Five Things We Love About River Cruising

My husband, Charlie, and I have been on four river cruises – three in Europe and one in the U.S.  We’ve sailed from Burgundy to Provence in France on the Soane and Rhone Rivers, from Prague to Budapest on the Danube River, and from Amsterdam to Basel on the Rhine River.  We’ve also sailed from St. Louis to Louisville on the American Queen steamboat.  All four of these cruises have been unique.  The scenery on each was extraordinary.  The ships had their own personalities in their layout and design.  The itineraries, needless to say, cannot be compared, as each was so different.  From the vineyards, lavender and sunflower fields in France, to the castles along the Rhine, to the history of World War II along the Danube, to the flavors of the small cities of the U.S., we found that there were similarities on all of them.

River cruising is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry.  We are booking more and more of these types of vacations weekly.  A number of the river cruises in Europe, especially, are already booking up quickly for 2013.  China, Vietnam, Egypt and the Nile and the Zambizi in Africa, as well as the Po River in Portugal are fast becoming exciting river cruise destinations.

Why is this form of cruising becoming so popular?  Here are five things we love about river cruising:

1.       All-inclusive Value – River cruises typically include shore excursions in the cost of the cruise.  This is a tremendous value.  And, most of the river cruise operators (Avalon Waterways, Viking River, Tauck River Cruising, and American Queen Steamboat Company, to name a few) include wine and beer with lunch and dinner.  Many river cruise lines even offer complimentary Internet access as well.

2.       Easy to Go on Your Own – River cruises typically dock within walking distance of a city or town along the river.  This makes it very convenient if you want to explore on your own, or enjoy a lunch or dinner in town.

3.       Smooth Sailing – There is no motion on a river cruise, and for one who has an issue with motion sickness, this is a major plus.  So, if you are sensitive to motion, a river cruise is definitely something to consider.

4.       Relaxed Liquor Policy – River cruise lines are much more accommodating when it comes to consuming alcohol that you bring onboard.  If you purchase a bottle of wine in port, you can bring it back onboard and enjoy it up on the sun deck or in your cabin.

5.       Casual Dress Code – There are typically no “formal” nights on a river cruise.  The atmosphere is classy or “Country Club Casual”.  This makes it much easier to pack for your vacation.

If you haven’t tried a river cruise, now is the time to look at 2014 and a new adventure. 

Prague to Passau

April 13, 2011 - Left Prague at noon today for a 3.5 hour motorcoach trip to Passau.  We were scheduled to go to Nuremberg, but one of the locks we needed to go through is closed for repairs and won't open until tomorrow.  So, Plan B is now in effect. 

We had an uneventful trip through the mountains except for one little thing.  We ran into snow, and I don't mean a little snow, I mean a 3" snow going up a mountain on a two-lane road in a big ole motorcoach.  But, we made it just fine.

We are on the Avalon Tapestry, and this ship is wonderful - 160 passengers, a crew that is incredible, and a captain that kept us in stitches during his talk at our welcome reception.

Dinner tonight was like dinner on cruise ships 20 years ago - all elegance, six courses, wait staff all over us, incredible wine (included in the cruise fare), beautiful table settings.  Absolutely wonderful!!!

Tomorrow morning, we are off to Nuremberg and will cruise back to Passau in the afternoon.

 One thing I forgot to mention about Prague and the Czech Republic. Garnets are native to the area, and my hubby gave me the most beautiful garnet pendant in celebration of our 30th anniversary (which is actually July 4)!!! I think he may be a keeper.

Things We Never Expected to See in Prague

April 12, 2011 - You know, we live in Music City U.S.A.  It's not unusual to see Faith Hill and Tim McGraw or Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban in a restaurant or grocery store just like the rest of us.  So, why is it that when we are in Europe we are always surprised by some of the things we see.  Yesterday was one of those days.  We saw:

• the Presidential Guard Band parade through the Castle grounds completely catching our guide off-guard.
• a couple of groups of Czech students in concert in Old Town Square.
• a Futbol rally parade through Old Town complete with police escorts.
• the number of Museums all over the city
• The Mucha Museum of Art
• The Czech Glass Museum
• The Czech Toy Museum
• The Czech Music Museum
• The National Gallery that houses paintings by Durer, Rembrandt, Rubens and Goya
• The Jewish Museum, comprised of the Old Synagogue, the New Synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery
• The Wax Museum
• The Chocolate Museum (my friend, Linda, would love this place)
• The Torture Museum
• The Sex Machine Museum

Yep, you read that right, the Sex Machine Museum!!!  Although there was that slight moment when we both thought "Why not?", our conscience spoke to both of us and we passed on this one. 

You just never know what you'll come upon in a new city half-way around the world.

What I Learned about Prague

April 11, 2011
We will be cruising on Avalon Waterways Avalon Tapestry on Wednesday.  However, Avalon has housed us at the Hilton in Prague for three nights prior to our cruise.  The hotel is 1.1 miles from the Old Town Square, the heart of the city of Prague.  We went on a city sightseeing tour this morning and also got to the Prague Castle.  Here's some things we learned about Prague today:

• Breakfast at our hotel is 660 Koruna or $44 per person.  Thank goodness this is included in the price of our cruise.
• Prague is a very old city and dates from the 5th century. 
• The Czech Republic was a Slavic country. 
• Prague is made up of four towns - the castle district, the Lesser Quarter, the Old Town and the New Town (which was planned in the 14th century, so it's not really as new as it sounds). 
• Wenceslas III (of Good King Wenceslas fame) was not a king; he was a prince, and has a square named after him.
• St. Vitus has a cathedral named for him at the Prague Castle, but no one was dancing
• Prague is a city of liars - they have a faux Eiffel Tower and seven hills like Rome, which no one has ever confirmed.
• Prague is the home of Budweiser beer

• There is a cake called trdelnik that is a type of dough wrapped around a spindel and cooked on a spit over an open fire.  It's then rolled in a sugar and spice mixture, and almost tastes like a sour dough sweet bread.
• Prague has a population of 1.2 million, 75% of which are Catholic, but only 15% of those are practicing Catholics.
• There are two Jewish synagogues in Prague, and during the Holocaust, the Jews were buried sometimes 12 deep in the Jewish cemetery which dates back to the 15th century.
• Paris Street cuts through the Jewish area and now has lavish turn-of-the century buildings which replaced the small houses of the old Jewish ghetto.
• If you are playing Scrabble in Prague and have a lot of vowels, you can't win!!!