River Cruise Travel Experiences

Travel Experience from River Cruises

You enjoy travel through your senses. But your senses can also include fatigue and frustration!

Travel can be exhausting. But the mode of travel can have very important implications to the amount of effort and enjoyment of your trip.

I've known people who have flown to Europe taken bus tours. They complained that every day or two they had to pack up their suitcase again and leave the hotel for their next destination. 

Although I've never taken those types of trips, I have done fully independent travel (FIT) by train and by car. The independent traveler, besides the overseas flight and hotels, must also negotiate train station signs, language, different currencies, transportation schedules, and figuring out how and where to eat.

It was "interesting" to learn a little basic Italian and German, and attempt to learn Chinese (I never did very well). I could understand a few words here and there, either written or spoken. But I must admit that other people's knowledge of English is what saved the day. 

Some people have said they wished there was an easier way to travel in foreign countries.

There is! If you've never traveled by river cruise, you should really consider it. 

Advantages of river cruises:

• Unpack and pack once
• All-inclusive Dining means "restaurant-indecision" is eliminated
• All-inclusive tours and connections are prearranged
• English language is spoken (mainstream tour companies)

Pictures of me taken on cruise ships made some friends remark: "You look so relaxed!" 
Yes, I am relaxed because I don't need to "figure it all out" -- the ship does it for me!
________________

Below are some highlights from the River Cruising we've done so far.  Hopefully it will pique your interest!

Yangtze River

The Yangtze River Cruise on Victoria Lines (part of a three-week China trek) had a mix of historical sites, natural beauty of the Gorges, and some "backyard views" into more primitive Countryside culture. The locks at the Three Gorges Dam are quite impressive.  We embarked from a gangplank along a muddy shore was quite an initiation (a porter carried our suitcases on a bamboo pole!)  We explored narrow tributaries and ancient temple complexes.

The Three Gorges Dam was not to its highest and fullest extent then, we could still see traces of the ancient boat trackways used to haul the boats upstream. The Yangtze Gorge is a millennia-old example of the Chinese culture’s battle to tame Mother Nature.

Li River
On the same China trip, we took a day trip on the Li River on a local boat.  We floated past farms with teams of water buffaloes, bamboo rafts with cormorant fishermen, and small villages.  We dined on a lunch drifting past its mythical cliffs and "dragon's teeth" hills.  We also did a night cruise to see the lights of Guilin city.

Amsterdam and the Rhine River
This cruise on AmaWaterways had a number of historical sites and City stops. The Gorge of the Rhine is very scenic, with the Lorelei, the hilltop castles and vineyards. The Rhine River Cruise really didn't focus on particular families or individuals, but I did visit the marvelous music machines at Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet in Rüdesheim.

One evening after dinner my wife and I were enjoying a glass of wine in the ship’s lounge. The Moon was reflecting off of the Rhine as we listened to a string Trio play classical and Gypsy-inspired music. I turned to my wife and said: “What fantastic luxury.  We’re really enjoying life now!” It was a dream come true!

Danube River from Vienna to Nuremberg
Our first Danube Cruise on Uniworld Included historic sites in towns like Vienna and Passau.  It also included a visit to a farm family in the black forest. This gave a better insight into how German farm families lived in the area. The visit to the Theresienthal Crystal factory gave an appreciation of German Craftsmanship and culture.

Danube River from Vienna South 
Our second Danube Cruise on Uniworld likewise included historic sites. One highlight was going to have lunch with a family in Vukovar. Sharing a meal with the multi-generational family group was fun; and we heard directly from the family about their difficulties during the Civil War. There was a presentation on-board about life under Communism, which was quite revealing. Like the other cruises, there was lots of ethnic music, lounge music, and dance groups.

My first highlight was see the Vienna Kunstmuseum's display of mechanical automata.  My second highlight was visiting the home of Franz Liszt in Budapest (now a museum) and his debut concert location in Bratislava.  This proves that you have options and time off the ship to investigate topics of personal interest!

Seine River and Bordeaux
The Seine River cruise on Uniworld was mostly historical towns, castles or cultural sites in Normandy.   Monet's House and Garden gave a particularly nice insight into his life. The cultural experiences included thatched house villages and the Farmers Market in Honfleur.  Since the cruise was in Normandy, it was dominated by the history of the Bayeux Tapestry (William the Conqueror) and the D-Day invasion.

The Bordeaux cruise was wine, themed (of course), and so visits to the various chateaux were mostly focused on wine tasting. The centerpiece was the luncheon in the Chateaux Royal castle with tastings of Sauternes. Being able to meet the Duke and walk through the ancient home and castle walls added to a unique treat.

---------------------------------------

Coronavirus Disclaimer

Of course, in these days of Coronavirus I wouldn't suggest booking a cruise immediately. One must be mindful of apparent risk factors. But we have had many other types of viruses and bad influenza in the past.  Once the Coronavirus caution has passed, people will again remember their bucket list of lifetime goals and want to travel again.

When it's time for you to think about travel, consider River Cruising. See the website: https://sites.google.com/view/mindfultraveler/