We’ve been enjoying insights from readers about river cruising in our Facebook Group, River Cruise Advisor Crew. We’re a small group so far – just 170+ members – but an informed one.
We recently asked the group: Is a river cruise balcony stateroom your preference, or do you prefer the savings of standard staterooms? Though far from scientific, the group’s responses suggest that most folks are fine with French balconies as opposed to the pricier …
If you’ve been toying with the idea of taking a river cruise this year but haven’t pulled the trigger yet – good news: you’re not too late. In fact, you might be right on time. AmaWaterways still has space on some top itineraries for 2025, and a few of them come with seriously solid promos.
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It’s been five years since I last sailed on AmaMagna. Back then, I was blown away by her size, as she sits at twice the width of traditional river cruise ships. But after half a decade of river cruising for the site and stepping aboard more river cruise ships than ever, I can confidently say that her size stood out even more this time around. And her size isn’t just a novelty. It makes life …
One of my most enduring memories from our winter cruise on the Danube is from the morning we spent passing Dürnstein. We were making our way to Weißenkirchen, cruising on AmaMagna, when the fairy-tale-like town came into view, easily identifiable by its blue-and-white tower, known as Dürnstein Abbey. I had never seen Dürnstein so quiet and mystical, but then again, it was February – when few tourists wander the picturesque town.
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A Mississippi River cruise has been on my radar for a while, but 2025 might actually be the year I stop talking about it and actually do it. Europe always entices me, with its beautiful landscapes and rich history, but why do I tend to forget about the river cruise experience that’s just a short, single-connection flight away?…
When traveling internationally, cellular data is important for many of us, whether we’re using our smart phones keeping in touch with friends and family back home or taking care of others matters such as banking or travel reservations. For example, when I land in Amsterdam tomorrow morning, I’ll want to book a train ticket to the city center, which I can do using the NS app. Why pay 40 euros or more to for a …
We recently wrote about Close-In Bookings: Too Late To Book For Spring? In that story, cruise companies told us that folks were booking closer to their departure dates than in years past.
While the norm was to book a year or more in advance, the trend now is booking for departures less than a year in advance, with many booking their cruises only six months or less before their sailing dates. Why the change? We …
We can all agree that one of the least exciting parts of planning a trip, second to paying your cruise fare, is packing. The great news, though, is that someone always seems to have advice for how to make packing easier.
Ralph Grizzle writes many articles on packing tips. In his article, Ralph provides a lot of great insight how and what to pack. But his advice doesn’t always work for me – convertible pants …
Some of the challenges in choosing river cruises in Europe are the rivers themselves. Unless you’ve frequently traveled to Europe, you may not be familiar with geography of the rivers. Even for those who are familiar with the lay of the land, the list of rivers can be daunting. A quick glance at Wikipedia shows hundreds of rivers coursing through the European continent, including quite a few that I’ve never heard of, the Oise, for …
Since 2015, I have hosted nearly a dozen trips on hotel barges. These are narrow, custom-built vessels that putter along the French canals generally for six nights/seven days. Because the barges are confined to dimensions that will allow the transit of multiple locks, many measuring less than 20 feet wide, staterooms are smallish but adequate…
When we think of river cruises, we often think of couples drinking wine and gazing off their balconies, wandering through the cobblestone streets of Europe, sitting in the lounge for performances and eating meals in a communal dining room. Those are the things that keep me river cruising, but sometimes I want a little bit more. That’s why I love Avalon’s Active & Discovery itineraries. Avalon incorporates everything people like about a traditional river cruise, …
Can children go on a river cruise? It depends. CroisiEurope is the only river cruise line to allow children under the age of three without exceptions. Emerald, Riviera and Scenic require that kids be 12 or older. And one company bans kids altogether.
While, as a father, I completely understand the desire to share river vacations with children, grandchildren, or other young people, not all lines (or passengers) welcome children. The good news, however, is …
Iowa is often missed when picking vacation spots. Still, the Hawkeye state has much to offer, especially in these towns along the Mississippi River, often visited by domestic river cruises.
Dubuque
The Fenelon Elevator is a unique attraction in Dubuque that is nearly 300 feet long. From the top, you’ll have views of Iowa, as well as Illinois and Wisconsin. It’s open from April through November. The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is open …
Lately, I’ve had a lot of bad luck with my luggage while traveling on long-haul flights. My bags were delayed three trips in a row – reaching my destination only 1 to 3 days after I had arrived. After these three consecutive luggage mishaps, I was confident the airlines could not mess up a fourth time.
They didn’t – but my bout of bad luck did not end with that fourth flight. Arriving at Paris …
