Five reasons to go on a luxury river cruise

THINK of a five-star floating hotel; fine dining and world-class wines; like-minded travellers; ever changing scenery; and stop-overs in some of the world’s most fascinating towns and cities.

main

THINK of a five-star floating hotel; fine dining and world-class wines; like-minded travellers; ever changing scenery; and stop-overs in some of the world’s most fascinating towns and cities.

River cruising is all these things and continues to be one of the fastest growing travel trends of the past few years. With good reason, here are five of them:

Unpack and relax

Travelling from one location to the next means dragging your luggage from … one location to the next. And packing … and unpacking. But with river cruising you unpack at the start, settle in to your suite and your hotel travels with you. Many of the amenities on your river cruise are comparable to a four or five star hotel and access to those amenities is made easy by the fact that many of the ships carry around 140 people (compared to the Queen Mary 2 which carries 2620 people). This also means fewer queues, ability to embark and disembark with ease and the time and space to get to know your ship from sun deck to intimate bar. And all the while the world floats by at a pace far slower than a bus or a train, giving yourself the chance to observe and enjoy. It is a holiday after all.

All-inclusive goodness

Check with the company you choose to travel with as some river cruises are all-inclusive. This allows for greater peace of mind. At the end of the cruise you’re not pulling out your wallet, but saying farewell to new found friends. In a nutshell - the cruise, meals, drinks, transfers, tipping and excursions are all included in the one package. You also get to taste some of the finest beers (such as a 333 on the Mekong) and hand-selected wines that the region and meals are often also relevant to the local region.

Good things come in small packages

As mentioned above river vessels often carry as few as 140 guests so you often get to know most of the people on board and share meals with those you connect with. With the smaller size comes a higher staff-to-guest ratio so with everything from on-shore tours, to wait staff, you are ensured you get the most attentive service. And even though the ship may be small the ensuites are as roomy and comfortable as those of any high class hotel.

It’s all done for you

Everything is organised for you. There is no need to stress about putting an itinerary together, booking hotels, contemplating transport options, or finding yourself looking for a restaurant in the late evening in a strange town. Just relax. All the details are taken care of. But this doesn’t mean there is a rigid itinerary. Quite the opposite. The cruises are designed with many different included sightseeing options so you can “choose your own adventure”, whether it’s cycling, or attending a concert, visiting a museum, or exploring on foot, all these options are available and the choice is yours. You can be a leisurely or as active as you choose to be.

Heart of every town

Most towns and cities are centred around their initial port and therefore where your ship berths is usually right in the centre of the town or city. This gives you the advantage of being able to walk to the markets, museums and landmarks and immerse yourself in the local culture. And it changes by the day, with nothing more thrilling than waking up in a new location and a new world to discover.