Advice: River Cruise with most scenic views from onboard?

My father is 83 and recovering slowly from major heart surgery.

A thing that really seems to be motivating him is that I've promised to take him on a river cruise next year when he's a bit fitter and the weather is warmer. He says he doesn't know that he will be able to get off the boat much and do many local tours, but would like to be able to sit on deck or on his balcony and watch beautiful scenery and points of interest as he goes by.

I would really appreciate any recommendations on which rivers/ itinerarys might suit him (I'm not sure whether you can recommend cruise boats, but if you can please do).

Thank you :)

The rhine is very picturesque and the Seine is also very nice.Healing thoughts for a quick recover y,

We've cruised the Rhine, the Danube, the Main, the Rhone, and the Moselle. In my opinion, the Moselle has the most beautiful scenery, followed by the Rhine.

You might also want to look for ships that have a chair lift to the top deck if your father won't be able to do stairs. Almost all the ships have elevators, but they don't go to the sun deck. I think that most of the Vantage ships have the chair lifts. I don't think that Viking or Avalon (the other lines we've sailed have them.

Most GCT ships have a lift to top deck.

Typically, there is not a lot of day time cruising on GCT itineraries except for very scenic areas such as The UNESCO stretch of the Rhine.

Amawaterways has actual balconies with some cabins, not simply sliding doors that open. If you choose the Rhine, choose the direction that begins in Amsterdam towards Basel. The ship moves more slowly and more time to enjoy the scenery. Also off the bow of the ships there is a little sitting area which is very cool to sit in while going through the locks.

To everyone who replied to my question: I tried to reply to you individually, but have realised now that the way this works I have to quote what you've said in order to link it to you personally.

Apologies, but I hope you get the gist of my gratitude to each of you for all of your help and advice. X

In fact, the Rhine is spectacular in the Middle Rhine Valley between Mainz and Koblenz, ok, until Bonn. This is one day out of four/five days with the other parts pretty boring canal or behind dykes.

More interesting are

* Danube

* Douro

* Elbe.

But as far as landscape is concerned, look out for combined cruises on the Main, Rhine ans Moselle, as they take in the Middle Rhine valley and mountaneous terrain, often with vineyards, plenty of castles ans picturesque villages on the banks of the Main and Moselle. Cruises typically go from Nuremberg to Trier or Luxemburg.

In fact, the Rhine is spectacular in the Middle Rhine Valley between Mainz and Koblenz, ok, until Bonn. This is one day out of four/five days with the other parts pretty boring canal or behind dykes.

 

More interesting are

* Danube

* Douro

* Elbe.

 

But as far as landscape is concerned, look out for combined cruises on the Main, Rhine ans Moselle, as they take in the Middle Rhine valley and mountaneous terrain, often with vineyards, plenty of castles ans picturesque villages on the banks of the Main and Moselle. Cruises typically go from Nuremberg to Trier or Luxemburg.

Thank you so much for that information, it is really useful x

Now is the time for you and your father to go to a TA and pick up as many different cruise company books and start reading. You can, of course, browse the websites, but I like to fold down page corners and slide in book marks for ease in flipping back and forth. Then sign up for emails for 'specials'. Unsubscribe if it gets to be too much.

Then read about high and low water levels...especially the Danube and Elbe. Then check out on how many stops or ports you can see things close by or have to climb aboard buses and travel for distances.

If your father decides to stay on board he will be in for a treat aboard 'his' river boat. The crew may be there to cater to him when everyone else is touring ashore.

Ask lots of questions once you start to narrow down your choices...that is a great thing about CC.

RB

On many European rivers, most of the cruising is done at night, so that the passengers can spend the day touring the towns and villages along the river. Exceptions are made for particularly scenic stretches such as the Rhine gorge between Main and Koblenz, the Wachau Valley on the Danube in Austria and the Iron Gates on the Danube between Romania and Serbia. The Moselle Valley between Koblenz and Trier is spectacularly scenic and most river cruises cover all of that stretch during the day. In my opinion, the Douro equals the Moselle in beauty and cruise ships on that river may only travel by day, so there is lots of opportunity to sit and admire the scenery as the ship travels up and down the river.

Outside Europe, I have taken river cruises on the Mekong and Yangtze. The attractions of a Mekong cruise are largely on shore, but the Three Gorges cruise on the Yangtze is indeed spectacular and much of the cruise is done in the daytime. But China is a long way to travel and most Yangtze cruises are only 3 or 4 days as part of a longer land itinerary.

My recommendation for your father would be either a combined Rhine/Moselle cruise or the Douro. I have done each with Uniworld and I thoroughly recommend that line.

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I strongly suggest you NOT go on a Elbe cruise. That trip has suffered a lot of low water and the accompanying diversions - days at the same dock with longish bus rides to see the sights.

I do second a Rhein-Mosel cruise.

Now is the time for you and your father to go to a TA and pick up as many different cruise company books and start reading. You can, of course, browse the websites, but I like to fold down page corners and slide in book marks for ease in flipping back and forth. Then sign up for emails for 'specials'. Unsubscribe if it gets to be too much.

Then read about high and low water levels...especially the Danube and Elbe. Then check out on how many stops or ports you can see things close by or have to climb aboard buses and travel for distances.

If your father decides to stay on board he will be in for a treat aboard 'his' river boat. The crew may be there to cater to him when everyone else is touring ashore.

Ask lots of questions once you start to narrow down your choices...that is a great thing about CC.

 

RB

Great idea! Dad will enjoy browsing through the brochures whilst he is still confined to bed. Thank you x

On many European rivers, most of the cruising is done at night, so that the passengers can spend the day touring the towns and villages along the river. Exceptions are made for particularly scenic stretches such as the Rhine gorge between Main and Koblenz, the Wachau Valley on the Danube in Austria and the Iron Gates on the Danube between Romania and Serbia. The Moselle Valley between Koblenz and Trier is spectacularly scenic and most river cruises cover all of that stretch during the day. In my opinion, the Douro equals the Moselle in beauty and cruise ships on that river may only travel by day, so there is lots of opportunity to sit and admire the scenery as the ship travels up and down the river.

 

Outside Europe, I have taken river cruises on the Mekong and Yangtze. The attractions of a Mekong cruise are largely on shore, but the Three Gorges cruise on the Yangtze is indeed spectacular and much of the cruise is done in the daytime. But China is a long way to travel and most Yangtze cruises are only 3 or 4 days as part of a longer land itinerary.

 

My recommendation for your father would be either a combined Rhine/Moselle cruise or the Douro. I have done each with Uniworld and I thoroughly recommend that line.

 

 

 

 

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Thank you so much for your comments. Having spoken to Dad tonight he seemed very keen on the Douro (and sampling the port) x

I strongly suggest you NOT go on a Elbe cruise. That trip has suffered a lot of low water and the accompanying diversions - days at the same dock with longish bus rides to see the sights.

 

I do second a Rhein-Mosel cruise.

Thank you. I will definitely avoid the Elbe x

My father is 83 and recovering slowly from major heart surgery.

A thing that really seems to be motivating him is that I've promised to take him on a river cruise next year when he's a bit fitter and the weather is warmer. He says he doesn't know that he will be able to get off the boat much and do many local tours, but would like to be able to sit on deck or on his balcony and watch beautiful scenery and points of interest as he goes by.

I would really appreciate any recommendations on which rivers/ itinerarys might suit him (I'm not sure whether you can recommend cruise boats, but if you can please do).

Thank you :)

What a great trip he can have.

We’ve done and loved 7 river cruises, all on Viking.

Somethings to consider. You want a river that is long, not the Seine for example, which is short.

You want a cruise that is all river and not a river and hotel combo.

You want a Veranda room.

You want a cruise where most or all of cruise is not done at night.

My recommendation. The Grand European. 14 days along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Go Amsterdam to Budapest since you’ll end up with the most scenic part.

Can’t go 14 days? Then pick the Romantic Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest, which is 7.

Thank you so much for your comments. Having spoken to Dad tonight he seemed very keen on the Douro (and sampling the port) x

We did and loved Viking in Portugal. The Douro is lovely AND the cruising on Viking is ALL during the day.

I’d splurge and get a suite.

Here is what we saw from our Viking ship in Portugal.

What a great trip he can have.

 

We’ve done and loved 7 river cruises, all on Viking.

 

Somethings to consider. You want a river that is long, not the Seine for example, which is short.

 

You want a cruise that is all river and not a river and hotel combo.

 

You want a Veranda room.

 

You want a cruise where most or all of cruise is not done at night.

 

My recommendation. The Grand European. 14 days along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Go Amsterdam to Budapest since you’ll end up with the most scenic part.

 

Can’t go 14 days? Then pick the Romantic Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest, which is 7.

Thank you so much Steve, I will definitely look at those suggestions and thanks for the tips x