I Tried a River Cruise and It Wasn't What I Expected
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- When I was invited on my first river cruise, I thought I knew what to expect. I'd been cruising on the ocean and rather naively thought that meant I knew what a river cruise would be like. My river cruise was full of surprises, the biggest being just how much I loved it.
I was invited on this cruise by Emerald Waterways, I wasn't paid for anything and Emerald Waterways have no control over my content. They were just nice and let me come on board. :-)
Have you ever taken a river cruise? Let me know in the comments!
In this video, I tell the story of my first river cruise, including my worries before the trip, how it went in reality and how the cruise compared to ocean cruising.
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** A little explainer about the 'paid promotion' popup box - TH-cam defines paid promotion as 'accepting anything of value from a third party to make your video'. As mentioned in the video I was invited onboard by Emerald Waterways which means that they paid my cruise fare, I'm never paid beyond this but the gifted cruise fair means I need to tick this box. All opinions are my own and no cruise line has control over my content. ** 🎉🎉
If you are curious about how I make money (selling cruises, website adverts, sales of my course, etc, check out this video >> th-cam.com/video/clpjeAMjS0c/w-d-xo.html)
Appreciate your honesty (Texas term, shooting straight). We might try a river cruise, always wanted to see Europe from the road less traveled. Thanks Emma.
😊
I have taken 1 cruise in my life, and I went all out. We as all out as an Registerd Nurse can afford.
I went on the Inaugural Caribbean Voyage for the Queen Mary 2 ... after it had sailed its Maiden Voyage from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale.
It was a surreal experience. It was a couple years post 9/11, and for as much fan fare and documentaries about her construction. We were a prime target, having left from the US.
Pulling out of Ft Lauderdale, people were lining the roofs of their condominiums, waving and cheering. Not just around the port ... ALL THE WAY OUT, and Helicopters over head. Some ports we had fireworks, on the days it didn't rain. Which it did OFTEN
So, as you can imagine security was high. When we pulled into port at reasonable time, up on deck you could see Gun Boats with machine guns escorting us in.
There was a rumor, that was passed around through the passengers, that there was a US Navy Submarine trailing us for safety. How true that was I don't know.
One thing I did know ... is that after she pulled into Ft Lauderdale, leading up to the Voyage, the media had been given a tour ... and if it wasn't nailed down and had QM2 on it, was pilfered by the press. Maybe even a few things that were nailed down, went. One of the ways I knew this, was when we packed and left for the port, we had brushed our teeth ... but didn't find out we didn't pack the toothpaste, until being secured and sealed inside a moving ship. We thought okay, no biggie, go to sundries store, buy some.
There was none on the ship to purchase, and wouldn't be for a couple days until we pulled into San Juan Puerto Rico ... because it was picked clean by the media.
Thankfully, after MANY, MANY MINTS later, one of the couples at our dinner table, brought an extra, and took pity on our plight.
ALWAYS HAVE UNOPENED TOOTHPASTE AROUND TO PACK. DON'T RELY ON REMEMBERING TO PACK THE ONE YOU USE.
That was my $12,000 vacation, outside lower deck ... by the anchor.
We couldn't spring for the $33,000/pp suite ... with a butler, and free bottle service. We did meet a couple of Dentists who had, last time we saw them, they had a couple EXTRA suitcases full of China and other its with QM2 on it, that were supposed to stay ON the ship.
They should stop being Dentists and go into media
0:35 "you should try everything at least once" You really need to update your platitudes, this is not good advice.
this girl is really going to love the smart cities of the future
Took Emerald a couple of years ago. My wife was ill one night. The cruise director and chef brought our dinner to our cabin in courses. It was unbelievable.
Awwwh!!
That is awesome!
That's fantastic cool
@ Frank Bush, I couldn’t fault Emerald Waterways when I did Amsterdam -> Budapest with My Parents Oct. / Nov. 2019 they were fantastic... having my own solo cabin was fantastic...
Great training and culture gives great customer service.
I was the youngest person on a river cruise at 48. I liked it though. The older crowd is kinder and more polite. You’re also right about seeing the same people. It meant you can’t forget people or ignore people, so you have to be nice to each other.
Yeah, on a River cruise you can’t be asocial because you have to share a table with others which is actually cool because the small size you end up getting to know most of the passengers on a long cruise.
Rachel, Where did you take your river cruise? Here in the U.S.?
@@sswan9689 Danube. Nuremberg to Budapest
@Aeryn Sun Lol, I’m a psychiatrist so I’m used to talking to people. My mother is elderly and Asian and not used to chit chatting or meeting new people at her age. Suffice it to say, I did most of the talking between the 2 of us LOL
Thanks Emma, you answered so many of of my questions about river cruising. Like you, have always wanted to go on one, and now I think I actually will.
On a side note, love the "Britishisms" commentary. I will now share a San Francisco Bay Area expression: When you really enjoy something, or place, or event, we say that was "hella good". Don't ask me why.
Arles is a fabulous place to start your river cruise....absolutely beautiful.
So much! I’d never considered it before but it was amazing. 😀👏🏼
I have found that people who find a lot of things to be “boring” are often boring. Usually interesting people can find something interesting or something to do.
We did 2week Viking in 019 . I use an Light Electric Wheelchair Staff bus drivers were accommodate all round . Staff got my chair on top deck couple of days . Food was great . The drink package is worth it if u really drink .
That’s great 😀❤️
Which river? Could you go on excursions? Limited to my lightweight scooter, I'm interested in cruises in areas without many slopes or stairs.
Hi we went on viking grand river route 2weeks Budapest to Amsterdam . i use an AirHawk Echair . i'm not able to walk more than 20 paces . getting off the ship was not too hard with crew's assistance , same with bus . do practice climbing as bus Steps are different / challenges . the tours were interesting only 2 of boat tours did we choose the extra tours . the ship's rooms were just big enough to do easy transfer to bed/chair same for bathroom if u need toilet help.
The tours at each stop were dibe by folks with walkers . Cobblestones will challenge ur backside& spine for awhile . plenty of utube videos on the stops .
Thanks Flow Rob! Forgot about cobblestone. Wish my little scooter had shocks, or a very padded seat. By Amsterdam the slopes should be less. Heard that the top decks usually lack an elevator. Hope the view from below is good. Thanks again.
@@gordonstewart5774 to get to top / roof u'll need foot power . hand rails are solid . my AirHawk was easy enough step by step was worth it.
I am so glad to get your opinion on a river cruise! Thanks…
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
That level of service reminds me of a Disney cruise
I’ve heard good things about that 😀❤️
Thank you for the info on River cruising. Great information!!
Wow! I too had some ideas of what a River Cruise would be like and you have proven those to be false. I think I would consider one going forward after hearing your review. The social part was a concern to me as I usually don't like making small talk with people but I am less concerned about that part thanks to you. Thanks Emma!!
Welcome Mark! 😀❤️
This seems more my pace. You had me at "first day they let you wonder around, second day you get a tour." I tend to wonder away in groups so no one in my group would have to worry that I'd get lost.
Haha 😀❤️
great review. I cant wait to try this in the future
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Still It is nice to teep a crew, we work hard and we like teeps
❤️❤️❤️
Would have never considered a river cruise before, but now you've got me thinking!
Also, this is the first time I've noticed you referencing a boyfriend. #heartbroken 🤣
Me to
Well ya - extremely cute
I'd much rather do a river cruise than an ocean cruise
You have a hell of a body dont ya?? Lol wow didn't really expect that.. but I gotta tell ya as tastefully as possible those were some of my favorite shots of this vlog.. and yes im 35 so I was worried about that on a river cruise.. but have always been curious and just came across your site.
😂😂😂😂
You said you were invited. Does that mean that it was complimentary or did you pay?
River cruising is definitely on my bucket list. I've done 4 cruises on Princess and although great, I'm not into all the extra events they provide. I want more of the customer service and pampering.
Hey Agon, I was invited on a press trip, I wasn’t paid and all opinions are my own etc. Just my cruise fare was complimentary 😀👏🏼
Love your videos. Where did you get that map pic in your background. I love it.
Hey Carol! The map is from here: enjoythewood.com/?rfsn=5433540.ccb51c 😄😍 (This is my affiliate link, it doesn’t cost you any more to buy through this link but I get a little commission so if you do decide to buy it and could use the above link, I’d really appreciate it!)
Thank you! 😁❤️
@@EmmaCruises I am going to order it. Your link takes me to the main page and not the actual item. Can you tell me what size you ordered as well. I want to make sure you get the credit as well.
@@EmmaCruises can you tell me which one you actually ordered? I like the blue that you have but can’t find it. Also which size??
Hey Carol! You’re right, I can’t find my blue colour either. Maybe they don’t have that one at the moment. I have the smallest size, called medium 😀❤️
See I get depressed on saying goodbye to those you meet on ocean cruise ships, I can’t imagine on one of these..
Don’t get a grown man crying now 😂😂😂🙈🙈😩🤷🏼♂️
Some people go on vacation for excitement. Some go for relaxation. My husband worked for 36 years at a stressful job with long hours. We went to river cruises to rest, relax and let people take care of us. Beautiful scenery and interesting side trips were a plus.
I love river cruises.
Yes!! 💕💕💕
I totally agree! People need to really think what their vacation will be relaxing or exciting ! I usually say historical or an amusement park. Or to re-connect with friends .
Exactly. Years of stressful employment with shark co workers makes a cruise like this seem like heaven
Ship name: The Unsinkable-2.
As an older lady who thinks the idea of “vacationing” with 2000 other people is repugnant I would like this type of cruise.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Great video. Well done. At first I was concerned about being on a cruise with a bunch of old folks and then I remembered--I am an old folk.
" I will not join a club that would allow me to be a member. "--------- Groucho Marx
😄
I was 46 when I went on my first River cruise and ended hanging out a couple that I’ve been friends with ever since. The husband asked my why I sat next to them the first day in the lounge and I told him that he had the least grey hair and looked the youngest of the bunch that I could relate to LOL. Older does not mean demented. I remember a bunch of the husbands hanging out with me on an excursion in Germany checking out the cute German women lol.
Hee Hee. I'm 84 outside; the inner me is still 17.
@@kritikitti3868 I’ve always felt the flip, so perhaps we would be perfect cruise-mates on a River Cruise as a duo of prime age no matter and regardless of the rest of the crowd! 😆
A very nervous first time cruiser approached the Captain. “Do ships like this sink very often?” he asked.
Replied the captain, “No, not too often. Usually, it’s only once.”
You reminded me of what my little brother said who's in the Air Force. He said "sit in the back of an airplane you've never heard of an airplane backing into a mountain."
@@cisco365 :D
Our captain said they can never sink because the rivers aren’t that deep- top level will still be out of the water .
The chocolate factory was the best ever - on that cruise. Valrohna
Obviously she is too young for Call my Bluff on the TV !!
@@happytraveller2122 True, on class V waterways draught is around -3 meters where height over water up to 7 meters, If I remember correctly.
Delightful. Also, that's a weird looking 'chess' set. (Looks like tic-tac-toe to me.)
0 and crosses in my books
@@m0u5ehunter7 Ristinolla in my parlance.
Pffft chess , tic tac toe is a game of strategy. 🤣
I’m not even claiming to know how to play chess well, but..... cmon...
That is how you win from other people, making them believe they are playing a different game.
As an introvert that hates a big crowd this sounds like a dream
Yeah! I really enjoyed it. 💕
It is! I felt like it was custom-designed for me.
The river cruise ships are rather small. We were unfortunate to run into the travelers from Hell..... Missouri really. They latched on to us and we could not get away from them. Our only escape was in our stateroom. On the larger ships...cruising, it’s easier to avoid those you don’t care for.
We prefer to eat by ourselves too. I actually had a person at dinner who was seated at our table say “oh that looks good” and before I knew it, she reached over and took food from my plate WITH HER FINGERS. The server saw it happen, and replaced my dinner immediately. After that...we eat by ourselves at our table.
@@mchapman132 OMG That is horrifying...
@@Melanie16040 - it sure was. I don’t even take food off my husbands dish....with a fork. Uncouth.
Went on my first river cruise at age 46 with Viking and I really enjoyed it. No teens plus I made a lot friends with cool older folk that I would not have had the chance on a regular non-Viking ocean cruise. You don’t realize how annoying kids are until you go on a trip without them lol
Haha!! Sounds good to me 😂❤️
LOL! My husband and I discovered this many years ago in our 30’s! We have 2kids and have travelled internationally with them, but on an adult vacation we try to avoid popular family times and avoid summer travel at all costs!!
@@pamelacoates5987 0
@Stephen Anthony 😂🤣😂🤣
I started cruising in my 20's and found it so annoying that parents let there kids go in the hottubs although there were signs everywhere saying no kids under 16 are allowed in the hottubs! One of my favorite things to do on a cruise is sit in the hottub, maybe with a few other adults for good conversation, and have my pina colada. Not having kids screaming and splashing me.
River cruising is one of my favorite ways to travel. Ocean cruising takes you to places, while River cruising takes you through places.
Well put - and it’s a Quote worth to repeat. Ocean cruising takes you to places, river cruising takes you through places!”
Wl
Ocean cruises takes you to places for a few short hours at ports
Good quote!! That speaks volumes for opting for a river cruise.
Roads get you into places.
This was best river cruise promotion I’ve ever seen. By far. You deserve some sort of compensation from those cruise lines! I was skeptical but now am a believer
Haha! Thanks Anna I’d like that. 🤣🤣🤣
I echo that. She has done an excellent job in describing the ship, its environment and the onshore experiences.
@@starcorpvncj like Van Halen said, “ain’t talkin’ about love”. Love got nothing to do with it. Business is all about good sales pitches. TH-cam is a massively influential medium for business. This creator is putting out good and interesting content.
Completely agree, well done.
Thank you for a bit of deja vu, Emma. My wife and I took an Emerald Waterways ship down the Rhine river from Amsterdam to Basel two years ago along with several in-laws and their spouses. Our ship wasn’t the one in your video but it was an identical sister ship. I’ve sailed on a lot of ocean cruises (Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Caribbean, etc.) in the past 50 years but the river cruise was the best. No big crowds, no overworked staff, friendly guests, a different town to explore (or not explore) every day, good food, etc. And best of all, no “sea days” with nothing to look at. You just watch the scenery glide past. It is very relaxing. And, as you said, you will be worn out at the end of the day if you take advantage of all the tours and walks.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼 Sounds good! 😁🥳
I first took a river cruise ship with my dad who was 79 at that time and I was 21 (yes, big age gap). He has always wanted to go on a river cruise but because of his health, he didn't want to go alone so he asked if I wanted to join him and I happily agreed. We chose Emerald Waterways and the cruise started from Nurenberg all the way to Amsterdam and it was the best experience we've both had. We made some friends along the way and the staff were extremely lovely. My dad didnt join a lot of the excursions to the towns and villages but I did and the staff weren't bothered at all. I sometimes went my own way during the trips around the village and always made sure to get back in time for when the bus departed. I don't particularly believe that there is a certain age for anyone to start going on a river cruise (although minimum age I say would be 17 or 18) as long as he/she is a responsible person, wants to do it and doesn't cause problems for others as majority of the people on these cruises are retired individuals who just want to enjoy themselves without any fuss. My dad and I find river cruises more enjoyable than an ocean cruise and I would like to encourage those who want to try it out to do the same.
Sounds like you and your dad had a nice cruise! I would love to do the same with my father.
Thank you; you told me exactly what I wanted to know. Have a good day and a better tomorrow.
damn ur dad was out here making babies at 60
I wholly agree, though I would add that juveniles would likely get bored, the few I saw certainly seemed so.
How lovely making memories with your dad, I was 42 when I had my daughter and she’s 20 now my husband was 47 when she was born. We went on a cruise with her when she was 14, never again. Too young to appreciate it
I signed up for the drink package on the second day of my river cruise when I learned that it included premium brands of alcohol. Emerald pro rated the price of the package since I didn’t have it the first day. The package paid for itself over the remainder of the cruise. I should also mention that the shore tours are voluntary and included in the price. There is no crowding at the customer service desk to sign up and pay for a tour before it sells out.
Sounds good! 😁🥳
The thing I like about river cruises is the fellow passengers. Yes they are mainly older people, but they are all extremely friendly and very eager to learn something about the country they are visiting, even the language. There are no unruly passengers who are vulgar and noisy and get drunk at the bar every night.
Fun fact, I used to work on cruise ships and I switched to river cruises, and yes similar experience just from different point 😁 Big ocean ships are fun and everything but rivers ships are more private and definitely different even from point of one who worked on both. I'm glad you liked it 💞
Yesss 😁🙌
are river cruises more ethical to go on from the how the crew are treated standpoint, is it better?
@@kawaiilotus I'll be very honest, it depends on the position you are working on the ship, smaller the ship the less positions you have and more responsibility goes on the each crew member. Depends also on the company you are working for, and from my point, the only better thing on river ships is the salary I get. I'm not complaining tho, it's very fun and honestly best learning experience I could ever get
Years ago, I too went on a Danube River cruise. It was quite fascinating, seeing the different countries along the famous river. (The city of Belgrade was gorgeous.) It would be my favorite cruise, except that I also took a Greek Island cruise which was plain incredible.
I want to do that one. Just a matter of when it can actually happen!
Single, pretty 20-something girl "How am I gonna fit in? Are they gonna like me?"
Lol!
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
She mentioned a boyfriend.
Excellent job, young lady! This is my first step in researching river cruises and you really made me want to try one out!
Emma My wife and I have done four French canal barge cruises. That may sound a bit odd to lots of people, but they are fantastic. They cruise through the French canal system (for cargo barges) that were created by Napoleon. The old cargo barges have been converted into passenger barges that accommodate 7-20 (+/-+ ) passengers. The captain, cook, and matelot are always French. Most of the waitresses/waiters/cabin crew are almost always British (as are the owners of the company). You arrive by bus to the barge and everyone is a stranger to the others, but due to the small population aboard, when you depart the barge after a week you feel like family members. The food and wine each day change due to the region that you are traveling through. The daily trips (museums, farms, wineries, cheese makers, etc) are all included. The food and drink is fantastic. The barges cruise at a walking pace through the canals and there are always walking or biking paths along the side of the canals and there are signs or how far it is to the next ecluse (sorry but as an American of French heritage I cannot remember the word in English). You can either use the free bikes on board or walk along the path and normally you will arrive at the next ecluse before the barge. I am a cyclist and one of the passengers was a German-born US immigrant who also loved biking. We both woke up early (unlike you!) and I said Wolfgang “How about an early-morning bike ride”? He said sure! I was wearing shorts and a tee shirt. We were very close to Strasbourg and off we went. I had not noticed that it was about 4°C but we took off. After a while, I looked at where we were on the GPS on my phone. I said Wolfgang “How about a Früstück in Deutschland (Breakfast in Germany) because we are less than 2 kms from the border”. We crossed the border, had a wonderful breakfast and biked back to the barge when most of the passengers were just coming to breakfast. We had ridden almost 30 kms and my hands were frozen (no gloves), but it was a fantastic morning. The cruises are not that cheap because everything is included, trip, booze, food, day trips etc. The last time that I checked they were about USD $4k for a week, but in my opinion worth every penny. Look for French barge cruises on the Internet (they are normally British companies and the experience is completely different amazing.
Cheers from Rio de Janeiro, were my wife and I retired although I have lived in Brazil off and on for almost thirty years. Loved your video. Beijos from Greg
How do i do one?
My river cruising was years ago, and it's nice to see that the advantages still exist. The boats were small and the cruising wasn't as fancy (or as expensive) as it is now, and because of the relatively small numbers it was very personal and friendly. We were there to see the places where we stopped, and the onboard activities were incidental. On an ocean cruise it's the other way around.
That sounds good to me! ❤️
River cruising is extremely civilised and beautiful.
My wife and took an Alaskan cruise and land tour for our 20th anniversary. We were 47 and 45, and I think we lowered the average age of passengers down to 78. Great time and recommend for anyone.
You are simply adorable. I loved your enthusiasm and excitement. You were passionate about getting your point across. It worked. After umpteen ocean cruises, and a year and a half without being able to cruise, I'm now going to sit down and book my first river cruise. I'm surprised at the amount of activity that you mentioned. I've never been bored a day in my life. Honestly I'd much rather be left alone on my balcony all week and not bothered. But it's nice to know that if I wanted a distraction it would be available. I'll start looking at River cruises now. I'm sold.
Thanks so much Ken! Appreciate that. As my mum would say... only boring people are bored! I guess you’re not a boring person 😀❤️
@@EmmaCruises Yep, never a dull moment!
We had people from 16 to 90. Generally fairly older but some of those guys are wild 😂😂😂
Oh absolutely!! 👏🏼
On a south of France cruise cruise we had a pair of old guys we nick-named Speedy and Gonzales. Their wild years were in the past, but they took most of the trips.
Thank you for discussing the accessibility of the top deck. Not a negative, but important to note if it might be a concern.
Yeah it’s not mentioned enough! 👏🏼❤️
Good point but the lounges are great downstairs.
We had an elevator on our Viking River cruise. (But I don’t think it went to the upper.deck).
The lifts never go to the top deck. As Emma said, everything on the top deck has to be able to lie completely flat to get under some of the bridges. Even the wheelhouse can sink down into the ship, and the helmsman can steer through a hatch in the roof.
Agree. It's "just information." The buyer can make their own decision if it's OK or a deal breaker, based on their own needs.
It's nice to hear these lovely cruises haven't been spoiled by current expectations. I took a Rhine cruise and a Danube cruise with what's now Viking (it was still KD back then) in the 1990s and had a fantastic time. It's much more intimate and relaxed than ocean cruising. I even enjoyed the "river days", as an opportunity to sit in the sun with a book and soak up beautiful scenery. I was probably the youngest person (30s) on the boat both times, but everyone I met was good company. I frequently skipped the planned excursions so that I could set my own pace and itinerary. I much preferred not traveling with a 1000 other people and making crowd everywhere you go. If the go-go-go and party scene of an ocean cruise don't sound good to you, try a river cruise.
Yess!!! This is exactly it. Couldnt have said it bettee myself! 😀👏🏼
Age is a state of mind. I've wanted to do a river cruise for years now, and at 30 I'm sure I'd enjoy it as much now as I would have when I was younger or when I am older. Just chilling on deck watching the pretty scenery go by in relative quite is exactly in line with what my idea of a good holiday is.
Yesss, hours of that 😀💕
As a child of the '70s, cruising is very nostalgic for me, thanks to Aaron Spelling. I haven't had the pleasure yet but crossing fingers cruising becomes safe again.
💕💕💕
@Melissa Hollowell Awesome profile pic!
@@haliikiins1006 c
to try gas we
The LOVE BOAT soon will be making another run. The Love Boat promises something for eeveryone. ☺️
Wonderful! Preppy, peppy, happy... Great job Emma...and this from a river cruise executive :) a competitor of Emerald but absolutely great descriptions of life on board - great promotion for the younger generations and river cruising in general! PS: Loved the short dark bob ... ST
Haha! Thank you. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I'm 34 and went on a Viking River Cruises with my mom last year. I LOVED it. We are going back in July, again in 2023 and I plan to go again multiple times after that.
Sounds amazing ❤️🥰💕
Last year in 2020 ?
Were you put under any restrictions?
Yeah I went on a Viking River cruise in 2019 with my mom as well and it was fantastic. I immediately booked a Viking ocean cruise! Once you go Viking it’s hard to go back to something else. You can save money booking far in advance and I can say the extra cost is worth it
@@morningwaves
Did you get a refund?
@@jessicali8594 They offered refunds but my cruise was booked for 2022. To get the cheapest prices you should book to calendar years in advance
You are about 40 years younger than me, but your reviews are so much fun to listen to. I like your cute sense of humor-guessing that is a UK kinda thing. I am an American. Keep up the good work. Thank you for doing this.
Thanks Carolyn! 😀❤️
We did a Rhine cruise with Viking for our 40th anniversary, and it was absolutely fantastic. But now you have me curious to see how Emerald compares to Viking. The ship looked similar, and your descriptions matched what we experienced.
Unlike cruising on the sea, there is always something interesting to see from a river boat. Also when the boat moors you're at the place you're visiting, not a bus ride away.
As someone that has taken lots of ferry trips, but never cruised, I can't think that ocean cruising would be less boring than river cruising. As yoiu say, there is always something new to look at.
This is EXACTLY what I needed to know. Trying to decide if I'd be okay with going on such a trip by myself (early-50s widow). Sounds like it would be quite nice.
Oh absolutely you’d make lots of friends! 😀❤️
God bless you. Go and have a great time. People for the great part are nice and welcoming. My wife and I are doing a Danube cruise in 2023 and really looking forward to meeting new people.
@@paperpusherone Thank you for the nudge. : ) As chaotic as things are right now, it's hard to imagine a future with this kind of leisure in it -- but I still get the brochures, and keep options in mind.
My uncle brings his bluegrass jazz band over to play on River Cruise boats during the summer and/or fall every year. He loves the people and the cruises and says that they have great staff and audiences. He's been doing this for more than 25 years. Just as a review, while I am not a cruiser myself, I think you do a terrific job on these videos and have a wonderful charm that conveys your passion and expertise. Good luck.
This sounds 10× more enjoyable than ocean cruises tbh. Could never wrap my head around why you would go on an ocean cruise, but I could actually imagine doing a river cruise some day
Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I love ocean cruises. I'm in Australia and, under normal conditions, we have fantastic cruises to New Zealand, the South Pacific, around Australia and, at the beginning and end of the season, Hawaii-Sydney/Sydney-Hawaii. My last cruise was March, 2020 to tge South Pacific. We docked back home in Sydney the day before the Ruby Princess docked with Covid-19 on board! We were very lucky.
No it doesn't. This is not even a cruise in the real sense of the word. You just float along a highway made of water. You are always in touch with civilization. You see cities, industry, agriculture. The ocean is a totally different animal. You see THE OCEAN, the infinite water body around you, the infinite sky, clouds of all shapes, all kinds of sunsets and sunrises. I would rather do an RV trip than a river cruise
Never go on a cruise ship that has more passengers than the towns the ship visits.
I’m alone, and Youngish , but you have me sold.
Sounds good! 😁🥳
@@EmmaCruises was your trip or this video sponsored or paid for by Emerald in any way?
@@paulgemperlein626 from what she said at the start it sounds like emerald paid for everything.
@@thaicycle5249 Agreed, it's unclear since she just says she was invited but I think they paid and also probably gave her at least some preferential treatment
@ David Rossi: Do it, you won’t regret it...
I loved the one I did with my parents...
I’ll be definitely going back on my own & Emerald being the only river cruise line that has two solo cruise cabins per ship; they’ve got me sold, even if it is slightly more expensive...
We love river cruising! Less people, more attentive staff and exploring a new city every day. I must agree though, we were so busy that we were definitely worn out every night.
I love independent travel. No people but me and my partner. No staff fussing around us, go airbnb, or the book directly with a local place and cook for yourself to keep costs down, or stay in little pensiones, watch the locals eat and go there. My schedule, my pace.
In another Life I took a Viking River Cruise ..... We Sacked Paris!
I always wondered about who picked that name :-) .
Skol
Ha!
We took a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest with Evergreen Lines. It was a fantastic experience and we will do another river cruise again after this Covid business is over. Both, my wife and I were around 60 years old, but still among the youngest on board 180 Aussies packed on a boat. You do the math.
I have been to Australia twice and really loved it. Fantastic country with really lovely scenery and hospitable people.
For a younger demographic, you could try an Avalon Active & Discovery river cruise. I'm speaking from experience!
Have you tried a Nile cruise? Very interesting, but quite full on if you want to see all the things! Some early starts because of the heat.
I’d love to but not yet 😀😂
I just added River cruise to my to do list.
$10,000 for a week or less...........
@@dennispearson it's amazing how expensive it can be compared to other methods of traveling. Then there's the real possibility at least part of your river cruise can turn into a bus tour. As Emma points out, the passengers tend to be an older age group. They also tend to be more passive. We are much more adventurous and independent, so our Rhine River cruise was not a good fit. There's really only on stretch on the Rhine that is best seen from the river. You can take a day trip of that section, then motor to the other places, such as Heidelberg and Cologne.
Independent travel in Western Europe used to be logistically more difficult. The internet has made it much easier to plan and reserve rental cars, train travel accommodations, tours, etc. We find exploring our options and planning our trips to be half the fun. We also like the flexibility independent travel affords us. And of course, circling back to your observation, we can do far more with much less money than you can on an expensive river cruise.
River cruises are for seasoned travelers. Oceanic cruisers are not “travelers.” River cruises are about touring interesting places in a different port each day, no parties, dancing, drinking, entertainment, jacuzzis, swimming pools, discos, auctions, gift shops, portrait studios, massages, and beauty salons, thankfully. It is true that river cruisers are in a different age demographic.
My mother and I took a river cruise in the US. She was in a wheelchair. When there was a talk on the top deck, the crew picked her up, wheelchair and all, and carried her up. When she was ready to return, they carried her down. At the time, I was a Mountain Dew drinker, so they bought me a 12 pack of cans. They really went all out to make your cruise!
35 crew for 35 passengers!
I used to work for Emerald & Scenic cruises (owned by the same family!) and it was the best job. I worked in the reservations department & got to do a cruise on one of the Scenic ships in 2015. It was absolutely amazing. I was only 20 - and had the best time ever!
Thank you for mentioning allergene lists and the ability to fix one's menu! I have been really hesitant about cruises in general due to having food allergies.
This cruise was probably the best, they gave me a list with the allergens every day ahead of time to my cabin. Was awesome 👏🏼
My grandmother wanted me to join her on a river cruise a couple summers ago. I was 20 and definitely the youngest person on the cruise. Still had a lot of fun!
Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Just booked a Christmas Mkt river cruise with my daughter, thanks for all the great info. I was a little hesitant but your videos have answered all my questions and now we can't wait!!!!!
Hopefully your Christmas Market cruise isn't over the 24th, 25th or 26th of December. As we discovered on our Christmas Market cruise, those days are all holidays in Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Germany. Not only were the Christmas markets all closed/torn down on those days, NOTHING in the towns we visited on those days was even open. In fact, in one little village we docked at on the 26th (Boxing Day) the ship captain had to call the village mayor and get him to try to get SOMEONE to open at least a few of the shops. And the church choir recital we'd been promised that day never happened. It was like no one with the cruise line had thought ahead that places simply wouldn't be open on holidays.
Did a Xmas market cruise from Vienna to Nuremburg in 2019, worth it.
swimming/cinema combo is crazy.
It’s incredible how they do it 😀💕
Received tons of ads in the mail to try river cruising and NEVER thought it was for me - now I'm not so sure - thank you!
Mwahahah! Haha 😀❤️
My favorite cruises were on smaller ships with Uniworld and Seaborn. More port time. Met great people. Yes an older crowd because they are not cheap. But I enjoy a mature conversation than I would get on a big ocean liner.
Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Such a great video Emma. We have found that selling river cruises is very different from that of ocean going liners. Our clients being older, also had clear intentions as to what they how to do while on this type of cruise and so it's a lot of fun pulling the entire trip together.
Yep so so true! ❤️
I’m putting this on my bucket list . 🇫🇷 / Thank you ! I highly recommend a day cruise 🚢 on the Rhine River 🇩🇪, stopping at St Goar , it was like out of a story book 📚 💜💕❤️
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Loved this video .. Thank you .. About 15 years ago I went on an Ocean cruise with a friend, and hated it ..
I had put River Cruises into the same category until I came upon your video by accident ..
Now, I'm willing to try a River cruise, and it sounds delightful ... Ciao
Yesss’ Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I've only ever been on a nile cruise which seems a lot like your experience here (although probably a smaller & more budget boat). I absolutely loved it. Such an amazing way to visit so much of the country and do so much in just a week, without feeling rushed or frazzled trying to fit it all in. I'd be more than happy to go back and do that same cruise all over again & it's rare for me to want to do the same place twice.
Always wanted to do this since I was 19 and did a boat trip to Salzburg from Germany. That was only a day cruise but it was dreamy, so beautiful. I am in my 50s now so I am ready for this!
Your ship looked beautiful. I went on a Viking cruise in 2015. The ship was really nice and I loved it, but they didn’t have a pool! And it sounds like your ship provided more entertainment.
Emerald is the only river cruise line I know of that has an actual pool on the ships. Some others have hot tubs, and some have oversized hot tubs that claim they are pools but really aren't.
Great video Emma! I like that tours are included. Definitely a future cruise we’d love to experience
Thank you! 😁❤️
I've never cared much for ocean cruises but this is something I was thinking about doing on a trip to Europe or possibly as a gift for my parents. This was incredibly informative, thank you!
Yah thank you 😀❤️
I've never liked cruises of any kind... if I get on a boat it's to travel somewhere, not to hang out with hundreds of strangers
Really enjoyed this. Your questions (will I be only one under 60 😉, boring, food, etc.) were mine as well. This was an excellent video answering those questions.
Thanks Janis! 😀💕
Lower floor has a small window, upper floor a full length window. Don't pay extra for this, you will be out of your room a lot. Also when the boat is docked, you will be up against a pier or level parked with another boat, won't see anything out of your lovely big window.
I went on a coach tour into Central Australia with my Mum. Unfortunately the last holiday we had before her final illness. However I was the youngest person by at least 15 years. It was hilarious. Mum and I laughed every night after dinner, at the querulous fussing over food, the toilet stops, the luggage handling. I will never forget it.
Ha ha!! So glad you were able to make those memories ❤️
Can l please ask if you paid for the cruise? As l have never been invited by a company to do anything so just want to clarify cost or no cost. Thanks
Hey Veronica, I was invited by Emerald but wasn’t paid by them (they have no control over any content etc). They waved my cruise fare basically so I could try the cruise line, smart move as I’m talking about it years on! 😂👏🏼
Young people on River cruises kinda makes sense. You stop at interesting towns and cities...bars and clubs...uber or taxis...you have a floating hotel room.
Can't see why anyone under a 70 years old would go on any cruise, full stop. Maybe its an american thing - sitting, eating and drinking for the entire time.
@@insertclevernamehere2506 I'm 28 from Cape Town, South African. I live an active life style, hiking, running, surfing, motorsports. I absolutely can't wait to go on another cruise. I also thought that it would be boring, can only eat and drink, but I was thankfully very wrong.
Im only 18 and would love to go on a river cruise. Good views/places, food, drink and lazing around... sign me up!!
I really want to do this. This looks like so much fun and I think the older passengers would be a nice relief from drunk young travelers I normally am around
we river cruised in our early 40s. We started in Germany and ended in BudaPest. Loved it.
Thank you for this. I’m disabled and I’ve intentionally never gone on a cruise because I’m scared I’ll not make it more than a day. The fact it wasn’t very big, in height and width, saves me the energy I could use on activities. The fact you said there were different speeds which you could tour and the fastest wasn’t even very fast for you makes me so happy. I won’t miss out on the traveling part of said cruise. The food can be allergen specific! That’s hard to get in some restaurants. Plus you said the age difference didn’t really bother anybody is a relief as I’m 22.
I get that it is more money, but being sick will always result in having to spend more on life in general. Now I just need to know how I’d deal with constantly needing ice packs and I’ll be set!
Yes!! So glad this has helped. River cruising is amazing you definitely don’t have to miss out 😀❤️
Viking's longships, which are used on most of their European river cruises, have ice machines for passenger use on the ships (unless they have been removed because of COVID). I suspect the same is true for many other lines. If there is no public ice machine, you can probably sort something out with the bar staff.
As a fellow traveller with complex needs, I suggest it is best to discuss your needs with the cruise line before you book and get as much as you can in writing. My experience is like Emma - the crew really pride themselves on getting to know their passengers and be attentive to their needs. Once, we had a dining room steward whom we had met on a previous cruise years before and he treated us like an old friend.
Be aware that many river cruise itineraries involve hotels, often to reach cities at the beginning and end which are not on the river you are cruising. Indeed, if I do not have a mandatory pre-cruise hotel stay, I have always booked a pre-cruise extension in the start city so that I have a couple of quieter days after flying in rather than going from the airport straight to the ship. I have got a Viking itinerary later this year that involves four hotels - a mandatory hotel stay at the start, a mandatory hotel stay at the end and then two further hotels in an optional post-cruise extension. When it comes to hotels, you may well have a cruise line representative at the hotel, but you are largely in the hands of the hotel. I have been extremely lucky with Viking's choice of hotels on all but one occasion. That supposedly five-star hotel from the premium brand of a well-known chain whose hotels I have enjoyed in other countries was the worst I have stayed in anywhere in the world except possibly an inexpensive and tired conference hotel in the UK, but I made the best of it.
Another thing to be aware of, which Emma did not mention here, is that river cruising is expensive. There is not the same economy of scale as with ocean cruising; Viking longships need somewhere around 50 crew for 190 passengers. If you are a solo traveller, prices get even worse because there is usually a 100% single supplement on all but the cheapest cabins. The alternative is to share your cabin with a friend and ask for the beds to be separated.
The major river cruise companies all have elevating devices for disabled clients. I have been on quite a number of European river cruises. They do a great job with service for mobility-chsllenged clients. Your travel agent could advise.
Oh I wish I could travel with you 🎉 we would have the best time
My wife loves cruises and I would rather go through another root canal at my dentist than take another ocean cruise.
BTW: after 32-years in the U.S. Navy, just being at sea doesn't interest me one iota...
However, I just might be convinced to go on a European River Cruise.
Haha! That’s fair! 😀❤️
EMMA,
My mom and i went on a River cruise in 2016 with Viking To eastern Europe. Started in Hungary, then went to Croaita, Serbia, Bulgaia and finally Romaina. During the cruise we got to go through the IRON GATES GROUGE. And gto to see this carved wizard monument that i think was Serbia's version of mount rushmore. We also got to stay a few days extended in Romania to travel to Transylvania to visist dracuals castle. AWESOME trip!! Definalty a "older" person trip as i was a young pup as 41 years old. You get to meet people and see the same peope as opposed to ocean cruises that have 5,000 people. We also had a lounge with a gourment coffee maker abnd fresh cooikes, as much as i wanted!!!
My wife and I did this in March 2018 (Vikings first cruise of the season). There was snow (The beast from the east). The snow made the details of the head of Decebalus very visible
@@alanarmstrong3775 i get enough snow where we live, the last place i want to see snow is on vacay!!! HA!
@@1gr8chef123 We live in Huntington Beach. We visit snow.
@@Surfcityham HA! We had 2 weeks in FEB this year where the temp stayed in the the NEGATIVE and that was the HIGH!!!!
The "Mount Rushmore" guy is actually an ancient Romanian historic figure, King Decebalus of Dacia (ancient name of Romania).
It's an interesting perspective to see that sculpture as a version of Mount Rushmore. Thank you for that! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit in Romania.
We have been looking at River cruises for a while now and haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for this video, you’ve now convinced us to give it a go. We always love to see the river cruise boats at cities we visit around the world. Great channel x
Yay! Awesome!
You are in the heart of each town/city, easy to walk around on your own.
Late to the party here and not sure if this is on your site but another thing to consider with river cruises is the weather over a long period of time in the region you want to cruise. My wife and I were on a Viking river cruise a few years ago on the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Basel and we were stopped dead less than halfway through the cruise because it had been a very dry year and the river was too low! So our ten day river cruise turned into a five day river cruise and a five day bus tour around Germany. We also missed several of the scheduled stops that had been on the cruise, one being the Black Forest which was one of the reasons we'd picked that cruise to begin with.
Viking gave us a 20% discount on another cruise if we took it within a year which I thought was a bit shabby, most people don't do two river cruises within a 12 month period, we didn't. Still do love river cruising though, and we're just a bit older than you so you're right about the age demographic, although our first few cruises were while we were in our 40's and there were a lot of people our age.
Been on ocean and river cruises and I will RIVER cruise for the rest of my life. They are intimate and informal.
Ships are docked right next to amazing towns, filled with experienced travelers, fun people, oh I could go on and on. Worth every dime. Great video!
Yesss 😁🙌 Thank you! 😁❤️
Emma, I wish I had started cruising when I was in my twenties. I was 49 when I cruised for the first time, and I was hooked. I am almost 65 and there are still so many cruises I need to do.
Hello 👋 Lori
How are you doing today
I did the Seven day Nile River Cruise in 1995 and it was amazing.
Went in 2011 with our daughter and son they were teenagers one week in hurghada , the other on the nile went on an hot air balloon while on Nile trip, best holiday ever been on! Put boring sea cruises in the shade every day was an adventure !
Thanks Emma for a very entertaining talk.. will be showing my Mrs this as we are in debate about a nice river cruise.
I really really enjoyed your video. It answered everything that I wanted to know river cruises. I was afraid it was very uniform and military style tours. Thank you so much
What a wonderful commentary on river cruises, well done. Makes me want to investigate a Mississippi River cruise in the US, since I live 10 miles away from it in Minnesota. Super informative video, thank you.
Thank you! 😁❤️ Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Great video Emma. You convinced me to try river cruise, so I went and check the price. Let's just say, I need to start gofundme to be able to afford it lol. But it's on my bucket list now. Thanks
Haha!! I understand that 😂😂😂
I don't know where you live, but check the VacationsToGo website. They have good deals on river cruises.
@@debbiegibson3604 I live in USA, DMV area. I'm thinking about Hudson River, Mississippi River or New England River cruises
@@morgee1040 for that your choices are ACL (American Cruise Lines) or American Queen Steamboat Company.
@@AmericanskyEnglish Viking has a new boat for the Mississippi.
A close friend who was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London from 9 months went to visit BG and went on a river cruise in the Ganges delta which when she talks about it reminds me of something from the 1930s. It would have worked well as a background for an Agatha Christie 'Poirot' story: every passenger and crew member had an eccentricity including my friend and her travelling partner. She was about your age when she did that 10 years ago.
Took a Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam to Prague. Two Viking ships left Amsterdam at the same time following the same route to Prague. Two ships were also leaving Prague for Amsterdam. There were three other cruise lines going to the same places. The passengers inundated small towns….good for shop owners, bad for residents. It was impossible to compose and take a picture with out someone stepping in front of you. Onboard ship was fantastic….great service, good food, mediocre entertainment, and fun. There were more camps than castles, but the locks were interesting.
Informative information I never thought of a river cruise before but now I will look at it