European River Cruising

       You've probably seen many commercials or received numerous pieces of mail regarding European River Cruises. What is it that makes these so unique and gaining in popularity?
       They are similar to ocean cruises in that you can visit many destinations without having to pack & unpack. That's were the similarities end.  The size of most ships carry 170 passengers vs thousands on Ocean Cruises.  You get more personalized attention due to the crew to passenger ratio.  All meals are included, but a beverage package is not a necessity as soft drinks, beer & wine are included with meals (the only time they aren't included is after dinner). The stateroom is much larger than most cruise ships. In most cases, excursions are included, but this does vary depending on the line.
       When you are at port there may be other boats there at the same time. There's only so much space at the dock so the boats may be tied together and to access the pier you may actually be walking through other boat's lobbies.  For that reason having a balcony is not necessary as you could be in the middle and you wouldn't be able to see anything (while in port), except the boat next to you.  For that reason, many companies don't have full balconies in their inventory.
       The big difference is many River Cruises are adult-only and can only connect two people per stateroom.  A few will permit a third person or have connecting staterooms.  In my upcoming blogs I'll discuss a few companies that are expanding their market to include families.
       I recently attended a River Expo in Vienna.  In port there were 16 boats representing 10 companies that cruise various European Rivers. Some lines are expanding into new markets.  I did tour all the ships, many several times, so I could familiarize myself with the difference between the ships.
       In the course of upcoming blogs, I'll share my observations on the companies and their ships.  Some of the companies may be familiar names to you, but I was really impressed with some of the unknowns.
       Check out our Facebook page as I'll be posting photos there.