River Cruising has been around for ages, it’s something I , foolishly assumed, only “older’ people did. I had this vision in my mind it was slow, quiet and boring. That the cruisers sat around listening to people talk about historical architecture and drinking tea. …. in short, I was wrong. Well, mostly wrong – there is historical discussions as you’re cruising but it’s interesting and can be easily tuned out if that’s not your thing.
This November I went on my first river cruise with Amadeus. It was a 4 night cruise on the Rhine River during the ” Magic of Advent” , it was a bucket list experience for my Mom and me to experience the Christmas Markets so we did it! I was pleasantly surprised as soon as we boarded this gorgeous vessel. It was small and intimate, ported right in the center of Cologne ( super convenient ) the staff was courteous and welcoming. By the second day they knew you by name! The cabins were modern and spacious – with gorgeous panoramic views. I was not expecting to enjoy a small ship – but it quickly grew on me!
Each morning and sometimes twice in one day we were in a different city! The ease and speed of traveling on the rivers makes these cruises so efficient for crossing off multiple destinations on your list!
We chose to book some guided tours through Amadeus to introduce us to each port city. Each tour left us with a couple of hours for free time to explore. Another unexpected perk to river cruising is that these ports are not bombarded by tons of cruise passengers because occupancies are limited on these vessels it makes your in-destination experience much more authentic feeling. Our tour guides were all locals and were true wealths of knowledge. I could tell Amadeus cared about the experiences their cruisers were having on shore just as much as their experiences on board.
As I mentioned I didn’t think I was ready for river cruising, I mean I’m 30 and love the nightlife. BUT I was extremely impressed with my experience and already have another booked for this Spring! If you are like me and think it’s not “your time” for river cruising, think again. River cruises are often fast paced, you’re somewhere new everyday, you don’t have to un-pack or worry about multiple forms of transportation – you have a luxury hotel on a gorgeous river, showing you many of the world’s most beautiful places, what’s not to love?
If my experience interests you in river cruising, please reach out – I’d love to share more details and offer you a tailored quote for your river cruise experience!
