The Problem with Best Lists for Europe River Cruises

The Problem with Best Lists for Europe River Cruises

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

I think we have a big problem about travel writers selecting the best cruise for different cruise guests based on the reason or circumstances the cruiser has taking a wonderful river cruise vacation—one size never fits all cruisers.

Often these are short on facts or in-depth comparisons.  As we always say, all river cruises are probably the best vacation you will take, so many of my comments are rather picky, but when you are spending between $15,000 and $25,000 for a vacation, the differences matter.

A Recent Article to Emphasize Why In-Depth Analysis is a Better Approach

I recently read an article in Cruise Critic UK (published on 22 September 2023) that advised folks about which cruise lines they should take for 10 cruising situations.  The title of the article was “The 10 Best River Cruise Lines in Europe for Every Traveler”.  The article was designed to help you “decide the best river line in Europe, depending upon your travel style.” 

I am not bold enough to say her choices are wrong, but rather they are not in-depth enough to make good decisions for our clients.  I will provide you with our thoughts about 3 of her recommendations and how we would approach 3 of the categories cited in the article.

Category 1—Best River Cruise for First Timers: Viking River Cruises

The authors defend her selection by stating that Viking’s “well-tested river cruise recipe of the world’s largest river cruise line” includes one excursion in each port” and “offers a wider variety of river cruises than others.”  They have 70 river cruise ships sailing in Europe and a total fleet of 100 ships.

Most of these statements are correct but a little misleading.  Viking does offer 19 different cruise route itineraries in Europe in their brochure (this doesn’t count the Christmas Market season cruises, which I have not included in any of these numbers).  

By my count, Avalon offers 36 itineraries in their brochure; AmaWaterways offers 29 itineraries and a 7-Rivers Journey in their brochure; Emerald with only 7 ships has 18 itineraries in their brochure; Scenic offers 17 itineraries in their brochure with only 11 ships; Tauck offers 21 itineraries in their brochure with only 9 ships; and Uniworld offers 16 itineraries by their fleet and 2 cruise & rail in their brochure.

Maybe the fact that Viking is one of the 2 lines that sails on the Elbe increases their variety in her judgement, but we would never recommend sailing on the Elbe, the Loire or the Po as these rivers often have conditions that cause them to cancel or modify the cruise with bus tours substituted for a port stop.

Viking longships have space for 190 passengers.  I have been in the lounge with about 190 other travel agents, and it was crowded and felt cramped during a presentation about Viking River Cruises. 

A Viking Longship Lounge—felt crowded to me.

To accommodate the 190 passengers, many of the staterooms are quite small.  There are 90 staterooms on their signature longships.  50 staterooms are very small compared to other cruise lines.  25 fixed windows staterooms on the first deck at the water line are 150 sq feet and 25 French Balcony staterooms are 135 square feet.  Neither of these are acceptable for the majority of our clients.

135 square feet French Balcony stateroom—very tiny.

Balcony Staterooms on a Viking long ships. The tiny windows on the first deck at the waterline are the 150 square foot staterooms.

The final reason I would not pick Viking as the best for first time cruisers is the lack of excursions included in the fare.  On a normal 7-day cruise, there are only 6 excursions included in the fare.  Sometimes as many as 6 different options are offered at an extra cost and often these are capacity controlled or quite expensive.  It is also difficult to determine the exact cost for these options or to learn about them, as the costs change, are not published before the cruise.  It is not uncommon for a guest to pay an extra $500 to $1,500.  Almost every other lines offers more included choices.

I have told this is a huge money-maker for Viking but not very client friendly for our clients.

So, I will not be so bold to tell which line to pick for first time cruisers—we match you to your style with in-depth knowledge about the river cruise industry—one size does not fit all!

Category 2 Best River Cruise Line for Active Travelers: Avalon Waterways

The author picks Avalon for its Active & Discovery options as her reason to select them as the best line for active cruisers.  Of the 36 offerings by Avalon, 8 itineraries are Active & Discovery in their brochure.  Most require an extra fee. 

Avalon bikes ready to go

While this is a very good selection, it does not consider the AmaWaterways program, which has a dedicated wellness host on-board with a master’s degree in physical education.  All 29 AmaWaterways itineraries offer active options.

A group from an AmaWaterways cruise riding in the Wachau Valley on the Danube

I will tell you the AmaWaterways program is better—I have a master’s degree in physical education and the AmaWaterways program is excellent, age appropriate, and offers good variety for guests.

Len and Jane, our clients ready for a bike ride along the Moselle River

Wellness Host in yellow jacket—highly professional staff

I would place Avalon’s program second to AmaWaterways for these reasons but either line offers better options than most other cruise lines.

Category 9 Best European River Cruise Line for Unique Destinations: CroisiEurope

She cites cruise on the Loire, the Elbe, the Guadalquivir and the Vltava Rivers sailings as her evidence to sail on this line for unique destinations, but I have already pointed out the problem with water conditions on 2 of the rivers and you can add the Vltava to the list. The Guadalquivir is quite large and can even accommodate larger ships, as we have sailed on this river with an Azamara Ocean cruise. So, again it is unique but for our guests, probably not their best option—we would recommend visiting areas of the Elbe, Loire and Vltava Rivers on a land based extension.

This is probably a good selection for some but ignores some difficulties for most of our clients for some other reasons.  First, the language on-board is French, and they provide an English translator to their English-speaking guests, but this is very awkward at best.

Two other factors here—all guests are served the same meal unless earlier arrangements are made, requiring constant vigilance for lunch and diner meals to not get a meal you wouldn’t like.  Also, the staterooms are functional but not really luxury—they are rather sparse.

Our clients would not like this—for most good food and wine are important factors and this line just doesn’t match their desired travel style.

Our Final Thoughts

Our advice—just do not accept best cruise line lists—for most of you they are opinion at best or poorly researched and perhaps even biased. Just remember, most folks who search for river cruise information add the word best to their search, because we all want the best. Please read these list critically—look for facts and try to distinguish what is fact and what is opinion.

My hope in writing this blog is not to criticize river cruise lines, or criticize the authors, it is to educate you that an in-depth knowledge of the river cruise industry is required for an advisor the truly help their clients.  We have that knowledge and only worry about the best match for you on your vacation, not a blanket statement about which line is best for you.

We hope you enjoyed this blog.

I think you can see why we are in the business—it just is awesome to help folks have a great vacation.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

The Top 6 Reasons People Sail on River Cruises

The Top 6 Reasons People Sail on River Cruises

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

We almost exclusively specialize in European River Cruises and European travel.  It often has us researching every aspect of river cruising but since 2009 our clients have almost selected river cruising for the same 6 reasons.

Interestingly, the first top 5 reasons listed in this blog were cited in the 2022 Travel Market Report Survey of River Cruise Trends by travel agents who sell or specialize in river cruise vacations, but we also find another important factor is to celebrate a milestone event.

I should also point out that it often is a combination of these reasons, so I tried to list then in the order of importance to our clients but realize each of us is different and one reason may be more important to one client than another.

So, I thought I’d share with you the top 6 reasons our friends and clients pick river cruising for a vacation.

# 1 Destination and Itinerary of the Cruise

With good route options available to our clients, the most important factor we find is what they will see and experience during their river cruise.

River cruising is all about the destinations.  Even though I have been traveling to Europe for over 52 years and we have led several group tours, I could not do what the river cruise companies do in one week—these folks are experts in showing you the best sights in the least amount of time. 

It is truly a unique way to see the interior of a country.  It is different from a land-based tour and different from an ocean cruise.

You usually dock very near or right at the destination of the day and there is a tour or place to see every day—no sea days like on a big ocean cruise ship.  Being near or in the center of the city, town, or village you are about to explore is a big advantage.  In five minutes, all guests are off the boat and seeing the sights. 

Cochem, Germany—an easy walk to the old walled city after a van ride to the castle or for the more active, a hike up to the castle for a tour

Bratislava Castle—your river ship docks in easy walking distance to the old town or a more active hike up to the castle

Most lines also offer different groups during the tours—regular, active walkers or gentle walkers, so your desired way to see the destination is matched with your tour.

# 2 Combined Land Vacations of Pre or Post Land Excursions

The option of adding to their vacation with either a pre- or post-excursion is also a key motivating factor for our clients.

We find that most of our clients want a more in-depth look at some destinations and the land excursions options provide just that.  There are some great places to extend the river cruise experience and it often makes sense to stay for at least a week either before or after a 7-day cruise or both, which most of our clients choose to do.  Long haul flights and flying expenses make a longer stay a better overall value to most of our clients.

Maybe Paris, Budapest, Prague, Lucerne, Zurich, Lake Como, or the Lorie Valley—already you can see the great options directly added by including a tour extension with the river cruise lines or we can help tailor a trip for the more adventurous.

Prague Castle—a very popular pre or post land excursions extension is the city of Prague, Czech Republic

The wooden covered bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland—great alpine post or pre tour land based excursion add on to a river cruise

Stunning Budapest Parliament Building at night—a great extension option.

# 3 Cultural Experience with Locals

Since you often port near smaller towns, it is easy to meet and learn about how others live.

Most lines provide local cultural events with food preparations, wine tastings, music and performances or just sampling local cuisine during the voyage.  Some come on-board, others are offered on site.

Learning and tasting wine in France

Wine Tasting on a France river cruise—this is one of Anne’s favorite picture of us.

How about truffle hunting?  Or maybe a more active bike ride to stop and see a smaller village or tavern?

Truffle Hunting

# 4 River Cruises Are a Good Alternative to Escorted/Guided Tours

Perhaps the best part of experiencing a destination is not having to pack and unpack often—the typical river cruise of 7 days helps you see more with less hassle.

Often the biggest surprise to new cruisers is how compact and well organized a rivership is—somehow putting 130-200 folks on a vessel that generally must meet size limitations to fit through the various locks with luxury accommodations and venues is hard to fathom even from pictures or videos. 

 Before I went on my first Europe River cruise in 2009, even after studying river cruising, I had no real concept of the overall experience.  It was even better than I had imagined and still is after 24 river cruises in Europe.

Think about this—would you rather be crammed in a bus, or wandering the decks of a riverboat with a glass of wine in your hand, or better yet, lounging in a small pool in the summer watching the world go by as you are propelled to your next exciting port?  You don’t have to ask my choice—where’s my wine glass?

Well not in a hot tub, but still better than a bus tour!

# 5 Luxury Experience as Part of Their River Cruise

How you travel is important—most of our clients tell us they want a well-appointed stateroom and an excellent dining experience with well prepared food and good wines.

The best ship sailing in Europe—the AmaMagna—here is a SB category suite—awesome space to relax!

Excursions, all meals, and accommodations are included on all river cruise lines.  On most lines, the meals are great and there are enough choices that even the pickiest eaters will find something they enjoy.   They also handle dietary restrictions well, which makes your trip easier and more enjoyable.

On river cruise lines, your food, meals with wine or beer at lunch and dinner, your stateroom and even occasional entertainment is included in the fare.  There is even champagne or sparkling wine at breakfast on many lines. 

The clear, upfront pricing helps make it easier to budget for your vacation.  River boats are small (only 100 to 197 passengers), friendly and comfortable.  The food is generally very good to excellent, but some lines are better than others. 

# 6 Celebrate Milestone Events

Many of our clients tell us they want to do something special to mark an anniversary or birthday or retirement.  The reward of celebrating life’s moments is noteworthy and adds meaning to the hard work or partnership of our lives.

Life is too short, and it is easy to let our everyday challenges of living stop us from appreciating how well we have faced living.  Clearly celebrating success and the passage of time is important.

An Anniversary Celebration for Irene and John

One of our river cruise groups celebrating life after our 2019 D Day 75th Anniversary Tour on an AmaWaterways cruise

Birthday Celebration on an AmaWaterways Cruise 2018

Our Final Thoughts

All of this makes sense to us—they mirror our experiences with clients and are often the exact reasons we enjoy European river cruising so much.

We hope you enjoyed this report, and it helps you to understand why we enjoy helping folks experience river cruising—it packs so much in so little time yet in a relaxed and fun trip that is hassle free.

Don’t you think it is time you went on a river cruise—we would love to help you get the trip you desire!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

How to Best Enjoy Excursions on a Europe River Cruise

How to Best Enjoy Excursions on a EuropeRiver Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

The more we study and read about river cruising and their excursions, the more we realize how confused folks are about making the right decisions to get the “best” trip possible.

My hope in writing this blog is to try and provide some advice about ways to enhance your trip by taking advantage of a sound process to determine how you should go about selecting your excursions.  Along the way, perhaps I can also reveal some myths about excursions that seem to permeate new and seasoned river cruise sailors that are just not true, in my opinion.

Excursions Overview

Cruise Manager Rolf holding a sign which allows guests to program their quietvox listening devices to hear the guide’s presentation about the excursion sites.

One of the huge advantages of a river cruise is that the excursions are included in the fare.  There is a huge difference in the quantity and quality of some excursions offered by various line—I wrote about the extra charges that some lines impose on their guest in a blog a few weeks ago this year—if you are interested or have forgotten about this topic, here is the link:

Understanding Extra Charges on 7 River Cruise Lines

As a starting point, there are 2 main advantages of the organized excursions on a river cruise.  They are:

You will see so much in so little time. 

River cruising is all about the destinations.  Even though I have been traveling to Europe for over 52 years and we have led several group tours, I could not do what the river cruise companies do in one week—these folks are experts in showing you the best sights in the least amount of time.  It is truly a unique way to see the interior of a country. 

It was over an hour bus ride to visit Cesky Krumlov, but well worth for me.

It is different from a land-based tour and different from an ocean cruise.  One of the best advantages is that most often your riverboat will dock near or in the center of the city, town, or village you are about to explore.  In five minutes, all guests are off the boat and seeing the sights.  Most lines also offer different groups during the tours—regular, active walkers or gentle walkers, so your desired way to see the destination is matched with your tour. 

Even while on board there is always something to see on the banks, as you cruise along to the next destination.

It is easy to do the Activities that Appeal to You. 

Maybe the best part of a river cruise is the flexibility.  Want to skip the tour—no problem!  We often go off on our own, love walking the quaint towns, using the provided map or even a GPS device.

In the larger ports, it is easy to really go off on your own using subways or buses or even a taxi if time is the critical factor.  How about a bike ride?  Many of the better lines feature escorted bike rides or you can go on your own.  Want a special excursion?  Again, the better lines have good, limited tour options.  Some are extra but many lines include most of the tours in your cruise price.  Each year we see different options available, and they are getting better and better. 

Add to this list is the theme cruises—we especially like the wine cruises on AmaWaterways and often take them, as the wine is provided by the wine host at no extra charge—what a value!

On a wine cruise with one of the hosts and Dejan (right) on the colors of Provence Cruise

Anne and Hank at a wine tasting on an AmaWaterways cruise

Myths About Excursions

There is just too much to do—I’m exhausted!

I guess I have a hard time understanding this because some truly believe they have to go on every tour, or they didn’t get their money’s worth.  It is true that there are usually 2 tours per day, one in the morning, then a return for lunch and one in the afternoon but who said you had to go on every option?  Just use a little common sense—if it is too much stay onboard the ship. 

Don’t let FOMO rule you (Fear of Missing Out).  Sometimes just sitting on our balcony with a bottle of wine and watching the ever-changing scenery go by is one of the best parts of the trip for us.

It is Too Organized, Regimented and Boring

Again, I have a hard time understanding this—if we think it is too hard to explore a place on our own, we use the convenience of the transportation to get us there if we can’t walk or take public transportation.  It is our experience that only some all-day tour options, with longer bus rides could become problematic for some, but then you must weigh the inconvenience cost of getting there with the opportunity to see some amazing sites.

Many enjoy learning about the more interesting sites of new places in Europe with the help of the guide explaining facts about the sites, while others want to wander or shop—just tell the guide you are going off on your own and be sure to know where the meet up place is to get back to the ship.

There is plenty of time to shop on most Christmas Markets cruises—here we are with our newly purchased hats in Regensberg with the shop owner

A Sound Process to Select the Best Options for Your Excursions

Research a little about the ports and things to see—we have some port guides that will help and route itineraries for most cruise ships we follow on our website.  Then listen carefully to the nightly briefing about the next day’s offerings.  Will the pace be too difficult or challenging for your physical abilities?  Is the bus ride too long?  Am I going to see something by driving by it or am I going to experience something by walking and investigating the site?

Don’t be afraid to seek out the cruise manager’s help with questions about the options after the briefing—they will be glad to help.

Remember, all do not have to do the same thing on the offered excursions, as family members may have different ideas of what is best for them, so don’t be afraid to pursue different options from your traveling companions.

Our Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this report.  Your trip can be as jammed full as you desire, or more relaxed—pick the right pace for you, take advantage of the tours that are the best fit for you, and don’t worry if you might have missed something.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Helping You Get the Right River Cruise--Our Sales Process

Helping You Get the Right River Cruise—Our Sales Process

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

In 2022, we helped 50 couples and 1 single to either sail on a European river cruise or put down a deposit on a sailing for travel in 2023 or 2024.  Perhaps the most interesting fact about these folks we helped is that we have never personally met 83% of our clients.

These are pretty amazing statistics for our small 2-person operation or as my lovely wife Anne likes to say that we are a “small volume, high touch agency.”

So, how do we help these folks who do not live in Pearland Texas (the greater Houston Texas area) get the right river cruise for their river cruise vacation (my unofficial count is residents of 25 different states)?  Why do they use us instead of a local travel professional?  How do we/they find us?

So, let’s explore together and learn about our sales process and how it helps the folks we serve get better river cruise vacations.

How Do Folks Find Us?

There are 2 main ways we get potential clients—they find us on the internet, or they are referred by past clients.  We do not advertise and are lucky to have 2 key internet search articles that are number 1 on Google—our 2022-23 Europe River Cruise Company Comparisons (since 1 January to 12 January 2023, 1,217 folks have opened this article) and our Best River Cruise Routes Guide (since the start of January 2023, 490 folks have read this article).

Past clients are very good about referring us to their friends—it is a very high compliment they liked our past services to recommend us.  We take this very seriously to help these folks get the right vacation on a river cruise.

So, now you know how they find us, the most important question is why do they use us instead of a local travel professional or do it on their own?

Why Do Folks Use Us?

I believe most folks use us because we have excellent knowledge about river cruises (okay I’ll say it—we know more than almost every travel professional in the US) and they can trust us.

Knowledge of the river cruise vacations we sell requires us to constantly keep updated about travel products, and the vendors who sell them.  We must be able to match our clients to the best product for them.

But our knowledge is not just inside our heads—we have so many great content items about every possible phase and aspect of river cruising on our website—www.dreamdestinations.com it is astounding!  Our clients and potential clients don’t have to remember what we tell them—they can read about and reference it later.

Here is just a partial list of items:  an overview of Europe River cruising, Egypt cruises, route guides, port guides, company comparisons, FAQs (frequently asked questions), onboard reviews, stateroom comparisons and tours, blogs about our river cruise services, comparisons, advice, and reviews of routes, trip itineraries wellness offerings and the vibe of each line—over 50 blogs by my count!  I have never found a resource so complete except for a small number of travel writers who travel for free—we have paid for all the 24 river cruises we have taken—I think it makes us not as biased as some others.  Often their work is not as detailed as ours.

Trust is the other cornerstone of our business—are we who we say we are, do we tell the truth, can you trust your hard-earned dollars for a vacation we recommend?

I also think there are 2 other factors that help clients decide to use us.

First, do they like us—are they comfortable with our methods, processes, demeanor, and our relatability to get their desired river cruise vacation?

Second, do they care about us?

So, let’s see together if our knowledge, our likability, and our empathy towards our clients can help them towards the goal—to get the best river cruise experience for them.

How Do We Help Our Clients Get the Right River Cruise for Their Trip?

The process starts by our potential client reaching out to us for help by phone or email.  Most have never taken a river cruise, but they are well traveled, often have taken an ocean cruise and think a river cruise would be an excellent vacation but are not sure how to start.  They have already done their homework—a river cruise looks like a promising vacation option for them, but they are not sure about how to get the right one for their preferred travel style.

It probably helps that this is an expensive vacation (I like to say river cruising is an expensive hobby) and for that amount of money they are willing to get help—a lot of our clients plan their own vacations and are not totally comfortable giving up control.  They also usually have not used a travel professional and want to know the value and cost to use us (there is very good news here—we do not charge any fees and feel the river cruise companies fairly compensate us with their commission structure which is already built into the cost of the cruise, so they in essence get our services for free).

Our first telephone conversations are always very interesting—we met some fascinating folks.  They are sizing us up—knowledge, trust, care, and likeability by how we interact with them.  They are always a little apprehensive—after all, there is a lot of concern that we will not get them the right river cruise and their first interaction with us is probably on the internet prior to the first phone call.

Imagine you are in their shoes—can these dudes really help us?  On our end it is really simple—our superior knowledge of the river cruise industry and the routes put them at ease.  It is not unusual for us to spend over an hour or more on a phone call.

I like to say we are the real deal—about 99% of their questions we can answer without notes and references.  Here are their most common questions:

Which company would you recommend?  Why?

What is the best route for a first-time river cruiser?  Why is it better than other routes?

Have you ever been on a river cruise?  Have you sailed this route?

What is the daily itinerary on route_____?  Is there a lot of bus rides?  Guided tours?  Free time?  How many different tours per port?  What are the best ports?  Why?

Is it regimented—what is the daily schedule?

What is included in the cruise?

How about food and wine and drinks?  How many dining options?  Can they handle my diet restrictions?

What type of stateroom should I pick?  Do I need a balcony?

I’m very active—are there bikes and wellness activities?  How good are they?

I have limited mobility—is a river cruise right for me?

What about high/low water?

What is the dress code?

What about pre and post trips?

What does it cost to use your services?  Why should we use us?

What about travel insurance?  What does it cost?

Now that we have gotten the myriad of questions answered, we start the process.  First, if they have not done so yet, we require a completed travel request on our website for first time potential clients.  We need to know who they are, where they live and what they want to do, why the want to go on a river cruise, and when they want to go.

With that in hand, we offer ideas of the best route—river cruising is first and foremost about the destinations.  Once we have settled the route question, it is on to the company that best matches their travel style.

Now it is our turn to research their desires and match their needs to what products are available in their desired travel time frame.

After we discuss options, if necessary, and then we move to a formal quote.  We provide a quote document, explain the key terms and conditions, and always explain the travel insurance offered by the vendor.

Now, it is decision time.  They now need to accept the offer or decide it does not work for them, regardless of the reason.  If we can resolve the issues—maybe a different cruise date or a different stateroom, we will attempt to fix it.  Sometimes folks just say no—usually it is too high a cost for them.  Since our mantra is always to do what is best for the potential client, we understand that it always does not work out and we are okay with that result.

Now, we make the deposit on their behalf using their credit card we have taken over the phone.  We then make the deposit for all requested services.  Once complete, we send a copy of the invoice to them.

Once we have completed the deposit, now we handle the details—transfers, pre and post arrangements, perhaps flights thru the vendor (we do not book air directly), or hotels.

We will help them during the pre-cruise planning phase and during the actual cruise.

 About 90 days out, it is final payment time.  Excitement builds.

Now comes the best part—usually a totally satisfied client, whose expectations were exceeded!

How cool is that—we hope it ends that way but sometimes there are bumps in the road (very seldom) and we try to fix the problem or improve for the next trip.  Part of the reason it usually turns out favorably is that, as I like to say, “there are no bad river cruises in Europe and these vacation experiences are probably the best trip you will ever take!”

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what a process! 

I think you can see why we are in the business—it just is awesome to help folks have a great vacation.

We hope you enjoyed this report.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 51+ years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Packing Light in the Summer of 2022

Packing Light in the Summer of 2022

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

As I’m sure we have all experienced, packing the correct items for your trip but not taking too much is one of the hardest challenges for most folks when we travel.  We all want to pack for that just in case scenario which leads to over-packing but do you really need all those clothes and items?

Taking less also presents at least 2 other challenges—looking nice or even professional and facing different seasons of the year.

It even gets worse when you face the current conditions of air problems lost checked luggage in some European countries (14 July 2022).  As a result, both Anne and I have decided to use carry on luggage on our flight from Houston to Amsterdam this summer.

So here is the challenge for me—use my new 22” carry-on luggage and my trusted leather Tumi second piece of luggage to bring enough to handle 21 days of travel, look reasonably professional during part of the trip on a river cruise, and get my 2 pieces of luggage on a train easily, since large suitcases often pose a storage problem and struggles boarding and leaving the trains with heavy bags during the short stops.

I do realize that it is much more difficult for women than men, as I don’t wear make-up, need several pair of shoes to look proper—you get the idea.

So, let’s explore together and learn if it is going to work for me!

What are Some Reasons for Over Packing?

I think the first and most obvious reason is the “just in case” approach to packing.  It is the planning for the absolute worst case scenario.  Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have the moto ”Be Prepared” and that means for everything, not the most likely situation.

I also think you can’t ignore the comfort factor of having a lot of different clothes to choose from—less stress because you didn’t make hard choices before the trip.

Maybe the often overlooked reason, is that you may have bought new clothes especially for the trip and just can’t leave it home.

In reality, it is a departure from your comfort zone—I can always just go to the closet at home, so if I bring it I will feel more secure.  It reduces stress and anxiety—let’s face it, sometimes travel is stressful but so rewarding and just a little something extra brings us comfort.

So understanding these concerns, can I pare down my clothes, look reasonably professional, and feel comfortable?  I think I can, so here is my game plan.

Some Good Rules for Packing Light

The most obvious is you are not going to wear 1 item 1 time on the trip.  My goal is to get at least 2 uses of each item such as shirts and pants.  I will definitely need more shirts (top layers) than pants.  3 or more wears is a bonus.

No more than 3 pair of shoes.

Anything that can do double duty such as a shirt that would look good during the day and could be worn at night in more dressy situations and still look good for both parts of the trip means I can cut at least one piece of clothing.

I must have clothes that make me look professional or at least not sloppy or inappropriate.

My clothes must also not offend anyone due to cultural norms.

Landry is my friend—it means less clothes and fresh clothes, which it is great thing, so I have to bring clothes that can be washed and dried without causing any damage to them.  It will most likely get me into the bonus area of 3 or more uses on the trip.  Quick drying underwear that can be washed in a sink to dry overnight is also a plus.

If it is a toss up to bring or not to bring it, don’t bring it—be mentally tough and make the hard decisions early.  The advice I have often read is lay out everything you might want to bring and cut it by one-half.  I’m not sure I totally agree with this but I like the principle.

Don’t worry about looking perfect—just look good and be comfortable.

Pack early—reduce your stress (we are 8 days out and I’m following my own advice by writing this blog and already packed)..

A Closer Look at My 2 Pieces of Luggage

I’m using a new carry-on luggage from Solguard. (A quick disclaimer here—I don’t get any rewards from the makers of either piece of luggage or the compression bag system I’m trying out and I am not affiliated with them in any fashion).  It is 22 inches and on the inside has what they call a closet insert.  The concept is at arrival you don’t have to unpack—just hand the expanding insert up in the closet or from the handle with the suitcase open. 

The verdict—great system but the closet insert takes up too much space, so it is better for a week or 2 at max but not right for 3 weeks.

Here are 3 photos of the closet system packed in the hard side suitcase:

The luggage with the closet system inside

The closet system opened—no need to unpack!

The closet insert opened (left side of the photo), the laundry bag and they closet system folded up but not packed (lower right)

So, I am trying a new approach—Anne found a set of packing cubes that can reduce the space of your clothes using a system of zippers.  The real question is will it work well enough to save space and make the trip easier and perhaps take a couple of items I couldn’t squeeze in without the new bag system?

First, the new packing cubes are called Bagail (trust me, no indorsement money for naming them and we gain no benefit except to try a new system to pack more clothes than without some type of compression system).  The idea is to fill them up expanded and then use the zipper system to compress the items in the packing cubes.

Here is what I want to put in the 4 cubes:

This is a picture of all I am going to pack in the new compression bag system.

Packing My Hard sided 22” Suitcase

My Solegard hard-sided carry-on suitcase will have 3 Bagail packing cubes filled with my clothes that I am taking.  Loose in the suitcase, will be 1 pr running/hiking shoes, a laundry bag, 1 pr lightweight cargo pants that zip-off to become shorts and a blue sports coat.  My suitcase will weigh 25.8 pounds packed.

The closed hard sided suit case

The open suitcase. the mesh zipper side on the left side holds loose items well. The right side only has a strap to secure items. You can see how I packed the new packing cubes on the right side

Here is my report about packing the hard-side suitcase.  On the right side of my suitcase with just restraining strap (the deepest side of the case), I used the largest Bagail bag first. It is about 4’ wide by 18” long.  Compressed it is only about 2” wide or so.  Here is what I packed in this cube—6 daily shirts, 2 pr slacks and 4 dress shirts.

Ready to put in the suitcase on the right side, all fully packed and compressed—the laundry bag,, the large bag with 10 total shirts and 2 pr slacks and the sock bag

2 pair slacks and 4 dress shirts fit well in to the largest compression cube bag, along with the 6 daily wear shirts shown in the nest picture

The 6 daily wear shirts.

I had them packed for a few days earlier, before writing this blog, and taking them out of the packing cube, I discovered they were a little wrinkled but not bad in my thoughts.  I really liked how easy it was to fit in, as I always overstuff my bag without the cubes, and I have to rifle though everything to find what I want to wear.

The smallest bag I use for my socks.  Unzipped it was about 3 ½’’ or so and 10” in length.  Compressed it goes down to about 2” wide or so and fits in with big bag on the right side of the open suitcase. The only other thing on this side is my laundry bag.

The contents of the sock bag

Now to the left side with a full mesh liner with a zipper to hold items in.  I have 1 pr light weight cargo pants, my running/hiking shoes and my blue blazer.  All items are loose and not in a packing cube.

The loose items in the left side of the suitcase—1 pr cargo convertible pants, my running shoes and the folder blazer

Also on this side is my underwear bag.  Using the Bagail bag that when opened is about 4 ½” by 12 ½”, I got 6 pr quick drying boxer shorts, 4 cotton T shirts and 3 quick drying undershirts in the compressed bag that went down to about 1 ½ inches.

I always wear a sports coat on the plane and use a fresh dress shirt and underwear, but I will use one of the pair of slacks that are now in the suitcase.  I wear a pair of Rockport shoes for my dress up clothes.

The sports coat will fit in the suitcase, as will the dress shirt and the Rockport shoes after the flight as I will change shoes, probably to the running shoes.

My Leather Tumi Bag

My other carry on is a leather Tumi we bought in Brugge several years ago.  Trust me, they are proud of Tumi luggage, and it is very pricey, but it sure does look cool—really old school traditional luggage.  The true goal of any really light traveler would be to bring only this small luggage piece, but the truth is it just doesn’t work except for ultra-minimalists.  Here is a photo:

My oool, old school traditional leather Tumi carry on bag

This bag should be okay as the bag of last resort, if the airlines won’t let us carry on our hard-sided suitcases (I doubt it will happen, as we are flying first class, but we always prepare for the worst-case scenario).  It weighs 13.8 pounds packed. Here is what I pack in this bag:

Electronics and Essentials

It goes without saying, you will need some electronics.  Here is what I carry in my hard-sided case to organize my electronics (it is a gift from some great friends)—a headlight flashlight, a larger battery charger and cords, my iPod with Bose corded earphones, my charging cord for my Fitbit, an Europe Adapter plug, and a fold down US plug.

Next my hearing aids and cleaning kit.  A rechargeable portable fan.  My small binoculars in a case.  A Europe compatible power strip with USB slots. Sunglasses with case.  AmaWaterways baseball cap.  Cooling Towel (blue)--when it is wet, I wear it around my neck to help stay cool.  Toilet Kit in a leather case.  TSA see-through bag.  Rolled up rain jacket.  Bagail bag with 2 days’ worth of clothes (1 pr shorts, swimsuit, 2 pr underwear, 2 causal shirts, 2 colored T-shirts, 1 pr convertible pants).  Thermos Water Bottle.  Maps, small writing pad and pen, German Language book.  Euros.  Small battery charging system and cords in outside pocket to use with my iPhone.  iPhone.  Sandals.  Maybe iPad. Small daily backpack.

Here is a photo of all these items:

The contents of the Tumi bag. Most items are to continue the trip safely and in comfort if the hard side case is lost.

Anne is the one who found most of these cool items, like the chargers, the small fan and Bagail packing cubes,

Now, let’s see how I plan to use the clothes I am bringing.

The Tours and Daytime

I need to stay cool but still look presentable.  I need 21 days’ worth of clothes.  This is going to require some hard choices.

The most flexible part is the pants and daily shirts.  I’m going with 2 rather light weight cargo pants type convertible to shorts garments.  I’m carrying 6 daytime shirts--one is a long sleeve that rolls up to a short sleeve shirt, the rest short sleeve.

I will take 2 pair of shoes.  My sandals I can wear everywhere and my running shoes with 4-5 pair socks.

The Dinner Meal

During the evening, many but not all, get a little more dressed up on river cruises.  I always like to wear a coat to dinner for 2 reasons.  First, as a professional travel advisor, I think my appearance is important.  Second, and perhaps the best reason, the dinner meal is a usually special 4-6 course meal, and I think honoring the time it takes to serve these meals deserves a little effort on my part to dress appropriately.

Here we are dressed for dinner. From left to right Anne, Captain Dany and Hank

So, what is the game plan for these meals?  I plan to take 2 Sports Coats, 4 dress shirts and 2 different pair of pants, and one pair of shoes.  I just alternate my slacks and sports coats, wear each shirt twice, so I look different each night.  I also take a tie or two that Anne likes with the shits/sports jackets.

My one pair of dress shoes are also very comfortable.  I could easily wear them during the day with the slacks if I want to dress up a little.

We use the laundry on the ship, to get clean pressed clothes and it is great!

Ready to Roll for 21 days—I think I did it!

Our Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this report.  Packing is quite a challenge and after 50 years still probably don’t have it right, but I keep trying to refine and get it better than last trip.

I think my packed clothes and game plan on what to wear will work well. I also will be very mobile, can carry on for the flights and can quickly get on and off the trains and move easily between platforms even if there is not an elevator.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50+ years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways  Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

River Cruise Safety in 2022

River Cruise Safety in 2022

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

There is a lot of negative news lately about travel to Europe.  First it was COVID for the last 2 years; now inflation worries are here; and if it was not enough, there is a war in Ukraine.

Anne suggested I write about this topic, as she feels it is easy to let the headlines obscure the facts.

I guess, although alarming to me, especially the brutality of the war in Ukraine, none of these are showstoppers

So, let’s explore together and learn about river cruise safety and my thoughts about how best to protect yourself from these dangers and perceived dangers.

Overview

We have been on 21 river cruises in Europe and will go back again in October to take our 22nd cruise. We cruised in Europe in August 2021 and Egypt in December 2021.

 There are many reasons why we like to river cruise so much, but one key reason is that it is a safe trip, and that helps make it a great vacation for most folks. 

We would never consider cancelling our trip due to the current world situation in Europe, because we have so much confidence we will be safe. None of the river cruise companies we recommend would put anyone intentionally in harm’s way—they would be out of business quickly and sued for million of dollars for negligence.

 As a retired Army Officer, I can assure you I never would put myself in danger anyway just to have a vacation, or try to sell one to others just to make some money.  I do, however, understand concerns in today’s world. 

We have travelled during many periods of unrest or tension in Europe and always felt safe if we take simple steps to avoid potentially dangerous situations.  Please consider these items before you decide that travel to Europe or taking a river cruise in Europe is dangerous:

Risk

No one can promise you will be safe anywhere in the world, including where you live today in the US.  Despite the headlines, you are safer travelling to Europe than the risks you face in daily life.  From 2001-2013, according to the US State Department, 350 US citizens have been killed overseas.

 In that same time in the US (2001-2013), according to the Center for Disease Control, 406,496 people were killed by firearms and again from 2001-2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 520,000 people died in auto accident.  Perception of danger overseas is not the reality.

Terrorism Aims

Terrorists want to spread their political agenda by fear and intimidation.  They want the 24-hour coverage of the news channels to show how horrible they are and that they disregard human life.  Terrorism is random and this increases fear.

 The terrorists win if we stop traveling.  Do not worry constantly, just use good common sense to limit chances you will be harmed.

Tips to Protect Yourself in Europe

1)      Buy Travel Insurance

There are many ways travel insurance can add a level of protection to safeguard your trip.  Travel insurance can cover trip cancellation for qualified reasons (you never go on the trip) and trip interruption for qualified reasons (you go but do not complete the entire trip); medical problems, evacuation home or to a hospital, lost or delayed baggage and flight insurance. 

Not all policies cover all the above situations, especially trip cancellation coverage and the costly cancel for any reason policies.  Most policies we recommend are primary coverage—that means they pay first regardless of other coverage. 

One of the best features of travel insurance, is an emergency contact center, manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist in an emergency.  Just so you know, we never travel without travel insurance.  We always offer travel insurance, but you are not required to buy (disclaimer, we are paid a commission on these products, but the real reason we recommend travel insurance is that we want you to consider your personal risk and situation).  

We have a professional responsibility to insure you are properly informed.  We can help guide you through the process, but we will never promise coverage for a specific situation —this is something you should discuss with the insurance company directly.

 Travel insurance just adds peace of mind, in my opinion.  There are also policies that provide emergency evacuation that are not a medical necessity.

COVID insurance is another complete situation, and we say you must read the policy directly and ask a lot of questions of the provider.

2)      Watch the News on TV

Just keeping up with world events can help you recognize potential danger areas to avoid.  CNN International and BBC Worldwide are usually available in most places we have stayed and are available on most river cruise ships

The war in Ukraine should not change anything in Europe River cruising except for any port or cruise in Russia or sailing in the Black Sea. 

A quick geography lesson here—it may look like just an inch on a map of Europe from the conflict, but the borders are over a hundred to two hundred miles away from the closest Ukrainian border and even further, when you realize all the fighting is in the Eastern part of the country.

3)      Realize that some venues make be directed to be closed or a ship might make a change in port stops or tours.

For your protection, you will often see more police at public transportation areas and there may be more security screening to enter some areas, museums, or other attractions.  We have experienced all of these and in most cases, it was totally reassuring, and the delays were minimal.  Just be flexible and all will be all right.

This happened several times due to changing country regulations for COVID.  Just follow the rules, get vaccinated and boosted, fill out the health questionnaires, wear a mask if required and get tested also if required.

4)      Enjoy your trip but be aware of your surroundings

This is the commonsense rule.  We always expect to have fun but are aware—if something just does not seem right, use caution.

5)      If traveling alone, make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expected back

While we recommend traveling with someone or in a group, if you are travelling alone, let the hotel front desk or the river cruise ship reception know if you are going out on your own.  It just adds another level of security.

6)      Register with the State Department

The US State Department has a Safe Traveler Enrollment Program.  The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

 It allows US citizens to sign up to receive alerts from the US State Department, allows the US Embassy a way to contact you if needed and provides a way family or friends can contact you in an emergency. 

Here is the link to their website to register https://step.state.gov/step/

7)      Carry some items with you to help you be prepared if an emergency arises.

We always carry with us contact info for the hotel we are staying at or the emergency contact info for the river cruise ship, a paper copy of our passports, some local cash, and a credit card.  We also have our cell phones (with a photo of passports, COVID vaccination cards and a backup battery charger (usually two as “Always Prepared Anne” has a back up for a back up with her).

How River Cruise Companies Help Ensure Your Safety

River cruise lines train their crew members to ensure your safety.  The sailing crew members (usually the Captain, First Officer, Engineer, and deck hands) are well experienced—most have been sailing for years and the know and avoid dangers that could occur on your river cruise. 

There is always a safety briefing on each river cruise prior to sailing. 

Captain Danny giving his safety briefing. Robert, holding the paddle is the rally point leader on the top deck for assembly for the 300 level cabins during an emergency.

Life jackets are on the top deck. During the safety briefing, there is always a demonstration on how to properly put on and wear this safety item.

The cruise director and local guides also add a level of security—they know about potential problems and can ensure guests do not venture into dangerous areas.  The cruise lines also monitor weather conditions and river levels to ensure safety.

Cruise manager, Dejan, adds facts about passenger safety.

 The ships all have great safety features, such as radar to help avoid other traffic on the rivers.  There is a 24-hour guard on each ship and outside entrances are locked during nighttime hours and no is granted access without proper ID

When each guest leaves the river boat, they are required to take a card with emergency phone numbers.  This also allows the crew to know if you did not re-board prior to the departure of the ship.

These are just a few of the reasons we like river cruising so much—they are a safe way to travel.   

Our Final Thoughts

One final thought here—along with these tips, consider how much return to travel means for Europe.  2 years without full ships, an 18 month pause of river cruising, has placed severe financial strain on the workers.

Don’t feel guilty because you have so much—share it with the workers whose livelihoods depend on you traveling—thank them, tip them well and realize you are helping us all oppose brutality and uphold democratic ideals.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Best European River Cruise Advice

Best European River Cruise Advice

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Sometimes it is possible to get so much good content on a website that it becomes confusing.

As I was studying our website, I realized that putting all the blogs about European River Cruising under the category of Europe River Cruise on our blog archives page made it very difficult to quickly find the answer to a question or search you might have about these wonderful trips.

So, with blog # 77 about river cruising, I want to tell about how you can quickly find out the exact information you might be looking for about river cruising in Europe, with the emphasis on our blogs.

I will begin by providing you a little history how our blogs have evolved, tell you about our 2 most important river cruise web pages and finish with our new blog archives organization on our website.

I hope you won’t roll your eyes and scream “TMI” (too much information)—there is really a point to this blog!

Our Blog History in Numbers

Our 2020 visitor traffic as of 20 August 2020 for our website. What this diagram means is that about 65% who visit our site find something worthwhile to read!

We first published our blog using a WordPress website that was not part of our website.  In 2016, we started writing the blog regularly, publishing 36 blogs.  In 2017, we published 44 blogs.  In 2018, we published 31 on WordPress.  Our total to date—112 blogs on the WordPress Blog Archives page.

We decided to move our blog to our new website and began publishing on our Squarespace website, starting with our 27 September 2018 blog and wrote 10 more as part of the website in 2018. 

We wrote 42 blogs in 2019 and are on pace to produce 42 or probably more in 2020. 

2 of our most dedicated blog readers—Jeff and Anne in Prague after our post AmaWaterways Danube cruise at dinner in Prague.

“LOVE IT!!!! Vive’ la France!!! Tres bien mon ami!!! ”

— Jeff R in response to our A Wine Lovers Route--Provence River Cruise on AmaWaterways

Our Blog Content

Our blogs, by design, are much more detailed than most other blogs—usually 2000 words or more.  There are two types of blogs we use to help you understand our topics.

In the first type, we try to tell the story of each topic in a way you can see yourself there—can we capture the experience for you?

While some blogs easily fall into storytelling type of blog, others are designed as informational, data blogs, our second type of blog. Today’s blog is more the informational type blog.

Both have immense value, in my opinion.  Sometimes you just need the data in a form you can understand and make comparisons.  But this alone is not enough—you need to know what you will experience on a trip to get the full story.  A key element of the blogs is a clear separation of facts (usually there is a source) and our opinion.

 When possible, we use many pictures in each blog to help enhance our descriptions—Anne has some amazing pictures that are the true highlight of the blogs. We very rarely use free pictures unless we aren’t allowed to take photographs.

With an amazing picture like this one from Anne on the Danube River, you can understand her outstanding contribution to our blog!

As you can see from this blog, we break up our blogs into sub headings to make it easier to understand.  Often, there is quite a bit of research that goes into the content—we try to sift through the overwhelming amount of information and advertising to paint an easily understandable summary of each topic.  Most is first-hand information from our experiences, but some is news or research, or information facts (internet, blogs, books, travel publications, company brochures or other sources) that you might require to become a better traveler.

Our blogs have two goals—the most important is to inform you so you can decide if a trip you are thinking about is right for you.  The second, a bit more subtle, is to help you decide if we are the right folks to help plan your trip.

Our 2 Most Popular Website pages

You might be interested in our reach from our website.  We have had over 7,215 visitors our website so far this year.  About 2,200+ first visit our home page and then over 4,800+ have gone to another page on the website.  This means they find our content worthy of a second look.

By far, our Best Europe River Cruise Routes Guide (1,384 visitors) and our Europe River Cruise Comparisons 2020-2021 (958 visitors) are the two most visited pages on our site.  It is a small wonder, because we feel these are as good a resource as is available to most folks on the worldwide web.

Why don’t you read them now?  Here are the links:                                   

Our New Europe River Cruise Archive Page (Currently 41 Blogs)

Here is the link: Europe River Cruise Archive Page

We cover 5 topics on this archive page.  They are:

·       Our River Cruise Services (7 blogs)

·       River Cruise Lines Comparisons (3 blogs)

·       River Cruise Routes (14 blogs)

·       River Cruise Advice (12 blogs)

·       River Cruise Reviews (5 blogs)

So, what does this mean for you? 

In short, it provides you a way to completely understand river cruising through our eyes. 

Perhaps, best of all, it is very good content and often, many blogs are on the first page of Google or very near the top.

Here is what one reader had to say about our 10 Best River Cruise Blogs:

Len and Jane on our 2019 AmaWaterways Captivating Rhine River Cruise.

“#76 is a good blog! I agree with your ratings of your “best” blogs. These are great for folks trying to learn about European river cruise characteristics and options.”

— Len A in response to Our 10 Best River Cruise Blogs

Our Updated Blog Archive Page (Currently 52 Blogs)

Here is the link to our: Blog Archive Page

We cover 6 topics on our Blog Archive Page.  They are:

·       Europe Travel (12 blogs)

·       Europe Destinations (8 blogs)

·       Best Value Travel (16 blogs)

·       Travel Planning (9 blogs)

·       Ocean Cruises (1 blog)

·       Veterans (6 blogs)

These 52 blogs also are another great resource.  They are resources for you about our total travel agency services and will help you become a smarter traveler.

Jakie S at Pointe du Hoc 2019

Here is some really good feedback from one of the blog readers about our blog Omaha and Utah Beaches, 1944

“I wouldn’t have thought such a huge tasking could be put in such a clear, succinct, one read, to-the-point summary. However, you did it brilliantly, especially throwing in the key numbers for us “numbers” guys and then supporting it with pictures. I’ve never seen it done so well, that’s a fact! ”

— Jakie S., Col (ret), about our blog Omaha and Utah Beach 1944

My Final Thoughts

I think our blog is exactly what we hoped it would be—it represents an unmatched resource for you to learn about European River Cruising, Europe Travel and how we can help you travel better and get more value for your money. 

It is wonderful to hear so many good comments about our blog—it sure makes all the hard work worth it!

We would like to thank those of you who have trusted us for their travel needs and look for to help you again and anyone else in the future who might need our help.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.  His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways  Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

“Good Morning Hank,

You never cease to amaze. What a wonderful blog this is😊

”

— Shelie B. Amawaterways Business Development Mangaer Tx & La on our Dream Destination Brand Blog

Dream About River Cruising Now; Travel Later

Dream About River Cruising Now; Travel Later

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I don’t know about you, but I suspect you are feeling a little cooped up right now.

My mind wanders often these days, thinking about where we will travel next.

It will be somewhere in Europe when it is safe to go. 

For me, many of my dreams involve a Europe river cruise and I hope soon we can help go again or sail on one for the first time.

This week, we will help you dream by examining why people take river cruises, and the routes available.  Dreaming further, perhaps we can inspire you by one of our many blogs about European river cruising and when the time is right, why you should use us to plan your European River Cruise.

So, this week, I’d like to write about dreams to take you to Dream Destinations on European river cruises. 

7 Reasons Why People Dream About & Take River Cruises

1. They like the Cool destinations & itinerary—almost always the most important reason.

2. They like All-Inclusive luxury vacation at a reasonable cost—a very good perceived value.

3. They want Real-life experiences in smaller towns & villages often combined with great cities of Europe—a great mix that is hard to do on your own but easy with a river cruise.

4. They really like included land programs and sightseeing.

5. They like smaller ships and intimate ambience.

6. They appreciate shipboard services and caring staff.

7. It is convenient and hassle free.

All great reasons in my mind—are your dreaming yet?

Great Routes to Dream About

Do you want to dream about great destinations? 

Then our comprehensive guide of the available European River Cruise Routes is the best single resource available for you to quickly learn about European Rivers.  It is designed so you can easily decide on which route will be the best for your next Europe river cruise vacation.

 Old Town Lyon—a port on the Rhône River—one of the Routes we describe in our guide

Europe has the distinction of the continent with the largest number of navigable rivers compared to other regions of the world.  They are often devoid of major obstacles such as waterfalls and rapids, and are usually wide and deep enough to allow a steady passage of people and material on all types of sailing vessels.

Combine the easy navigation with captivating sights such as castles, vineyards, capital cities and small, quaint villages and it is clear to me why folks would want to sail these amazing rivers!

 Europe Rivers Map from AmaWaterways

Our route guide page will describe the river, point out a couple of highlights and why you might consider sailing on this river.  The routes may be very short or may cover larger distances.  While there are some variations, many lines essentially cruise the same route on the most popular European rivers.

Since most folks want to know what the best starting rivers are if they have never taken a European River cruise, by far the two most popular rivers are the Rhine and the Upper Danube, so let’s explore them first together.  Then we will examine the remaining Europe Rivers you might want to consider for your vacation.

 The Watchman of the Danube Schönbühel Castle

Sailing into Rüdesheim Germany on the Rhine

Ready?—Let’s cruise together!

European River Cruise Route Guide

Dream Using Our River Cruise Blogs

If you believe Google, I am the number one Europe River Cruise Blogger.

Our blogs, by design, are much more detailed than most other blogs—usually 2000 words or more.  There are two types of blogs we use to help you understand characteristics of Europe river cruises.

In the first type, we try to tell the story of each topic in a way you can see yourself there—can we capture the experience for you? 

While some blogs easily fall into storytelling type of blog, others are designed as informational, data blogs, our second type of blog. This blog is more the informational type blog.

Both have immense value, in my opinion.  Sometimes you just need the data in a form you can understand and make comparisons.  But this alone is not enough—you need to know what you will experience on a Europe river cruise to get the full story.  A key element of the blogs is a clear separation of facts (usually there is a source) and our opinion.  When possible, we use many pictures in each blog to help enhance our descriptions.

As you can see from this blog, we break up our blogs into sub headings to make it easier to understand.  Often, there is quite a bit of research that goes into the content—we try to sift through the overwhelming amount of information and advertising to paint an easily understandable summary of each topic.  Most is first-hand information from our experiences, but some is news or research, or information facts (internet, blogs, books, travel publications, company brochures or other sources) you need to know to become a better traveler.

Our blogs have two goals—the most important is to inform you so you can decide if a Europe river cruise is right for you.  The second, a bit more subtle, is to help you decide if we are the right folks to help plan your river cruise.

Read More River Cruise Blogs

Why We Are the Right Folks to Plan your Next European River Cruise

Our knowledge of Europe river cruises is exceptional.  We have been on 18 Europe river cruises, written over 60 blogs about all aspects of Europe river cruises, have 3 items on the first page of Google, we have 51 port guides (they are free) for you, and we have help dozens enjoy river cruising in Europe.  And if that we not enough, we have 50 free guides to most Europe Cities you might want to visit before or after your Europe river cruise.

My Final Thoughts

Wow!—what a quick way to get exceptional information and start dreaming about European River Cruising!  We want to earn that trust from you to use us for your vacation needs—start with your dreams first—when European River Cruising starts up again, we will make your dreams reality..

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.  As you can see, our full service agency can get you to almost anywhere you desire to travel and provide you a great experience and vacation.

When you are spending your hard earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48+ years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.  His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Creating Unforgettable Experiences on a Europe River Cruise

Creating Unforgettable Experiences on a Europe River Cruise

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Travel is an amazing learning experience.  Even after 48+ years traveling to Europe, I still get to experience new places and learn more about the people who live there and their customs.  

In many ways, Europe river cruising has help Anne & I have new experiences and opened our eyes to things we never knew were available during our travels.

So, I thought I’d write today about how to create unforgettable experiences on Europe River Cruises—are you ready to go with me?

Always Think about the Route First

To create Unforgettable Experiences on a Europe River Cruise, the first step is to determine the right route and itinerary.  River cruising is about the destinations and what you will get to see and experience on your European river cruise.  The wrong destination, or wrong theme can make the trip less valuable, or at the extremes, may even ruin your vacation.

The port stops on the cruise will provide you access to great experiences, if you choose wisely.  Some questions to ask yourself—Do I want to visit somewhere new or go back for a more in-depth look at a place?  Will my cruise make it easier or harder to get to see and experience my desired place or experience?  Does the line have something special I can take advantage of—maybe a unique venue, or event or festival?  Should I first visit to get a quick overview and then return later on my own or in a tour for a more in-depth look?

There is a difference between folks who are new to Europe River Cruising and experienced cruisers.  Just your first Europe river cruise alone can be the unforgettable experience—the luxury floating hotel, the food and wine and included tours—I was blown away in 2009 after my first river cruise on AmaWaterways—it was easy, fun and so many new and wonderful places I never knew existed.  I can see some of your reading this and thinking about your first river cruise nodding your head in agreement with me!

Residenz Würzburg Palace—a new place for us in 2009!

A lot of that had to do with the route on my first river cruise—even though I had spent a lot of time in Germany, and even visited the Moselle River before (my first cruise was the River & Castles Route with AmaWaterways on the Moselle River, a small part of the Rhine River and the Main River), it was not as in-depth as the river cruise route was and many of the ports were new and wonderful.

Cochem, Germany—a unique feature our first river cruise was tour of the castle in English

As you get more experienced or revisit the same route, your focus will change—what on the itinerary will provide me that unforgettable experience?

So, the next step is to educate yourself!

Now Educate Yourself

The more you know about a destination, the better chance you will get better and often unforgettable experiences. A good starting place is Our Europe River Cruise Routes Guide Page.

The importance of this page is clear to me--river cruising is about the destinations and what you will get to see and experience on your European river cruise.  This page will help you quickly learn about the major routes available to you and to help you decide which might be best for your vacation.

Here is the link:  Europe River Cruise Route Guide

Next, after seeing a route that appeals to you, ask us to send you our port guides for that route (we have 51 available).  This will provide you a much more in-depth look at the ports and may peak your interest and help create an unforgettable experience for you.

Here is the link to one of our request pages—it covers the Rhine, the Moselle and the Main Rivers—please try some—they are free!  Get My Port Guide

What are Your Special Interests?

It makes sense to me that thinking about your favorite items, like food, wine, castles, dramatic landscapes, festivals history, art or cultural events—the list could go on and on.  If you can narrow your focus a little, it will greatly enhance your chances of an unforgettable experience.

Here is a great example of how we created an unforgettable experience on one trip, inspired by our previous river cruise trips.  I have always liked castles and their dramatic perches, protecting something.  Maybe it’s the turrets, keeps (highest, most protected part of the castle), the defensive systems, or just images of knights, lords and damsels, but probably it is all in a somewhat romanticized idea of a castle in the “prison walls of my mind” (this is from the lyrics of the song Over You by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap).  I’m really not that much into the early castles, or stone cold ruins, but really like the castles you can tour and see rooms and their living conditions.  This is especially true for Anne—piles of rocks and stones in ruins are among her least interesting things to visit—who can really blame her!

Koblenz, Germany

We decided to visit 3 castles prior to our 6th Europe River cruise—all allowed us to tour inside the castle.  We chose to visit Burg Eltz, Stolzenfels and Marksburg.  We based in Koblenz, at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers, after a brief visit during a river cruise introduced to this town—we liked some of the old town area and it provided easy access to our 3 target castles.  Stolzenfels and Marksburg castles are quite visible during the stretch of the Rhine River Gorge and inspired us to want to tour them.  Burg Eltz is not visible from the Moselle.

All 3 required hikes after arriving at the nearest transportation stop (2 train, 1 by bus), but Berg Eltz required a 3 mile hike to and back to the castle.  It was wonderful, memorable walk and the castle was outstanding—the same family has lived there for over 850 years.

Entrance to Berg Eltz, Germany

Berg Eltz is a beautifully preserved castle, with towers, half-timbered walls, and it is seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  There are 2 places to visit here—the Treasury (pictures allowed) with a great display of precious items and tour of select rooms (no pictures) which takes about an hour or less.  3 families owned this castle and each has built separate wings.  The tour includes an entrance way decorated with weapons, various gathering rooms, bedrooms and the kitchen—all very authentic and used by the families for over 33 generations.  Perhaps the most famous room of the castle, is the Knight’s room, where the 3 different families met to celebrate and work our any conflicts that might arise.  It is famous for the wall decorations, which served as a reminder to the 3 families about cooperation—a jester mask (representing freedom of speech) and a large rose (representing a code of silence—items discussed in the room need to stay there).

Inside Courtyard of Berg Eltz

Treasury of Berg Eltz

Does that sound like an unforgettable experience to you?—it certainly was for us and originally inspired by a river cruise.

Now Match the cost of a particular cruise line to Your Expectations

At some point, a budget comes into play.  Folks who are considering a Europe River cruise vacation, want in-depth information about what the vacation really is all about and whether or not it will be a worthwhile vacation for them.  I like to call it Best Value Travel.

Here is a good example of how 2 included features of a cruise line helped make the cost of the cruise worth it for us.  We took a Gems of the Danube cruise in 2016 on Scenic.  Here were 2 special events that we really enjoyed and fall into the unforgettable category.

Two of unique features when sailing with Scenic are the Sundowners and Enrich excursions.  Our Sundowners experience was in a great little wine stubbe in Dürnstein.  Although we have visited the small village of Dürnstein multiple times, we had never been inside this wine stubbe and the wine/beer/food party with a band was really awesome.  It truly was a great end to the day!  See if you don’t agree from our pictures.

Sundowner Band

Buffet for our Sundowner

Our Enrich visit was an evening concert featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart in Palais Liechtenstein during our visit to Vienna.  We started off the evening with a couple of glasses of excellent Austrian Sekt (sparkling wine).  The concert hall had great acoustics, was lavish beyond belief and was really a memorable experience.  Look at this setting—really awesome!

Opulent Carriage Palais Liechtenstein

Ceiling Painting Palis Liechtenstein

Finally, look for Experiences where you either see of do something Special

Many unforgettable experiences leap to my mind from our many AmaWaterways cruises.  Perhaps the best was when Anne got to cook on one of our several Danube cruises. 

Anne preparing perogies in Bratislava, Slovakia

Here is just a small sample of some unforgettable experiences we have had on our 17 different cruises with AmaWaterways.  Popular options include a Belgian waffle and chocolate tasting in Antwerp, a beer and sausage tour in Nuremberg, or a chance to see Vienna’s hidden treasures, like the romantic Schönlaterngasse.  We have done the waffle tasting and the sausage and beer tour—both were awesome!  They continue to add to these tours and newer options include knotting a bretzel (German for pretzel) in Wertheim, a goulash cooking lesson in Budapest and sampling Bavarian specialties like pralines in Regensburg.

Belgium Waffle we shared on our Antwerp Tour

The Waffle Shop in Antwerp

Hank on a Beer & Nuremberg Sausages Tour

We have had clients participate in the Vienna tour and they really liked it (one great benefit for us—we discovered a great schnitzel restaurant which we managed to eat at as a result of their tour—it was the largest schnitzel I’ve ever seen, and just melted in our mouths—a really neat experience and we have returned several time to enjoy this restaurant when we are in Vienna!).  Limited Edition Tours are also a great option for a cruiser who is sailing on the same route a second or third time—it provides a new experience that enhances your trip.

Schnitzel at the World Famous Figlmüller Restaurant Vienna

My Final Thoughts

So, what does this mean for you—can you enhance your chances of getting an unforgettable experience on a Europe river cruise?  My answer is firmly yes—not only is it possible but with some careful though and evaluation, chances are you will succeed.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.  As you can see, our full service agency can get you to almost anywhere you desire to travel and provide you a great experience and vacation.

When you are spending your hard earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48+ years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.  His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways  Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Our European River Cruises Guide

Our European River Cruises Guide

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

I write all the time about Europe river cruises and their value.  If you take one, you will experience adventure and discovery of some of the great destinations of Europe.  The rivers were the roads of the past—an easy way to transport goods and trade with others—long before roads were built.  Because rivers were so important to humans, amazing sights, crops (especially vineyards) and towns developed around these vital transportation systems.

So, what do people want to know about European River Cruises?

I think they want to know:

1)  Why should they take a European River Cruise?

2) How does a Europe river cruise compare to an Ocean Cruise?

3) What are the best routes to go on?

4)  What European cruise line should they use for their vacation?

So, let’s get our answers to these questions—Ready?  Let’s go!

Why Take a European River Cruise?

Hard to Match any more excellent sights than the Rhine River Gorge Castles on the Rhine—it never gets old!

A river cruise is, in our opinion, the best way to experience Europe--there is just so much to see!  The ships are small and comfortable, and the crew and staff are friendly.  Most river cruise lines have good food and wine.  Unlike ocean cruises, there is a clear upfront price that includes most of the expenses of the trip--food, wine & beer, excursions, accommodations, snacks, destination talks, free Wi-Fi, and usually local entertainment.  There are no inside cabins--all have a view.  With all that is included, it is a good value for the money!

Here is a list of my favorite reasons you should take a European river cruise:

• A very spacious river cruise ship that has no more than 197 guests.

• Pack and unpack only once during your 7 or more day cruise.

• Sumptuous accommodations with every conceivable cabin amenity.

• Incredible gourmet cuisine, much of which is prepared when you order it.

• Complimentary wines, beers, sodas and bottled water.

• Many have complimentary small-group sightseeing excursions in every port.

• Some ships have a gym, sauna, massage, hairdresser, pool, free internet and free use of bicycles.

• Daily free onboard evening entertainment (usually a piano player, sometimes local groups that come on board).

• Complimentary in-cabin Internet, entertainment systems and free movies.

• Dock right in the center of most towns and it takes only one minute to get on/off the ship.

• Ability to see more of a region and experience the local culture in-depth.

• A resort-casual onboard atmosphere – leave the formal wear at home.

• All staterooms have a river view.

I think these are all great reasons to take a European river cruise!

How Does a Europe River Cruise Compare to an Ocean Cruise?

Seabourn Quest in port—great luxury ship

Maybe the best way to compare is to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of transportation for your vacation.  Here is our list:

Ocean Cruise Advantages

• Less Cost to get on ship than river cruise on some lines

• More Ship On-Board Experiences

• Multiple Dining Options

• Includes room, food entertainment & visits to ports on itinerary

Ocean Cruise Disadvantages

• Usually Extra Costs during cruise

• Size—too many people?

• Larger Distances between Ports

• Shore Excursions cost extra

• Could experience rough sailing conditions

A much smaller luxury rivership—holds 156 passengers—what a size difference between this vessel and an ocean cruise ship!

River Cruise Advantages

• Smaller, more contact with crew every day

• A lot more chance to visit historic centers with minimum hassles—see more in less time

• Mostly All inclusive—food, wine/beer, shore tours all included

• Always something to see

River Cruise Disadvantages

• Usually higher price than ocean cruise

• Limited entertainment—no casino or big shows

• People with mobility issues may have limits to participate in all activities

• Could have high water/low water conditions which may restrict ability of rivership to navigate a river

We hope this gives you a good idea of the key differences between an ocean cruise on a larger ship and a river cruise on a smaller ship.

What Are the Best Routes to Go On for a European River Cruise?

Europe Rivers—you get to sail through countries instead of to a country on a big ocean cruise ship. Map courtesy of AmaWaterways

Perhaps the best answer we could provide is to let you know about our blog and website page about the routes available for you to sail on.

Here is a short write up about the blog I wrote about Europe river cruise routes:

Summary--We are often ask “Which river should we sail on for my first Europe river cruise?”  My short answer is take multiple trips--I would sail on all of them!  However, the problem is that most of us don’t have unlimited time and money to sail them all.

So to solve this dilemma, here is our guide to the European River routes.  I will describe the river, point out a couple of highlights and why you might consider sailing on this river.  The routes may be very short or may cover larger distances.  While there are some variations, many lines essentially cruise the same route on the most popular European rivers.

Since most folks want to know what the best starting rivers are if they have never taken a European River cruise, by far the two most popular rivers are the Rhine and the Upper Danube, so let’s explore them first together.  Then will examine the remaining Europe Rivers you might want to consider for your vacation.

Ready?—Let’s cruise together!

Why it Matters?—river cruising is about the destinations and what you will get to see and experience on your European river cruise.  The wrong destination, or wrong theme can make the trip less valuable, or may even ruin your vacation.

What European Cruise Line Should They Use for Their Vacation?

Two great riverships rafted together—the AmaDolce of AmaWaterways and Uniworld’s River Royale—which is better for your vacation?

I have written three great, detailed blogs about European cruise lines.  They should allow you to match the right vendor to you travel style and desired level of travel service and amenities.  Here is a summary of the three blogs and links, so you can learn more about this topic.

What is the Best River Cruise Company?

Summary--Perhaps the most often asked question from our clients about Europe river cruising is “What is the best Europe River Cruise Line?  It is almost always followed by: Why is it the best?

So, I googled best Europe river cruise company and got some really interesting results.  The results were all over the place—incomplete lists, reader polls, cruise critic best list(s), and two good river cruise authorities who have some well-reasoned lists.

Why such varied results?  I just don’t think you can create a best list without categories.  My preferred method is to compare all-inclusive river cruise lines together and then compare lines that may require extra costs.  I also think you have to look for how objective these lists are—the source, their qualifications to review river cruise lines and their reasons to rank one line over another.

Another key factor, in my opinion, is that all river cruises are good vacations and how valid is a best company list?—Does it have any real meaning?

Here is a key fact to support that argument—all of the 8 major lines I cover have good accommodations, free Wi-Fi, wine & beer with lunch and dinner, limited entertainment and tours included in their base fare.  At the very least, all river cruise companies are on par with premium ocean cruise companies and with a few exceptions include more than the ocean cruise lines.  

And, when you read my top 10 list below, you will see each of the 8 major lines I cover has at least one win somewhere on my lists.

Why it Matters—we all want the best trip possible and these comparisons and descriptions help you match your personal travel style to the European river cruise line that best matches your budget and desired level of comfort, while traveling in Europe to the many destinations available for your vacation.

River Cruise Vibes

Summary--I have wanted to write this blog for a long time.

Since 2009, I have studied Europe River cruising to try and learn all I could about the river cruise industry. A few industry experts have tried to make comprehensive comparisons of the different lines. Each has a slightly different approach.

We have taken a unique approach by creating a PowerPoint presentation. Our 86 slide 2019 Comparison Guide is very good but even that lacks one factor—the vibe of the line and its ships. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines vibe as “the feeling that someone or something gives you.” So, here goes—my evaluation of the vibe or feeling you will get on 8 river cruise lines.

Why it Matters—there is little information of the company vibes in one place together available to the consumer.  Did we provide a good summary of each lines feelings?  Will that help you decide on which line best fits your desired vacation experience?

Europe River Cruise Comparisons

When you are comparing European river cruise lines, it becomes rather complicated, as the details about one company compared to another really make the difference.  To help solve this problem, we have created a great, detailed comparison to help you match your travel style to the available options.

Summary--As many of you know, we have one of the best, in-depth, Europe River Cruise Comparisons available anywhere on our website.  We have updated our 2016 version to provide even more accurate information on the ever changing Europe river cruise scene.

We want to emphasize all of these river cruise lines are good values and special trips.  Many have won awards and there is really no official ranking system to provide you a valid comparison method. 

To help overcome the lack of an official ranking system, we have found that The Berlitz River Cruising in Europe & the USA guide to be as fair an evaluation as presently available to the public.  This book evaluates individual ships in its rating system instead of entire companies, so we have decided to compare the best rivership from each company to determine a ranking system as our method of comparison.

We have also provided our own personal rankings of each line with comments.

So, let’s explore these ranking together, or if you like, just go directly to our full PDF presentation at this link:

Why it Matters—this is an excellent summary—it ranks always on the first page of Google (this is earned—we have never paid to boast anything on the internet).  Getting unbiased information about the various river cruise companies is difficult.  There is no one company that is right for everyone.  We believe we know enough to guide you to the right company that matches your travel style.  Did we convince you?

My Final Thoughts

Wow—sure is a lot of information here!  This is a one stop resource to help you completely understand European river cruises.  We hope we did our job and answered all your questions.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 45 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways  Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent