Why River Cruising NEEDS To Be Your Next Trip

Imagine waking up on the water in France, gently being rocked side to side as the river flows beneath your boat. Looking out your cabin window, you glimpse a well-preserved medieval city, surrounded by luscious vineyards.

This is what river cruising is like: a more intimate experience with waterways and ports of call in comparison to a trip on a large ocean cruise liner. Whether in Europe, Asia, or the mighty Amazon of South America, river cruises have become quite popular. Read on to find out what life’s really like on-board.

Bigger is not necessarily better

Ocean cruise ships continue to be built more massively, accommodating as many as five or six thousand people. River cruising, on the other hand, is far more personal and hands-on, typically catering to 30 passengers only. Having a smaller group allows for greater customization toward everyone’s needs and itinerary activities.

Travellers boarding a river cruise in Vietnam
Travellers boarding a river cruise in Vietnam

“River cruising is my favourite cruise choice for several reasons,” says Jo Anne Tuck of Riverwood Travel. “I am not one who enjoys standing in line, or elbowing into a buffet line, so the trend toward ‘bigger is better’ on ocean line cruising is not the least bit enticing to me.”

The food is spectacularly fresh and gourmet

Travellers feasting onboard in Tournus, France
Travellers feasting onboard in Tournus, France

Due to their small size, river boats can’t stock all the ingredients needed to feed passengers for a week or two. Instead, the kitchen crew buys fresh, local food at the markets along each stop — not only bringing quality ingredients on-board to cook with, but also supporting the local economy along the way. Preparing meals for a smaller group also means more of a true gourmet experience, incorporating regional flavour that gives guests a glimpse into the culture of the place.

There’s a real immersion into local culture

Unlike immense ocean liners with a half-day in port to participate in group excursions or stroll along the typically tourist-filled dock area, guests on a river cruise experience “shore leave” in a whole new way.

First of all, you’re in a very small group that quickly become friends, and together you explore the vineyards of Burgundy, the wildlife of the Amazon, the temples of India, or the markets of Vietnam. Local guides are used, rather than tour directors from the ship. While the landings are often made on foot, there are also many stops where you might explore by bicycle, rickshaw, train, canoe, or even a buffalo cart!

Monks at work in India
Monks at work in India

In addition, local culture is brought onto the boat for entertainment or education; this might be a dance show, or a local scholar discussing the history and traditions of the place you’re exploring.

You’ll meet interesting people and make new friends

River cruising is an intimate experience that allows passengers to be on a first-name basis from day one. “The guests on river boats are well travelled and well educated,” says Tuck. “They are travelling for the cultural learning experience of the quaint towns along the rivers.”

It’s an easy way to travel

Once you’re on-board and settled into your cabin, you only have to unpack and repack once. Service is personal and excellent due to the limited number of passengers and staff-to-guest ratio. And for people who shy away from boats due to motion sickness, river cruising could be a great option. You’re never out of sight of land, and the generally calm waters of a river mean that very few people ever get seasick.

Don’t expect the same amenities as a cruise ship

The big ocean liners are filled with glitzy casinos and clubs, dozens of restaurants or cafés, children’s areas, swimming pools, spas, and more. For someone who wants all of this, river cruising might not be the best option. People who take a river cruise are there to experience and explore the destination, not spend time at the slot machines or Broadway-style shows.

A river cruise in France, Burgundy
A river cruise in France, Burgundy

The bottom line is if you are looking to really be immersed in the local culture and flavour of a place — literally, right down to the food! — and you like the idea of small groups and personal service, then river cruising is for you.

G Adventures is an adventure travel pioneer offering the planet's most awe-inspiring selection of affordable small-group tours, safaris and expeditions. Their award-winning trips embrace authentic accommodation, exotic cuisine and local transport to put travellers on a first-name basis with the planet’s people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife.

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