When you’re ready to book a river cruise you could just call Viking, Avalon, or AMA. But do you know what they’re going to do? They’re going to sell you one of their cruises, whether it’s the best choice for you or not. They will certainly never tell you a competitor has a better product at a better price point. Count on it. Here’s some tips and stories on river boat cruising.
We know you’re curious about the fastest growing segment in the travel industry, river cruising. So were we. We packed our bags and set out to sail on as many different itineraries with as many different brands as possible. The results of that effort allow us to offer you the very best advice about which brand and which itinerary is right for you.
River cruises give you a front row seat to some of the world’s most enchanting waterfront cities. The ships dock right in the heart of the activity, only steps away from the charm, excitement, and bustle of many of the world’s most fascinating port towns. Sail the rivers of Europe, Asia, Egypt, Russia, China and even Africa. Did you know there are river cruises along many of the waterways of the United States as well?
Lisa Fleming’s Story
Driving a rental car through a country when you can’t read the signage really ups the vacation tension factor. It’s fun to see the sights of course, but not exactly relaxing.
That’s why boarding our Emerald Cruise Line ship proved to be such a contrast. We’d loved our days on the road, but there was something soothing about handing over travel control to the white-uniformed captain and his crew. We’d see all the sights between Amsterdam and Budapest but someone else would be in charge of getting us there—the lazy joys of river cruising.
The fun began before we set sail with a private boat tour of the canals of Amsterdam. Gliding along ancient waterways was the perfect way to settle into a cruising state of mind.
Later, after boarding, we watched through the glass doors of our suite as the ship pulled away from the dock. We unpacked and congratulated ourselves for booking this mode of travel. There would be no more traffic and no schlepping of suitcases from car to hotel for a week. We had a floating home! But lovely as our suite was, we didn’t linger—there was too much to see and do.
We started with a visit to the bridge, and drinks on the sunny upper deck. The captain was eager to explain how his huge collection of dials and gauges worked and even offered us a chance to take the wheel. We’d have happily chatted with him and lolled in the sun forever but soon had to head to the lounge for our first port talk.
Never having explored this part of Europe, we found the daily port talk covering the next day’s adventures made it easy to plan. Emerald offers shore excursions each day, most of which are walking or small group bus tours of local sites, but you’re also welcome to explore on your own. Each port talk gives you an orientation to the next day’s stop, explaining whether you’ll dock in easy walking distance to a town or if you’ll need transportation. You can choose between what Emerald offers or hire one of the cabs or private tour companies that are always gathered at the dock. A word to the wise – if you choose to explore on your own, be sure to arrange for a return that’s at least an hour in advance of sailing. If you’re not on board when the ship leaves, it will be up to you to make your way to the next port!
Sarah Brown’s Story
Since Covid hit, we’ve been hosting weekly Facebook Live chats, talking about episodes of Places to Love. On this chat, we were thrilled to discuss the wonderful Rhine River Cruise episode. We were thrilled to be joined by Kristin Karst, co-founder of AmaWaterways!
In 2018, Kevin and I brought the kids and our parents on their Rhine River cruise. It ended up being one of the best travel experiences of our lives. A whirlwind tour of Europe, while fun, is hardly ever easy (especially with kids). For every Instagrammed photo of a family jumping gleefully in the foreground of a gothic church, there is a real-life hunger-and-jet-lagged fuelled tantrum to go with it… and often it’s the adults, not the kids.
With the framework our ship provided, the trip was magical. The multi-generational trip allowed us an opportunity to create memories together without the stress of getting from A to B. We explored Heidelberg castle; learned about Gutenberg’s printing press in Mainz, Germany; and pretended we were the stars of our own fairy-tale on the cobblestone streets of Strasbourg, France. And the adults got to drink —er— study the region’s fabulous wines and beer.
River cruising is growing in popularity, and it’s easy to see why.
Unlike ocean liners, the ships are small and contained. It’s not an overwhelming experience where the first half of your trip is spent just orientating yourself. Instead of days at sea, serenely sailing from one destination to another is an absolute treat, with beautiful vistas you can only see from the water. Plus, you only have to unpack once! And if you’re like me, you love the peace of mind knowing you’re always close to the shore in case of an emergency.
You can tell every little detail, from the full balconies to the personalised and thoughtful service, is well-considered. The AmaWaterways team has spent nearly two decades perfecting the experience. Since their founding 18 years ago, the family-run business has grown to a fleet of 25 ships. From the 14-suite Zambezi Queen sailing in Africa, to the largest river ship in Europe, the AmaMagna (which still only hosts 196 guests), they pride themselves on providing guests with a unique and personalised trip they’ll never forget.
A few highlights from our conversation with Kristin:
She pointed out that AmaWaterways offers both excursions in the cities/towns, along with those that get you into nature. Think hiking, biking, that kind of thing. So whether you’re a history buff, or someone who’d prefer to climb to the tallest point in town than see their 18th church, AmaWaterways has you covered.
And if you worry about sea sickness: me too! Because rivers are shallow, you get stability you’re not going to find on an ocean liner. I tend to get very sea sick, and I felt great throughout my entire trip.
I guarantee our conversation with Kristin will leave you dreaming of your own river cruise. Where would you like to go? Their Nile trip certainly piqued my interest.
After the port talk, dinner was next on the agenda, and we were impressed not only by the extensive menu choices and the elegant dining room décor but also by the service. The chef and his team pride themselves on creating menus that celebrate the cuisine of each region the ship sails through, so our first night’s dinner included such Dutch treats as herring, bitterballen, krokets, rookworst (sausages) and snert (a traditional pea soup). We tried a little of everything, trying hard to remember that each day would bring a different collection of culinary treats. Is it any wonder that cruise guests come home heavier than when they left?
The post-dinner entertainment that evening was low-key but charming—a local band who came aboard to play traditional Dutch tunes in the lounge. Afterwards, we headed to our suite to watch the lights on the river bank twinkling in the darkness. We knew that the week ahead would be filled with the wonders of Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. There would be fascinating medieval towns and hilltop castles to explore, and we’d ride the ship’s bikes through the countryside and along the rivers our ship was sailing. We’d visit wineries and enjoy guided tours of not one, but four exciting capital cities along the way—and Emerald’s talented staff and crew would handle every detail.
We were already captivated by the magic of river cruising and it was only day one.
