River Cruising

• Think of cruising, and chances are you'll imagine a great white ship plying the seven seas to carry its lucky passengers to faraway shores.
  
  But there are as many varieties of cruise as there are different types of people to enjoy them.
  
  And for those who like to travel in small numbers in a cosy, intimate environment, river cruising is the perfect choice.
  
• River cruises mean that you can really get under the skin of the region you're exploring. River ships can make up to three stops a day, giving you plenty of time to saunter ashore for sightseeing or shopping. You travel by day and moor up at night, the opposite of a typical ocean cruise.
  
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  Where to go - what to see
  
• The world's great cities were all founded on riverbanks, because mighty waterways - Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Elbe, Rhone, Vulga - meant fertile land and provided vital arteries for trade and commerce. Paris, Vienna, Budapest, Cologne, Prague; a river cruise takes you right to the heart of them. And since most boats stay at least one night at a major city, passengers get a two-day mini-break to savour its delights at their own pace.
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  Gateway to Europe and more...
  
• Cruising on the rivers of Europe opens up a hidden world of picturesque towns and medieval villages, fairytale castles and gorgeous scenery.
  
  And there are many options beyond Europe, like China's River Yangtse with its spectacular Three Gorges - a sight you should see as soon as you can, for the construction of a great dam threatens to eradicate them from the landscape by 2006.
  
  Take a steamboat cruise along the Mississippi and the rivers of America's Deep South and you'll be transported back in time to the turn of the Century world of Mark Twain.
  
• Ashore, you can explore sleepy all-American townships, watch re-enactments of Civil War battles by local historical societies, and spend a few days in vibrant New Orleans to cap the experience.
  Cruise Egypt's magical River Nile, steeped in thousands of years of history, the river came to symbolise the very heart of the ancient Egypt. The Pharaohs do still live on in many ways through the splendour of their awe inspiring monuments such as the Pyramids and Sphinx at Gizeh, the magnificent
  
  Temples at Karnak, Philea and the incomparable Valley of the Kings. A number of Nile cruise lines/tour operators combine a stay in Cairo, the home of the exquisite Tutankhamun treasures in the Museum of Antiquities.
  
  Other river cruise options for more adventurous travellers include cruises along the Irrawaddy River to Mandalay in Myanmar (formerly Burma), and trips along the Russian Waterways between Moscow and St Petersburg.
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  Themed Trips...
  
• Whichever route you choose, you'll find a riverboat cruise a feast of culture, and travellers who like to learn something new on holiday will find several operators are now adding even more to the experience by offering themed cruises.
  
  These include wine lovers' cruises along the Rhine and Moselle, Gardens of the Rhine cruises, and History of Steamboating' cruises along the waterways of America.
  
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  Rivers In Detail... European
  Rhine, Moselle & tributaries
  The Rhine, Moselle and tributaries are the second most popular rivers for British cruise passengers after the Nile. Travellers can join a cruise that begins in Amsterdam and ends in Switzerland. The Rhine is 1,320 km long and flows through Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
  
  Russian Waterways
  The Neva and Volga inland rivers, waterways and lakes of Russia, offer a journey linking St Petersburg with Moscow and vice versa. The deeper rivers of Russia mean that ships tend to be larger than on Western European rivers. Ships carrying 250 to 300 people are common as are five deck ships all offering an excellent quality alternative to local hotels.
  
  
  The Danube
  In September 1992 a new canal was opened linking Bamberg and Kelheim. This link meant that for the first time, ships that cruised the Rhine could also travel to the Danube. Prior to 1992 only a few older ships had sailed on the Danube.
  
  With the new canal, designed to look just like a river, cruise companies can reposition ships there to offer new itineraries. The Danube is actually Europe’s second longest river - surpassed only by the Volga. It is also the only European waterway which takes its route from East to West. Danube river cruising combines the beautiful scenery of the Wachau Valley with magnificent cities such as Vienna and Budapest.
  
  The Elbe
  The dramatic political transformation of Eastern Europe over the past few years has had a significant impact on the popularity of cruises on the Elbe.
  
  
  The Elbe river starts in the giant mountains of Bohemia and flows through the Czech lowlands into Germany cutting through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which it has eroded over the millennia into fantastic rock formations.
  
  Ports of call include Dresden, a glorious treasure of art, Meissen, one of the world’s renowned names in porcelain and Wittenberg where Martin Luther founded the Protestant Reformation. Extended stays are highly recommended in Berlin and Prague prior to, or following, the Elbe cruise.
  
  Seine
  Cruising the Seine provides two days to explore the fascinating city of Paris. The river journey includes visits to Giverney with Monet’s stone farmhouse and its world famous gardens, Les Andelys, Rouen with its famous Cathedral and Honfleur. The river journey along the Seine takes eight days as the ship meanders the river passing meadows, forests and streams.
  
  Rhone
  A River journey on the Rhone includes stops at the most famous wine-growing areas of France and the colourful history of the Rhone Valley with its many fine examples of Romanesque architecture.
  
  The cruise covers the tranquil region of the Soane and Rhone before entering the unspoilt orchard of Drome and cruising onwards past lavender-scented hills to Provence where the history and landscapes inspired such artists as Cezanne, Chagall and Van Gogh.
  
  The Po
  A river cruise on the Po provides two days to explore the world famous city of Venice. The eight-day river journey offers art, history and culture of the region against the backdrop of scenic rolling countryside.
  
  The great triangular plain of Lombardy lying between the northern Alps and the Apennines is drained by the river Po which flows from west to east rising in the Ligurian Alps near the French frontier and flowing across a Delta into the Gulf of Venice.
  
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  Rivers In Detail... International
  The Nile
  The Nile is the world’s longest river and the majority of British visitors to Egypt will include a short cruise on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan during their stay. Cruises of this 140 miles stretch of the Nile in Upper Egypt typically last four or five days.
  
  The Yangtse
  The Yangtse is the world’s third longest river. Most cruises will visit the River Gorges area. The Lesser Three Gorges (or Three Small Gorges) where the Yangtse joins the Danin is one of the most scenic points of the river and can be reached on a separate small boat from Wushan. Other interesting ports of call and excursions could include Yichang, at the entrance of the Xilinmg gorge in western Hubei province, Fengdu which houses more than 700 temples and is known as Ghost City and Yeuyang in the northern Huan province where the Yangtse river and the Donging lake merge.
  
  The Mississippi
  The Mississippi stretches through the heartland of America from Minneapolis St Paul in the North down through St Louis and Memphis to New Orleans in the South.
  
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  RIVER OR OCEAN?
  · River ships are smaller than ocean cruise ships. Most vessels on European waterways carry around 150 passengers rising to 300 on the Russian Neva waterways and lakes.
  · River cruises travel by day and stop at night - the opposite to most ocean cruises.
  · River passengers consider themselves to be on a journey, rather than on a cruise.
  
  · River cruises are more educational than indulgent. Passengers can sightsee from the comfort of the ship.
  · Rivers are nations’ thoroughfares. You see a completely different aspect of a country from a river.
  · Every river has its own character, with perhaps the best example being the Nile where life hasn’t changed for thousands of years.
  
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  RIVER CRUISE OPERATORS
  FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES
  Fred Olsen Cruise Lines operates a fleet of three small size cruise ships, all of which are able to cruise the world’s larger rivers. Flagship of the fleet, Black Watch, which carries 760 passengers, has a 21 night itinerary to Canada in autumn 2005 and includes the Saguenay River and the St Lawrence. The 729 passenger Braemar includes a 1,000 mile trip up the Amazon to Manaus on selected winter Caribean itineraries, and in November 2005 will transit the Panama Canal en route to Acapulco. In January 2005 Black Prince will take her 412 passengers on a 35 night cruise from Southampton to the Orinoco River.
  
  ORIENT-EXPRESS
  The Ayeyarwady River runs along 1100 miles down from the eastern Himalayas to an extensive delta on the Bay of Bengal and is the main highway through Myanmar. Along its course are rugged hills, parched plains and an array of historic pagodas; by its banks live the Azi, Kachin and Burman peoples. Orient-Express Cruises’ deluxe river cruiser, the Road to Mandalay allows travellers the unique opportunity to see Asia’s cultural attractions between Mandalay and Bagan.
  
  The inland waterways of France offer even more intimate surroundings than river cruising, allowing passengers to reach right into the heart of rural French life. The 5 ‘Afloat in France’ luxury barges cruise some of the most beautiful canals in Burgundy, Provence, the Rhone and Soane Vallees and Languedoc-Roussillon within week long fully inclusive itineraries.
  
  PETER DEILMANN RIVER CRUISE
  Peter Deilmann River Cruises offer between March and November each year, 7-nights cruises along the Rhine, Rhone, Elbe, Danube & Seine. Each of their nine 4 or 5 star vessels carry between 79 and 200 passengers, and have well-appointed staterooms, exceptional cuisine, and excellent friendly service. There's optional shore excursions at all places visited - Paris, Budapest, Avignon, Prague, Berlin, Dresden, Cologne, Vienna - to name but a few!
  
  ROYAL OLYMPIA CRUISES
  Each Winter, Royal Olympia Cruises' sleek newbuilds, the Olympia Voyager and Olympia Explorer, use their status as the World's Fastest Cruise Ships, to take guests on unique Amazon and Orinoco itineraries, that cannot be matched by any other cruise line in the same duration. The high-speed capabilities of these ships allow guests to spend longer in port during the days, because they can sail greater distances at night. Cruises combining both great rivers and a selection of stand alone Amazon and Orinoco sailings are offered every winter between November and April. Visit the Royal Olympia Cruises website at
  
  SWAN HELLENIC
  Swan Hellenic’s programme of river cruises explores the heart of Europe on the Danube, the Waterways of Russia and the Rhone. A choice of 'Cruise & Tour' holidays allows extra time to explore each area. All Swan Hellenic river cruises are operated on comfortable and spacious vessels, each exclusively chartered and carrying less than 100 passengers. Guest Speakers accompany all cruises bringing the areas to life.
  
  THOMSON
  Thomson Holidays offer a variety of Nile cruises throughout the year. A week’s full board cruise from Luxor, takes in the West Bank before sailing onto Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Esna and Qena. This cruise can be combined with the choice of a further week’s holiday in Luxor, a week at the Red Sea resort of El Quseir or a Cairo/ Luxor twin centre.
  
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