Cruise through the middle of Europe?

Cruise ships have grown larger every year, and are essentially floating cities, some with more than 6,000 passengers on board at full capacity. These ships have become destinations in themselves, and can be a fantastic way to see the world while your resort travels with you. Naturally, this experience is limited to islands or coastal cities due to the size of these vessels.

Over the last several years, another form of cruising has seen tremendous growth -- European river cruising. Cruise lines like AmaWaterways (pictured above) have built ships for the purpose of navigating the shallower waters and low bridges of the Rhine, Danube, Seine and other rivers. These are smaller ships that accommodate fewer than 200 guests, but still contain many of the amenities of larger ships, like balcony cabins, full-service restaurants and lounges, and sun decks.

On a river cruise, the destination is the focus rather than the ship itself. Ships can often dock in the middle of the city, close to historical and cultural points of interest. River cruise ships spend a lot more time in port than ocean cruise ships, and shore excursions are often included in the cruise fare. AmaWaterways even carries a fleet of bicycles that passengers can use while in port!

The experience is similar to an escorted bus tour, except that your ship acts as both the bus and the hotel! This allows a much more relaxed pace as you explore multiple cities in the same trip.

Visit our AmaWaterways site to explore for yourself, or contact us for more information.

Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check this blog for more about river cruising in the coming weeks.