the boat and explore on your own without having to get a cab or take a guided excursion.
On an ocean cruise, expect to have no choice but to take an expensive excursion offered by the cruise line since many times the port is about an hour away from the city center. On a river cruise, however, the cities are built along the river, so all you need to do is step off the boat and start exploring.
Although sometimes taking a guided tour is nice so that you know what you’re actually seeing, there are times when you just feel like getting lost and exploring. With a river cruise, it’s extremely flexible, quick and easy to disembark the ship and then get back on right before the ship pulls away. You don’t have the 1-2 hours grace period you need to get back to the ship before that consists of picking up the gigantic gangplanks and preparing the ship for departure that you have with an ocean cruise.
You will actually feel like you really got to see and experience each place you visited.
Because the ships often stay overnight in ports or stay from morning until night, you don’t have the whirlwind tours that last 2 hours before you have to rush back to the ship for departure like you do on the ocean cruises. Our ship, The A, stayed overnight in Budapest, Vienna, and Regensburg, so we had the option of staying on land as late as we wanted, even into the wee hours of the morning to experience each cities nightlife if we wanted. Seeing a place at night is like seeing an entirely different city and is so important for actually experiencing that destination to the fullest.
The cruising is extremely scenic.
That’s right, there is more than just blue water as far as the eye can see. Settle in on the top deck after pulling away from port to gaze upon castles, monuments, wine country, and intricate bridges all along the way. Sip champagne while watching the ship slowly making its way through one of the many series of locks along the river. It’s so much more entertaining and chill than trying not to get blown away while sailing full force through the ocean.
The food is absolutely top notch.
Say goodbye to cold buffet food and hello to a la carte culinary creations. Literally some of the best food I had in Europe was aboard the ship. This food is local, too. One day in Germany some fellow cruisers and I were in town and made it a point to try the local specialty, weiner schnitzel, only to get back aboard the ship for dinner and have a tastier version of what we had had at a local restaurant! The food aboard the ships is so flavorful and I can honestly say there wasn’t even one side dish that was sub par–everything was award-winningly good.
This isn’t a fluke either. Everyone I know who has experienced a river cruise, regardless of the cruise line, has had the same to say about the dining experience.
Why I even think river cruising is better than land travel–and that’s saying something!
I’ve always been the biggest advocate for land travel. Cruises are great if your destination is the ship but for a more thorough destination immersion and really getting a feel for the culture, I’ve always preached that there’s no better way to do it than by actually staying in that location and not on a vessel.
With river cruising, however, you really get the best of both worlds. The biggest thing is not having to worry about logistics at all. When you embark the ship and are on your way to the next destination, you can throw your maps, train tickets, and hassle aside and sip a cocktail while socializing with others onboard.
You also get to stay in one room for the entire length of the trip and I can’t even describe how convenient that is. There’s just something magical about being able to leave your stuff out all over your room and pick your clothes from a closet rather than digging through a suitcase. It makes it feel more like a home and allows you to relax while exploring, knowing that your belongings are safe and sound and don’t need to be stored anywhere you don’t necessarily trust 100%.
I’m currently trying to find a way to go on another river cruise this year. The Christmas Markets Cruises look like an amazing experience and a whole different side of Europe seeing it in the winter. Maybe I’ll see you there?
Always and Forever,
CAITLYN WITHOUT A COMPASS
This sounds incredible. I’ve never done a cruise but maybe a river cruise is the way to go. Was it particularly expensive? Thanks for sharing anyway 🙂
Hi Jason, it’s actually really reasonable in price! Especially if you have flexible dates. You could get the cruise for around $2K when they’re having a special, then you’d just need airfare.