Picture yourself on a boat on a river

James Gjaltema writes on travel for The Armchair Mayor News.

COLUMN — River Cruising is enormously popular and is growing at a rapid pace. While at first glance river cruises may seem pricey, when you consider all that is included, you’ll soon realize that they offer tremendous value.

The experiences that river cruises afford are amazing and convenient. Like with ocean cruises, you only have to unpack once as your accommodation moves with you and amazing food is included on-board.

River cruises include many extras that you would typically pay for on an ocean cruise. Many shore excursions and tours are included; most river ships offer free Wi-Fi, complimentary beer and wine served with meals and some companies offer all-inclusive alcoholic beverages anytime.

River cruising offers a smaller, more intimate experience with only 100-200 passengers compared to some of the mega-ships that can accommodate over 5,000 people. With river cruising you generally have smooth sailing, you never have “at sea days” and there are no tenders to contend with. The shore is always in sight and you can step right off into the heart of a destination and may even have the opportunity to ride a bicycle to the next stop.

The rivers of Europe have been important waterways for thousands of years; a river cruise allows you to visit historical cities, castles and cathedrals that were strategically built along the shores of such rivers as the Rhine, Rhone, Danube, Elbe, Po, Douro and the Seine.

Imagine seeing tulips and windmills in Holland, wineries and chateaux in France, or romantic castles in Germany. Avalon Waterways has an eight-day Romantic Rhine cruise from Zurich to Amsterdam, sailing March 25 for $2,399 per person including taxes, port charges and gratuities.

Viking River Cruises has an eight-day trip on the River Seine from Paris to Giverny, Rouen, and the beaches of Normandy with dates in July and August for $2,456. While Europe has the most river cruise options, there are many new river cruise destinations emerging or being reinvented.

In Russia, you can sail on the Volga between Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the United States, you can sail on a classic riverboat on the Mississippi from New Orleans. In Egypt, you can sail along the Nile to the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, Luxor and Aswan.

In China, there is an amazing 15-day package for $4,290 offered by Avalon Waterways that includes a cruise on the Yangtze River. The trip starts in Shanghai, ends in Beijing and includes two nights in Lhasa, Tibet. See pandas, visit the Shibaozhai Pagoda, Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Warriors, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Tiananmen Square as well as great Chinese food like Peking duck.

AMA Waterways offers an incredible package for Vietnam and Cambodia that includes a rickshaw tour in Hanoi, an overnight sailing at Ha Long Bay in a traditional wooden junk, a visit to Angkor Wat and cruising on the Mekong River to Saigon also known as Ho Chi Minh City, departures from June to August are available for $4,498.

In South America you can cruise on the Amazon, the world’s largest river in volume and second longest in length. The Amazon River region is host to many exotic birds like Toucans and Parrots, several species of monkeys and the noble three-toed sloth.

Monograms offers a tour for $3,289 that includes Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls and a cruise on the Amazon River where you’ll have a unique experience including the opportunity to try your hand at Piranha fishing.

River cruises often sell out quickly, so booking ahead is recommended.

Viking Cruises – Introduction to River Cruising.

James Gjaltema is a founding member of the Kamloops Travel Club and a Flight Centre Associate. He can be reached at 250-879-0873 or through his web-site: http://www.flightcentreassociates.com/jamesgjaltema.