Five Myths About River Cruises

(Photo: Miquel Gonzalez, Scenic Cruises)

River cruises are one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry, the vacation choice for nearly half a million Americans in 2015 on European rivers alone. These sleek vessels that take fewer than 200 passengers offer an ideal way to explore several countries at a relaxed pace. But are they for you? Here are five myths, and the truth about them, to help you decide.

1. River cruises have limited itineraries and only sail on a few rivers in Europe.

Get out your atlas, because this common belief simply isn’t true.

“Europe offers many dynamic and diverse rivers,” says Richard Marnell, senior vice president of marketing for Viking Cruises, which is the world’s largest river cruise provider and sails along 11 European rivers including the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne, Gironde, Saone, Rhone and Douro.

Other companies reach even further around the globe. In 2016, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will offer 38 itineraries in 29 countries, including Russia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Egypt. Their ships will ply the waters of 20 different rivers, including the Rhone, Saone, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Gironde, Po, Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Douro, Volga, Svir, Neva, Yangtze, Mekong, Tonle Sap, Ganges and the Nile.

That’s a lot of itineraries to choose from, and from just two companies in a competitive field that also includes Scenic, AMA Waterways, Avalon and Tauck.

Take a photo tour of a Tauck river ship:

The MS Savor is the second of what will be four 130-guest Inspiration Class European river cruise ships owned by Connecticut-based Tauck Tours.  Peter Knego

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2. A river cruise is really a vacation for sedentary travelers.

That’s a popular perception but it’s far from the entire story.

“River cruising is great for all experienced travelers, including those that live an active lifestyle,” says Marnell of Viking. The line offers “a variety of active shore excursions in each port that range from walking tours to nature walks.”

Viking itineraries that go through Regensburg provide travelers with a walking tour through one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities. Viking provides guests with an overview of all walking tours and grades them based on difficulty and length. They also have an onboard concierge to recommend additional activities, and help find jogging trails and bike paths.

Other companies have a more active mandate for their guests, such as Uniworld, where “guests have the choice to be as active as they wish,” says Guy Young, president of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. Each Uniworld ship offers a fully-equipped fitness center along with a certified wellness coach who provides personal training, including TRX, exercise and yoga classes. Onshore guests can participate in Uniworld’s “Go Active” program with activities such as guided biking and hiking tours.

“For example, (guests can) hike through UNESCO World Heritage Wachua Valley along the Danube with a naturalist who will share their knowledge about the local history, flora and fauna,” Young points out. “Take a guided bike ride with a sports guide who will share their passion for biking along these timeless the river trails. For those who prefer to blaze their own trails, complimentary bicycles with helmets andNordic walking sticks are available.”

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10 best reasons to take a river cruise

3. I’ll get bored, because they don’t offer all the diversions of an ocean-going cruise ship.

Those who love river cruises claim that it’s impossible to get bored on one of these cruises. On board a Uniworld ship, there are sun decks with life-size chessboards, heated swimming pools, cinemas, spas and fitness centers, libraries, boutiques, wine tastings, and a collection of complimentary movies in the staterooms.

Young of Uniworld says that “guests are encouraged to get to know the destination that they’re in and immerse (themselves) in the local life through tasting the beloved regional foods and visiting top attractions. On specific journeys, Uniworld offers a Village Day, which provides an up-close look at rural European and Russian towns and the chance to visit local homes and workshops and get an intimate view of modern village life.”

Other river cruise companies offer similar options to connect passengers with the locals in the countries they’re passing through. Viking gives guests background information to make the local cultural offerings, from the history and art, to the food, music and architecture, more meaningful.

Marnell notes Viking’s “Culture Curriculum,” which can include onboard demonstrations from “musicians from St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre on the Waterways of the Tsars itinerary, local traditional dancer performances, and culinary activities such as apple strudel-making workshops, and regional wine and cheese tastings.”

Take a photo tour of a Viking Longship:

Viking River Cruises? Viking Skirnir is one of forty innovative, European-based Longships, named for the ancient Viking craft used for trade, commerce and warfare during the Viking Age.  Peter Knego

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4. My kids would be bored, because these cruises are aimed at retirees.

There’s some truth in this, and a reason that the ads for these cruises feature couples almost exclusively, most of them with a touch of silver in their hair. You won’t find water slides, teen clubs or babysitters on board a typical river cruise. Marnell of Viking doesn’t dispute this, but adds that while “Viking’s onboard experience is not designed for young children, older kids who enjoy history, art, culture and exploration tend to enjoy the interactive onboard demonstrations.”

Uniworld takes this a few steps further and will offer 13 family departures in 2016. These cruises will feature additional activities and excursions that are designed specifically for families. These will include visits to castles, a guided tour of the dinosaur skeletons in Frankfurt’s paleontological museum, and in a Venice, a treasure hunt as well as a glass blowing and mask making workshop. Okay, it’s not a Caribbean beach barbecue by any means, but it is an attempt to reach out to curious teens.

“On board,” says Young of Uniworld, “kids can partake in French, German, Italian or Hungarian language classes, dessert making with the ship’s pastry chef, hands-on craft workshops including making a Christmas Advent calendar and Venetian art. Additionally, all ships feature kid-friendly menus.”

5. There are never any deals or discounts on this type of cruise.

There may be river cruises aimed at viewers of Downton Abbey, but it’s also the travel industry, so by definition there is always a chance of a deal or a discount. The sage advice is to keep your eyes open. Like ocean-going cruises, there are early booking deals worth watching for. Viking is currently offering an early booking discount with 2-for-1 cruise pricing, adding up to a savings of up to $2,000 per couple on 2016 departure dates for European itineraries. Uniworld is also offering an early booking savings of up to $1,600 per couple on a 2016 Europe River cruise. Customers that purchase cruise and airfare with Uniworld can save from $3,000 to $5,000 per couple on a varied selection of 2016 itineraries and departures. Free airfare is offered on select Italy and Russia cruise departures, and solo travelers can rejoice with waived or reduced single supplements on over 100 departures in 2016.

By Everett Potter, Special for USA TODAY