Is it time for a river cruise?
I think so.
I’ve done over 30 ocean cruises, and did my first river cruise about 5 years ago. And now I’m hooked.
Sure, ocean cruises are fantastic – especially small ships and expedition cruises. They’ll always have a piece of my heart. Ocean cruises bring you to a country.
But here’s the biggest difference – river cruises take you through a country.
There’s nothing like the intimacy of a river cruise.
The largest river cruise ship has 190 people onboard, but many cruise lines have 164 people or less.
And when you think that in Europe, anyway, all the river cruise ships are the same “box” – they all have to sail under the same bridges and around the same curves of the river, so the river cruise ships are generally all the same size – but there is quite a difference between the different river cruise lines in how many people they put onboard, and how they decorate the rooms.
There are differences in size of rooms and comfort.
There are differences in what they include (all alcohol all the time, or beer and wine; all transfers and gratuities, or pay as you go).
There are differences in the service levels (the number of crew onboard) and their food (are they award-winning foodies or do they provide the basics).
There are also differences in the additional things they offer – such as bikes, salons, fitness rooms, and special programs.
One of the things I do for my clients is to matchmake them to the right river cruise for them.
I’m certified in all the major river cruise lines – Tauck, Uniworld, AMA, Avalon, Scenic, Emerald, International Expeditions, and more. I know and have helped 1000s of clients with the right holiday for them. So, I work with you to find the right fit.
You may know that I’ve travelled with most of the companies – took a group to the Amazon with International Expeditions, been to Europe on the Danube and Rhine with Tauck and others, took a large group of 75 with Uniworld for a Christmas market cruise, etc. etc.
I’m recently working a lot more with AMA Waterways. While I love each of my river cruise partners for what they specialize in (and they all have their strengths), I’m finding AMA is a great fit for more and more clients.
This might share some additional info as to why AMA might be good for you.
Why AMA https://www.amawaterways.ca/agent/lushlife/whyamawaterways
Award-winning https://www.amawaterways.ca/agent/lushlife/explore/award-winning (in fact, I was just in Vegas at the global travel show, Virtuoso Travel Week, and AMA won best river-cruise company)
You can find more about dining here https://www.amawaterways.ca/agent/lushlife/explore/onboard-dining
You can see detail about excursions here https://www.amawaterways.ca/agent/lushlife/explore/included-tours – the tours from the ships are escorted
Some FAQ https://www.amawaterways.ca/agent/lushlife/river-cruise-frequently-asked-questions
And – AMA is just celebrating their 20th anniversary. There’s a terrific sale that expires on Sept.30th – so let me know if that might interest you.