These luxury trips have
long been intimate and engaging. Now ships are adding more features to bring
younger travelers aboard
by Irene S. Levine |July 31, 2018
You'll
often spend more time off of the boat on a river cruise, making them a great
way to have an active, mobile vacation.
River cruising has
exploded in popularity in recent years, and no wonder: Travelers avoid
mega-ship crowds, enjoy scenic vistas from the deck, and stop at picturesque
cities and towns that might not otherwise be accessible in a larger vessel.
But you may be
apprehensive about taking your first river cruise, especially if you consider
yourself an active traveler who likes to get out and about. You may worry that
a river trip will be too boring, confining, slow-paced, and sedentary.
“The cruise industry
as a whole has been pushing back heavily on these fears for the past decade or
so,” says Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor of Cruise Critic, the largest
online cruise review community.
That means you’re
increasingly likely to encounter active excursions on shore and exercise and
wellness programs as you sail.
“Several years ago,
river cruise lines started bringing bikes on board, kicking off a sweeping
trend in more active river cruises that has made them more attractive to
younger cruisers,” says Michelle Baran, senior editor of Travel Weekly.
“River cruise lines
have added hiking options, kayaking trips, yoga and workout classes, and more
creative and engaging excursions like painting workshops that resonate with
younger travelers,“ she says. “All these things are making river cruises seem
more hip—and they really are much more hip than they were ten, or even five,
years ago.”
So if you’re looking
to book your first river cruise, here’s what you need to know.
What to expect on
board
Over the past decade,
river cruising has been one of the fastest growing segments of the industry.
Cruise Critic reports that more than 80 new and refurbished river ships have
launched over the past three years. Only eight new traditional ocean ships are
set to launch in 2019.
Much like being on a
floating hotel, river cruises eliminate the hassles of arranging all your
accommodations, meals, transportation, and tours. You visit multiple towns (and
even several countries) without having to pack and unpack every day.
With distances
between ports shorter than on sea voyages, it’s not uncommon to stop at one or
more harbors each day as the vessels meander through inland waterways that are
far calmer than oceans (so you’re less likely to experience seasickness).
Due to their size,
riverboats can’t possibly offer the glitzy bells and whistles of big ships.
Compared to ocean
liners, riverboats are relatively small, often carrying fewer than 200
passengers. The vessels travel slowly, typically at speeds of about 10 knots,
and cover much less distance than big ships do.
Although staterooms
are smaller too, standard cabins on the most popular lines are spacious enough
to stow belongings and maneuver comfortably, and most have windows or
balconies, all the better to enjoy the views.
Due to their size, riverboats
can’t possibly offer the glitzy bells and whistles of big ships (casinos, large
theatrical productions, climbing walls, specialty restaurants, and so on).
Public spaces usually include just a lounge, bar, and dining rooms. Instead,
they are port-intensive.
What you get for the
price
Although inclusions
vary, river cruises tend to be “mostly inclusive,” so you’ll have a reasonably
good idea of your vacation costs before leaving home.
Typically you’ll get
three meals a day onboard (or the occasional off-site culinary excursion), at
least one complimentary guided tour at each port, and beer and wine with lunch
and dinner. Keep in mind that mealtimes are quite rigid. On the plus side, you
aren’t likely to encounter the long buffet lines associated with larger ships.
All of this may not
come cheap. For example, a stateroom next summer on Viking River Cruises’ 15-day Grand European tour starts at $5,500 per person and
runs as high as $13,000 (including airfare from the U.S.).
Mealtimes
are quite rigid, but you aren’t likely to encounter the long buffet lines
associated with larger ships.
“When comparing the
costs of a river cruise to an ocean cruise, you’ll likely notice higher fares
on rivers,” says Cruise Critic’s McDaniels. “That’s generally due to the fact
the river lines have a more inclusive pricing structure than those of
mainstream ocean lines.”
Perks like Wi-Fi,
shore excursions, and beverages are more likely to be extras on ocean cruises.
Still, on river cruises, you may need to add on the cost of optional tours,
premium wines and spirits, and tips.
The changes on the
horizon
As river cruising
catches on, the industry is evolving.
“Historically, we’ve
seen the average age onboard river cruises skew higher than that of ocean
cruises,” says Cruise Critic’s McDaniel. “Up until just a couple of years ago,
river lines weren’t all that family-friendly.”
With excursions and
amenities tailored to younger and more active travelers, adds McDaniel, “we are
seeing the average age come down.”
To remain
competitive, cruise lines are putting more emphasis on healthy, locally
sourced, farm-to-table foods tied to the destinations being visited. “They’ve
embraced the foodie trend, with wine-themed cruises and more authentic and
experience-driven culinary experiences such as cooking classes and tastings,”
says Travel Weekly’s Baran.
That’s opening up
more options for river cruisers in search of healthy foods and services.
“Wellness is definitely becoming a much stronger driver of our leisure clients’
travel choices,” says W. Anthony Huffman, founder of Huffman Travel, a luxury
travel specialist in Dayton, Ohio.
“They’ve embraced the
foodie trend, with wine-themed cruises and more authentic and experience-driven
culinary experiences.”
Michelle Baran
Travel Weekly
For example, Crystal Cruises,
the luxury ocean line that introduced its first riverboat in 2016, now has five
river ships sailing in Europe, each with fitness centers, spas, indoor pools,
and an onboard fitness director leading yoga and stretching classes. Plus, you
can sign up for biking and hiking excursions.
Each of the 23 AmaWaterways river ships
has a fitness room, walking track, and bicycles; many have heated outdoor
pools. The line’s newest and most spacious river ship—the AmaMagna, set
to launch in May 2019—will feature a Zen Wellness Studio with exercise and
stretching classes, a juice bar, a large heated pool, and a platform at the
rear of the ship for water sports.
Scenic River
Cruises, which operates 16 river ships in Europe and Asia, has
introduced personal audio devices so guests can take independent GPS-guided walks
at various ports.
“I think for a lot of
people that stereotype of river cruising being boring and for older people
really persists,” says Baran. “But the demographic is definitely getting
younger.”
How to find your
first cruise
To settle on the
right cruise, check out the itineraries, onboard amenities, shore excursions,
what’s included and what’s not, and per person costs. You can compare options
at sites like cruise.com,
Cruise Compete,
and Seahub.
A travel agent
familiar with various cruise lines’ offerings can be immensely helpful. Two
major travel agencies that have searchable databases of advisors, including
some who specialize in river cruises, are Virtuoso
and TravelLeaders. The Cruise Lines International Association
(CLIA) also has a searchable database of agents.
A travel agent
familiar with various cruise lines’ offerings can be immensely helpful.
Remember you’ll be
spending most of your time off the ship, so carefully check out shore
excursions. (Cruise line websites usually detail them.)
Even though
excursions are included, don’t feel compelled to join every one. You can spend
your time onboard instead—or plan independent excursions that allow for
serendipitous discovery.
By going rogue from the group, you can set your own time and pace
(as long as you adhere to the ship’s scheduled departure time). And although
meals are included, you may prefer to experience local specialties on land.
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