19395 River Diary 40pp Consumer v2

RIVERS 

CRUISE DIARY 2019 | 2020 

EUROPE | ASIA | AFRICA | USA | LONG HAUL | EXOTIC 

StowawayMedia.com

CONTENTS 

What an amazing few years it has been for river cruising, with exciting new vessels launching and ever-growing 

demand as more and more British passengers discover this is a fine way to travel. In 2017 alone, numbers rose 

24% to top 210,000 for the first time, according to Clia UK & Ireland, the UK's official cruise industry association. 

FREE FLIGHTS ON ALL 

RHINE RIVER CRUISES 

PLUS SAVE UP TO £1,850 PER COUPLE 

This year is shaping up to be another fantastic 12 months, with more new river ships on the horizon and many 

cruises in 2020 available for booking already. 

What is the attraction? Quite simply being able to travel in a first-class floating hotel and discover spectacular cities 

and little-known towns and villages around Europe, Asia and the US that all have fascinating stories to tell. 

Want to know more? Take time to read our 2019/20 River Cruise Diary, which is packed with information about the 

rivers you could be enjoying, as well as offering hints and tips to help you enjoy your cruise. 

Keith Ellis, Publisher 

Book by 28 February 2019 

Basel ~ Strasbourg ~ Rüdesheim 

Rhine Gorge and Lorelei Rock ~ Cologne 

CONTENTS 

Why take a river cruise.........................................4 

Europe ....................................................................13 

The Lower Danube.............................................17 

The Rhine and its tributaries..........................18 

The Douro..............................................................20 

The Rhône.............................................................22 

The Seine...............................................................24 

Russian Waterways............................................26 

The Nile/Chobe...................................................27 

The Mekong..........................................................28 

The Ganges...........................................................32 

The Yangtze/Myanmar....................................33 

The Mississippi ................................................... 34 

The Columbia & Snake Rivers ..................... 38 

Brochure rack........................................................39 

Award-winning suites with 

open-air balconies 

Full-board dining with wine 

and beer included 

Private home 

pick-up service 

avaloncruises.co.uk | visit your local travel agent 

Published by .......................................... Keith Ellis, 

Stowaway Publications 

10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth 

KT20 5TD Surrey 

+44 (0)1737 81 2411, 

kmellis@btinternet.com 

Written and Edited by: ................. Jane Archer 

..............................................Janearc@aol.com 

Creative..... Andrew Reeves, Oddsock Design 

......................Andrew@oddsockdesign.com 

Front cover image courtesy of Avalon Waterways 

READER 

RECOMMENDED 

UK 2019 

We are a member of ABTA and our flight-inclusive holidays are protected by the ATOL scheme. Prices shown are based 

on two people sharing a Panorama Suite. Free flights offer valid on all new Rhine cruise bookings made between 20 Dec 

2018 and 28 Feb 2019, departing the UK between 1 Jan 2019 and 30 Nov 2019. Offer valid for bookings departing London 

Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow airports, on either British Airways, KLM or EasyJet 

operated fl ights, subject to availability. Alternative airlines / flight times are available at time of booking for a supplement. Prices shown includes saving. Offer subject to 

stateroom availability; for full terms and conditions, see avaloncruises.co.uk/offerstcs. Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended survey of Avalon panoramic views, 

112 Good Housekeeping readers, 2018. Prices correct at time of print (12 January 2019). 

StowawayMedia.com 

StowawayMedia.com | 3

WHY TAKE A RIVER CRUISE 


Why 

TAKE A RIVER CRUISE 

River cruising is the holiday hit of the decade, gaining 

thousands of new followers each year who are drawn to 

the alluring mix of easy adventure and discovery that 

awaits on the world’s waterways. 

It is a very different style of travel to ocean 

cruising. The ships are smaller, carrying 

an average of just 150 passengers, and they 

navigate rivers and canals rather than sailing 

vast oceans, enabling passengers to really 

get under the skin of places instead of just 

visiting. 

There is always something to see along the 

river banks - churches and castles in Europe, 

remote villages in Asia - and when vessels 

dock, it is often in the heart of a big city or 

town. As they don’t need clearance by local 

authorities, once the gangway is in position, 

passengers can just walk ashore and discover 

new sights, sounds and tastes. 

All that and the ease of just unpacking once 

as your floating hotel glides from once place 

to another. 

As the number of river cruise passengers has 

grown (the UK market alone rocketed 24% 

in 2017 to reach a record 210,400 in 2017, 

according to official figures, and numbers 

from the US and Australia are way higher), so 

the river ships and product have adapted to 

suit changing expectations. 

Most modern river ships now offer cabins with 

balconies, additional places to eat and larger 

spas. AmaMagna, a new vessel being built by 

AmaWaterways and launching in May 2019, 

is twice the width of other river cruise vessels, 

has four places to eat, a wellness studio and a 

rear watersports platform. The only other river 

ship of the same size is Crystal River Cruises’ 

Crystal Mozart. 

Crucially, cruise fares now include a lot of 

things that once cost extra. It does mean that 

river cruising is not a cheap option, but it 

is great value and very appealing to mature 

passengers (the majority of river cruisers 

are retired) as they don’t have to think about 

extra costs while travelling. 

A seven-night Rhine cruise in June costs 

from £2,345 per person with Scenic and from 

£2,239 per person with Uniworld. Both are 

among a few river cruise lines that include 

everything from flights and transfers to 

drinks, excursions and gratuities in the price. 

Even those that are not all-inclusive usually 

incorporate one or two perks in the price, 

whether it be free drinks at meal times, 

excursions or gratuities. Emerald Waterways 

includes all three, but usually only one 

excursion per port (with others at extra cost); 

AmaWaterways includes drinks with meals 

and a choice of excursions. 

Saga includes drinks with meals and some 

excursions, A-Rosa charges for excursions 

but includes drinks. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines 

charges for both drinks (beverage packages 

are available) and excursions. 

Most include alternative dining where 

available as well as Wi-Fi. Exceptions include 

the Vintage Room on Crystal Cruises’ river 

ships, where a handful of passengers can 

enjoy wine-themed lunches and dinners 

for an extra fee, and the waiter-service 

restaurants on A-Rosa vessels. 

4 | RIVER DIARY | JANUARY 2019 StowawayMedia.com | 5


WHO INCLUDES DRINKS 

The following river cruise lines 

include all drinks in the prices: 

APT 

A-Rosa 

CroisiEurope 

Crystal River Cruises 

Pandaw (local brands only) 

Scenic 

Uniworld River Cruises 

Tauck 

NEW 

NEW 

NEW 

SHIP 

SHIP 

SHIP 

FOR 2019 

FOR 2019 

FOR 2019 

Amadeus 

Amadeus 

Amadeus 

STAR 

STAR 

STAR 

The following river cruise lines 

include drinks with lunch and dinner: 

Amadeus River Cruises 

AmaWaterways 

Avalon Waterways 

Emerald Waterways 

Saga (exclusive charters only) 

Titan Travel 

Travelmarvel 

Viking 

WHO INCLUDES GRATUITIES 

APT 




Pandaw 

Scenic 

Tauck 

Travelmarvel 

U by Uniworld 


FOLLOW THE TRENDS 

The trend for more rigorous excursions and 

activities is growing fast among river cruise 

companies as 60 becomes the new 40 and 

lines look to attract a younger generation. 

Companies including Uniworld, Crystal, 

AmaWaterways, Scenic and Emerald 

Waterways carry bikes that passengers can 

borrow for guided cycle rides or to explore 

alone, and hiking tours increasingly figure 

among the choice of excursions on offer. 

Avalon Waterways has dedicated active 

cruises on the Rhine, Danube and, new 

for 2019, the Rhône in France, while 

CroisiEurope has cycling and walkingthemed 

departures with 30-mile bike rides 

and hikes of five to eight miles most days. 

AmaWaterways has wellness instructors 

on all its cruises this year. Those sailing the 

Seine, Rhine or Danube with U by Uniworld 

can go kayaking and walking across the 

rooftops of Paris. 

Family river cruises are also becoming more 

popular. Children can go on most cruises 

with most lines, but Uniworld, Tauck and 

A-Rosa have dedicated family departures 

with special activities and excursions to keep 

youngsters amused. On A-Rosa, children 

aged up to 15 travel for free when sharing a 

cabin with an adult. 

ROOMS WITH A VIEW 

Cabins on river ships all face the water but 

have a multitude of different designs. 

On Scenic, Emerald Waterways, Uniworld 

River Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Amadeus 

River Cruises, the rooms have panoramic 

windows that are split horizontally and open 

downwards at the touch of a button. In their 

top suites, Scenic, Uniworld and Emerald 

Waterways use a combination of panoramic 

windows and internal glass doors to create 

sun lounges. 

AmaWaterways’ vessels, which are also used 

by APT, have split balconies so passengers 

can sit either inside or out, depending on the 

weather. 

Avalon Waterways vessels have two decks 

of cabins with wall-to-wall glass windows 

that open two-thirds the width of the room 

(pictured above) and give the impression of a 

balcony when opened up on sunny days. 

Tauck’s newest river ships, Joy, Grace, Inspire 

and Savor, have traditional French balconies 

that open to a fixed rail. Suites, which occupy 

almost an entire deck on each of these vessels, 

have two such balconies and are about half 

the size of a squash court. 

Demand for suites is so high that Tauck, 

Scenic and Uniworld have created larger 

rooms on some of their vessels by knocking 

two cabins into three. The latest to get the 

refurb is Uniworld’s River Royale, which 

relaunches in March with four new suites. 

Crystal River Cruises’ Crystal Mozart and 

AmaWaterways’ new AmaMagna have suites 

that are more than three times bigger than an 

average cabin. 

Most river ships have a handful of lower deck 

cabins that are below the waterline and have 

a high fixed window. These are targeted at 

clients on a budget and often designated as 

single cabins with no supplement. 

The The art art of The art of River Cruising 

of 

in in 2019 

in 2019 2019 

Explore Europe in style and comfort aboard our award-winning Amadeus 

ships Explore in 2019. Europe From in style Amsterdam and comfort to the aboard Danube our Delta award-winning and the Black Amadeus Sea, 

to ships Explore the in north 2019. Europe and From in south style Amsterdam of and France comfort to and the aboard the Danube beautiful our Delta award-winning scenery and the of the Black Amadeus Rhine Sea, 

and to ships the Danube in north 2019. and rivers, From south our Amsterdam of cruises France are to and designed the the Danube beautiful to showcase Delta scenery and our the of European the Black Rhine Sea, 

heritage. and to the Danube north Free and rivers, from south our transfers of cruises France and are and hassles, designed the beautiful full to of showcase personal scenery choice our of European the and Rhine 

freedom, heritage. and Danube Free the rivers, possibilities from our transfers cruises are and endless are hassles, designed with full an to of Amadeus showcase personal River choice our Cruise. European and 

freedom, heritage. Free the possibilities from transfers are and endless hassles, with full an of Amadeus personal River choice Cruise. and 

Highlights freedom, the for possibilities 2019 include are a endless new ship with - the an Amadeus River Star, Cruise. offering 

a Highlights total of 70 for spacious 2019 include deluxe a cabins, new ship 12 Amadeus - the Amadeus Suites Star, and will offering travel 

on a Highlights total the of Rhine, 70 for spacious Main 2019 and include deluxe Danube a cabins, new rivers ship 12 as Amadeus - well the Amadeus as Dutch Suites and Star, and Belgian will offering travel 

waterways. on a total the of Rhine, 70 We spacious Main will and also deluxe Danube refurbishing cabins, rivers 12 as Amadeus well as Dutch Suites Diamond and and Belgian for will 2019 travel 

sailing waterways. on the Paris, Rhine, We Normandy Main will also Danube & the refurbishing River rivers Seine. as Amadeus well as Dutch Diamond and Belgian for 2019 

sailing waterways. Paris, We Normandy will also & be the refurbishing River Seine. Amadeus Diamond for 2019 

Included 

sailing Paris, 

in your 

Normandy 

fare: 

& the River Seine. 

Return Included flights in your • Non-UK fare: transfers • Accommodation on board your river cruise 

ship Return Included • Gourmet flights in your • Non-UK dining fare: with transfers wine, beer • Accommodation and soft drinks on at board lunch and your dinner river cruise 

ship Return 24-hour • Gourmet flights tea and • Non-UK coffee dining station with transfers wine, • Complimentary beer • Accommodation and soft drinks Wi-Fi on at • Complimentary board lunch and your dinner river bicycles cruise 

ship 24-hour • Gourmet tea and coffee dining station with wine, • Complimentary beer and soft drinks Wi-Fi at • Complimentary lunch and dinner bicycles 

24-hour tea and coffee station • Complimentary Wi-Fi • Complimentary bicycles 

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 0800 035 6411 

sales@amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk FOR RESERVATIONS | CALL www.amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

0800 035 6411 

or 

sales@amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk FOR 

See 

RESERVATIONS 

Your Abta Travel 

| CALL www.amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

Agent 

0800 035 6411 

or 

sales@amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

See Your Abta Travel 

| www.amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

Agent 

DANUBE | RHINE · MAIN · MOSELLE or See Your | Abta RHÔNE Travel · Agent SAÔNE 

SEINE DANUBE | THE | RHINE DUTCH · MAIN AND · BELGIAN MOSELLE WATERWAYS 

| RHÔNE · SAÔNE 

SEINE DANUBE | THE | RHINE DUTCH · MAIN AND · BELGIAN MOSELLE WATERWAYS 

| RHÔNE · SAÔNE 

SEINE | THE DUTCH AND BELGIAN WATERWAYS 

6 | RIVER DIARY | JANUARY 2019



The Elbe 

Elbe river cruises operate 

between Berlin and Prague 

and call at Wittenberg, the 

birthplace of the Protestant 

Reformation; Meissen, the 

town that gave its name to the 

world-famous porcelain; and 

Dresden, the city destroyed by 

heavy Allied bombing in the 

Second World War, but now 

restored to its former glory. It 

is a brilliant itinerary, but the 

river suffers from low water so 

passengers often end up being 

coached to the sights. 

Tauck’s Inspiration-class vessels each have 

four lower deck Loft Suites (pictured above) 

with a raised seating platform and deep 

window that can be partially opened. 

Exceptionally, Crystal River Cruises has 

got rid of lower-deck cabins altogether on 

Crystal Bach, Debussy, Mahler and Ravel. 

All their cabins are above the water line 

and have panorama windows that open 

horizontally. 

You can expect cabins and suites on all river 

ships to have hairdryers, safes and en-suite 

facilities Most have showers rather than 

baths. Scenic and Crystal River Cruises 

provide butlers for all passengers. Cabins 

and suites on Amadeus River Cruises and 

Crystal’s vessels have walk-in wardrobes. 

EUROPE’S RIVERS 

The Rhine and Danube are the top-selling 

rivers in the UK, between them attracting 

more than half of all British river cruise 

passengers in 2017 on account of the many 

things to see and do along the way. 

The Rhine is popular for the many 

castles along a deep gorge that runs 58 

miles between Koblenz in the north and 

Rudesheim in the south but returning 

passengers will find plenty to enjoy on 

itineraries that also explore its tributaries, the 

Moselle and Main. 

The Moselle is a narrow waterway that flows 

through one of Germany’s top wine-growing 

regions and is lined with vineyards and 

picture-postcard villages; the Main is also 

narrow and takes passengers to towns and 

cities with centuries-old history and culture. 

The Danube is best known for itineraries 

that tick off the cities of Budapest, Vienna 

and Bratislava, but you can also venture to 

the lower reaches, visiting lesser-known 

towns and cities in Romania, Bulgaria, 

Serbia, Croatia and Hungary, where 

Romans, Ottomans and the Soviet Union all 

left their mark. 

And in case you can’t choose which to do, 

two-week itineraries between Amsterdam 

and Budapest tick off the Rhine, Main, Main- 

Danube Canal and Danube. 

Once you have done those, there are plenty of 

other rivers to explore. In France, the Rhône 

and Seine are the big two, but there are also 

one-week sailings on the Garonne, Gironde and 

Dordogne Rivers in Aquitaine that visit some 

of France’s leading wine-growing regions, and 

barge holidays along the Loire Valley. 

The Douro in Northern Portugal was 

2017’s sales star, recording an incredible 

85% growth in the UK to a total 20,700 

passengers. You can choose itineraries that 

sail round-trip from Porto or combine a 

one-way cruise from Porto to the Spanish 

border at Vega de Terron with a few nights 

in Madrid. Either way you’ll have tours and 

tastings in port wine lodges and take in a 

flamenco show. 

There are also spring-time cruises through 

the Dutch and Belgian waterways timed for 

when the tulip fields are in bloom, voyages 

along the Elbe between Berlin and Prague 

that combine stories of Martin Luther, 

porcelain and the World War Two bombing of 

Dresden, and sailings on the Guadalquivir in 

Spain and the Po in Italy. 

In Russia, you can combine a cruise on the 

rivers, lakes and canals that link Moscow and 

St Petersburg with a few nights in both cities. 

DISCOVERING THE REST OF 

THE WORLD 

Those who are prepared to travel further 

afield have even more choice. Voyages along 

the Mekong River between Siem Reap and 

Ho Chi Minh City are the top-sellers when it 

comes to long-haul river cruises thanks to an 

exhilarating combination of ancient temples, 

exciting cities and exotic markets. 

Staying in Asia, three or four-night cruises 

through the towering three gorges on the 

Yangtze in China offer a moment to relax 

on tours that take in the cities of Beijing and 

Shanghai. In Myanmar, golden pagodas, trips 

to workshops and balloon rides over Bagan 

await on voyages on the Irrawaddy. 

What’s new for 2019 

Amadeus River Cruises, Avalon Waterways, Riviera Travel and Viking River 

Cruises are all launching new river ships on the Rhine and Danube in 2019. 

AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna will be twice the width of other river ships and have 

four complimentary places to eat including Chef’s Table, which serves a taster 

menu, Al Fresco, an outside/inside venue at the front of the ship, and Jimmy’s 

Wine Bar. 

Saga has a new 23-night river cruise through the heart of Europe, from 

Amsterdam to the Black Sea. The cruise, exclusively for Saga customers, is on 

the river ship Amadeus Royal on five dates next summer and includes a postcruise 

hotel night in Bucharest in Romania. 

Uniworld River Cruises’ River Royale re-enters service on the Garonne, Gironde 

and Dordogne Rivers in spring after a massive refit that will add a pool, four 

suites and two dining venues. It will also have a new name, Bon Voyage. 

CroisiEurope, AmaWaterways and Viking are building new vessels to sail the 

Douro in Northern Portugal in 2019, while A-Rosa is making its debut on the river 

with the new A-Rosa Alva. Starting 2020, Tauck will be cruising the river on the new 

Andorinha. 

Emerald Waterways is launching its first river ship in Asia. Emerald Harmony will 

accommodate 84 passengers, have an outdoor pool and bar, two inside lounges 

and sail the Mekong between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City. 

Passengers sailing the Seine with U by Uniworld can sleep under the stars on the 

top deck of The B starting 2019. The €60 per person price tag for the ‘rooftop 

camping’ includes an evening cocktail and breakfast hamper. 

APT has seven new Signature Experiences in Europe for 2019 including a journey on the 

Grand Empress steam train in Budapest on Magnificent Europe itineraries and a Lido 

de Paris dance show on Seine cruises. There’s a private cocktail reception at the Pont du 

Gard on the Rhône and cocktails and Fado music at Palácio da Bolsa on the Douro. 

CroisiEurope has new one-week culinary cruises on the Rhone with included 

tours to the Valrhona chocolate factory in Tain L’Hermitage and Les Halles 

in Lyon, and dinner (extra charge) at Paul Bocuse’s Abbaye de Collonges. 

Departures are weekly between April and October 2019. 

Crystal River Cruises’ 2021 itineraries include a new 11-night Eastern Danube 

Discoveries voyage round-trip from Vienna that visits Hungary, Serbia and 

Croatia, and includes a cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge. 

A-Rosa is putting 11 e-bikes on its Seine river ship A-Rosa Viva. It offers 3.5-hour 

bike tours to Monet’s Garden from Vernon and around Normandy. They cost 

extra and can be booked on board. 

WHO INCLUDES EXCURSIONS 

AmaWaterways 

American Cruise Lines 

APT 


Belmond 



Pandaw 

Riviera Travel 

Saga (selected tours only) 

Scenic 

Tauck 

Travelmarvel 

U by Uniworld 


Viking 

The Po 

The Po is the longest river 

in Italy, flowing 652 miles 

from the Cottian Alps and 

emptying into the Adriatic 

south of Venice. However, 

river cruises sail only about 

60 miles upriver to Polesella. 

As well as spending time in 

Venice, there are excursions to 

Padua, one of the oldest cities 

in Italy, Bologna and Ravenna, 

notable for the 5th and 6thcentury 

mosaics that adorn 

its churches and Basilicas. 

Ferrara, also visited, is a 

medieval town with ancient 

cobbled streets. 

8 | RIVER DIARY | JANUARY 2019 



WHO INCLUDES FLIGHTS 

APT 



Fred Olsen River Cruises 

Riviera Travel 

Scenic 

Saga 

Shearings 

Tauck 

Titan Travel 

Travelmarvel 


Viking 

How to 

increase your 

river cruise 

enjoyment 

Many ocean cruisers look 

for smaller vessels or a 

change of scenery. River 

cruising may be a totally 

new experience but like 

ocean cruising you only 

have to unpack once. 

Both regular river 

cruisers and those 

considering their first 

one, try packaging a river 

cruise perhaps into a tour 

of Southeast Asia, with 

a week on the Mekong or 

the Ganges with a tour of 

India's Golden Triangle. 

Those keen to get right off the beaten track can 

cruise the Upper Mekong in Laos, where days 

are spent exploring small villages, temples and 

markets, or the Red River in Vietnam, where 

they’ll visit Halong Bay and Hanoi. 

In India, cruises along the Ganges take 

intrepid travellers to mosques and temples 

and the headquarters of the Hari Krishna 

movement. Further north, in Assam, voyages 

along the Brahmaputra include elephantback 

rides at dawn in search of tigers and 

rhinos in Kaziranga National Park. 

After years in the doldrums, the Nile in Egypt 

is back on the river cruise radar and demand 

is growing fast as river cruise lines add 

capacity and travellers again flock to see the 

ancient temples and tombs of the pharaohs 

on cruises between Luxor and Aswan. 

For a very different Africa holiday, three and 

four-night safari cruises on the Chobe River 

in Botswana or Lake Kariba on the Zambezi 

River include daily excursions in small boats 

in search of elephants, giraffe, leopards and a 

myriad of other wildlife. 

In the US, paddlewheel boat cruises along the 

Mississippi and Columbia and Snake Rivers 

bring to life stories about the history of rock 

and pop music, the American Civil War and 

Mark Twain. For the ultimate adventure, 

three-week voyages explore the American 

heartland all the way between St Paul in 

Minneapolis to New Orleans. 

A TYPICAL DAY ON THE RIVER 

Although river cruising is a leisurely way to 

travel, the days are busy with sightseeing, 

cookery demonstrations, talks and quizzes. 

Breakfast is usually from 7am to 9am, but 

lying-in is not an option as morning tours 

start early. Passengers are split into groups, 

often with the option of joining one for slow 

walkers. 

Tours usually comprise a guided walk and 

time to wander alone. Tours that depart in the 

morning will be timed to be back for lunch. If 

they are in the afternoon, lunch will likely be 

earlier than usual. 

In cities such as Vienna and Strasbourg, river 

ships stay docked for a day or overnight. In 

other places, once everyone on board, you’ll set 

off for the next destination. This is the time to 

relax, enjoy the views, listen to a talk about the 

river, watch a cooking demonstration or join 

a beer or wine-tasting session. There will be 

commentary sailing through the Rhine Gorge 

and Wachau Valley in Austria. 

Afternoon tea is served in the lounge, then 

there is time to shower and get changed 

before returning to the lounge for pre-dinner 

drinks and the tour director’s presentation 

about the next day’s tours and activities. 

Dinner is served at 7pm, usually with open 

seating so you can sit with whoever you like. 

Around 9pm, the evening entertainment 

starts – maybe a quiz, a classical concert or 

local folk dancers. Other times the resident 

pianist will keep the music going until the last 

person is standing. 

And next day it starts all over again. 

THE BEST NEVER 

GOES ON SALE 

Welcome aboard... 

where the ambiance is charming... 

the exclusive shore excursions go beyond the ordinary... 

and if it means a better travel experience, it’s included. 

INSPIRED BY THE DESTINATION 

Do some basic research – 

read brochures and talk 

to your agent to ensure 

that you get a cruise that 

is completely satisfying. 

Consider an Asia river 

cruise if you’re planning 

your first long-haul 

holiday or are nervous of 

travelling alone 

Ask your agent if he 

or she has taken river 

cruises and seek their 

advice on both vessel and 

destination choice. 

What to pack 

There are no dress codes on the rivers 

so passengers just need to pack for the 

climate. As a guide, pack light clothes for 

summers in Europe, warmer attire for the 

shoulder seasons and warm coats, boots, 

gloves, hats and scarves for Christmas 

markets cruises. Asia is warm year round 

but you will need wet-weather gear if you 

are visiting during rainy seasons. These 

differ from country to country. Smart 

casual is fine for evenings. Most cruise lines 

ask that no shorts are worn to dinner. 

On Tauck river cruises, deep destination knowledge and longstanding local relationships create 

exclusive cultural experiences ashore. Delivering truly inspirational travel experiences has defined 

Tauck for 90+ years... and Tauck river cruises connect you with people, places and daily life along 

Europe’s great rivers – with you at the very heart of it. 

2019 itinerary details are available at tauck.co.uk or call your preferred travel 

agent or Tauck on 0800 810 8020 

www.tauck.co.uk 


CLASSIC LAND JOURNEYS • RIVER CRUISING • SMALL SHIP CRUISING • FAMILY ADVENTURES


EUROPE 

WHO GOES WHERE - EUROPE (Clia members only) 

Europe 

JOURNEY: THROUGH THE HEART OF 

Cruise line 

Dutch waterways/Rhine 

Danube 

Rhone 

Seine 

Bordeaux 

Douro 

Elbe 

Po 

Russia 

Guadalquivir 

Website 

Amadeus River Cruises ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk 

AmaWaterways ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ amawaterways.co.uk 

APT ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ aptouring.co.uk 

A-Rosa ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ arosa-cruises.com 

Avalon Waterways ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ avaloncruises.co.uk 

CroisiEurope ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ croisieurope.co.uk 

Crystal River Cruises ✔ ✔ crystalcruises.co.uk 

Emerald Waterways ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ emeraldwaterways.co.uk 

Fred River Cruises (GSA) ✔ fredrivercruises.co.uk/volga-dream 

Fred Olsen River Cruises ✔ ✔ fredolsencruises.com 

Riviera Travel ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ rivieratravel.co.uk 

Saga (exclusive whole season 

charters only) 

✔ ✔ ✔ saga.co.uk 

Scenic ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ scenic.co.uk 

Shearings (exclusive whole 

season charters only) 

✔ ✔ shearings.com 

Tauck ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ tauck.co.uk 

Titan Travel ✔ ✔ titantravel.co.uk 

U by Uniworld ✔ ✔ ubyuniworld.com 

Uniworld River Cruises ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ uniworld.com 

Viking ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ vikingcruises.co.uk 

WHO GOES WHERE - REST OF THE WORLD (Clia members only) 

Cruise line 

Mekong 

Yangtze 

Irrawaddy 

Ganges/ 

Brahmaputra 

Nile 

Chobe/Lake 

Kariba 

Mississippi/ 

Columbia River 

Website 

AmaWaterways ✔ ✔ amawaterways.co.uk 

APT ✔ ✔ ✔ aptouring.co.uk 

Avalon Waterways ✔ ✔ avaloncruises.co.uk 

Belmond ✔ belmond.com 

CroisiEurope ✔ ✔ croisieurope.co.uk 

Emerald Waterways ✔ ✔ emeraldwaterways.co.uk 

Fred River Cruises (GSA) ✔ ✔ fredolsencruises.co.uk 

Pandaw ✔ ✔ ✔ pandaw.com 

Riviera Travel ✔ ✔ ✔ rivieratravel.co.uk 

Scenic ✔ ✔ scenic.co.uk 

Uniworld River Cruises ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ uniworld.com 

Viking ✔ ✔ ✔ vikingcruises.co.uk 

FIND IT 

This journey starts in Holland and ticks off 

four other countries (Germany, Austria, 

Slovakia and Hungary), three rivers (the 

Rhine, Main and Danube) and one manmade 

waterway (the Main-Danube Canal). 

THE CRUISE 

This is the big one when it comes to river 

cruising in Europe – a full-on two-week 

voyage from Amsterdam to Budapest (or 

vice-versa) that takes passengers through 

scenic valleys and countless locks, visits 

medieval towns, world-class cities and 

glittering palaces, and lays on walking tours, 

wine-tastings and classical concerts. If 

time allows, an extra week can be added to 

selected departures for a journey all the way 

from Amsterdam to Romania and the Black 

Sea (see page 17). 

GETTING THERE 

Flying in or out of Amsterdam and Budapest 

is the only sensible option. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Assuming a north-south cruise from 

Amsterdam, the trip will probably start with 

an overnight on board so you can settle in 

and explore the city the next day. For firsttimers, 

a canal cruise is a good introduction; 

for those on a return visit, the Van Gogh or 

Rijksmuseum, and the house, now a museum, 

where Anne Frank wrote her diary while in 

hiding from the Nazis, are excellent. Scenic 

offers guided walking or bike tours around the 

canals. Avalon has an optional culinary tour. 

APT has tours to Zaanse Schans, a Dutch 

village with windmills and cheese. 

THE RHINE 

From Amsterdam river ships sail south along 

the Rhine, first stop Cologne, a German 

city best-known for a magnificent Gothic 

cathedral that survived the World War 

Two bombing while all around the city was 

destroyed. 

A miracle? Who knows but as it took 630 

years to build and it was only finished in 1880, 

it would have been a shame if it had been hit. 

Most visitors marvel at the interior; those 

feeling active can climb the 533 steps to the 

top for great views over the city and river. 

Walking tours are a good way to get to know 

the city. For those interested in World War 

Two history, the NS-Documentation Centre 

in the former Gestapo headquarters is highly 

recommended. The Chocolate Museum, 

close to where the river ships dock, is a treat 

for those with a sweet tooth. 



EUROPE 

THE MAIN RIVER 

A little way south of Rüdesheim, river ships 

turn left into the Main River. This is narrower 

and more picturesque than the Rhine but as 

there are 34 locks to navigate the sundeck 

will be closed most of the time while sailing. 

On most vessels that means there will be 

limited outside space. 

Key attractions along the Main include 

Miltenberg, a pretty town with half-timbered 

houses and a beautiful Renaissance fountain, 

and Würzburg, where city tours usually visit 

the baroque Bishop’s Residence to see its 

ornate staircases, acres of stucco and one of 

the largest frescos ever painted. 

A NEW 

DIMENSION 

IN RIVER CRUISING 

NAME 

Koblenz, at the confluence 

of the Rhine and Moselle, is 

recognisable for the enormous 

equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I 

at the Deutsches Eck, or German Corner. 

Walking tours visit the statue and the narrow 

streets, squares and churches in the old city, 

but it’s a small place and easy to explore 

alone. A cable car goes across the river to the 

Ehrenbreitstein fortress, 118 metres above 

the river. 

Koblenz marks the start of the Rhine Gorge, 

the most scenic stretch of the river with more 

than 40 castles and fortresses that date back 

to the Middle Ages. Cruise directors point 

out the sights during the sailing, and also tell 

the legend of the Lorelei, a beautiful maiden 

said to have thrown herself to her death over a 

faithless lover who then lured sailors to their 

deaths with her hypnotic singing. 

In Rüdesheim, a small town at the 

southern end of the gorge, tours visit 

Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Cabinet, an 

extraordinary collection of music machines 

from years gone by. If that doesn’t appeal, 

a cable car goes over the vineyards to the 

monumental Germania statue that celebrates 

the foundation of the German Empire. 

Guides will point out the Drosselgasse - a 

narrow street lined with bars, cafés and 

souvenir shops. 

A few river cruise lines alternatively 

offer tours from Würzburg to 

Rothenburg. It’s about 45 

minutes’ drive away along 

what’s known as the 

Top tip: 

Cabin balconies really come 

into their own on cruises on the 

Main and Main-Danube Canal 

as passengers have their own 

outdoor viewing space even 

though the sundeck is 

closed. 

‘Romantic Road’, and 

a fairytale-like town 

enclosed by thick 

walls that’s full of 

medieval houses and 

has a Christmas shop 

that’s open all year. 

Cruises also visit 

Bamberg, a town famous 

for a strange smoked beer and 

architectural gems including a town hall 

covered with tromp d’oeil frescoes. 

THE MAIN-DANUBE CANAL 

Bamberg marks the start of the Main-Danube 

Canal, a man-made waterway that opened in 

1994 to enable ships to sail all the way from 

the North Sea to the Black Sea. There are 

another 16 locks along the canal so again the 

sundeck will be closed most of the time. 

The main attraction on the canal is 

Nuremberg. Tours go to the Nazi rally 

grounds and Documentation Centre in 

Hitler’s unfinished Kongresshalle, which 

charts the rise of the Nazi party. In the 

city, many visit the courtroom where the 

war crime trials were held at the end of the 

Second World War. 

Most river cruise lines stay a day in the city 

so there is also time to explore the medieval 

centre. A castle, the vast market square, the 

Church of our Lady and the local Nuremburg 

rostbratwurst are among attractions. 

THE DANUBE 

At Kelheim, the canal flows into the Danube 

River. Cruises visit Regensburg, a town with 

narrow medieval streets, towers built by 

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EUROPE 

THE LOWER DANUBE 

Lower Danube 

JOURNEY:ALONG THE 

Did you know? 

Almost 16,000 British river 

cruisers sailed the Rhine/Danube 

itinerary in 2017, up almost 50% 

on the previous year, according 

to industry association Clia UK & 

Ireland. 

rich merchants to show off their wealth and 

a beautiful 12th-century stone bridge, and 

Passau, where walking tours visit St Stephen’s 

Cathedral and potter through the cobbled 

streets and alleys. 

Some river cruise lines offer all-day tours 

from Passau to Salzburg, the Austrian town 

where Mozart was born and scenes from the 

movie The Sound of Music were filmed, or 

Cesky Krumlov, a picture-postcard medieval 

city in the Czech Republic with a large castle 

and narrow streets made for exploring. 

Once past Passau, river ships enter Austria. 

From Melk, tours visit a baroque Benedictine 

monastery dripping with gold decoration, 

acres of marble, grand frescoes and a library 

that stores 100,000 books. 

This is the start of the Wachau Valley, a 

scenic 24-mile stretch of river with vineyards, 

ruined castles and picturesque villages. 

Several river cruise lines offer guided bike 

rides through the valley to Dürnstein, a tiny 

town where attractions include wine, apricots 

and a ruined hill-top castle in which Richard 

the Lionheart was once held captive. 

But the jewel in the Danube’s crown has to 

be Vienna, the glorious capital of Austria, a 

city of music, art and palaces, from where the 

Habsburg emperors and empresses ruled the 

Austro-Hungarian empire for some 700 years. 

First-time visitors will want to ride around 

the spectacular Ringstrasse, a three-mile 

circular boulevard lined with grand palaces, 

museums and government buildings, and 

peek into the royal family’s Hofburg Palace. 

There are also tours to the Schönbrunn 

Palace, the Habsburg’s summer residence, and 

Top tip: 

Don’t miss a drive around 

Vienna’s Ringstrasse after 

extravagant 

dark. It is fabulous by day, but 

Mozart 

spectacular at night when the 

and Strauss 

palaces, opera house and 

concerts. 

parliament are lit up. 

Those happy to 

explore alone can see 

Klimpt’s famous painting 

The Kiss at the Belvedere Palace, 

splash out on coffee and Sacher Tort at the 

Sacher Hotel and ride the big Prater Wheel 

made famous in the film The Third Man. 

Next up it’s Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, 

the fourth country of the cruise. The Old 

Town is easy to explore alone – it’s very small 

and just a five-minute walk from where the 

boats dock – but there are walking or hiking 

tours around the centre and up to the castle 

that sits above the city. 

Last stop is Budapest, the capital of Hungary, 

where itineraries usually include an overnight 

stay so there’s time to see the sights before 

going home. 

The city has many claims to fame - the oldest 

underground rail network in Europe after 

London, the largest Jewish synagogue in 

Europe and the third-largest parliament 

building in the world (it’s trumped by the 

Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest and the 

Palace of Westminster in London). 

There are walking, cycling and Segway tours, 

an amphibious bus, which drives around Pest 

before plunging into the Danube and thermal 

spas for those who want to relax. Tour 

highlights include Heroes Square, an area 

laid out in 1896 to mark Hungary’s 1,000th 

anniversary, and Fisherman’s Bastion, a 

lookout spot in Buda with great views of the 

river below. 

FIND IT 

The Danube flows from the Black Forest 

in Germany to the Black Sea in Romania, 

passing through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, 

Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania 

along the way. The Lower Danube runs 

from Budapest to the Black Sea. 

THE CRUISE 

The top-selling voyage is seven nights, 

sailing from Giurgiu, the port for Bucharest 

in Romania, to the Hungarian capital of 

Budapest (or vice-versa), visiting Croatia, 

Serbia and Bulgaria, and usually including 

an extra pre-cruise hotel night in Bucharest. 

A few cruises also visit the Danube Delta, 

where the river flows into the Black Sea. 

GETTING THERE 

Those sailing between Bucharest and 

Budapest will fly in or out of each city. 

WHAT TO SEE 

This is a fascinating journey through five 

Eastern European countries that visits 

forts, castles, Roman archaeological sites 

and spectacular rock formations. It also 

includes a transit through the scenic Iron 

Gates Gorge. 

A few river cruise lines offer three-week 

voyages all the way from the North Sea to 

the Black Sea. For details of the journey 

as far as Budapest see pages 13 to 16. The 

following continues the journey from 

Budapest to Romania, but itineraries also 

operate in the other direction. 

River cruise lines itineraries generally 

include an illuminations cruise through 

Budapest after dark so passengers can see 

the city by night. They then set sail, heading 

east through Hungary. 

First top is either Pecs, a city 

founded by the Romans 

some 2,000 years ago, 

or Kalosca, from where 

excursions visit the 

Hungarian puszta, 

of prairie, to watch a 

traditional horse show. 

In Hungary that means 

whip-cracking cowboys 

who gallop their steeds 

without spilling glasses filled 

with wine. 

Novi Sad in Serbia or Osijek in Croatia are 

next, then there’s a full day to explore the 

Serbian capital of Belgrade. Tours visit 

Tito’s mausoleum and the impressive St 

Sava Orthodox church but it is just as easy 

to explore alone as river ships dock right by 

the city centre. 

Soon after Belgrade, river ships enter the 

Iron Gate Gorge – a series of four canyons 

that run for 90 miles. A 40-foot-high rock 

statue of King Decebalus, the erstwhile 

ruler of Dacia, in what is now Romania, 

marks the eastern end of the gorge. 

Most itineraries call into Rousse in Bulgaria, a 

town known in its heyday as Little Vienna on 

Top tip: 

The most interesting 

sights on the Lower Danube 

are not along the river bank 

so passengers should be 

prepared for long 

transfers most 

days. 

account of its grand Belle Epoche buildings. 

From Rousse, tours visit Veliko Turnavo, 

the capital of Bulgaria before the Turkish 

invasion in the late 1300s, and Arbanassi, 

a village with six tiny churches 

plastered with ornate 

frescoes. An Orthodox 

choir performance in the 

Church of Archangel 

Michael and Gabriel is a 

highlight of the tour. 

Veliko Turnavo is about 

two hours’ drive from 

Rousse. For those who don’t 

wish to stray so far, most river 

cruise lines offer alternative tours 

to Ivanovo, 30 minutes from Rousse, 

to visit two churches hewn into rocks some 

900 years ago and decorated with frescoes 

and icons. 

Giurgiu, the port for Bucharest, is on the 

other side of the river from Rousse. Cruises 

mostly end here but include a tour of the 

capital - a vast palace built by former 

dictator Nicholas Ceausescu that now 

houses the Romanian Parliament is the 

main attraction – and a hotel night in the 

city before passengers fly home. 

CroisiEurope, A-Rosa, Fred Olsen and 

others cruise further east and include birdspotting 

trips in the Unesco-listed Danube 

Delta Biosphere Reserve where the river 

meets the Black Sea. 



THE RHINE AND MOSELLE 

Rhine 

JOURNEY: ALONG 

and 

THE 

Moselle 

Top tip: 

FIND IT 

The Rhine flows 

from Switzerland 

to Holland, passing 

through France and 

Germany along the way. 

The Moselle rises in north-east 

France and flows through Luxembourg and 

Germany, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. 

THE CRUISE 

One-week sailings between Amsterdam and 

Basel in Switzerland navigate the Rhine 

Gorge and call into Cologne, Koblenz, 

Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg and Breisach. 

Some itineraries start or end in Cologne or 

Dusseldorf; a few operate round-trip from 

Cologne. Longer cruises combine the Rhine 

with the Moselle. There are also one-week 

spring-time cruises around Holland and 

Belgium round-trip from Amsterdam. 

GETTING THERE 

There are scheduled and low-cost flights 

direct from the UK to Amsterdam, 

Dusseldorf, Basel and Cologne. Those 

joining a spring-time cruise from 

Amsterdam might like to consider travelling 

by train. Eurostar has two direct services a 

It’s worth adding a couple of 

hotel nights in Amsterdam to the 

start or end of the cruise as there 

is so much to see. There are long 

queues for the city’s museums 

and Anne Frank House so 

advise clients to book 

tickets online. 

day from London to 

Amsterdam (three from 

June 2019). The return 

journey requires a change 

in Brussels. 

WHAT TO SEE 

If it’s spring again, it has to be tulips from 

Amsterdam. All the Dutch and Belgium 

waterways’ cruises in spring include tours to 

the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, Holland, 

where seven million tulip, daffodil and 

orchid bulbs are planted each year, creating 

themed displays (it’s Flower Power in 2019) 

that attract millions of visitors. The gardens 

are open from mid-March to mid-May. 

These cruises call at Arnhem, to visit the 

Airborne Museum that remembers the 1944 

Battle of Arnhem, and Veere or Middelburg, 

for tours to an enormous storm barrier built 

after devastating floods in 1953. 

Dutch waterways itineraries also visit Antwerp 

and Ghent in Belgium, offer excursions to 

Bruges and call at Rotterdam in Holland, 

from where there are outings to Gouda, Delft 

and Kinderdijk, where visitors can go inside a 

windmill and learn how they operate. 

Amsterdam to Basel cruises follow the same 

route as Amsterdam to Budapest itineraries 

but carry straight on when the latter turn left 

onto the Main River (see pages 13-16). That’s 

at Mainz, where the chief attraction is the 

Gutenberg Museum dedicated to the man 

who invented printing. 

Next stop is Mannheim, an industrial city 

where Karl Benz built the world’s first 

motor car. Fred Olsen River Cruises has 

walking tours of the city that visit a model 

of his first automobile but most river cruise 

lines whisk passengers away on excursions 

to Heidelberg, a far more attractive town 

about 20 minutes away. 

It sits on the Neckar River and is overlooked 

by a huge partly ruined red sandstone 

castle with a long history of conflict and 

destruction. Tours visit the castle, then 

allow free time in the town. For those 

feeling active, AmaWaterways, APT and 

Avalon Waterways offer hikes up Holy 

Mountain on the other side of the river. 

Their reward (apart from feeling righteous) 

is great views of the castle. 

From Mannheim, river cruise lines call into 

Speyer, to visit what was once one of the 

biggest cathedrals in the western world and 

an 800-year-old Jewish mikveh, or purifying 

bath, and then it’s on to Strasbourg, the 

highlight of the whole cruise for many. 

The city is a mix of old and new architecture 

(the half-timbered houses in Petite France 

vs the modern European Parliament and 

European Court of Justice) and French 

and German cultures due to the fact it has 

changed hands between the two countries 

five times since 1800. 

Attractions include an astronomical clock 

in the Gothic Cathedral that dates back 

to 1574 and still keeps perfect time, the 

cathedral itself (peek inside or climb the 

332 steps to the top) and canal boat rides. 

Breisach, the last stop before Basel, is 

the gateway for excursions into the Black 

Forest (tours visit the Vogtbauernhof open 

air museum depicting life in the region, and 

there are hiking and biking trails) or 

to Riquewihr, a medieval village nestling 

in the vineyards of Alsace that’s so picture 

perfect it’s like stepping back in time 

500 years. 

ON THE MOSELLE 

The Moselle is a much narrower and more 

scenic river than the Rhine as it cuts through 

the heart of one of Germany’s main winegrowing 

areas and the banks are a carpet of 

verdant vines. 

All Moselle cruises call at Cochem, a pretty 

town of half-timbered houses and wine shops 

that’s overlooked by the imposing Reichsburg 

Castle. It’s a stiff climb up to the fort but 

worth doing for the views over the river. 

Itineraries also call at Trier, a city founded by the 

Romans in 16BC, where the huge Porta Nigra 

(Black Gate) and the house where Karl Marx 

was born are among attractions, and Bernkastel. 

Avalon Waterways and AmaWaterways offer 

cruises that start in Luxembourg. 

Did you know? 

Almost 50,000 British river cruise 

passengers sailed the Rhine and Moselle in 

2017, making it the top selling river in the 

UK, according to industry figures. 



THE DOURO 

Douro 

JOURNEY: ALONG THE 

Boutique river cruising 

through the heart 

of Europe 

NAME 

FIND IT 

The Douro rises in north central Spain 

and flows south-west and into northern 

Portugal, emptying into the Atlantic at 

Porto. 

THE CRUISE 

There are two itineraries. The first, and 

most popular, is a voyage from Porto to 

Vega de Terrón, a distance of 210km (130 

miles), an excursion to Salamanca in Spain, 

and a cruise back to Porto. The second 

option is a one-way cruise between Porto 

and Vega de Terrón sandwiched between 

hotel stays in Madrid and Lisbon. 

GETTING THERE 

Direct flights operate from London to 

Porto. Those who want to add a few nights 

in Lisbon can fly there and take the train to 

Porto, a journey of just two and a half hours. 

WHAT TO SEE 

The scenery is the star on these cruises, 

which either start or end with a tour of 

Porto and then journey past acres of 

terraced vineyards that produce the grapes 

used to make port wine and through deep 

valleys on the way to Vega de Terrón. 

Vessels navigate five deep locks along the 

way. These were built between 1964 and 

1985 to tame the river, which until then was 

a raging torrent – so wild that in the days 

before roads and railways, it took winegrowers 

two or three days to get their grapes 

from Regua to Porto by boat but three 


weeks or more to get 

back as the vessels 

had to be pulled by 

men and oxen. 

Porto is a grand city with 

narrow cobbled streets, 

grand squares and centuries of 

history. Walking tours visit a 13thcentury 

cathedral, the São Bento railway 

station, which is adorned with 20,000 tiles 

depicting Portugal’s history, and the bookshop 

where JK Rowling wrote some of her Harry 

Potter novels. 

Excursions often include a boat ride under 

the bridges over the Douro that link Porto 

with Gaia on the other bank and usually 

squeeze in a tour and tasting in one of the 

city’s port wine lodges. 

Top attractions along the river include 

Guimarães, where Portugal’s first king was 

crowned almost 900 years ago, and the 

baroque Mateus Palace, the manor house 

depicted on bottles of Mateus rosé wine, 

where tours show off a priceless collection 

of books, furniture and reliquaries. 

The Douro Museum in Regua has an 

excellent exhibition about wine growing in 

the region. In Lamego, the top attraction 

is the Sanctuary of our Lady of Remedies, 

a pilgrimage church at the top of an ornate 

baroque staircase. There are some 680 

steps that pilgrims climb on their knees 

during the festival of Nossa Senhora 

Top tip: 

The Douro cruise is leisurely 

with fab scenery for those who 

want to take it easy but those who 

want to kick things up a gear can 

go walking through vineyards 

and canoeing with Emerald 

Waterways. 

dos Remédios in 

September. 

Most itineraries 

include local food 

and port tastings at a 

quinta, or wine estate, 

some have canoeing trips on 

the Sabor River, a tributary of 

the Douro. 

But the highlight after Porto has to be 

Salamanca, a Spanish city known as 

the Golden City because its sandstone 

buildings glisten in the sunshine. It’s a 

two-hour drive from Vega de Terrón, but a 

gorgeous day out (most excursions include 

lunch with a flamenco show) and a chance 

to discover Spain as it used to be, before 

millions of tourists moved in. 

Tours visit Plaza Mayor, one of the 

biggest squares in Spain, a 12th-century 

Romanesque cathedral, a ‘new’ Gothicstyle 

basilica built next door almost 300 

years ago and a bustling market where 

stalls parade mouth-watering local Jamon 

Iberico (cured ham), olives, oil and cheeses. 

Did you know? 

The number of Britons cruising the 

Douro in 2017 leapt 85% to 20,700, 

making it the fastest-growing river in 

Europe, according to indstry figures. 

There’s nothing quite like an Emerald Waterways river cruise. From Europe 

to Southeast Asia and beyond, we’ve put our stamp on deluxe river cruising, 

combining state-of-the-art Star-Ships with meticulously planned itineraries, 

plus our promise of exceptional EmeraldVALUE, so you can be sure of an 

unforgettable holiday that offers inspiring moments and excellent value for 

money. 

Heated indoor pool† 

Stylish Star-Ships 

From the moment you step on-board one of 

our Star-Ships you are surrounded by stylish, 

modern décor, with every inch designed with 

comfort and enjoyment in mind. 

Indulge in delicious and diverse dining in the 

Reflections Restaurant and enjoy the cool river 

breeze with a glass of wine or a crisp beer on 

the Sun Deck. Plus, unique innovations like our 

heated indoor pool † that transforms into an 

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†Emerald Radiance on the Douro River does not have bicycles or an indoor 

pool/cinema, instead there is a spa-style Serenity Pool on the Sun-Deck. 

For full terms and conditions visit emeraldwaterways.co.uk. E&OE. 

Sun Deck 

Inspiring days ashore 

We take you to the heart of local culture with 

our included excursions and EmeraldPLUS 

activities, giving you authentic experiences and 

ensuring you see the countless highlights as you 

sail Europe’s rivers. 

On most of our Star-Ships we offer 

complimentary bicycles † , allowing you to 

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experiences are perfect for those seeking 

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Exceptional 

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Enjoy all these inclusions… 

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■ ■ Stylish accommodation on-board 

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■ ■ All on-board meals in 

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■ ■ Complimentary wine, beer & soft 

drinks with lunch & dinner 

■ ■ Onshore excursions and 

guided tours 

■ ■ Extra-special EmeraldPLUS and 

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■■ 

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■ ■ All port charges, taxes and 

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■■ 

River Cruise Guarantee Cover 

Reflections Restaurant Enjoy included excursions PLUS ALL TIPS ARE INCLUDED 

Exceptional EmeraldVALUE 

Everything you could need is included in the 

price of your river cruise. 

From return flights, to all on-board meals, 

complimentary wine, beer & soft drinks with 

lunch & dinner, onshore excursions and guided 

tours, complimentary on-board Wi-Fi and all 

port charges, taxes and transfer costs. 

Contact your Local Travel Agent 


Best River Cruise Line for Value 


THE RHÔNE AND SAÔNE 

Cruising 

IN FRANCE 


Rhône and Saône 

Top tip: 

FIND IT 

The Rhône rises in 

Switzerland, flows 

into Southeast France 

and empties into the 

Mediterranean south of 

Arles. The Saône rises in 

France. The two meet at Lyon, 

where the Saône flows into the Rhône. 

THE CRUISE 

Most are one-week sailings from Lyon to 

Avignon or Arles or vice-versa that include 

a couple of nights sailing the Saône as far 

as Chalon-sur-Saône. Some itineraries 

operate round-trip from Lyon. A few 

include Paris at the start and end of the 

cruise. 

GETTING THERE 

Lyon has its own airport; for Avignon and 

Arles, passengers will fly in and out of 

Marseilles Airport, which is about an hour’s 

drive away. You can alternatively travel by 

Eurostar train from London, transferring 

onto France’s high-speed TGV train 

network in Paris. Journey time from Paris 

to Lyon is around two hours and from Paris 

to Avignon just under three hours. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Lyon is France’s second-largest city and 

the acknowledged gastronomic capital of 

France - some even say the world – for its 

multitude of restaurants including classy 

One river is great but two is 

even better. Consider a combo 

pairing the Rhone with the Seine. 

They are offered by Avalon 

Waterways, Uniworld River 

Cruises and APT. 

Michelin-starred 

establishments or 

so-called bouchon 

bistros that serve local 

Lyonnais food. 

Highlights in the city 

include the white Basilica of 

Notre Dame and remains of a nearby 

Roman theatre above the old town (tours 

will drive there but there is a funicular for 

those exploring alone). Tours also visit 

Les Halles food hall and the traboules, 

the name given to alleyways built in 

medieval times and hidden behind huge 

wooden doors. 

The city sits at the confluence of the Rhône 

and Saône. Head north towards Chalonsur-Saône 

and there are excursions to 

Cluny, to see what remains of what was 

once the largest church in the world, and 

Beaune, where more than 500 years ago 

a hospital was opened to care for the poor 

and sick. It’s now a museum and one of the 

most visited sights in France on account of 

its spectacular multi-coloured tiled roofs. 

Head south on the Rhône and there are 

days out in Tournon, a town across the 

river from Tain L’Hermitage, where wine is 

king. Naturally a tasting is on the cards, but 

there are also walking tours of Tournon and 

several river cruise lines have guided cycle 

rides along the river. 

Itineraries also call at Viviers, a oncethriving 

town that now has just 1,000 

inhabitants and the smallest working 

cathedral in France, and Vienne, where 

highlights include a 13,000-seat Roman 

amphitheatre and a temple built in honour 

of Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia 

more than 2,000 years ago. 

In Arles, tours visit an even bigger Roman 

amphitheatre with seating for 20,000 that 

is still used for concerts and plays, and pass 

scenes immortalised in oil by Vincent Van 

Gogh when he lived in the town in 1888 

and 1889. 

Some tours visit the asylum in St Remy 

that he checked into after leaving Arles and 

where he painted The Starry Night. A few 

also go into the Camargue, a region famous 

for cowboys, bulls and rice paddies. 

In Avignon, tours will likely visit the grand 

Popes Palace, where seven pontiffs lived in 

the 1300s, and head out to the Port du Gard, a 

magnificent 160ft-high Roman aqueduct that 

was built almost two thousand years ago. 

Those happy to go ashore alone, will 

find narrow streets to explore, mouthwatering 

produce in the Les Halles 

market and what remains of the Pont 

d’Avignon (it’s only half a bridge these 

days because it was washed away so many 

times they gave up rebuilding it). 

22 | RIVER DIARY | JANUARY 2019 StowawayMedia.com | 23

THE SEINE 

Seine 


Top tip: 

River Cruising by 

PARIS 

& THE SEINE 

VALLEY TO 

NORMANDY 

8 DAYS by Air 

£1,634pp 

FIND IT 

The Seine rises in France, flows north 

through Paris and Normandy, and empties 

into the English Channel at Le Havre. 

THE CRUISE 

The most popular is a seven-night itinerary 

from Paris to Rouen or Caudebec-en-Caux 

and back that includes a day in the French 

capital. A couple of river cruise lines have 

one-way voyages from Paris to Rouen or 

vice-versa. 

GETTING THERE 

There are plenty of flights from the UK to 

Paris, but those travelling from South-East 

England might find it more convenient to 

travel on Eurostar. Journey time from St 

Pancras in London to Paris Gare du Nord is 

just two hours, 16 

minutes. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Highlights of the 

cruise include tours 

to Impressionist 

painter Claude 

Monet’s house and 

garden in Giverny, to see 

the lily pond that featured in 

his most famous paintings, and hikes to 

Chateau-Gaillard, a castle, now ruined, 

built by King Richard the Lionheart in 1196, 

when Normandy was ruled by England. 

Richard was buried in the grand cathedral 

in Rouen, a pretty town with cobbled 

streets, half-timbered houses and a 

gruesome past as it was here, in 1431, that 

Bordeaux is for wine-lovers 

For additional pleaseure add 

a couple of nights in Paris to the 

start or end of the cruise (even if 

the itinerary includes a night in the 

capital) as there’s such a lot to see in 

the city. Notre Dame, Montmartre, 

the views from the top of 

the Eiffel Tower and the 

Louvre are calling. 

Joan of Arc was 

burned at the stake. 

The Church of 

Saint Joan, next to 

the post that marks 

the place where she 

was executed, is really 

spectacular. 

Keen painters can visit the 

town of Auvers-sur-Oise, where 

Vincent Van Gogh lived and died, while 

those interested in history can learn about 

Napoleon’s wife Josephine on a trip to her 

home, the Chateau Malmaison. 

From Caudebec-en-Caux or Rouen, there 

are full-day tours to Pegasus Bridge and 

the D-Day Landing Beaches, and half-day 

outings to the fishing village of Honfleur. 

Cruise itinerary 

Day 1: Embark in Paris, cruise to 

Les Andelys 

Day 2: Les Andelys to 

Caudebec-en-Caux 

Day 3: Caudebec-en-Caux 

Day 4: Caudebec-en-Caux to 

Rouen 

Day 5: Rouen to Vernon 

Day 6: Vernon to Paris 

Day 7: Paris 

Day 8: Disembark in Paris 

SAVE UP TO 

£100 

PER COUPLE 

ON BOOKINGS MADE 

BEFORE 28 TH FEBRUARY 

FOR HOLIDAYS DEPARTING 

BETWEEN 1 ST APRIL – 

27 TH OCTOBER 2019 

Departing June 7th 2019 

Sailing on the MS A-ROSA VIVA 

9 DAYS by Coach FROM £1,399pp 

8 DAYS by Rail FROM £1,539pp 

Both departing June 8th 2019 

Why choose A-ROSA... 

3 All inclusive board basis 

3 Return coach travel, with FREE Wi-Fi on board, 

regional flights from local airports or rail travel from 

St Pancras 

3 Services of a Shearings Cruise Manager 

3 A-la-Carte Speciality Dining available in addition to 

the Gourmet Buffet Dining with LIVE Cooking Stations 

3 Facilities on board include a SPA, Gym, lounge areas 

and extensive sun decks 

3 On board entertainment 

Tours and tastings in the Médoc, St Émilion and Sauternes 

wine regions in Southwest France are top of the agenda on 

cruises on the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde Rivers roundtrip 

from Bordeaux. 

Not that you have to be a wine connoisseur to love these 

cruises. Itineraries also visit St Émilion, a picturesque town 

with a cave said to have been home to St Émilion, a monk 

who gave the place its name, and the underground remains 

of a huge 11th-century church. 

Several include trips to Bergerac, a pretty 

town with narrow streets and half-timbered 

Top tip: 

houses where every restaurant serves 

duck and two statues pay homage to 

One of AmaWaterways’ winethemed 

Taste of Bordeaux cruises will 

Cyrano de Bergerac – a French novelist 

be ideal for oenophiles. There are 17 this 

year, all hosted by guest vintners, that 

feature special tastings on board and 

ashore, and an exclusive wine festival 

in Bourg with local vintages, live 

music, dancing and nibbles. 


and playwright with an oversized nose who inspired the 

eponymous play written by Edmond Rostand - even though 

there is no evidence that he ever actually visited the place. 

From Blaye, passengers can see an 17th-century citadel, now 

a UNESCO World Heritage Site, journey along the Route de la 

Corniche Fleurie, or maybe take a tour to Cognac, to taste the 

world-famous brandy that took its name from the town. 

Itineraries spend at least a day in Bordeaux, to explore 

the old city’s maze of narrow lanes and alleyways and join 

the strollers, runners and cyclists enjoying the lovely long 

waterfront promenade. The opera house, Place Gambetta 

and classical Place de la Bourse are among highlights. The 

stunning miroir d’eau (mirror of water) is a big favourite, 

especially with children. 

PARIS & VERSAILLES 

5 DECEMBER 2019 • 6 days by coach from £746pp 

6 DECEMBER 2019 • 5 days by air from £981pp 

6 DECEMBER 2019 • 8 days by rail from £886pp 

More Parisian Escapes 

NEW YEAR IN PARIS 

26 DECEMBER 2019 • 8 days by air from £1,726pp 

26 DECEMBER 2019 • 8 days by rail from £1,696pp 

For more information or to book, call 01942 412802 

or visit shearings.com/rivercruises using code VRD902 

FREE 

Home Connect 

Service 

on all A-ROSA 

Cruises* 

Subject to Shearings T&C’s and availability. Prices are 'From' and are per person based on 2 people sharing a standard cabin. Flights/cabin supplements may apply. Saving of up to £100 per couple 

is available on holidays departing between 01/04/2019 – 27/10/2019 only, for new bookings only made between 11/01/2019 – 28/02/2019. *Selected postcodes. Alternatively Home Connect 

to your local airport or railway station may be an option if the service is unavailable where you live. ∆Subject to availability, terms & conditions apply. Prices correct as of the 11/01/2019. E&OE. 

Children 

Cruise 

FREE 

On all A-ROSA 

Cruises ∆

RUSSIAN WATERWAYS 

FIND IT 

Rather than a single waterway, Moscow and 

St Petersburg are linked by the a series of 

canals, lakes and waterways. The journey 

starts on the Moscow Canal then connects 

to the Volga River, Rybinsk Reservoir, 

Volga-Baltic Waterway, Lake Onega, Svir 

River, Lake Ladoga and Neva River. 

THE CRUISE 

Most itineraries are 12 nights cruising oneway 

from Moscow to St Petersburg or viceversa, 

with two or three nights on the river 

ship in each city at either end of the cruise. 

GETTING THERE 

Both cities are well served with direct flights 

from the UK. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Moscow and St Petersburg are the big 

attractions of this cruise but it is actually 

also an wonderful journey visiting ancient 

Russian cities that have fascinating stories 

to tell. 

In Uglich, one of Russia’s oldest cities, 

tours visit the small Cathedral of the 

Transfiguration, which is painted with 

frescoes and has acoustics akin to the Royal 

Albert Hall, and the church next door built 

where Dmitri, the son of Tsar Ivan the 

Terrible, was murdered, allegedly on the 

orders of a not-so-charming-chap called Boris 

Godunov, who wanted him out of the way so 

he could be tsar. The church’s macabre name, 

Dmitri on the Blood, says it all. 

Yaroslavl is an ancient city of churches, 

cathedrals and monasteries founded in 

1010 by Yaroslavl the Wise who, so the 

story goes, came upriver, killed a bear that 



Russian Waterways 

was worshipped by the resident pagans and 

started his settlement. 

Some itineraries visit Kirilov, to visit a 

superb icon museum in the 14th-century 

Monastery of St Cyril, all stop at Kizhi 

Island, an open-air museum that houses 

a domed wooden church built during the 

reign of Peter the Great without using 

any nails. 

Even the waterways have their own 

stories to tell. The Moscow Canal, dug 

by political prisoners under orders from 

Stalin; Rybinsk Reservoir, where hundreds 

of residents were drowned as they refused 

to leave their homes when the area was 

flooded; Lake Ladoga, which, in the winters 

of 1941-43, was used to transport supplies 

to the starving city of Leningrad (now St 

Petersburg) during a 872-day siege in the 

Second World War. Drivers risked enemy 

artillery fire to get food to the city over the 

frozen lake but despite their efforts, almost 

640,000 people died of cold and starvation. 

St Petersburg is much changed since those 

dark days and has so much to see that 

visitors need at least three days to do it all 

justice. 

The Hermitage Museum is top of most 

visitors’ lists but it’s vast (there are about 

400 rooms) so guided tours 

pick out the gems among 

the priceless artworks 

by the likes of Rubens, 

Raphael, Rembrandt, 

Da Vinci and 

Michelangelo. 

Most companies 

offer tours to the 

Top tip: 

ornate Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, 

some 45 minutes outside the city, and to see 

the fabulous golden fountains at Peterhof, 

Peter the Great’s summer residence on the 

Gulf of Finland. 

Highlights in the city include the Peter and 

Paul Fortress, where the remains of the 

last tsar, Nicholas II, and his family were 

interred after the fall of the Soviet Union 

in 1990; the Battleship Aurora, which 

fired the shot that started the Bolshevik 

Revolution in 1917; and the Church of the 

Spilled Blood, built where Tsar Alexander 

II was assassinated. There are also canal 

boat rides and trips to the Yusupov Palace, 

where Rasputin was murdered in 1916. 

In Moscow, tours make a bee-line for 

the Kremlin, a vast fortress that houses 

palaces, the Assumption Cathedral where 

the tsars were crowned and museums 

containing weapons, jewellery and 

priceless Fabergé eggs. 

UK passport holders need a 

visa to visit Russia. Prices start 

from £108.40 from VFS Global. 

Applicants must attend VFS 

offices in London, Manchester or 

Edinburgh to be fingerprinted 

or pay extra to use a mobile 

biometric service. 

They also visit Red Square, to see St Basil’s 

Cathedral, Lenin’s Tomb (but only to look 

as the queues to get inside can be very 

long), GUM shopping centre and the ornate 

Metro stations resplendent with 

chandeliers, sculptures 

and frescoes. A few river 

cruise lines include 

tours to the Tretyakov 

Gallery, home to 

100,000 pieces of 

Russian art. 

FIND IT 

The Nile has two sources, One rises in 

Ethiopia, the other in Uganda. They meet in 

the Sudan and flow on to Egypt, emptying 

into the Mediterranean east of Alexandria. 

THE CRUISE 

Either seven nights from Luxor to Aswan 

and back or three or four-night itineraries 

from Luxor to Aswan or from Aswan 

to Luxor. Itineraries generally 

combine the cruise with a 

few nights in Cairo. 

GETTING THERE 

There are direct flights 

from London to Cairo 

and Luxor. Clients 

starting or ending their 

cruise in Aswan will 

need to fly via Cairo. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Most clients cruising the Nile 

will want to add a couple of days in 

Cairo to see the pyramids and sphinx at Giza 

and the Egyptian Museum, which houses 

the world’s finest collection of Pharaonic 

artifacts including the treasures found in 

Tutankhamen’s tomb. Other sights include 

the Citadel, a Crusader-style fortress dating 

from the 13th century, and the Khan el- 

Khalili bazaar. 

Itineraries generally include two days in 

Luxor as there is so much to see. 

In the city itself there’s the grand Karnak 

Temple (evening sound-and-light shows 

here are a fun experience) and the smaller 

Temple of Luxor. Across the river, on the 

west bank, highlights include the Valley of the 

Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the 

Colossi of Memnon (two huge statues that 

once guarded a temple but now sit alone in 

the desert). 

JOURNEY: ALONG 

the Nile 

Top tip: 

Egyptians love to haggle. Never 

buy anything without offering 

two-thirds of the asking price and 

raising your offer slightly. If 

the seller won’t budge, walk 

away. They’ll very likely 

follow. 

Guides travel with the cruises and lead tours 

of the ancient temples each day, explaining 

which gods they were dedicated to, the 

meaning of the hieroglyphics and more. 

The most visited temples travelling north 

to south are the Temple of Khnum in Esna 

dedicated to the god thought to be the creator 

of children, the Temple of Edfu dedicated 

to the falcon god Horus, and Kom Ombo, a 

double temple half dedicated to the 

crocodile god Sobek and half to 

the falcon god Horus. 

ASWAN 

Itineraries generally 

offer either an included 

or optional earlymorning 

tour from 

Aswan to the Temple 

of Abu Simbel, which is 

spectacular not just for its 

size and age - it was built in 

the 13th century BC by Rameses 

II and is guarded by four 60-feet 

statues of himself – but because it was moved 

to its present location to escape the flood 

waters when they built the Aswan Dam. 

Aswan tours also visit Philae Temple, which 

was moved to its present island location 

and is arguably one of the prettiest temples 

along the river. If time allows, take tea on the 

terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel, a favourite 

haunt of Sir Winston Churchill, Agatha 

Christie and the Aga Khan. 

Did you know? 

British passport holders need a visa to 

enter Egypt. You can apply for an e-visa 

at visa2egypt.gov.eg or get one on 

arrival. Cost is $25, payable in Sterling, 

US dollars or Euros. Always check visa 

information before travelling. 

THE NILE AND CHOBE 

SAIL AND SAFARI 

Safari cruises on the Chobe River and Lake 

Kariba offered by AmaWaterways and 

CroisiEurope are an away-from-the-crowds 

alternative to wildlife spotting from a landbased 

lodge. 

Passengers can be out on deck looking for 

wildlife while sailing, and there are tours each 

day in small boats or 4x4 open-top jeeps in 

search of elephants, giraffes, lions, crocodiles, 

hippos and a myriad of birdlife. 

Cruises are just three or four nights on small 

boats (the Zambezi Queen on the Chobe 

holds 28 passengers; the African Queen on 

Lake Kariba just 16) and packaged with land 

stays in safari parks, Cape Town and the 

Victoria Falls. 


NAME 

THE MEKONG 

JOURNEY: 

ALONG THE 

Mekong 

Cruising 

IN ASIA 


FIND IT 

The Mekong rises 

in the Tibetan 

Plateau in China 

and flows through 

Myanmar (Burma) and 

Laos into Cambodia and 

Vietnam, emptying into the South 

China Sea south of Ho Chi Minh City in 

Vietnam. 

THE CRUISE 

A seven-night voyage through Vietnam and 

Cambodia that is usually paired with pre and 

post-cruise stays in Ho Chi Minh City and 

Siem Reap. Longer cruise/tours add hotel 

nights in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and 

Ha’Long Bay. Clients sailing from Vietnam 

into Cambodia will most likely embark their 

river ship in My Tho, 45 miles from Ho Chi 

Minh City, and disembark in Prek K’dam 

or Kampong Cham, about four hours by 

road from Siem Reap. Those cruising from 

Cambodia to Vietnam will do the journey 

the other way around. A handful of river 

ships are small enough to sail all the way into 

Ho Chi Minh City and navigate the Tonle 

Sap Lake to dock in Siem Reap. 

GETTING THERE 

Vietnam Airlines has direct flights from 

the UK to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. 

Top tip: 

Crossing roads in Ho Chi 

Minh City that are buzzing with 

motorbikes (there are almost four 

million in the city) is a skill. The 

trick is to step into the traffic, 

walk straight and allow them 

to dodge you. Never stop 

or run. 

It also has regular 

services between Ho 

Chi Minh City and 

Siem Reap. Clients 

can alternatively fly to 

Bangkok and connect to 

local services with Bangkok 

Airways and Vietnam Airways. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Clients cruising from Cambodia into 

Vietnam will almost certainly spend two 

or three nights in Siem Reap, to see the 

temples of Angkor. Angkor Wat itself is the 

best known and most river cruise lines have 

early morning tours to watch sunrise over 

the temple. 

Scenic follows a sunrise visit to the temple 

with a champagne breakfast at a local 

bakery school. APT has drinks on hand at 

Angkor Wat so passengers can raise a glass 

as the sun comes up. 

Other temples to see include the 12thcentury 

Angkor Thom, the last capital of 

the Khmer Empire, and the Bayon Temple, 

which has giant faces carved into the walls. 

Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women) is a small 

temple built from red sandstone dedicated 

to the Hindu god Shiva. Ta Prohm temple 

dates back to 1186 and has been largely 

untouched since it was discovered. 

It is about a four-hour drive from Siem 

Reap to the southern end of the Tonle Sap 

Lake, where the river ships embark, but 

there’ll be at least one stop on the way so 

passengers can stretch their legs and maybe 

try some local Cambodian delicacies. 

That’s deep fried tarantulas and crickets. 

Or maybe not! 

ON THE TONLE SAP RIVER 

The first part of the cruise generally 

meanders around the Tonle Sap River, 

which flows south from the Tonle Sap 

Lake and joins the Mekong at Phnom 

Penh. Instead of famous sights to tick off, 

passengers will be treated to a wealth of 

new experiences including trips to pagodas 

and monasteries to be blessed by monks, 

visits to village schools, cruises around 

floating villages and rides in ox-carts. 

Did you know? 

British passport holders can buy a 

visa for Cambodia on arrival, price 

$30, payable in US dollars. Prices 

and information can change. Always 

check before travelling. 


THE MEKONG/LAOS 

Did you know? 

British passport holders joining a 

tour in Hanoi, flying to Siem Reap 

in Cambodia and cruising to Ho Chi 

Minh City need a visa for Vietnam. 

Fees are available on request. 

PHNOM PENH 

River cruise lines include two or three nights 

in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, 

as there is so much to see and do in the city. 

Ships dock on the waterfront, which is lined 

with restaurants and bars that come alive in 

the evening. 

There are tuk-tuk or cyclo sightseeing 

tours, trips to the Central Market, a massive 

emporium selling everything from flowers 

and food to clothes, watches and jewellery, 

and excursions to the Royal Palace to see the 

bejewelled emerald Buddha statue housed in 

the Silver Pagoda. 

Visitors will also come face to face with 

the horrors of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge 

dictatorship, which murdered millions of 

Cambodians during a terrifying 14 years in 

power. Tours visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide 

Museum and one of the Killing Fields where 

thousands died. 

ON THE MEKONG 

The rest of the cruise is on the Mekong River, 

where many more experiences await. Once 

over the border into Vietnam, there are calls 

at the towns of Tan Chau, Sa Dec and Cai 

Be, and tours to fish farms, silk-weaving 

and rattan mat workshops and markets. 

Passengers will ride in a rickshaw; those 

feeling brave can try rice wine flavoured 

with snake. 

HO CHI MINH CITY 

My Tho, about an hour’s drive from Ho 

Chi Minh City, is journey’s end as far as the 

cruise is concerned but most itineraries 

include a night or two night in the city. 

The Reunification Palace (formerly the 

Presidential Palace), the French colonial 

Notre Dame Cathedral, Chinatown and 

bustling Ben Thanh Market are among 

attractions. 

Most tours are by coach but for something 

different, APT offers motorbike tours of the 

city (visitors ride pillion on one bike, the 

guide follows on another). APT also includes 

a nightof wining and dining at Vietnam 

House, a restaurant owned by Luke Nguyen, 

one of Australia’s top chefs and APT’s 

Ambassador. 

Several river cruise lines include tours to 

the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 200km network of 

underground tunnels outside the city where 

the Viet Cong lived during the Vietnam War. 

Visitors will see the secret entrances, learn 

how they lived and have a chance to crawl 

through one of the tunnels. 

Discovering LAOS 

THE CRUISE 

A 10-day voyage offered by Pandaw between 

Chiang Saen in Thailand and Vientiane in 

Laos. 

GETTING THERE 

Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways offer flights 

between Bangkok International Airport and 

Chiang Rai and Vientiane. Flight time to both is 

about one hour. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Clients embarking their river ship in Chiang 

Rai will sail the next morning to the Golden 

Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, 

Laos and Myanmar meet, to get their visa for 

Laos (cost is $35, cash and passport photo 

required). 

Once the formalities have been completed, 

the cruise proper starts. This is a fascinating 

journey that visits remote jungle villages, 

limestone caves housing thousands of Buddha 

statues and the gushing Khaung Si Waterfall, 

which tumbles 75 metres and collects in three 

rocky pools as it flows down the mountain. 

Passengers will learn about local festivals, 

sail down rapids (“fun for us, difficult for the 

captain,” said the guide), cruise through the 

massive Xayaburi lock, watch Laos dancers 

and take part in a traditional spirit ceremony. 

There are two nights in Luang Prabang, with 

guided tours of the museums and temples as 

well as time to explore alone. Expect an early 

start on the last day in the city to give alms to 

the monks (a pot of sticky rice to be doled out 

to the monks is provided by the ship) and visit 

the busy morning market, where you can buy 

vegetables, meat, fish, crabs, crickets, even 

live bats. 

In Vientiane, the capital of Laos since 1560, a 

guided tour visits Pha That Luang, a goldcovered 

stupa in the centre of the city, the Arc 

de Triomphe-style Patuxai victory monument 

and the temples of Pra Keo and Sisaket. 

Europe’s 

most luxurious 

river cruises 

At Scenic, we take what you would 

expect from a 5-star river cruise to a 

whole new level. 

Even the luxuries you would expect 

to pay extra for are included from the 

moment you step on board. 

All-Inclusive Highlights 

ü Flights from up to 16 UK airports 

ü Award-winning Scenic Freechoice 

shore excursions 

ü Once-in-a-lifetime Scenic Enrich 

events and experiences 

ü Casual to fine dining in a choice of up 

to five on board venues 

ü Unlimited premium branded drinks and 

in-suite mini bar* 

ü Complimentary Wi-Fi 

ü Butler service for all guests 

ü All tipping, transfers and taxes 

Unlock luxury for less 

Both on board and on shore, luxury comes as 

standard with Scenic. With state-of-the-art 

Space-Ships, we offer 5-star luxury across 

everything - from luggage unpacked by a 

personal butler, to a choice of gourmet meals 

across a range of on board dining venues. 

Scenic is truly all-inclusive; return flights, 

premium branded drinks, excursions and 

gratuities, not forgetting the free in-suite 

mini bar, replenished daily, are all included 

in the price. 

All-inclusive dining & beverages 

Scenic Freechoice excursions 

Award-winning excursions 

Scenic Enrich experiences offer exclusive, 

once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to delve into 

local history and culture. Guests can dine in 

palatial settings or discover hidden gems with 

the guidance of an expert. 

Scenic Freechoice excursions, carefully selected 

by our Journey Designers, encourage you 

to explore beauty spots and landmarks at a 

pace that suits. Our GPS-fitted e-bikes allow 

you to discover independently off the beaten 

track, while group hikes help to acquaint more 

active explorers with areas of outstanding 

natural beauty. 

Luxury suites 

Scenic Enrich experiences 

State-of-the-art Space-Ships 

Our state-of-the-art Space-Ships have been 

designed to redefine luxury river cruising. With 

innovative new technology, a wide selection of 

dining options, an on board Wellness Centre, 

and the most spacious suites on Europe’s 

waters, you won’t be disappointed. 

Each balcony suite features our exclusive 

Scenic Sun Lounge system, transforming the 

window into a balcony at the touch of a button. 

Guests can enjoy a 1:3 crew to passenger ratio 

with a butler service for everyone. 

Contact your Local Travel Agent 


Inclusions and ship features may vary. 

*All drinks are included except for a very small number of rare and vintage spirits, wine and champagne. 

For full terms and conditions visit scenic.co.uk

THE GANGES 

Ganges 


THE YANGTZE/IRRAWADDY 


Irrawaddy 

FIND IT 

The Ganges rises in the Himalayas and 

flows south, then east, splitting into 

two before reaching the border with 

Bangladesh. The main branch continues 

into Bangladesh, where it becomes the 

Padma River. A second branch flows south 

and becomes the Hooghly, known as the 

Lower Ganges. 

THE CRUISE 

Most sailings are a week sailing roundtrip 

from Kolkata, with calls into small 

towns and villages to visit temples, 

cottage industries and palaces. Pandaw 

alternatively pairs a one-way cruise from 

Kolkata to Farakka with a train journey 

back to Kolkata (this also operates the other 

way around, with a train from Kolkata to 

Farakka followed by the cruise). In October 

2019, Pandaw is launching 14-night cruises 

from Kolkata to Varanasi and vice-versa. 

GETTING THERE 

Qatar Airways and Emirates fly from London 

to Kolkata via Doha and Dubai. Alternatively 

clients can fly to Mumbai or Delhi and pick up 

a domestic flight to Kolkata. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Kolkata was the capital of the British 

Raj until 1911 and is still full of historic 

colonial buildings. Itineraries generally 

include a tour of the city at the start or end 

of the cruise to visit the marble Victoria 

Monument, a grand building modelled on 

the Taj Mahal and dedicated to the memory 

of Queen Victoria, the place 

where Mother Teresa lived 

and worked and a huge 

flower market. 

Once underway, 

passengers will leave 

the big city lights and 

discover a part of India 

where westerners are rare 

and tours are more about 

experiences than ticking of 

sights. 

In Kalna, the first stop, they’ll be transported 

across town by rickshaw (a bike pulling a 

cart) to visit the Shiva Temple, where 108 

terracotta shrines are laid out in concentric 

circles. In Matiari, there’s a village walk to the 

sounds of local artisans beating out brass pots. 

In Baranagar, another village walk reveals 

brick temples and terracotta carvings dating 

back 200 years. 

Murshidabad is like a big city in 

comparison to all these places. Tours here 

include a horse-drawn cart ride out to the 

Katra Mosque built in the 1700s and a visit 

to the vast 19th-century Hazarduari Palace, 

now a museum housing weapons, furniture 

and paintings. It was built in Greek Doric 

style by a Scottish architect and has 1,000 

Top tip: 

Visitors must cover their 

knees and shoulders, and 

remove shoes, before 

entering a temple in 

India. 

doors, many of which are fake, to foil 

intruders. There is also time to visit a local 

market. 

These cruises sail past the site of 

the Battle of Plassey, where, 

in 1757, Robert Clive of 

the British East India 

Company beat the Nawabs 

of Bengal and their French 

allies to take control of 

India. 

They also visit the Krishna 

Consciousness Movement 

HQ in Mayapur, where people 

from all over the world devote their 

minds to peace, love and chanting the Hari 

Krishna refrain. 

These cruises are generally paired with a 

six-night tour of India’s Golden Triangle, to 

visit the bustling bazaars, mosques and grand 

avenues in Old and New Delhi, the Taj Mahal 

in Agra and Amber Fortress in Jaipur. 

Did you know 

British passport holders need a 

visa to enter India. E-visas are 

available online, price $100. 

Advise clients to check visa 

requirements before travelling. 

FIND IT 

The Yangtze, or Chang Jiang in Chinese 

(meaning Long River), is the third longest 

river in the world after the Nile and Amazon. 

It rises in the Tibetan Plateau and 

empties into the Yellow Sea at 

Shanghai. 

THE CRUISE 

Three or four-night sailings 

from Chongqing to Yichang, 

or vice-versa, transit three 

scenic gorges and are 

packaged with city stays in 

Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. 

GETTING THERE 

There are frequent direct flights from the UK 

to both Beijing and Shanghai, where tours 

generally start or end. 

WHAT TO SEE 

The scenery is the big attraction on the river - 

at least it is along a 200km section with three 

deep gorges that cut through steep tree-lined 

cliffs topped with craggy peaks that are often 

shrouded in mist. 

Assuming a cruise from Yichang, passengers 

will sail first through Xiling Gorge – a 66km long 

canyon where sailors had to dodge dangerous 

whirlpools and rapids before the Three 

Gorges and Gezhouba Dams tamed the river. 

During the transit, cruise managers will be on 

the top deck to talk about the Yangtze, point 

out highlights and explain the Chinese myths 

and legends that surround the gorges. 

Yangtze 


Top tip: 

Think of this more as a 

tour than a cruise with 

so many things to 

do and see. 

about three hours to transit its five locks. 

Next morning, ships anchor off Badong 

for a boat trip down the Shennong Stream, 

a tributary of the Yangtze, and a 

ride in a traditional sampan 

(some itineraries visit other 

tributaries). 

Next comes Wu Gorge, a 

45km canyon with 12 peaks 

that legend has it used to be 

dragons. The story goes that 

they caused floods so were 

killed by a goddess, but their 

bodies blocked the river so she 

made them into peaks. The tallest is the 

goddess herself, who stayed on land to protect 

the boatmen. 

Then finally comes Qutang Gorge. It’s the 

shortest ( just 8km long) and most picturesque. 

The transit takes about 20 minutes. 

There is another day before reaching 

Chongqing, when excursions visit pagodas, 

local markets, even a former underground 

military site and underwater museum. 

Land packages vary but always include time 

in Beijing and Shanghai at the start or end 

of the holiday. Most also have two nights 

in Xian, to see the terracotta warriors. In 

Chongqing, itineraries frequently include a 

visit to see the pandas at the zoo. 

Did you know? 

The Irrawaddy flows almost straight 

from north to south in Myanmar, 

emptying in the Andaman Sea at 

Yangon. 

Clients can take their pick from a range 

of itineraries including three and fournight 

mini-cruises between Mandalay 

and Bagan that can be usefully packaged 

with land tours in Asia. 

There are also seven and 14-night 

sailings between Yangon and Bagan 

or Yangon and Mandalay, as well as 

11-night cruises that venture north 

through the gorges to Bhamo. 

Many cruisers will start their journey 

in Yangon, formerly called Rangoon, 

where the highlight is the magnificent 

Shwedagon Pagoda. Some 100 metres 

tall and covered in 11 tons of gold, it’s like 

a town within a city, where monks, nuns, 

friends and families come to meet, pray, 

meditate and party. 

If sailing north they’ll pass hundreds of 

Buddha carvings in the cliffs at Akauk 

Taung, visit the city of Pyay, to see the 

100-foot high Sitting Buddha and golden 

Shwesadaw Pagoda, and call into Bagan 

for a tour of an archaeological site dotted 

with more than 2,000 pagodas and 

temples. Watching sun set over the plain 

is a must. 

Tours in Mandalay visit monasteries 

and artisan workshops. Most cruise lines 

time a trip to the teak U-Bein Bridge for 

late afternoon so passengers can enjoy a 

boat ride as the sun goes down. 

Partway through Xiling Gorge, ships dock 

for excursions to the Three Gorges Dam. 

Dubbed the new Great Wall of China because 

it is so big, this is the largest hydroelectric 

power station in the world. It takes river ships 

British passport holders need a visa to 

enter China. The cost is from £64.50. 

Always check for updated information at 

the time of booking. 



NAME 

THE MISSISSIPPI 

Cruising 

IN THE US 

Mississippi 


Did you know? 

A flock of ducks lives in a ‘palace’ 

on the roof of the Peabody Hotel in 

Memphis. At 11am every day, they 

‘march’ onto the lobby where they 

wander loose until home time at 

5pm. Each does three months’ hotel 

service before retiring to the farm 

where they are raised. 

FIND IT 

The Mississippi rises in northern 

Minnesota and flows south through the 

US, either bordering or passing through 10 

states. Some 2,340 miles later it empties 

into the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans. 

THE CRUISE 

A seven-night journey from Memphis to 

New Orleans (or vice-versa) that charts 

the rise of pop and jazz in the big cities and 

delves into the history of the American Civil 

War, slavery and cotton during calls into 

Vicksburg, Natchez and St Francisville. 

GETTING THERE 

British Airways has direct flights from 

London to New Orleans. Flights from 

London to Memphis require a change of 

aircraft in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth or 

Philadelphia. 

WHAT TO SEE 

Clients starting their cruise in Memphis 

will want to add a couple of nights in the 

city to see the sights. Top of the list is Elvis 

Presley’s Graceland, which attracts more 

than 600,000 visitors a year. They’ll see his 

Trophy Room, which displays all his gold 

records, stage costumes, movie posters and 

more, his car and aircraft collections and his 

grave in the grounds of the mansion. 

Fans will also want to visit Sun Studios, 

where an 18-year-old Elvis made his first 

record in 1953, the Rock and Soul Museum, 

which charts the birth of music that 

changed the world, and spend time enjoying 

the live bands and bars along Beale Street. 

Away from music, the National Civil 

Rights Museum tells of the struggle against 

segregation in the US. Adding poignancy, 

it’s in the Lorraine Motel where civil rights 

leader Martin Luther King was shot on 

April 4 1968. 

ON THE RIVER 

Assuming a cruise from north to south, 

there will be a day sailing before arriving 

at Vicksburg, from where tours visit the 

National Military Park on the site of one 

of the pivotal battles of the American Civil 

War in 1861-65. The fighting went on for a 

year and ended with Union troops starving 

the town into submission during a 47-day 

siege. The Confederates surrendered on 

July 4 1863; the town did not celebrate 

Independence Day for the next 81 years. 

In Natchez next day, there are tours of 

grand antebellum mansions, now museums, 

that were built on the proceeds of cotton 

and slavery. At Frogmore Plantation, 

visitors get a glimpse of what life was like 

for slaves and property owners back in the 

days when cotton was king. 

There’s a visit to St Francisville, a small 

town with clean streets, neat gardens, 

beautifully-maintained houses and twee 

shops, then it’s on to Baton Rouge, the state 

capital of Louisiana. 

The main attraction here is the White 

House – not the real one, of course, but such 

a close look-a-like that it’s often used as a 

stand-in in movies. Passengers can also visit 

the USS Kidd, a World War Two destroyer 

known as the Pirate of the Pacific because 

the crew adopted the buccaneer William 

Kidd as their mascot and often flew the 

Jolly Roger from its mast. 

Tours also visit the Atchafalaya Basin 

swamps that are home to alligators, black 

bears and numerous birds. 

NEW ORLEANS 

This is the end of the cruise but clients 

are well advised clients to stay a couple 

of nights extra in the city, which has an 

exciting French, Spanish and American 

vibe, is big on jazz and packed with 

restaurants, nightclubs and antique 

stores to explore. 

The French Quarter has a faded charm, 

the American Garden District is elegant. 

A ride on the street car along St Charles 

Avenue reveals 17 churches in less than 

seven miles. A few one-week cruises 

operate round-trip from New Orleans. 

These are more convenient for British 

passengers as they can make use of 

the direct flights from London in both 

directions but they will miss Memphis, 

which is a highlight for many. 

Good to know 

British passport holders need an ESTA 

to visit the USA. This is available on line 

at esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta, price $14, and 

valid for two years. 



THE MISSISSIPPI 

Mississippi 

THE UPPER 

Having ticked off the popular Lower Mississippi, you can head north to discover the river’s 

upper reaches. Here are some of your options: 

ELEVEN-DAY CRUISES FROM 

NEW ORLEANS TO ST LOUIS 

These follow the itinerary on page 35 in 

reverse to Memphis, where there is a day to 

see the sights, then continue north, visiting 

New Madrid in Missouri and Paducah in 

Kentucky before a last day in St Louis. This 

city’s location near the confluence of the 

Mississippi and Ohio River made it a hub 

for river boats and settlers heading west 

back in the 1800s. A 630ft stainless steel 

arch built in 1965 recognises its role as 

Gateway to the West. A tram takes visitors 

to the top for views over the city. 

ONE-WEEK CRUISES FROM 

ST LOUIS TO ST PAUL 

Allow time in St Louis to see the Gateway 

Arch (see above). Once sailing, the 

highlight is a day in Hannibal, where 

Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, 

spent his boyhood. There are shops and 

restaurants named in his honour, while 

tours of his home, now a museum, tell 

the story of his life and bring characters 

from his book to life. This cruise visits 

Davenport and Dubuque in Iowa, where 

museums about the Sauk and Meskwaki 

Native Americans and the Mississippi river 

are attractions. There are tours to a classic 

car museum in La Crosse in Wisconsin and 

an eagle centre in Red Wing Minnesota 

before journey’s end in St Paul. 

THREE-WEEK JOURNEYS FROM 

NEW ORLEANS TO ST PAUL 

Put everything together and you have the 

ultimate journey through the American 

heartlands. If that’s too long, there is also a 

two-week journey south from St Paul to 

New Orleans. 

Did you know? 

Samuel Clemens got his pen name from 

the cry ‘mark twain’, a river term used by 

sailors testing the depth below the keel 

that means two fathoms (12 feet). 

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THE COLUMBIA AND SNAKE RIVERS 

BROCHURE RACK 

Did you 

know 

British passport holders need 

an ESTA to visit the USA. This 

is available on line at esta. 

cbp.dhs.gov/esta, price 

$14, and valid for two 

years. 

AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES AMA WATERWAYS APT 

CROISIEUROPE 


Columbia and Snake Rivers 

FIND IT 

The Columbia River rises in the Canadian 

Rocky Mountains and flows south into 

the US state of Washington, then west 

into Oregon, emptying into the Pacific at 

Astoria. The Snake River rises in Wyoming 

and meets the Columbia River at Richland 

in Washington. 

THE CRUISE 

An eight-day voyage on the Columbia and 

Snake Rivers from Portland in Oregon to 

Clarkston in Washington or vice-versa. 

GETTING THERE 

There are no direct flights from the UK to 

Portland or Spokane (the nearest airport to 

Clarkston). The best routing if timings work 

is to fly in and out via Seattle. 

WHAT TO SEE 

This cruise takes passengers from rainy 

Portland to desert landscapes in the 

footsteps of US explorers Lewis and Clark, 

who were tasked in 1803 by President 

Jefferson to lead an expedition across 

America to find the Pacific Ocean. 

Assuming a cruise from west to east, you 

will have a night in Portland, a city that 

puts food at the top of every agenda. There 

are restaurants and food carts selling 

everything from burgers to noodles. For 

a cultural break, head to the city’s art 

museum. 

Once on the river, ships sail west to Astoria, 

a city that grew up on the fur trade, for 

tours to Cape Disappointment, which was 

named by British explorer John Meyer but 

actually has fine views over the Pacific, and 

a replica of Fort Clatsop, where Lewis & 

Clark’s expedition overwintered in 1805. 

They were holed up there for 106 days and 

it rained on all bar 12 of them. 

From Astoria, river boats head back 

east, offering tours to volcanic Mount St 

Helens and sailing through the Columbia 

River Gorge. From Stevenson, there 

are excursions to Multnomah Falls and 

an Interpretive Centre that tells of the 

Native Americans who once lived here, 

and the Lewis & Clark expedition and 

settlers who passed through on their way 

to the Pacific. 

In the Dalles, a discovery centre explains 

the history of the town, the river and 

explains the eagles that live here. And of 

course Lewis & Clark are never far away. 

One of the places they camped is just by the 

boat dock. 

By now the cruise is in Washington’s 

burgeoning wine country (there were 

100 wineries in the 1990s, these days 

the number is more like 800). There are 

tours from Richland to an underground 

city in Pendleton as well as wine-tasting 

excursions. 

This is where the river boats leave the 

Columbia River and move seamlessly 

onto the Snake River, passing arid desert 

landscapes as they head to the last stop, 

Clarkston. Even here there’s no escaping 

Lewis & Clark as the town was named after 

one of our heroes, while nearby Lewiston 

was named after the other one. 

Tours visit the Nez Perce National 

Historical Park to learn how the tribe 

saved the expedition from starvation as 

they passed through the mountains. For 

something very different, you can buckle 

up and take a jet boat ride through Hells 

Canyon to see ancient rock formations 

and alpine forests. 

Did you know? 

Lewis & Clark’s 31-strong 

expedition left St Louis in 

May 1804, first sighted the 

Pacific in November 1805 and 

returned triumphant to St Louis 

in September 1806. The group 

encountered terrible storms, 

freezing temperatures, near 

starvation and Native Americans 

but just one person died, and that 

was from appendicitis. Riverlorians 

on the cruise will tell their story. 

CRYSTAL RIVER CRUISES 

RIVIERA TRAVEL 

EMERALD WATERWAYS 

FRED RIVER CRUISES (GSA) 

FAR HORIZION 

SAGA RIVER CRUISE 

River cruise brochures 

available from your agent. 

FRED OLSEN RIVER CRUISES 

THE HIDDEN 

WONDERS OF 

EUROPE 

RIVER CRUISING 

2019 

scenic.co.uk 

SCENIC 


TAUCK 


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