It used to be that when you did a tour of Europe, you would fly to Amsterdam, and haul your oversized luggage from the motor coach to a somewhat marginal hotel room, only to be ordered to have your bags outside your door for 6 pm so you could do the same thing all over again the next day. You would work your way from Amsterdam, across the Benelux countries, through France, and then fly home from Rome, completely exhausted, and vowing to throw away your massive suitcase for good.
Needless to say that river cruising is a significant improvement over those days!
But there are some residual features from the days of the bus tours. Perhaps most obviously, the majority of people going on a river cruise still fly to Amsterdam, and then hop on one of dozens of potential river ships and take a 7-day trip on the Rhine, to Switzerland, or a 14-day trip on the Danube, to Budapest.
These Rhine and Danube trips are definitely the most popular, especially with first time river cruisers, but they’re certainly not the only routes in Europe.
- For those with a particular love of the Dutch, you can sail round-trip from Amsterdam on the Rhine, Mosel, and Elbe rivers
- If France is more your speed, you can sail on the Rhone, Saone, or Seine Rivers.
- The Seine River runs from Paris to the Atlantic, and spends some time in Normandy – perfect for WWII history enthusiasts.
- There are also river cruises that run south from Paris down towards the French Riviera, for those wanting to see the French countryside.
- Finally, there are river cruises in Bordeaux, which are particularly interesting for those that have an interest in wine – particularly during the harvest.
- Italy is also a river cruising destination, often round trip out of Venice on the Po River. Optional trips to Lake Como are often added to these.
- German river cruises are available on the Oder and Elbe Rivers. Most often people sail between Berlin and Prague.
- If you prefer to be further south in Europe, you can sail on the Douro River through Portugal and Spain.
- You can even take a river cruise to Russia or the Ukraine.
There are also river cruises in Asia, South America, Egypt, and even the United States.
Most of these “other” river cruises are between 7 and 16 days long, and you’ll have a wide choice of itineraries. So while the classic Amsterdam to Budapest route is definitely worth considering, don’t feel bound by just one option.
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
