Was it really just 20 years ago that river cruising was in its infancy in the UK, attracting just a handful of Brits each year and the idea of new river ships was almost unheard of?
How things have changed! By 2019, hundreds of new river ships had launched and hundreds of thousands of us had discovered the joys of sailing the great waterways of the world.
Where the Nile River in Egypt and the Yangtze River in China were in demand two decades ago - the latter as people raced to see the famed Three Gorges before the Three Gorges Dam opened and flooded the valley - these days the Danube River, Rhine River and Douro River are the big hitters.
And, where river ships back then had just one restaurant and cabins that were, let’s say, on the compact side, modern vessels have a choice of places to eat and rooms with private balconies and spacious bathrooms.
Incidentally, the early 2000s was also when ROL Cruise launched Blue Horizons. Two decadence on it’s still going strong. Congratulations and happy 20th anniversary to everyone there. And also, a little pat on the back for me, as I have been writing for the magazine for the past 17 years!
So, here we are in 2023 and river cruising is well and truly back after the Covid hiatus. Of course, it is! It’s a brilliant way to travel, with fabulous views as you sail and, every day calls into towns, cities and villages steeped in history and culture.
I love the Mekong River in Asia, the Ganges River in India and the Mississippi River in the US, but it’s hard to beat river cruising close to home - city-hopping along the Danube River, castle-spotting on the Rhine River, imbibing port wine on the Douro River in Portugal, getting lost among the canals of Venice.
Venice? River cruise? Well, ok, the cruise there - exclusive to Uniworld River Cruises - takes you around the lagoon rather than along a river but my, what a terrific way to see the city built on water.
You’re treated to an after-hours visit to St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, as well as tours to Padua, calls into the islands of Torcello, Mazzorbo, Burano and Murano in the lagoon and an overnight in Chioggia, where there’s wine-tasting, a guided cycle ride and boat rides into the Po Delta.
Coincidentally, as I write this, I am cruising the Douro River - and actually, truth be told, struggling to keep my eye on the keyboard because the scenery is fabulous. Acres and acres of vines on impossibly steep hillsides, gorges lined with sheer rocks, here and there picturesque villages and quintas - the Portuguese word for a winery. There is a picture at every turn.
Cruises go from Porto to Salamanca in Spain and back, a journey that takes you through five locks and delves into history, culture and, of course, port wine. APT Cruising is making its Douro River debut on the new river ship MS Estrela in 2024 and has an included lunch and a flamenco show in Salamanca, dinner in a Quinta and a tasting in a port wine cellar.
Choose the Danube River and you can hike to a ruined castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192, peek into St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau, home to the largest church organ in Europe, and visit three fabulous capital cities - Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. You’ll also sail through the beautiful Wachau Valley.
Hop on Scenic River Cruises’ Danube in-depth cruises and you’ll go beer tasting in cellars beneath Nuremberg, learn to make German sausages and Slovakian potato dumplings, see priceless art in the Belvedere Palace and dip into Hungary’s Communist past on a walking tour of Budapest. There’s even an evening out at a Mozart and Strauss concert in Vienna’s opulent Palais Liechtenstein. And, if that doesn’t have you waltzing back to the ship, nothing will.
