Navigating the River Cruise Waters

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
A European river cruise is a bucket list trip for a lot of people and, once hooked, making multiple journeys is quite common. If you’re exploring a river cruise for the first time, there’s a lot of nitty-gritty information that river cruise companies don’t tell you upfront. Working with a travel advisor can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation in the long run.
 
First of all, there is no “one size fits all” best river cruise company. Some are true luxury, which is fabulous for those who can afford it, but are beyond the budget of most people who travel as a lifestyle. Some river cruises cater to older (aka retired) travelers while others direct their activities to active adults and multigenerational families. There’s also at least one river cruise company that designs the ship, cuisine and itineraries for younger (under 40) travelers who want to hang with people in their millennial age range. So, make sure you choose a cruise directed to your personal interests and demographic.
 
7 Factors to Consider When Exploring a River Cruise Vacation:

1. The big-print price in the catalog is not the price you should expect to pay. Cruise lines quote the lowest cabin category, often the interior cabins with no windows or the lower level cabins with a small fixed window. If you want the big open balcony with sliding glass doors, that upgrade can run up to $1600 higher than the quoted price – per person.
2. Cabin location matters. Midship tends to be the area where you feel the least motion, although river cruises are normally very gentle since you are not sailing through ocean waters. Inquire about stairs and the ship layout. While some people like the convenience of being centrally located, others prefer the quietness of a cabin away from heavily trafficked areas.
3. You need to pay port fees – usually a couple of hundred dollars per person.
4. Alcoholic beverages may not be included. Some cruise lines charge for soft drinks as well. Often, the “all inclusive” package covers beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages at lunch and dinner. What if you want a cocktail before dinner? Negotiating an onboard credit can help to offset these types of expenses.
5. Most river cruises include excursions as part of the “all inclusive” package. Indeed, there is likely to be something on the agenda every day. However, other options are available – for a fee – and these, not surprisingly, tend to be the day trips that seem like the most fun.
6. Climate change. The weather around the world is becoming less predictable. This means that winters may be mild or furious, affecting snowmelt and springtime water levels. If water is too high, ships can’t always pass under certain bridges. On the flip side, if it’s a hot, dry summer, water levels may be too low to get through parts of the passage. There is absolutely nothing any river cruise company can do about this other than assure passengers that they will accommodate to the best of their ability either transporting passengers by bus to the next location while they swap out a ship already in that area, or putting passengers in a hotel for a night to catch up with a different ship the next day. Before you book, ask the company how they address water level situations, and if they offer any type of credit for passengers who are inconvenienced due to climate change. If you want the option of cancelling a trip due to weather or climate conditions, you will need to purchase “cancel for any reason” trip insurance from a third-party company.
7. If you purchase airfare from the cruise company as part of the package, you may wind up with an unnecessary connection and an unpreferred seat assignment. Getting the flights, seats and luggage allowance you want may not happen unless you pay more to upgrade. You will get there, but not necessarily as conveniently as you would if you booked your flights separately. (Paying for the upgrade through the cruise company is sometimes easier, and usually entitles you to free transfers from the airport.)

 
The best way to get great deals on river cruises is to take advantage of early bird and last-minute deals, off-season schedules, and bargaining power of travel advisors who work with a consortium that brings high-volume special perks. Travel advisors keep their radar up for what clients want.
 
7 Great Things About River Cruising:

1. You get to explore multiple places without having to drag your luggage around. It stays in your cabin.
2. No hassle of driving or figuring out transportation.
3. You get to sleep on a ship and wake up in a new place every day.
4. The ships are small enough to get into ports that the big cruise liners can’t access. (For more authentic and intimate ports, try a barge river cruise.)
5. New itineraries are popping up – the Douro River in Portugal (which is less likely to be affected by changes in water levels), the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam (with pre- and/or post-cruise land tours) and the Amazon River in Peru (which couples well with an add-on to Machu Picchu.)
6. Specialty cruises are becoming popular for families and friends who want to delve deeper into a cultural or educational experience  (e.g. wine tours, beer tours, music tours, Christmas markets and Jewish heritage.)
7. Shorter itineraries (4, 5, 6-days) are now available as the millennial influence takes hold in the travel industry. The trend is to travel more, and with limited vacation time, travel companies are taking note. Pre- and post-cruise land extensions have become very popular as a way to experience a few more days in a destination before heading home. (The standard river cruise trip is 8 or 11 days, which is great for retired travelers who have time and money to see the world, but may put working travelers into a time crunch.)

 
Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a PRSA-accredited public relations practitioner, and an IATA-accredited travel advisor. Connect through facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, Instagram @friendgrouptravel or [email protected].

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