<p>With all the new threads about trips and vacations, I thought I’d throw out a question of my own.</p>
<p>H and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this summer, and I’ve been trying to come up with a special trip/destination that both of us will enjoy. We still have a D in college, which means that we can’t afford a luxury round-the-world cruise… but we can do better than a Motel 6 off the interstate.</p>
<p>I was thinking about one of those European river cruises, probably down the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. I like the idea of seeing several cities without having to pack and repack a suitcase, and the scenery is supposedly wonderful. I also like the time frame - it’s an 8 day cruise (that’s about our limit, vacation-day-wise.)</p>
<p>We’ve done “real” cruises before (Alaska, the Carribean) and weren’t big fans of all the glitz, but these tours sound different - smaller ships, different ports, not a lot of nightlife on board (which suits us fine, we’re boring). It sounds like we may be at the lower end of the average passenger age but that’s okay too.</p>
<p>Suggestions? Warnings? Has anyone done one of these? (Just as an FYI, H has already ruled out trips to London, Scotland and Paris, since we’ve already been. I’d love to go back, myself, but that’s part of the “special trip/destination that both of us will enjoy.”) Thanks!</p>
<p>My experienced and travel-savvy in-laws raved about their cruise down the Danube. They boarded in Austria and went down through Serbia. Said it offered a fascinating look at all the countries, plus exceptional cuisine of each region.</p>
<p>BB, I had forgotten about that thread. It sounds like the major concern was the age of one’s fellow cruisers, which I admit was one of our concerns, too (we have both just turned 50.) On the other hand - why should I care? DD will not be along to offer her snarky opinion on our dull evenings aboard ship, and how often is it that I’m one of the youngest people around?</p>
<p>A very good friend of mine and her husband recently took a Rhine River cruise. They are both in their early fifties. Their assessment was basically that these cruises are more geared toward an older crowd. At the ports of call, passengers were bussed to the daily destination, spent very little time and with no allowances for personal exploration. The sightseeing was geared toward and older, less mobile crowd. Friend’s H is a history buff and wanted to see and walk the ‘lange strasse’ in Nuernberg. He basically had to fight the cruise director for the ability to stay behind after the bus tour and then take a cab back to the ship.</p>
<p>Also, such things as simply leaving the boat when docked to take a walk or explore on your own are discouraged if not outright forbidden. Unlike typical large ship cruising, you are in very close contact with your fellow passengers. This is a well traveled couple who adapt well to new and different situations. Other passengers were quite blunt in asking why they were on this type of cruise. They did not feel welcomed or comfortable.</p>
<p>My friend did say she would most likely do this type of cruise again - when they are in their 70’s. At that point in time, H and I may join them.</p>
<p>I haven’t done the cruise but I’ve been along the Rhine between those points a number of times and it’s a beautiful area - lots of nice castles and cathedrals to see. </p>
<p>It’s not what a lot of people like but I prefer to rent a car a drive so I can go at my own pace and do what I want. I usually don’t plan the hotel stops and just stay where I end up but if one wanted to plan one could stay at some pretty nice places. The last time I was there I remember finding some hotel on the waterfront of the Rhine in Germany. This wasn’t a big international hotel - in fact, I needed to recall some of my rusty German to communicate with the owner to get a room and the ‘front desk’ was really just the bar/restaurant but I like those experiences. It was a cool room though with a balcony fronting the Rhine.</p>
<p>On the cruise I’d pay close attention to the ‘time in port’ at the stops and how much time you can spend exploring things. Also pay attention to whether most people do the planned excursions, which can get pricey and is where I think these cruises sometimes make most of their profit, or whether exploring on your own is reasonable.</p>
<p>You might want to check out the cruisecritic dot com message boards as well. There is a forum specifically for River & Canal Cruises that might provide some helpful info. I’ve used it for Alaska/Caribbean cruises and found a lot of helpful information.</p>
<p>My hubby’s friend went on a barge in Paris which he said was quite nice & luxurious. Don’t have details but have never tried a cruise for us (we like to set our own schedule & not be part of a herd anyway). We haven’t figured out how we’ll celebrate our 25th anniversary either but think we may tack something on to a trip I need to make to Denver–maybe go to Williamsburg (which we enjoyed on our honeymoon & also stop by & see our S who should have relocated to DC by then).</p>
<p>I know people who LOVE cruises & others who HATE them–agree you need to do your research, as each company has a different “vibe” and caters to different folks. Sorry, wanted to go on European river cruise myself but never have gotten around to it yet–looking forward to reading more.</p>
<p>Scout59 – Look into pilot-yourself canal boats in England. Such a relaxing way to see the countryside and if you are even fairly fit, the physical side of it is doable. Basically, it’s a floating camper (as nice or simple as you desire) that travels the back-waters of England at a slow speed. You can really see the countryside and stop at as many pubs as strike your fancy. My D and I did it for our honeymoon and want to do it again in a few years time. </p>
<p>We haven’t done a European River cruise - altho it is on my list - but I loved our Nile River cruise! Also, I have friends who have rented gulets and sailed in and out of the little coastal towns in southwestern Turkey. Then, there are also the Greek Island cruises.</p>
<p>Oh geez…I need to start traveling again! Too many things left to do!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions - you’ve given me lots to think about! My major concern is the age/activity level on board. I have read some reviews on Cruise Critic (thanks, Cali mom) where travellers on some trips are free to leave their shore excursions and explore on their own, as long as they notify the excursion guide. That would work for me. I just don’t want to be trapped on a bus.</p>
<p>Novelisto - I love the idea of do-you-it yourself canal boats, but DH isn’t quite so enthusiastic. He’s probably remembering our trip to Great Britain, where I had him driving all over the place. I loved the freedom - him, not so much!</p>
<p>Our neighbors did a European river cruise a couple years back and loved it. Though theirs was geared toward the women stopping at all the Christmas markets and the men sitting at outdoor cafes under a propane heater while sipping warm mulled wine!</p>
<p>My SIL did a 25th anniversary cruise up the coast of Norway (in and out of the fjords) and enjoyed it.</p>
<p>We’ve read that pilot-yourself canal boats are available in Ireland and in France. The one my husband looked at in France allowed you to also rent bikes and explore the towns. (I’m still too wimpy on the idea)</p>
<p>Friends of ours did a bike & barge trip from Paris to Brussels last year. They rode bikes during the day - or hung out on the barge if they didn’t feel like cycling - then returned to the barge for dinner & sleeping. It’s as if your hotel moves along the canal with you.</p>
<p>We saw similar bike & barge trips when we bicycled the Danube River trail from Passau (Germany) to Vienna (Austria). We saw all age groups, from 20s to 80s, riding bicycles. We stayed in small pensions along the river, not on a barge. It was a fabulous trip & the most expensive part was the airfare.</p>
<p>My parents did a river cruise last summer (Berlin to Prague). However, they got stuck about half way becasue of the low water level and never made it to Prague, except by bus. This shouldn’t be a problem on the Rhine, but you might want to check it out.</p>
<p>I second novelisto’s idea. My husband and I did this years and years ago on the Oxford Canal with his parents, when we were in our early 20s, and they were in their early 70s. You live on your little houseboat, traveling on the canals at about 3 miles an hour, working the locks yourself (it’s not hard) and eating at the wonderful riverside pubs (the boats also have their own kitchens; inside they are sort of like mobile homes). At night you tie up to the side of the canal. My H’s parents have both passed on now, and this trip is one of my fondest memories of them. Just this past fall I was back in Oxford and saw a green-and-black boat just like the one we had rented, and was overcome with nostalgia.</p>
<p>One warning: these boats are slow. You see the countryside close up–songbirds, swans, cows, wildflowers–but you can’t rush from one attraction to another.</p>