On May 6th, I co-hosted a meetup to talk about the differences between river cruising and ocean cruising. I had fun putting the presentation together with my colleague, Janet Lavern. It was interesting to put the slides together, and think about the differences in the two styles of cruising.
Here are some of the highlights:
Similarities -River and Ocean Cruises:
You :
•Relax in a moving hotel room
•Settle into stateroom, & unpack once
•Visit a variety of destinations
•Pay for all food & entertainment onboard in fare (save specialty)
•Have similar amenities in accommodations (private baths, storage)
•Have access to an internet center & WIFI
•Have access (on many) to gyms & libraries & lecturers
•Have planned activities
•Have safety briefings
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Differences: River vs Ocean Cruises
•One is a river, one is an ocean – d’uh J
•Oceans will take you to Venice, a river cruise won’t.
•The ancient world was developed alongside rivers
•Rivers were the main source of commerce, & were easy to navigate
•Places you visit on a river cruise cannot be reached by ocean:
•Amsterdam *Lyon *St. Petersburg
•Vienna * Strasbourg * Beijing
•Budapest * Avignon * the Nile River
•Roen * Prague * the Mekong River
•Paris * Belgrade * Vietnam
•Honfleur * Moscow
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Differences: River vs Ocean Cruises
•River vessels
•tend to run March-late fall (with some holiday sailings)
•visit destinations big ocean cruises cannot
•cruise ships themselves are not the focus on a river cruise
•showcase the historic sites and natural wonders
•vessels are more compact
•standard accommodations are smaller on rivers
•Shore excursions are included in the fare on rivers (some optionals for fee)
•Ocean cruises
•visit destinations small river cruises cannot
•the ship itself is often the focus on the holiday
•Cruise ships can be like large floating cities (but some smaller lines)
•The accommodations are often the focus on oceans
•Shore excursions are additional on oceans (only Regent includes)
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River Cruises – Won’t have
•Splashy production shows (entertainment onboard may be limited to shuttleboard & reading – there is limited public space dedicated to entertainment onboard)
•Children’s programs or facilities (on most) or often many children (generally – some co. like Tauck now offer family river)
•Pools, spas, beauty shops, casinos (generally)
•24-hour buffets & multiple dining options
•Life boats (you’re generally only 100 yds from shore)
•Tenders
•Onboard features and amenities of larger ocean ships (particularly in Europe – low-slung to sail under low-flying bridges)
•Really long time in ports (although better than many ocean), with much opportunity to sample local restaurants (many come back to boat to eat) + sightsee on your own
Ocean Cruises – Will Have
•Splashy production shows (although you can still play shuttleboard and read, there is a large amount of public space dedicated to entertainment onboard)
•Children’s programs or facilities (on most but more adult-oriented) and Children (generally – some oceans more adult-oriented)
•Pools, spas, beauty shops, casinos (generally)
•24-hour buffets & multiple dining options
•Life boats
•Tenders
•Onboard features and amenities that river ships can’t dream of (e.g., rock climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, water-roller coasters, etc.)
•Sometimes longer time in ports (esp. Azamara), with many opportunities to sample local restaurants + sightsee on your own
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River Cruises – Will Have
•No work – it’s a no-brainer vacation (depending on level adventure you like, that’s good or bad – some do have bikes now)
•Short distances between ports, full days of river cruising are rare
•Shore excursions included in the fare (some options available)
•Free internet
•Stability – you always see land, so seasickness worries are nonexistent
•Docks that are generally right in small towns, in the heart of the city
•Itineraries that may incorporate major cities as cornerstones, but your experience will focus as much on smaller towns and villages
•Impacts of Occasional weather issues (river water levels rise and fall – flooding)
Ocean Cruises – Won’t Have
•As little work as river (you have to make decisions about what to do, or not) – may offer more adventure
•Short distances between ports, full days of ocean cruising between ports are common
•Shore excursions included in the fare (save Regent)
•Free internet (unless special promotional offer)
•The same stability – you will see waves & feel motion
•Docks that are generally right in small towns (can be in large industrial port)
•Access to smaller towns and ports
•Weather issues don’t generally affect cruising (unless severe hurricane, then safety guides port selection)
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RIVER versus OCEAN Cruises
•Think
•River=“Small Town,” vs Ocean = “City”
•River = Anguilla, vs Ocean = Vegas
•River = “mom & pop” burger, vs Ocean = MacDonald’s (some smaller + luxury)
•River= 200 people onboard, vs Ocean can be >4000+ people (some smaller)
•River = leisurely pace, vs Ocean can be more frenetic (crowds)
•River = slow and small, vs Ocean = fast and large
•Really should compare River to Small Ocean Cruises
•Demographics & target market river cruises different AMA vs. Carnival
•AMA, Avalon & Viking are more similar to Regent, Crystal & Seabourn
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Quick Overview – AMA vs Regent
| Ama | Regent | |
| Stateroom square footage | 170 square feet to 255 square feet | 305 square feet- 1,216 square feet |
| Beer, wine & spirits | Beer and wine included w dinner | Beer, wine & spirits included (only premium or luxury ocean lines tend to include) |
| Open-seating dining | Yes | Yes – Regent has 4 dining venues (2 require reservations) |
| Internet | Included | Available for a fee |
| In-room dining | No | Yes |
| Shore excursions/ tours included | Yes | Yes (Regent is the only luxury line to include shore excursions) |
| Staff-to-guest ratio | 1-to-3 | 1-to-1.6 |
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And here’s a great article by Wendy Perrin that also discussed 13 differences.
“13 points” that make river cruising different – Wendy Perrin’s article here http://www.cntraveler.
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If you’d like me to help you match the river river cruise, or the right ocean cruise, to your family’s vacation needs and interests, please give me a call.
Sheila Gallant-Halloran
613-837-0699