Cruising Europe - The Main River Cruise

Take a cruise thru Europe on the Main River in this Baby-Boomer traveling video by Seasoned Traveler.

George: River cruises like this one come in varying lengths, a week, two weeks, some are even longer. Operators often – and off the slope. Energetic passengers will take advantage of every opportunity. Those with less stamina can always stay behind, sit and stare or read a book. Female: This is more laid back, more relaxing, ocean cruises, there’re too many people, a lot of people. A lot of lines, waiting in line to do this and that but I enjoy them. we’ve been on 13 or 14 of them. George: When you do go ashore, enjoy the local customs, the local food and the locals themselves and try to speak to them in their own language, not yours. On this journey, there’s plenty of German beer and wine, high cholesterol but delectable German main courses, pastries, folk music and dancing. Still, it’s not for everybody. Male: I think that the pace is a little bit too slow for me on this particular cruise. We enjoy a faster paced vacation. Female: If they want younger people to come, I think they have to offer more side tours of walking with just that age group people that can walk that far. George: This cruise continues down the Rhine to Mianz and then it joins the Main River. You’ll continue east toward Austria passing through the Main Danube canal, then you’re on your way to Melk and then Austria’s capital Vienna. So you’re deciding on whether to take a river cruise. Perhaps you’ve never been on one. Perhaps you’ve sailed on an ocean line and you’re not certain which is better. There are some distinct differences to keep in mind. Riverboats are generally smaller than ocean giants, although some Mississippi river crafts are quite hefty. Female: We were also on the Mississippi river cruise. There is more to see. It’s more picturesque and I think the facilities are far better than they were in Mississippi and that’s the reason for it yes. George: Riverboats are more intimate. Fewer people are jostling about which means you can get to know more people if you want to. And with fewer passengers on board, the service may seem more intimate. When you ride a river, there’s always something to see on the nearby shore. You’re not out in the middle of some ocean with nothing but the horizon to hold your attention. There are frequent stops at relatively short intervals and the ports of call are generally attractive towns or interesting sights. This leads to a more active vacation. It’s easier for small ships to dock. Some ocean vessels are so big they have to anchor at sea in some places and passengers must be transferred to shore by tender. Sea sickness is virtually unheard of on a riverboat. River boating is becoming so popular, ships sometimes have to dock two to four vessels side by side and that will block your view temporarily. Single travelers especially women often feel more comfortable on river rides than on the bigger boats. Female: Everything is so well organized. You have planned activities but you also have some free time which I like. George: Finally because these craft are smaller and easier to clean and maintain, outbreaks of illness which have plagued larger vessels are minimum. Male: If you like, rather lavish entertainment and all that goes on the big ships, that’s fine. My wife and I like the more relaxed atmosphere on the small ships. George: And there’s always a river cruise for just that special occasion. Male: I mentioned why we’re here on this trip, it’s our six wedding anniversary. We had one last month and we thought we’d complete it by doing a river trip so I’ve been married to this lady for 60 years. Isn’t that something? George: Now, the other side of the cruise coin. For some travelers, riverboats are too small, too confining, with very little to do. Ocean liners have nonstop food and drink service, endless entertainment and casinos. Male: Of course they have the large gymnasiums that you can after you’ve eaten the big meals. You can go and do your exercising and I love swimming and I can swim on the ships. So in those, I guess I’m more of an ocean going person. Female: You can have the ocean cruise. It was just too much. Too much food, too much of everything. It was great for the experience, one time only but I’d rather have this type of travelling. George: Smaller ships have one restaurant serving meals at specific times. Bigger boats may have several restaurants offering a variety of delights 24 hours a day. Liners are so spacious, they bring a certain anonymity, you can get lost on an ocean liner amidst hundreds, even thousands of co passengers. Ocean vessels get you away from it all for days at a time, these can be more relaxing holidays with longer sails and fewer ports of call. Big boats on the high seas are now more stable than ever, able to withstand the movement of the sea and causing less sea sickness. Ocean going behemoths may be better for those in wheelchairs or who have trouble walking. There are fewer ons and off, more room to wheel around in and if you decide to ignore shore leave, there’re plenty of diversions on the boat itself. Cruise lines have vowed to maintain their ships’ properly to safeguard against outbreaks of illnesses which have affected thousands of cruise travelers. And single travelers may prefer large vessels because there are more escorts on board for dancing and other entertainment.