River Cruises By Carol Watts

What do the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, the Upper Amazon, Moscow and St. Petersburg, Beijing and Shanghai, Luxor and Aswan, Bucharest and Budapest, Paris, Lyon and Nice, Cologne, Basel, and Oberammergau have in common? No, it’s not a geography question. These countries are all over the map!

All these cities, and many more, can be visited on various river cruises, either directly or as an extension before or after the cruise. River cruising is growing in popularity for many reasons. One is, obviously, the varied itineraries. Second is the smaller size; most river cruise ships in Europe carry 130, and in China up to 400 passengers. Third, is the ability to customize your river cruise with various extensions.

Shortly after we bought the travel agency, someone came in looking for a trip to the Galapagos, the Upper Amazon, and Machu Picchu. I knew how to get him to each of the destinations, and maybe two together, but not all three. Imagine my surprise when I opened the 2010 Globus River Cruise catalog and there they were. I could understand the Amazon, after all it IS a river, but Machu Picchu as an add on? And the Galapagos too? Yup, it’s all there. With air fares costing what they do, more and more travelers want to maximize their travel budget by extending their travel in a certain region. Having everything seamlessly tied together, air, sea, and hotels by one tour company is a big plus, and the best way to have a hassle free and stress free vacation. Your ship acts as your hotel, docking right in the heart of a different town every morning.

When you think of river cruises, you probably think of the Rhine or the Danube. And rightly so, since these rivers were the pioneer destinations for river cruises. Before there were roads, travel and commerce in Europe was conducted on the rivers. So it’s only natural that great cities would grow up along the river routes. Cities like Vienna, Salzburg, Cologne, Strasbourg, Basel, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and so many more are located right on the river. You step off the ship and are literally in the city center.

But China and Russia river cruises have evolved over the past years as the demand for river cruising in different locations has grown. For a Yangtze River cruise, you start in Beijing, then fly to Chongqing to start your cruise down the river to Shanghai. There’s also an optional extension to Hong Kong or Tibet! Egyptian river cruises start and end in Cairo, with flights to Aswan for a cruise to Luxor, followed by a return flight to Cairo. In Russia, Viking River Cruses offers several itineraries: from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Moscow to Volgograd (Stalingrad), or Odessa to Kiev. Basically, a river cruise can be as extensive or as compact as you want. I mentioned Oberammergau earlier, because in 2010 many river cruises are offering the once a decade Passion Play as an extension.

How does river cruising differ from mainstream ocean cruising? First is the cost. Because of the European or Asian destinations, air fare is a large chunk of your budget. The only other negative, I feel, is that river cruise ships are seldom equipped with elevators. So anyone needing a wheelchair is not a good candidate. Imagine also the quaint city centers you will visit, all with cobbled streets.

On the plus side, you experience a more intimate atmosphere on river cruises. There is one seating for dinner, and it is open seating. Some cruise lines included wine with dinner, some do not. Often you will see the ship’s chef buying local produce in the marketplace that later appears on your plate that evening in a regional specialty meal. No casinos or lavish Las Vegas style shows on the river. Here the entertainment might be a local dance troup, regional musicians, or lectures on the local customs, history, and attractions. No long lines for disembarkation, and no flooding of small towns with thousands of tourists. But alas, no doctors or sick bay on board either.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that there are river cruises in the US also. While we have seen the demise of the Mississippi barges and paddle boats, like the Delta Queen, there are still small ships that ply the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and the Erie Canal, the Cape Cod, Maine, and eastern coasts, as well as Central America from Belize City to the Honduran Islands.

Warning: be prepared for sticker shock. But when you consider that tours with knowledgeable local guides in every port are included in the price tag, it’s understandable that the prices are higher than an ocean cruise, where optional shore excursions are at an additional cost .