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River cruising is an entirely different experience than ocean cruising, and for some people it is the only way to enjoy their cruising holidays.
River cruising can take many forms and it is particularly popular in the UK because of the easy accessibility for embarkation to a good deal of the river boat cruises.
Many companies offer river cruises, especially in European waters. Some of these include river cruise lines such as Viking River Cruises, CroisiEurope and Peter Dielmann Cruises. Many are organised directly through the cruise line, while others are put together by tour companies to include both the cruise and a land tour as well. Some of the major players among the tour companies include Abercrombie & Kent, Voyages Jules Verne, and Saga.
River cruises take place in various parts of the world, and many different rivers are explored. For example, in Europe one can take cruises down the rivers of the Danube; Douro, Elbe, Mosel, Oder, Rhine, Rhone, Saone or Seine. And if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic and are willing to travel a bit to get to the boat, there’s always the Amazon, Nile or Yangtze rivers.
River cruise ships are generally floating hotels. Some are more luxurious than others, and some have more facilities than others. For example, most have pools and most have libraries, but few will have such things as ice skating rinks or rock climbing walls. These boats are generally for adults, and provide a very relaxing cruise experience. Few have active children’s activity programmes even during the school holidays.
While many of the ships will offer nightly entertainment, don’t look for a wild nightlife onboard. River cruise passengers tend to be different from the type of passengers most ocean liners will carry, and for them the ports and the scenery will be the draw of the cruise, not the ship’s comedy act. Also, the ports are much closer together when travelling on a river, and rarely will there be a day when the ship is not in port. So passengers on these types of cruise usually save their energy for exploring on shore, and tend to retire to their staterooms early.
River cruises, just like ocean ones, tend to be priced for varying budgets. Some ships offer elegant accommodation, and passengers will pay top money for the experience. But many of the river cruise ships also cater to the budget traveller with more modest accommodation and less included amenities. Crew to passenger ratios on most of these ships is never less than one crew member for every 2.5 passengers.
Many river cruise passengers are veterans of previous ocean voyages, sometimes dozens of them. They are looking for something new and something different. River cruising offers that different experience with smaller ships and more intimate surroundings. Since most scenic cruising takes place very close to the banks of the river, even when on the boat, passengers have plenty to see just by sitting in a comfortable deck chair with a hot cup of tea. River cruising is also great for all ages, and even those who face mobility challenges can often get a lot out of a holiday since there is so much to see without having to venture off the ship. Be forewarned, however, that many of these river cruise boats do not have special facilities for the handicapped, and passengers confined to wheelchairs may have a hard time since many of the boats do not have elevators.
There are a lot of places one can visit on a seafaring cruise ship, but there are even more amazing sights that can be viewed from onboard a river boat. Our world has many large rivers; many of them virtually unexplored by most tourists. A river cruise will be one that will be less crowded, offer more chances for socialising with one’s fellow passengers, and could be far more scenic than just about any ocean cruise itinerary one could book.
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