Imagine walking off your river cruise ship in the heart of a cute European town and strolling over to the local sidewalk café to sip an artisan coffee and order a charcuterie board filled with local cheeses. Or maybe hopping on a bike to explore a nearby castle and have lunch at a working farm. These are the types of authentic experiences you can have on a river cruise vacation. 

The Scenery: It truly is breathtaking! “I was surprised about the incredible views from the top sun deck on our ship. We had 360-degree views of the gorgeous landscape, castles, and small villages as we cruised,” described Jennifer Walters, a travel advisor at Cruise & Travel Experts. You will pass through beautiful countryside, impressive castles, and charming towns – all from your riverboat's top deck or stateroom.  The Danube and the Rhine Rivers are the most popular routes and both flow through picturesque wine country. Europe is beautiful year-round, but the best time to enjoy a river cruise is during the spring (April to June) and early fall (September to October). In these months, you’ll experience mild weather, fewer crowds, and colorful landscapes.

 

Inclusions: While several river cruise lines operate in Europe, all have different amenities included with your cruise fare, but most comprise your onboard meals, entertainment, service, fitness centers, and enrichment classes. Many cruise lines may include a welcome champagne, along with wine and beer and some cocktails served with lunch and dinner. A big difference between river cruises and ocean cruises is that excursions are mostly included on a river cruise.  You can choose from a range of offerings at each port including walking and biking tours, visits to castles and other landmarks, and often culinary excursions and wine tastings. Most of the excursions list how strenuous the activity is based on how much walking is involved.

 

Size of Ship: Many travelers don’t know that the size of the river cruise ships are all the same due to the width of the locks they travel through and the height of the bridges. They are usually about 300 to 400 feet long and only accommodate around 100 guests making it easy to get around and get to know the other passengers onboard. According to Bethann Rahn, The Director of Supplier Relations at Cruise & Travel Experts, “There is a more laid-back vibe onboard a river cruise ship than a large ocean cruise ship, and you really get to know more people on the ship as well as the crew.”

 

Service: Everyone comments on the high level of service you receive on a river cruise. Catering to a small number of guests allows the river cruise staff to really attend to the traveler’s needs. “The staff would go above and beyond with any need or request and always greeted me with a smile. One morning while at the breakfast buffet, a server overheard my colleague Kathy saying she was going to go get sausage and he told her he would get it for her.  They never let our drink glasses get empty and just simply aimed to please. Each evening before dinner we would all meet in the lounge for cocktails and appetizers along with a briefing of the following day's excursions and the evening entertainment. It was very well organized!” Deb Behm, a travel advisor at Cruise & Travel Experts.