Try Me A River!!!

So recently I have was given the opportunity to visit the CLIA River Cruise convention in Amsterdam.  Now I have been lucky enough to have experienced a river cruise before this with APT and already knew I loved it, and having come back from the convention I am determined more than ever that I will get me and my husband on one next year.

Mark my words, River Cruising Is the Future!

So, whilst away on my whirlwind visit, I got to experience 7 river cruise ships as they were docked in Amsterdam, ranging from the three star ships all the way up to the 6-star ultra-luxury lines.  What I will say, is that it has opened my eyes to the fact that river cruising isn’t just for the older clientele who may be more financially better off, but rather as with ocean cruising there is a river cruise for everyone.  If you are a person who prefers the no frills approach where it is more about the itinerary and destination rather than it being about the ship, then there are river cruise lines for you.  And at the opposite end of the scale there are the ultra-luxury cruise lines that will cater to your needs before you even know you need them, plus everything in between.

I must applaud all the cruise lines that we managed to see as every ship I saw was outstanding in its own way.  I have listed below the cruise lines that I visited, so if you have any questions please don’t hesitate, pick up the phone, I am waiting.

• Shearings River Cruises
• Crozzi Europe
• Emerald Waterways
• Tauck River Cruises
• Riviera
• AMA Waterways
• Uniworld

We stayed on board on the Tauck ship, which are a line I previously knew very little about as I’ve had little to no dealing with, but they are certainly up there with my favourite cruise lines, even when I compare to ocean lines.  The quality on board was outstanding, every little detail was finely polished.  We even got to participate in one of their Tauck Experiences, where for one night on your cruise they will take you off ship for your evening meal to a venue such as a museum where you will be hosted and dine on local food and culture.  For me this was brilliant as I love little things like this where you can get deeper in to your destination.   We were taken to the Amsterdam Museum where we were given a three-course meal and allowed to experience the museum after hours when all the crowds had gone.  I was very impressed!

Watch this space in 2017 as I plan to go Rollin on the River!