I’ve never been one to take a cruise; however each time I receive a brochure from Viking River Cruises, the leader of the pack in this industry, I have to admit that it seems enchanting. There is something about the slow pace of it that is remarkable. You can see the sights, and appreciate the beauty of the land, while still staying in generous and luxurious quarters, and having the time to disembark and take tours that provide you with an opportunity to experience the culture, not just see it.
Normal cruising always sounds like so much fun from all of my friends who use it as their preferred vacation mode. They talk about the food, the dancing, the activities. However, much of the time, they admit that they stay aboard because it is a “hassle” to disembark. Tours are expensive and crowded. With river tours, it is more like being at a luxury hotel with all the services, coupled with immersion cultural experiences that are tied to the locations that you visit, all for an all-inclusive pricing, including the cost of tours.
Travelers who use river cruising come from all over the world. Consider what dinner conversations might be like with your other travelers on the river cruise? Oh, you can still have bar service 24/7, and dancing. Loads of activities, or just sit back, read, enjoy the sites and get ready for another immersion class. Oh, I think I’ll do that cooking class, or go to the wine tasting. Okay, the wine tasting wins.
There are several river cruise companies from which to choose. All of them offer approximately the same services, with travel throughout the rivers of Europe. The following article published in the Huffington Post, provides the details of the companies and their approaches.
So, for those of you who just love cruising… add river cruising to your travel portfolio. I think you might see me on the Danube.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/us-news-travel/why-river-cruising-is-all_b_6949024.html
The Discerning Traveler 