Touring France by River
Reason #1: Because It’s Convenient.
Most of the cities of the world grew up along the waterways that served as the first highways, so traveling by river can offer the view of a 21st century explorer, city center to city center without the traffic jams. There is no hassle – cruising down the river on a sunny day is one of the good parts of the package.
It’s the Destinations
Riverboat cruising is only a distant cousin of the larger ocean cruise vacations – more like a land tour than an ocean cruise. Many of the most popular riverboats are operated by top land based tour operators. The destination and getting there is the thing.
A riverboat is a far smaller than any ocean cruise ship. In Europe they are all about the same size, low and about 400 feet long. They have to fit under bridges when the rivers are high in the spring, and are usually just the right length to fit in the locks as they move through the river systems.
Reason # 2: Because You Get to Know Interesting People – Your Fellow Passengers
Because of the smaller size you can easily visit a smaller winery or an interesting restaurant – you don’t appear to be a part of an invading tourist army. And, at the end of the trip, you realize that you got to know your fellow cruisers and ship staff, for us a real positive part of the experience.
Michele and I will be on our third river cruise next month. We have figured out that is is an easy, low key way to see the interesting corners of Europe.
