First – a confession: I was a little apprehensive about signing up for a river cruise. Decades ago, my wife and I treated ourselves to an ocean cruise and didn’t much like the crowds, or the sense of feeling trapped onboard for days on end. Monochrome memories tend to dampen anticipation.
So, I’m pleased to report I’m a convert – and no, it has nothing to do with me approaching my Biblically-allotted ‘three-score-and-ten’ milestone. The river cruise industry is broad-spectrum and caters to all ages and interests – offering voyages lasting from a week to a month.
A voyage can be as active/sedentary as you like and offers enough flexibility for indulging individual passions – whether it’s art, architecture, music, food and wine, or history. Chilling on deck with a book and cocktail is also OK. Whatever your preferences, a river cruise can be a stimulating alternative to traditional tourism.
Our Rhine Valley voyage – in June this year – was an eight-day/seven-night cruise that began in Switzerland’s Basel, with stops at – transit 47 locks. ‘Downhill’ along the Rhine and ‘uphill’ along the Main.
