River cruises in Europe have become one of the most popular vacation options for boomers and pre-boomers alike. This demand is driven by both previous ocean cruise customers and those who have never enjoyed an ocean cruise before. The reasons for this request are; the all-inclusive nature of the river cruise experience, the immersive destination experience, and the overall affordability that all river cruise customers enjoy on their vacations.
While the experience of a European river cruise is very rewarding and river voyages enjoy an extremely high level of satisfaction, we know that some elements of planning your first river voyage can be a bit daunting. This is because all cruise lines and all river cruises are not created equal and that certainly applies to the type of cabin you purchase.
In speaking with thousands of first-time buyers, a significant number of them commented that choosing the right cabin on their first river trip was one of the most frustrating and challenging things they faced as a new customer.
If you’ve never enjoyed the wonders of a very affordable European river cruise, you may not understand how to select the best cabin for your trip. Selecting the perfect cabin can be more confusing due to two factors that can influence your decision; the different generations of riverboats and the different types of cabins (also called staterooms) on each boat.
In addition to these distinctions, other factors should be considered before selecting your stateroom. But you can take comfort in knowing that cabin selection is a fairly logical process and that aside from selecting your stateroom, nearly every other element of a guest’s experience onboard and ashore is exactly the same, no matter the type. of cabin that you buy. Why? Because all passengers on a riverboat enjoy the same shore excursions, delicious cuisine and excellent personalized service.
At first glance, one may not understand why cabin selection is so important and may come to the same conclusion. The reason it is so relevant is because of the difference in price between a window stateroom and a balcony stateroom. In general, for a week-long cruise, the difference can be between $599 and $1500 per person for the balcony, so if price is important, go out the window. If you prefer a balcony, but your budget calls for a window, opt for the window stateroom instead of not going, as all other elements of the trip will be exactly the same as if you had purchased the balcony.
Traveling with like-minded travelers of the same age is another very rewarding element of a river trip. They are geared towards people over the age of 55 and although there are plenty of active shore excursions, these types of cruises are not suitable for children.
While not suitable for children, these river trips are ideal for individual or solo travelers looking for a vacation that will appeal to other similar travelers.