TRAVEL: Europe still leading the river cruise charge

RIVER cruising, particularly in Europe, has become so popular over the last few years and doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.

I was fortunate enough to be on one for seven days last week. It was a short trip from Passau to Vienna and back to Passau. It was all organised by Scenic to coincide with the launch and christening of their brand new ship the Scenic Amber. This ship is the latest in five star luxury on the water and a credit to their owners. From the moment you step aboard to that very sad day when you have to leave you are treated like royalty.

There are a lot of reputable companies catering for all standards of cruising from three-star River cruising to top of the line five-star cruising. The two companies that are the leaders in European River cruising in the world and that our office sells a lot of is Scenic and APT Tours. Both are Australian Companies and they have a fantastic reputation for quality and service. All their ships are five-star luxury.

They will spoil you so much that you won’t want to get off at the end of the cruise. No matter which company you end up choosing, one thing they all have in common is that you will visit the same towns and landscapes as you meander along the Rhine and Danube rivers.

They will both stop at cities, small and large along the way giving you the opportunity to explore what they have to offer.

The ships have bikes or e-bikes which are electric bikes and fantastic to use and a great way to see small towns.

The best thing about these cruises is that you don’t have to think too much everything is laid out for you. When you arrive into a town the ship will have a tour program lined up for your arrival so you want be left wondering what to do.

If you don’t feel like hoping off to explore or the weather is not suited for outdoor activities then the ships are more than equipped to satisfy your needs with a lounge and bar, On Scenic the drink are free and if you are hungry you can get something to eat at any time of day. For those out there that like a little bit of pampering there is a wellness spa on board, a hairdresser, gift shop and restaurants. The sun decks and observation deck are well used and where you will meet other cruise minded holiday makers.

The most popular river cruise we sell is your traditional 15 days Amsterdam to Budapest. However country specific river cruising is also on the rise with the same standard of ship cruising within a certain country. Spain, France, Portugal and Germany are just a couple of countries where you will be able to tour. The traditional cruise itinerary will take a leisurely 15 days and leave you well and truly feeling like you have had a holiday by the end of it also I forgot to mention all meals are included so you can expect to add a kilo or two while on board.

Because river cruising is so popular at the moment and there is only so many cruise ships on the river, cabin spaces are very limited from year to year. If you are seriously thinking about cruising next year then you should really start to do something about it, don’t wait until next year, you might miss out. These companies have already released their deals for 2017 and are filling their ships cabins as you read this. Scenic and APT have some fantastic deals out there and are well worth your while so grab a brochure to see what you may be entitled to.

However I do stress don’t leave it too long because from past experience these cruises always fill up. If you would like some more information please don’t hesitate to call in and talked to one of our friendly staff.