All aboard for a vacation like no other as you embark on a dreamy cruise with your favorite person.
With so many options passing through so many gorgeous locations, you are probably wondering if you should book a river cruise or an ocean cruise. There are significant differences between river and ocean cruises, so let's sail through them to decide which option suits you the best.
Ocean cruises involve many days at sea with stops at various ports. You might disembark at 8 am and need to be back at the same spot 10-12 hours later to set sail again. Then it might be many days before you arrive at the next port. River cruises are more like a road trip on the water with frequent stops to explore on land. Every day you get to explore a new town, city or local area or you might even stop at two places in a day.
On an ocean cruiser, everything is done on a large scale with elaborate shows and performances, mini waterparks, casinos and activities non-stop. A river cruise is a more intimate way to travel where the focus is on the destinations rather than the onboard activities. If you are river cruising, your day might be spent shopping for wine and souvenirs in a charming Italian village rather than playing shuffleboard with your fellow travelers. There might be thousands of people on the ocean cruiser but only 100-200 on the river cruise.
At first impression, ocean cruises look more affordable than river cruises, but there are some factors to check out. Often river cruises will include land tours, food and drink and services like Wifi. The tours can consist of options, or you might prefer to make your own way around if you are a confident traveler.
Vessels used for river cruises are much smaller than ocean liners so they can reach many more destinations. Also, you have a much better view as you cruise from one place to the next with a river cruise as you can see the scenery, whereas on the ocean you can mainly just see the water until you get near the port.
In Europe, you can take an awe-inspiring river cruise down rivers such as the Douro, Rhine, Saone and Danube. The stops along these rivers is simply exquisite and the experiences you will have on land will be a highlight of your vacation. It gives you a great blend of being active while on land as you walk around seeing the sights, then get back to the important business of relaxing as you board the boat destined for your next great stop.
There is a lot to consider before booking a cruise because the experiences are quite different. You will surely appreciate a river cruise if you love being on the water and value exploring new places and having time on land to mingle with the locals. You will also like a river cruise if you prefer a personal, intimate setting over a large-scale busy atmosphere.
For information on river cruises, drop us a line and we will share our portfolio of wonderful vacations. Our Process | Luxury Travel Agent | Travel with Meredith
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