'Why I LOVE River Cruising'

By Claire Dutton - Head of Product, Marketing & Commercial

I have been lucky to experience river cruise on three of the most beautiful rivers in Europe – the Seine, the Rhine and the Danube. Each cruise I’ve taken has been very different and each has had its own unique charm. For me, river cruising offers the perfect blend of a multi-centre ‘city-break’ style holiday but with beautiful river scenery thrown in for good measure in between each port of call.    

My absolute favourite was a Christmas Market river cruise in Germany. It was a fabulous way to enjoy the Christmas markets, stopping off at beautiful towns, villages and cities to explore the area, soak in the festive atmosphere and shop for unique, handmade-gifts and traditional Christmas ornaments.  We visited different places in a short amount of time, but it didn’t feel rushed. We sailed late at night or early in the morning, so we could disembark, enjoy the places we visited then return to the warm, comfortable ship and relax completely as we journeyed onto our next port of call sailing quietly down the river and seeing all the twinkling festive lights along the river bank. The ship also had a lovely little spa on board, so we enjoyed relaxing in the sauna, having a massage and even braving the hot tub on the back of the ship, which was a lovely warm place to sit and watch the world go by in the chilly December air.

We embarked in Cologne, which is famous for its huge gothic cathedral and old town. The Christmas market here starts mid-November and is set along the river and old town area. From Cologne, we travelled to Koblenz, which is a very pretty, historic town at the mouth of the Rhine & Moselle. It has a smaller Christmas market, but it runs along the quaint little alleys in the romantic old town and has lots of local, handmade items on sale. We then sailed down the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Rhine Valley through the famous Lorelei valley. This area is famous for its high cliffs, narrow junction, fast currents and deep water which lead to the folklore of the siren-like mermaid Lorelei who lured sailors to their deaths with her beautiful singing. We arrived in Frankfurt which is known to have one of the oldest and largest Festive markets in Germany and it is HUGE!   Located in the historic old town, this market stretches from the medieval Romerberg Square up to Mainkai and Hauptwache areas. It is famous for its stunning 30-metre Christmas tree, vintage carousels, and signature regional treats.  We stayed overnight here, so we were able to go out in the evening to eat lots of amazing food in the market, enjoy a few glasses of delicious hot chocolate (with Baileys) and Glühwein and take in the fabulous display of Christmas lights. Our last stop before returning to Cologne was Rüdesheim This is a quintessential German wine town, offering a perfect blend of historic charm, valley scenery and German culture. It also features another Christmas Market which is much smaller and more charming than Frankfurt.

If you fancy a very festive pre-Christmas break, I would highly recommend a cruise like this !  

Here’s what I love about a River Cruise Holiday

• Perfect for Multi-Centre Holidays - You can visit several cities, towns, places of interest or even countries in a single trip, and the best part is you only have to unpack once!
• Central Docking - Because the ships are smaller, they often dock in the city centre, making it easy to wander into town for a local dinner or a late-evening stroll.
• No motion sickness ! -  Because rivers are calm and narrow, there are little to no waves, making the journey incredibly smooth for those prone to seasickness.
• Theres ALWAYS a view - You are always within sight of land. Your journey could take you through the heart of a city then past picturesque vineyards, hilltop castles, and charming villages so just sit back, relax and watch the world go by from your cabin or the sun deck.
• Intimate Atmosphere: With typically fewer than 250 passengers, the service is personal, and it’s easy to make new friends.
• Immersive Culture: Many cruises include expert-led tours, local folklore shows, or specialities such as regional wine tastings to help you truly connect with the destinations you are visiting.
• All-Inclusive Value: Lots of river cruise lines include all meals, shore excursions, and selected drinks in their package prices