Planning a trip can be overwhelming if you aren’t sure where to go or what to do. A vacation can take many forms, and while we all have our unique preferences and comfort zones when it comes to travel, taking some kind of break from work and responsibilities every once in a while is always a good idea. Choosing how to vacation is usually the hard part, but it doesn't have to be.
According to the CAA Travel team, river cruises continue to be one of the most popular forms of travel booked by our clients—and it’s no wonder. Riving cruising provides travellers with a chance to conveniently visit multiple destinations while enjoying the numerous onboard comforts these floating hotels have to offer.
To explore this topic further, we sat down with CAA Travel Consultant, Mandy Arnold, an expert in river cruise vacations, to talk about this intimate way of voyaging.
What are some things people should consider when booking a river cruise?
Prior to booking a river cruise, you’ll need to determine a few factors:
What’s your budget? - River cruises have higher starting prices than ocean cruises, but also tend to have more inclusions in their packages. It’s important to first determine how much you’d like to spend on your trip because it will help you to determine other factors, like how long, what time of year, and where you’d like to go.
How many days would you like to go for? - The majority of river cruises span seven days, but some lines offer longer trips that are 10 days to two weeks or more.
What time of year are you looking to go? - The cruising season runs from March to December, with the summer months being the most popular time to go, but different seasons present unique travel experiences. In spring, you can take Holland’s Tulip Tour; autumn can be a beautiful time to see the fall foliage or experience Germany’s Oktoberfest celebrations; or if you don’t mind cooler temperatures, you could consider a Christmas market cruise. Off peak season cruises will also offer lower prices, as well as smaller crowds.
Where are you looking to go? - River cruises aren’t just limited to Europe—you can explore Asia, Africa, South America and more! Different destinations offer vastly different experiences, so it’s important to do lots of research ahead of booking to see what will best suit your interests.
As a travel consultant, how do you determine which cruise destinations and river cruise supplier(s) are the best for your clients?
Once we determine factors like budget, timing, and general location, I will ask my clients which specific countries interest them. Sometimes I’ll get first-time cruisers that don’t know exactly where they’d like to go and, in that scenario, I will provide two or three options within Europe. I’ll also ask clients what their specific interests are—are they foodies or wine lovers? In that case, maybe they’d enjoy the rivers of Bordeaux. Are they history buffs? The Rhine has an abundance of castles on either side of the river and takes you to a number of historic cities and sights. Are they interested in art and architecture? Seine river cruises take you through Paris, where you have some of the world's best museums. Are they active? The Danube offers a variety of outdoor activities; Austria’s Wachau Valley, in particular, is known for cycling.
What rivers would you recommend to travellers who are cruising for the first time?
For first-time river cruisers, I always recommend the Danube or the Rhine.
The Danube highlights a number of marquee cities –Nuremberg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava—within the heart of Europe. It also offers a variety of landscapes and sights to see, like the vineyards in Wachau Valley, the Chain Bridge in Budapest, and the scenic cliffs of the Iron Gates between Serbia and Romania.
The Rhine also takes you through the middle of Europe and really showcases each country’s rich culture and history. Depending on the cruise, a trip through the Rhine may have you discovering things like Amsterdam’s picturesque canal houses, Cologne’s Gothic Dom, and several stately castles.
Do you have any river cruise destinations currently on your bucket list? Which one(s)?
It’s been my dream for quite some time to take the Grand European Tour, which is a 15-day, four-nation voyage beginning in Amsterdam, stopping in German and Austrian cities along the way, before ending in Budapest. My hope is for my mom and I to go on her 80th birthday in 2022. Following the cruise, we would stay a night in Budapest and then take a bus over to Prague and stay a night there before heading home.
Are there opportunities for travellers to extend their river cruise trip?
River cruise don’t typically have a looped route like ocean cruises and, therefore, they will start and end in different cities, which is why many passengers will take advantage of pre- and post- stay opportunities. I always recommend that travellers stay one or two nights in the pre- and post-cruise destinations because they may not get the opportunity to explore those cities at a later time and tacking them onto their current trip is a modest additional cost compared to booking an entirely separate trip later on. Passengers can book pre- and post- extensions as part of the river cruise package or separately if they so choose. By booking the stays as part of the cruise package, lodging, guided city tours and transport to and from the airport and ship port will be included, allowing travellers to fully immerse themselves in the food and culture of the region without worrying about all the logistics.
Interested in river cruising?
When it comes to planning the perfect river cruise, CAA Niagara’s Travel Consultants are the experts. Book an appointment online, call 1-800-263-7272 or visit your local CAA Branch to start planning your next getaway.
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