ANP Travel

There’s nothing like lounging on the deck of a graceful ship while watching a magnificent field of sunflowers or a 12th-century cathedral slide slowly into view. Or waking each day to the thrill of a different European city spread out before you. Sound appealing? Then a European river cruise may be your perfect next vacation.

More and more Americans are discovering the laid-back luxury, the intimacy, and the personal service of the small-ship experience. Seeing Europe from its rivers — from its earliest routes of exploration, invasion, conquest, and trade — puts you at the very heart of a region and its history.

There are two distinct types of vessels that cruise the inland waterways of Europe: riverboats and canal barges. It’s important to distinguish between the two because the experiences they offer are quite different.

Canal barges usually hold a maximum of 24 passengers. Also called peniches, they ply narrow, tree-lined canals and travel deep into the countryside. Cruising at an average of five to six miles a day, canal barges typically cover 30 to 50 miles per week.

River-cruise ships are larger, holding anywhere from 60 to 300-plus passengers. They cruise the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Po, Elbe, Douro, Volga, and other major rivers. In a week, you’ll travel 150 to 200 miles or more. And the recent completion of the Main-Danube Canal makes it possible to travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea on a voyage that spans eight countries.

Today, the European river-cruise industry is in a major expansion mode. Nearly every corner of the continent has navigable rivers and a selection of ships, which continue to grow increasingly comfortable and luxurious. Peter Deilmann Cruises offers 39 different itineraries and 243 European river cruises on nine ships. Vik­ing River Cruises has unveiled 10 new ships in the last five years, including the 198-passenger Viking Sun, new in Europe this year.

Avalon Waterways, one of the newer companies on the scene, has three ships and big plans. “We’re definitely growing, not just in ships, but also in destinations,” says managing director J. Patrick Clark Jr. “The river-cruise business is rapidly expanding to cater to the growing demand, much like the ocean-cruise industry has grown and improved over the last 10 to 15 years.”

River cruising is meant to be a restful experience. It’s about stashing your luggage and having time and energy to explore without the hassle of packing and unpacking, searching for hotels, and navigating unfamiliar roads. Some say river cruises are the new bus tours of Europe — only better. “Actually, river cruising is perfect for those who would dread a traditional motor-coach tour,” Clark says.

If you’ve cruised this way in the past, you may be surprised at how things have changed. Once quite spare, the ships are now loaded with amenities such as terry bathrobes and European-style duvets; in-room phones and satellite TV; minibars, balconies, and sliding French doors. Many now have Internet access, hair salons, massages, Jacuzzis, and even small swimming pools.

While some itineraries rely on nighttime motoring to gain more mileage, all ships cruise for at least part of the day. “Ninety percent of what you see will be exceptionally scenic,” says Ellen Sack of The Barge Lady Collection, a Chicago-based broker of European canal and river cruises (www.barge
lady.com). “Routes are planned so the most beautiful parts of each river — such as the Rhine Gorge — are visible during the day.”

In each port, you have the choice of spending the day on your own or signing up for a variety of excursions, usually via tour coach, and always with a guide. Some companies include shore trips in the fee, others charge a supplement. While history, architecture, and local culture figure prominently­ in all itineraries, most cruise companies offer theme cruises as well: classical music, wine, biking, golf, etc.

And although the dollar is in dreadful shape against the euro, a European river cruise still offers considerable bang for the travel buck. Most voyages are all-inclusive, which means you’ll know beforehand exactly how much you’ll spend. To lure Americans to Europe, some companies are offering early-booking discounts, while others have eliminated single supplements. The best buys are typically early and late in the season.

“Given the difficult exchange rate, a European river cruise — bought in U.S. dollars — is one of the year’s best values for a European vacation,” says Susan J. Young, sen­ior cruise editor at Travel Agent Magazine. “You pay a flat rate and then enjoy all meals, accommodations, transfers, cultural pres­entations, and, in some cases, even shore trips and airfare for that one price.”

A 12-day Blue Danube and Prague itinerary offered by the cruise company Uniworld, for example, begins at $2,248 per person double. It includes round-trip airfare from the U.S. to Europe, a seven-night cruise in an outside cabin aboard the River Princess or River Countess, all meals aboard ship, seven guided shore trips, an escorted tour from Nuremberg to Prague, three nights’ lodging in Prague, and more.

“Cruising has always been a great value in Europe,” says Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCompete.com, which works with cruise travel agents nationwide to help passengers find the best fares. “River cruising is the best of both worlds. You’ll see a lot of places on an intimate basis — like you would with a car or coach tour — but since most towns are built around the river, you usually don’t have to walk far to see the major sights.”