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Some of us can travel on a mainline cruise and feel pampered and spoiled to our heart’s content. But if you’ve been on so many cruises that they’re all starting to look the same and you’re beginning to get that been-there-done-that-feeling, it’s time for you to step it up. Or if your idea of a luxury hotel is not a top-of-the-line chain, but an exquisite boutique hotel, you need an upgrade. Finally, if you’re not satisfied taking a cruise TO a country but want to take a cruise IN a country, it’s time for a change. If any of the above ring true for you, this week’s installment of Cruising 101: River and Luxury Cruising will speak to you.
If You’re Looking for Exquisite Accommodations and Services
In many businesses, bigger is better. This is not necessarily true in the cruise industry. If you are a more experienced traveler, you may want a personalized experience that you don’t have to share with thousands of other passengers. You may also have already visited many of the ocean ports and want to discover more exotic destinations. Deluxe cruise lines like Azamara, Oceania, and Cunard have smaller ships, so they can take you to destinations that large cruise ships cannot access, and there are other bonuses too. If you enjoy sodas and bottled water, they’re included. Gratuities are included. And if you are a pet-lover, you can even bring your dog with you on Cunard! Your best friend will be housed, cared for, and walked, and you can visit whenever you want.
Cruises are great, but how would you feel about being on a private yacht? If that sounds like the ideal vacation, you need to go luxury. On cruise lines like Regent, Seabourne, Silversea, and Crystal, you’ll experience the finest cuisine money can buy, with crew members that will meet your every need, including gratuities, spa, and all but the most expensive adult beverages. They’ll even bring you room service any hour of the day or night and refill your mini bar daily. Finally, with the size of their ships, you’ll only have hundreds of fellow passengers, not thousands, and few coastal destinations are out of reach.
If Visiting the Coast Isn’t Enough
My husband and I have been to over thirty countries, but I have to admit: Because we saw some of them via cruise, we often only visited their coastal cities. What if you love to cruise, but you want a more intimate introduction to a country? If you want to get into the heart of a country and visit more than its port cities without having to take long bus rides inland, you need a river cruise. River cruises get you into the heart of a nation and allow you to experience its culture, both on and off the ship. The most abundant of these cruises are on European rivers such as the Danube and the Rhine, but you can also experience luxury river cruises in other parts of Europe, such as Portugal, France, and Russia, as well as the Far East, Egypt, and even the United States.
You might look at the price tag of a river cruise, gasp a little, and wonder why you’re paying more money for less ship. You might also check out several different river cruise companies and wonder why all their ships tend to look the same. This is because, like rivers, river cruise ships need to be narrow and sleek but not too long. After all, they need to be able to navigate a river’s natural curves, as well as its manmade locks. They also need to fit under its beautiful, often ancient bridges and have a shallow enough draft that you won’t scrape bottom. These seem like limitations, but all of this is truly part of the beauty and culture of a river cruise experience. And with only 100-200 fellow passengers, it is a quieter, more intimate experience.
As for the price, you tend to get what you pay for. You’ve probably seen advertisements for Viking River Cruises, and you may even wonder if a Viking long ship is the only way to experience a river cruise. But Viking is only the beginning. Viking, like Emerald, Riviera, and Avalon, tend to offer lower prices but include less in the price. Like on ocean cruises, the price of the cruise is only part of your bill. You’ll also need to pay for airfare and hotel the night before departure. Then you’ll hand over your credit card upon embarkation in order to pay for your extras, which include drinks, some excursions, specialty dining, and gratuities.
For the most part, if you pay a higher initial cruise price, you won’t have to put much more into your vacation. Cruise lines like Scenic, AmaWaterways, and Uniworld often include airfare in their price. They also tend to spend the first night in the boarding city, saving you the price of a hotel room the night before departure (although the boarding city is a destination in itself, so you might want more time there anyway). For the most part, once you’re on board these vessels, only a massage or a gift shop purchase would cost you anything at all. Specialty dining? Included. Excursions? Included. And not just one excursion, but a choice of several at each stop. On Scenic, you’ll have everything from adult beverages to a butler to a pillow menu, electric bike, and even their TailorMade system, a talking gps that acts as your tour guide, whether you’re floating down the river on your balcony or walking/biking through the cities or countryside. Most don’t even take your credit card upon boarding!
No matter which river cruise line you take, you’ll find that you are experience the countries you visit in up-close and personal ways. You’ll be close to shore as you pass countryside and castles. At each port, you’ll walk directly off the ship into city and town centers, ready to explore without having to be bussed around.
If you are ready for the next step in cruising, try deluxe, luxury, or river cruise lines. Their price tags are high, but if you can afford it without going into debt, it may be just what you need to get more out of your vacation. Our next and last episode on cruising will help you prepare like a pro for your next cruise.
