Imagine this dreamy scene: Cruising past the glittering Eiffel Tower on a perfect summer evening in Paris, enjoying the fairytale scene with a glass of bubbles in hand from the comfort of a luxurious private balcony. It’s the sort of magical moment that should be on every traveller’s bucket list.
The good news is, with an abundance of European luxury river cruising options, unforgettable moments like these are within reach. Luxury cruise companies, including APT, Avalon Waterways, Scenic, Tauck, Viking and Uniworld vie for passenger’s interest and loyalty by providing ever bigger and better onboard experiences and exceptional shore excursions.
APT has taken note of cruise passengers’ love of historic rail travel and their interest in grand royal palaces to create an exclusive new excursion on their Magnificent Europe itinerary. In 2019 and beyond, passengers will follow in the footsteps of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, retracing her favourite journey to Godollo Palace, about an hour outside of the beautiful city of Budapest. Travelling on the restored Grand Empress Steam Train, passengers will enjoy a hearty lunch on board before joining a reception and tour of the palace. Later in the day, they retire to the comfort of the ship docked in Budapest.
Elsewhere in Europe, Avalon Waterways offers an excellent onboard enrichment series, all included with the cruise fare. Focusing on the region through which the cruise is journeying, the Local Favorites program aims to bring to life the local culture with passengers through culinary demonstrations, onboard presentations and other enrichment activities. Expect to meet local experts who will share their knowledge on everything from French viticulture to German polka dancing.
The greatest challenge on a Scenic European river cruise is finding enough time to fit in all of the fabulous activities on offer. The all-inclusive shore excursion program gives guests the freedom to choose between multiple tour options in each port. Active travellers might take a bicycle tour of the sights, while those journeying at a more relaxed pace can opt for a gentle walk or bus tour. For the added wow factor, the ScenicEnrich program presents the best of European cultural experiences to guests, many of whom are on the trip of a lifetime. An enchanted evening of classical music and ballet performances, presented in a dazzling palace in Vienna, will not soon be forgotten.
On a Tauck cruise, you'll get to explore Europe’s great waterways from the Rhine and the Danube to the French Rivers, Rhône and Seine. The custom-designed riverboats of Tauck's Destination Fleet are spacious and comfortable, welcoming you to an unforgettable onboard experience on your European voyage. With special solo traveller savings, you don't need to wait for company to go on your dream cruise.
The iconic cities in this region are most known for their picturesque landscapes, medieval villages, grand cities and quaint local cultures. Whether you've longed to see the romantic bridges of Paris or the olive groves of Tuscany, Uniworld's breadth of boutique river cruises will take you to these and so many more of your favourite destinations. And with lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites on board, you'll enjoy your time at sea just as much.
