Bon Voyage River Cruising

Luxury River Cruising – Discover Europe in Style

Indulgent and care-free – from the deck of a luxurious river ship discover Europe’s charm and character. Take in all the classic sights of Europe, from iconic destinations to those quaint places that draw minimal attention yet embody the diversity of this fascinating continent.  

River-cruising in Europe has soared in popularity, largely due to the richness of history and culture along its waterways.  Furthermore, convenient central dockings on the doorstep of your destination, coupled with low passenger density, make seamless hassle-free travel - walk straight off your ship and into the action.

River cruising has none of the “sea days” found in ocean cruising.  Instead every day brings you to a different destination to explore Europe’s charming cities, towns and villages.  Cruising so close to shore enhances the novelty of your experience - there’s always something different to see, from ancient fisherman perched on the riverbanks to quaint thatch-roofed village life.

Sampling Europe

Fairytale villages, vibrant market towns, cathedrals and castles – every whimsical sight you’ve seen on a postcard will unfold along European waterways.  Cruise between 10-27 days, making an epic and unforgettable voyage along the continent’s most romantic rivers: the Danube, Moselle, Main and Rhine.  

The Rhine and Moselle rivers are renowned for their spectacular scenery, medieval castles and stunning Riesling vineyards.  Enjoy a tour of 2,000 year-old Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle rivers, before continuing along the Rhine to Cologne, set in one of Germany’s most important wine-producing regions.  Visit a traditional Bamberg Beer Haus in Bamberg, one of the few cities in Germany that wasn’t destroyed by bombing during World War II and is now a World Heritage-listed site.  Docking in Nuremburg is another opportunity to take a medieval city tour and visit significant World War II sites.  

For a sample of the European arts, experience an APT- exclusive private opera recital over a glass of champagne at the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest. Tour the city’s attractions, including 500 year-old Matthias Church, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Royal Palace, before re-boarding your ship for dinner and a performance by local Gypsy violinists.  For more music-themed sightseeing, a ‘Sound of Music’ day tour of Salzburg out of Linz is essential.  

Life on board an APT Amadeus Waterways River Cruise

A 5-star premium holiday experience – the APT vessel is your accommodation, restaurant, transport and entertainment centre in one.  Market leaders in European river cruising, APT now has 6 ships cruising in Europe, all less than four years old.

Spacious public spaces include a stylish panoramic restaurant, plush entertainment lounge, multiple outdoor sun decks, library, beauty salon and fitness centre.  Take in the magnificent scenery from the top Sun Deck.  Head-turning 360 degree views of the changing landscape are unique and spectacular, guaranteeing your camera will be in meltdown mode daily.  Activity on board is centred on dining, sundeck sightseeing, reading, resting and convivial fellowship.   

Gourmet meals, invariably themed to the areas travelled, are paired with complimentary local wines. The menus change each day with regional specialties and fine wines that reflect each region cruised through. There are appetisers like pear cocktail with schnapps, entrees such as fresh trout on beetroot sauce with celery fennel ragout and sepia noodles, and desserts such as Austrian Germknoedel (delicious yeast dumplings served with a good dollop of plum compote with sweet poppyseed butter).

All meals are open seating so it's easy to meet and mix with the other 150 passengers aboard.

Generally, cabins on river ships are compact but they lack nothing in sophistication or amenities: elegant decor, individual climate control, deluxe beds, flat-screen TVs, in-room safes, hair dryers, fluffy robes and slippers, even complimentary bottled water.  Every cabin is “outside” with weather-proof doors, allowing you close off your balcony to any bad weather while still enjoying the extra space of your suite.  The ships are incredibly stable, so sleeping is easy.  

Personal service is what APT is known for, with cruisers making comments such as, “It was the crew that really set our ship apart. We wanted for nothing at their hands, resulting in a holiday that actually delivered everything the glossy tour brochure promised.”

APT offer exclusive sailings for Australians and Kiwis on several of their ships.  Here all gratuities for cruise staff and land touring are included, as are local wines at dinner, unique personal choice shore excursions and pre and post-voyage transfers

Click here to find out more about River Cruising.

For great cruise deals and information about cruising worldwide visit www.bonvoyage.co.nz , or call our travel experts on 0800 266 869 or 09 368 6800

Thanks to APT for information used in this article

Published 6th Nov 2009

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