Confusion About Europe River Cruises—Now AI is Involved!
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
I have often blogged about consumer confusion about which Europe River Cruise to take and which company to use, as many face when searching for the right cruise for their vacation.
In 2024, we have written two blogs about this confusion which help educate our readers about this problem. Both these blogs have links, so just click on the red words if you would like to read them
Some Internet Articles Spread Confusion About Europe River Cruises
Sometimes travel writers focus on the lovely staterooms but don’t tell the full story of the cruise. This is a Avalon Panoramic Suite with the large glass windows. During the article about this cruise the author ignored the excursions. We used this picture in the blog cited above.
In the Another River Cruise Rating Article, we disagreed with the ratings by Conde Nast Traveler for Best River Cruise Lines. We made 2 key points: First, river cruises are good vacations and most folks rating a line have only traveled on one line. Second, these rating have little value for us—it is much better to match your travel style and don’t be swayed by rankings articles. This is a picture of the lounge on the AmaCello rivership from AmaWaterways.
There now is a new player writing about this confusion if you do a Google search—Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). It pops up as the first response to the search. We and you now have to evaluate the summary generated by AI and the sponsored (paid advertisements) before you arrive at the information from other sources.
This fundamentally changes searches on the web, and it has drawn my interest and scrutiny.
So, let’s see what AI generated and compare it to some of our thoughts.
How AI Came Up with the Response
I googled “Confusion About Europe River Cruises”. Google provided me with a response that began with an AI summary of this topic.
The main point, according to AI, is that the confusion “stems from the sheer number of navigable rivers and canals across the continent, combined with numerous companies offering seemingly similar itineraries.”
AI scanned three articles as the primary sources to summarize the one sentence response. The Articles used were ABCs of River Cruising (River Cruise Advisor), 15 of the Best River Cruises in Europe (Travel + Leisure) and Best Times to Take a Cruise on the Rhine, Danube and Main Rivers (Adventure Life).
Now The AI Results: Key Points Causing the Confusion
The summary described 4 areas responsible for the confusion. They are “1) Multiple River options, 2) Variety of cruise companies, 3) Itinerary variations and 4) Considerations like time of year”. For each of these 4 areas they gave a brief explanation of these topics.
The AI Solution: Actions Recommended You Should Take
The summary suggests 4 solutions. They are “1) Identify your priorities, 2) Research different companies, 3) Read reviews and compare itineraries and 4) Consult a travel agent”. Again, a sentence or two explanation was provided.
My Response to the 4 Areas Causing the Confusion
I have no problem with the sources of the confusion about river cruising in Europe. All four reasons do add to the confusion, and we have written extensively about these topics. I think the AI summary does not go into enough depth to really eliminate the confusion, as it emphasizes the difficulty of understanding river cruising without providing the upside to this type of vacation.
River cruising, while seemingly complex, is really a great option for most and the confusion stems from not really understanding the advantages and disadvantages of river cruising. Some folks new to river cruising always seem to not really see the value of this type of vacation and worry if they are going to get the best cruise. Also, river cruising is not for everyone—if you like sea days, nightlife or casinos, they are non-existent on river cruises.
Let’s start with my first premise—THERE IS NO BAD RIVER CRUISE! I really mean it—all the companies we follow offer great options that should fit all different styles of travel, as long as you can afford these luxury vacations.
My second premise is—THERE ARE DISTINCT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE BETWEEN RIVER CRUISE LINES ALTHOUGH THEY SEEM SIMILAR! Now it becomes evident that just skimming the surface for answers is not enough to really understand these sometimes-important differences.
The AI Solution Only Has One Good Solution
AI offered 4 solutions to this vexing problem as enumerated above. I think only one was adequately handled by AI and I will defend this assertion, point by point (the AI responses are undelined).
Perhaps the most difficult item for new to river cruising is identifying their priorities. Most have vague ideas that confuse the process. To help resolve this problem, we figure out priorities by asking a lot of questions. Here is a small sample: What do you expect you will do and see on the cruise? What level of comfort do you desire? What type of stateroom do you want or need (think about hotel rooms you prefer as a starting point)? How much are you willing to pay to get what you desire? Perhaps the most often asked questions is What route should I take and why? (This question also had us write What is the Best Europe River Cruise Route? —please click on the red text if you would like to read our thoughts—it consistantly ranks #1 on Google)
As you can see, the list seems endless—already confusion. Most folks we talk to are unsure what they want, what is possible or what even to ask. If there is any confusion here, you need professional assistance.
AI next suggests you should research different companies. My responses is simple—one of the reasons we have a page-one item on comparing different river cruise companies (it bounces between 1 and 3 on Google) is there are not enough independent resources you can trust to help differentiate between river cruise lines. So we wrote our own comparisons of the different companies—at 86 slides in a PowerPoint, it is unmatched in depth of even more well-known travel writers (here is the link if you want to check it out 2024 2025 River Cruise lines Comparisons). I study river cruising almost daily and it is hard to know everything about these differences. I just can’t figure out how, without endless hours of research, you can determine what is best for you.
As their 3rd solution, AI recommends that you should read reviews and compare itineraries. I’m always a little skeptical of reviews, even ours, as what we like may not work best for you. I always think the excursions are most important, and while Anne generally agrees, it is the ship and food that is often most important to her. Who is right? We both are!
Let me give some other thoughts on comparing river cruising, using D Day experiences on a Seine River cruise as an example. We led 2 tours on the 70th and 75th Anniversary of D Day, which we created and contacted with travel suppliers to get a customized experience at an unmatched price. We started our tour in London, as most of the planning was done there. Our background makes us uniquely qualified to examine 2 cruises that start in London.
Part of our 2019 Tour Group in Ste. Mere Eglise at the Airborne Musuem 6 June 2019.
If you would like to start your tour in London, you have 2 choices—Tauck and Viking.
Tauck will spend 2 nights in London, with tours starting on day 2 with an overview of London sights and then adding an exclusive after-hours of the Churchill War Rooms. This is an excellent choice before taking the Chunnel to meet up with your tour boat. They then continue this to 2 other D Day experiences—a tour of the Caen Memorial (dedicated to the WW II experience of the whole war and the peace afterwards) and on the next day a tour of historic Normandy Beaches. All tours are included in this luxury river cruise line. It is a very good option. Here is our slide pdf PowerPoint of the day by day activities on this cruise:
One of the displays in the Churchill War Rooms that you can see on an after-hours tour on your Tauck river cruise
You could also take a Viking River cruise that starts in London (it is new for 2025). There are 3 days of tours in London that focus on the Portsmouth D Day Museum, the Churchill War Rooms, the Imperial War Museum and then learning about the codebreakers before taking the Chunnel to Paris. All are included, which is often not the case with Viking River cruises, as there is only one included tour per day. The start is excellent.
Imperial War Museum, London England. These are a pair of 15-inch guns from HMS Ramillies and HMS Resolution naval vessels. The museum has displays from WW I to present. Photo Anne Schrader
Map Room Churchill War Rooms
Sounds like a great trip but then the entire two different options to tour the D Day beaches come at an extra cost, and there is no way to determine exactly what these will cost beforehand as Viking uses a dynamic pricing model that changes. It is amazing—the best 2-day tours including staying at a hotel near the beaches are not included in the cruise price. The other less costly option is a one-day tour to the beaches and that is also not included. If your priorities are to see most of the D Day area, the Viking itinerary is not up to my expectations, or I would guess yours unless you are willing to pay extra and not know the exact cost. Here is the Day-by-day route guide for this new 2025 cruise:
On the Tauck River Cruise you visit Omaha Beach on an included tour; on the Viking cruise you would pay extra and not know the cost until onboard,
The somber American Cemetery that overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy
Can you see how difficult comparing itineraries can become? By now, you might be able to grasp how much detail you should know to make the best decisions for your river cruise trip.
You might have guessed I totally agree with using a travel agent (number 4 on the AI list), but a huge warning here—knowledge among travel advisors varies greatly.
Here is the minimum knowledge we believe a travel advisor should know to earn your business providing you with sound advice on river cruises:
1. They must know the difference between river cruise lines (almost all clients or potential clients ask us this).
2. They must know sailing routes in France (3 different river systems); Rhine; Rhine Tributaries; Danube and Portugal for Europe; and at least 2 or more key ports (what clients will see or do there) on each primary route (we can probably tell you in detail over 50 port stops in Europe and if the starting port or ending port will have adequate time for you to explore).
3. They must have taken a least one trip on a river cruise—nothing sells like personal experience—their trust level goes up instantly! (we now have taken 28).
4. They must be able to match you to the best cruise line for your travel style (this is one of our best value added abilities—we excel at matching clients to the best route and company).
5. They must have a website that tells potential clients their river cruise qualifications, how they can best help you, it should be easy for you to navigate, has a lot of good river cruise content, and lets you know they specialize in river cruising.
Having a good content plan for our website is one of the keys to our success. Our site clearly states what we do on our home page:
“Our Specialty: European River & Luxury Ocean Cruises & Luxury Europe Tours”
On our River Cruise section of our website, we have a massive amount of content. There is no other site that has 155 day-to-day route guides from 8 different companies (AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald River Cruises, Riverside River Cruises, Scenic River Cruises, Tauck River Cruises, Uniworld River Cruise and Viking River Cruises) and over 100 blogs about river cruising.
So, our advice, ask these types of questions if you decide to use a travel advisor (you could save yourself a lot of trouble and just use us).
Our Final Thoughts
Is AI the solution here? Not really, as they were only able to clearly define the problem. The solutions were weak and not really very good, in my humble opinion.
Sometimes, we seek simple solutions that don’t solve the problem. Our advice—for now seek a professional to sort it out for you and do some research but don’t waste your time when a real person can best meet your needs.
As Anne pointed out to me, AI learns by scanning material and can answer easy questions and summarize, but it has no emotional attachment to your trip—How is that going to get you a better trip? Emotion and experiences are so critical to an outstanding trip, and at present and perhaps never, will AI translate your emotional desires into a great vacation.
We will add the passion and excitement combined with judgment to get you the best value that is presently missing from AI. The results will be amazing!
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@visitdd.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 29 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 53 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
