River Cruise FAQS

What’s the difference between barging and a river cruise?

Think of the difference between a minivan and a coach. Barges generally travel along the canals of Europe at a very leisurely pace so you can get off, ride one of the vessel’s bicycles into town to buy croissants or walk along the tow path to the next lock and catch up with ease. Barges are quite small – typically, with capacity for four to a couple dozen passengers – and fine cuisine is often one of the drawcards. River cruise boats are much larger and may carry several hundred passengers. They can travel quite fast, enabling them to take you from one side of Europe to the other in the course of a shortish voyage. On board, the facilities resemble those you’d find on an ocean voyage, with restaurants, lounges, libraries, internet rooms – even, perhaps, a swimming pool.

Why are river cruise vessels long, low and thin?

River cruise vessels are restricted by the size of the rivers along which they travel or, more likely, the locks they must pass through en route. If you watch the traffic on major rivers around the world, you’ll see quite a few tugs towing long cargo barges. So length is a lesser problem than width, and ship designers have responded accordingly. You’ll also notice that river cruise boats are quite low-slung, so they can fit under the numerous bridges that span the rivers.

How do I choose a river cruise?

This is the big question. To some extent, you can narrow down the regions available by the season in which you want to travel but you’ll also need to some homework, or talk to an ICCA accredited travel agent who understands river cruising. Are you planning to travel solo, as a couple or with friends? If it’s to be a family or group holiday, you might be better off chartering a barge – few scheduled river cruises welcome children, and besides, kids are likely to be bored surrounded by adults.

What sort of food is served on board?

Fortunately, the galley on a river cruise vessel doesn’t rock and roll as much as those on ocean cruises, and fresh ingredients are always on hand so there’s more scope for culinary creativity. Of course, standards vary from one vessel, company and country to another but generally, food standards aboard river cruises are high. Most cruises are catering to an international clientele so the food tends to be directed that way, but usually, onboard chefs are keen to showcase dishes from the regions through which you’re passing, too. Not surprisingly, barge tours in France generally aim for excellent cuisine and offer especially good wines and cheeses.

How long is the typical cruise?

A barge trip is generally about a week in duration but in that time, you may cover less than 100 kilometres. River cruises differ widely in duration but generally fall into two categories: journeys of just a few days to explore one region in some depth, and voyages of a week or longer that cover much longer stretches of the river (or rivers), visiting several countries, cities or regions en route.

What can I expect in the way of accommodation?

One of the ramifications of river cruise vessels’ thin design is evident in the cabins. Compromise is inevitable. Traditionally, river cruise cabins were small; that has changed somewhat but even nowadays, you might find the bed shorter than you’re used to.
All cabins on modern river cruise boats have ensuite bathrooms, and all are outside cabins with views. Cabins on the lower decks are unlikely to have windows that open. More vessels with balcony cabins are coming on line and, these days, you can expect a minibar, television and perhaps internet access in your cabin. Bear in mind that you may spend little time in your cabin.

What sort of shore excursions are offered?

Of course, the excursions depend on the voyage you take. You may find that the greater attractions lie at the top of the gangway. But shore excursions are a vital part of the joy of cruising, so you can rely on being offered a trip to nearby highlights at every stop.
Generally, these are handled with great efficiency, with coaches waiting to take you
and to bring you back. The excursions offered are likely to be mainstream, however, so if you have specific interests, research them before leaving home, then ask the vessel’s tour-desk staff what can be organised.

What facilities will you find on board?

You can guarantee you won’t find the amazing range of facilities you’re likely to find on the new large cruise ships. Nor will you find the meagre offerings of yesteryear, when a library and some board games were about all you could expect on board a river barge or cruise boat. Pools, gyms, boutiques – even beauty salons or spas – can be found on many of today’s larger river vessels. Some carry bicycles for passengers to use ashore. Typically, a DVD player and TV showing local or, perhaps, satellite channels will be found either in the public lounge or in each cabin, or both.

Do we travel by day or night?

Unlike ocean liners, on which travelling by night is the norm, river cruise vessels generally move by day. That’s because much of the pleasure of river cruising is in watching the scenery glide past and seeing riverside life as you go. In some areas, however, it’s more practical to move by night to make sure you are in a picturesque place the next morning. Check out the variations between upriver and downriver voyages: motoring into the current may require more hours of travel.

 

By David McGonigal