Compare Europe by river vs. by land

[notamermaid]

Hello Talisker92,

 

You are absolutely right. I apologize if any one inferred that NatGeo was in any trouble.

Tom Harper just booked space on these cruises, sort of like a travel agent would.

 

The company that owns the Lord of the Glens is here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=135

 

Yes, the ship is chartered by various tour operators from Europe, also for German-speaking crowds. I could book more or less the same itinerary through a local TA.

 

notamermaid

[Host Jazzbeau]

I would also hesitate to call this a river cruise in the traditional sense as the inland stretch is the Caladonian canal. From what I could see the rest is all or mostly around the coasts. Have I missed a river? :o

 

I guess it's all in your definition of a river cruise. I don't know of any river cruises that go on a wild untamed river like the Colorado. Is it still a river if there are embankments instead of banks [seine in Paris, Thames in London]? Lots of locks [Danube, Rhine]? How much canal ruins the cruise [Amsterdam-Rhine, Main-Rhine]? How many days must you be on the ship [China]? How many KM must the ship sail [bordeaux, Douro]? Are lakes and lagoons no good [Tulip Time, Venice-Po]? And yet, most people have a great time on any of these quasi-river cruises and some enjoy the non-river parts the most!

[Cruise Junky]

We did the Christmas Markets on our own last year. It was funny, everytime we told someone we were going to the Christmas Markets they would say....River Cruise? Nope :) It was fantastic. There's no way I would have wanted to do that on a cruise. We flew to Paris for a few nights then flew to Munich then train to Salzburg (love, love, love Salzburg) and ended the trip taking the train to Vienna. We probably did the full two weeks with great hotels..Le Meridian in Vienna for instance with food for the price of a 7 day River Cruise.

 

We're currently researching a land trip to Bavaria and Alsace for next year.

[caviargal]

Land trips and river cruises are two entirely different vacations.

 

Next year we are doing two weeks in Italy by land in early fall and then deciding on whether it will the Duoro or elsewhere in the late Spring for my birthday trip.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We are just completing a "scientific" test on this topic: two and a half weeks driving around France followed by a one-week AMA river cruise from Lyon to Arles and then TGV to Paris for a few days. Most of the places we visited on the driving loop could not be done from either an ocean cruise or a river cruise, and we had the luxury of getting up in the morning when we wanted -- but I had spent the previous year on extensive planning, we had to live out of suitcases with only 1 or 2 nights per hotel, and DW had to drive over 2,000 km (and I had to navigate, which is nearly as taxing). Getting on the boat was the start of the "real" vacation for both of us, as we unpacked once, the Captain drove, and the restaurant and excursion choices were easy as pie compared to the decisions on the driving portion. Which was "better" -- each was great in its own way, and the combination was the best of all!

Edited September 12, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau

[Cruise Junky]

We are just completing a "scientific" test on this topic: two and a half weeks driving around France followed by a one-week AMA river cruise from Lyon to Arles and then TGV to Paris for a few days. Most of the places we visited on the driving loop could not be done from either an ocean cruise or a river cruise, and we had the luxury of getting up in the morning when we wanted -- but I had spent the previous year on extensive planning, we had to live out of suitcases with only 1 or 2 nights per hotel, and DW had to drive over 2,000 km (and I had to navigate, which is nearly as taxing). Getting on the boat was the start of the "real" vacation for both of us, as we unpacked once, the Captain drove, and the restaurant and excursion choices were easy as pie compared to the decisions on the driving portion. Which was "better" -- each was great in its own way, and the combination was the best of all!

 

LOL. That's why I don't think they'll ever be a right or wrong answer to which is best. Our 21 day driving trip of France was our favourite vacation ever ;)

[Poconolady]

With a desired itinerary of Prague, Vienna and Budapest, then a Danube River cruise with pre and post extensions in Pr. And Bpest. seems ideal. ( those extensions could be DIY thus giving you maximum flexibility). If more time is desired in Vienna, then a train trip at the end would work. The cruise will give the added opportunity to visit several smaller towns along the route, a very valuable extra.