If you live in the northern half of the country, and you’re anything like me, January can be a bit of a struggle.
When it’s not light out until 8.00 in the morning, and the sun sets before 5.00pm, it’s hard to find the energy to do much other than work and what in minimally required to maintain the house.
I’ve found that one of my coping mechanisms for the dark and cold is to use January to transform some of my travel dreams into reality. But sometimes planning an adventure several months into the future is far too abstract to act as therapy to the winter blues.
Some people choose this time of year to go to Florida and hop on a ship to the warmer climes of the Caribbean. This is a great way to get some sun, but for me, the Caribbean is somewhat routine and dull as a travel destination. Plus – it is at this time of year that the cruise lines charge a premium to get on board in that region.
Last year we kicked the winter blues with a river cruise in France in March. Here’s a link to our video blogs if it is of interest: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVEP9ouRrZGrhocmhYp7EUPW
We put this trip together on fairly short notice (for a river cruise); we booked it about 3 months in advance.
If you feel the need to have something to look forward to this spring, there is some availability left in April.
There is no doubt the weather can be a bit of a gamble in April, but it is not too cold. The average temperatures in Paris, Amsterdam and Budapest at this time of year are in the 60s, and there are typically between 5 and 7 days of rain during that month.
The other nice thing about being a month or two earlier than the normal tourist season is that the historical and cultural sites in Europe are far less crowded than they are May through September. The trade-off of having to pack a sweater and a rain coat is well worth NOT having to fight the crowds as much.
Taking a quick look at river cruise availability this April, Viking is mostly sold out. This is generally what we would expect so close to departure. However, I can see some availability on AMA and Uniworld for those who might want to beat the crowds to Europe this spring.
I can see base fares between $2800 and $3500 per person, which is also pretty good value for river ships in Europe.
If you need a lift from the post-Christmas blahs, and you were thinking about a European river cruise, now might be time to book.
Planning a Cruise? I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
