The World is a River Cruise

         River cruising, has exploded in popularity over the last several years with Americans.  If you have seen those TV commercials for Viking Cruises you can see why. The idea of unpacking once and letting the cruise line handle all of your on board and tour requirements; as you slowly sail on a a great European river is appealing to more and more people.  Companies such as Viking, AMA, Avalon Waterways, and Uniworld do a brilliant job of allowing passengers to experience Europe in a more intimate and "all inclusive"manner.  Most Americans will experience their first river cruises in the region where they started and are the most popular, along the major rivers of Europe.  Each of the major river cruise companies offers great cruises that allow you to visit intimate German towns and view castles along the Rhine; or an romantic experience in Vienna as you cruise on the Danube.  The experiences are great, the sites are breathless, and the service first-rate.  Now the river cruise lines are expanding the unique services and experiences they offer  to other parts of the world.  By now offering cruises on some of the great rivers of not only Europe, but also Asia, Africa, and even North and South America they allow you to see and experience parts of the world few people will be able to do from  a hotel or on a tour bus.

        River cruises are still the most popular in Europe.  Cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers are the most popular, and a great way to experience a large segment of Europe is to take a single cruise from Amsterdam down the Rhine and the Danube all the way across the continent to the the Black Sea.  All the major river lines offer relaxing cruises from Paris, down the rivers of France, allowing you to really understand the magic that is France. Another popular European cruise option is to travel through the heart of the largest country in the world, Russia; allowing you the opportunity to enjoy and live life, as only a Russian can do.  A great way to extent you European Vacation, is to stay in a city like Paris or Moscow at the end of your cruise, and to learn what makes them them great cities they are.  If you want something different, how about a boutique  river cruise through Portugal and Spain, or Italy offered by Uniworld.  By combining cruises with personalized tours, they allow you to experience the energy of Rome or Lisbon, with the beauty of the country.

       If you like exotic, and traveling on the road less taken, nothing can measure to taking a river cruise on the great rivers of Asia.  If you want to experience mystery in the the heart of Asia, see how people have lived for hundreds of years, a river cruise to the city of Mandalay and the country of Myanmar, (formerly called Burma), is a must.  If you want to see how the old is transforming into the new, and see some of the most exotic places on earth, a cruise to modern Vietnam and Cambodia on the Mekong River will take your breath away, will still experiencing the luxury and convenience nightly of your ship.  And if you really want to experience where history meets the future, a trip with Avalon Waterways,  You get to live personalized tours and cruises of the past: with trips to the Great Wall, and Tibet, with a cruise down the Yangtze River and experience thousands of years of human history.  In addition, you experience the energy and opportunity of the future in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai; all the time staying and experiencing it in 5 star luxury.

       If you have a need for adventure and exploration in your DNA, AMA Waterways offers a unique way of experiencing and exploring Africa, with a 3 night journey on a luxury train or safari in South Africa, with a 4 night luxury river cruise in Zambia and 2 nights staying at on on the wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.  Avalon Waterways of something few people get to do, explore the Amazon River AND the Andes Mountains.  On an 11 day combined 20 person tour and cruise, you explore the country of Peru, from the city Lima, you fly and get to explore the Andes, and the wonders of of the Incas, including a trip to Machu Picchu.  Then you fly to the remote reaches of the Amazon River, for a luxury 3 night cruise through some of the most remote jungles in the world on the Upper Amazon River.  If you want something a little less exotic and closer to home, a cruise on one of the ships from Un-Cruise Line on the Columbia and Snake rivers allows you to explore the path Lewis and Clark used in their historic journey.

       Where ever you want to travel, river cruising allows you a unique way really learn about and live to places you visit.  Being able to visit areas outside of the usual tourist areas is a great way to really experience the world. More Americans are discovering the major benefits of luxury and convenience that river cruising offers.  If you have wanted to see the world, but did not want the hassle or the unknown, river cruising may be right for you, no matter what part of the world you want to explore.