WHATÕS NEW IN... RIVER CRUISING
More and more people are discovering river cruising, whether it’s a dreamy voyage through indochina on the Mekong or a waltz along the danube (see w&h’s exclusive
Strictly inspired cruise there overleaf). Personally, i love the fact that there’s always something to see. Although you’re ashore a lot of the time, you can’t beat a lazy day on deck, gazing up at the craggy castles of the rhine gorge, or the golden temples dotted along the banks of the irrawaddy in Myanmar. river cruising is a luxurious way to travel, too, on small ships taking anything from 20 to 200, usually with top-notch food and service.
there’s more choice now than ever before – and there’s no question that europe’s rivers are getting busier thanks to the river cruising boom. A few years ago, there were four riverboats sailing Portugal’s beautiful douro Valley. now, there are 22. Yet there’s still a wonderful sense of stillness on this narrow river, surrounded by steep hills and vineyards. try emerald waterways’ brand new emerald radiance (0808 163
7855, emeraldwaterways.co.uk). Or how about a quieter stretch of the danube? the voyage from Budapest to the Black Sea passes craggy gorges and d sleepy l country ountry towns straight out of a fairy tale, and only a few cruise lines sail here, among them Amawaterways (0800 3202335, amawaterways. co.uk), Fred. Olsen (0845 004 7386, fredolsencruises.com/river-cruises), which starts its first ever river cruises in 2018, and Viking (0800 319 6660, vikingrivercruises.co.uk). A 10-night cruise from Budapest to Bucharest with Viking costs from £2,445, departing
28 March. DESTINATIONS there’s a certain cachet in exploring a really remote river. Asia 832 sppecia list P and aw(0206sp 5 it o va vi
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Q If the weather is bad will I get sea sick? A Cruise ships have stabilisers nowadays, to help prevent roll. if you’re concerned, take over-the-counter medicines before you sail. worst case, you can have an injection from the ship’s doctor (around £50).
(020 8328 1281, croisieurope. co.uk) has a new 16-passenger boat on the Chobe river, a tributary of the Zambezi; you’ll see hippos, elephants, crocs and sometimes, big cats from the deck. My favourite, though, is india, where i recently followed in the footsteps of Prunella Scales and timothy west on a thrilling voyage through
Assam on the vast Brahmaputra, visiting temples, tea plantations and a tiger reserve. Fred river Cruises (0808 159 5110, fredrivercruises.co.uk) offer the trip from £2,499pp, including flights to Kolkata, for a week, departing 25 January. WELLNESS who says river cruises are sedentary affairs? Amawaterways (0800 320 2335, amawaterways.co. uk) has a new wellness programme on its cruises from Paris, with up to six yoga and cardio classes daily and healthy menu options. Avalon (0800 668 1843, avaloncruises.co.uk) also offers an impressive range of “discovery” excursions including guided running in Amsterdam and cycling in the rhine Gorge. A week’s cruise on Avalon Felicity from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, departing July 15, costs from £1,896pp, including flights. LUXURY there’s no shortage of gleaming, new five-star ships on europe’s rivers. dame Joan Collins has just christened uniworld’s (0808 168 9231, uniworld.com) elegant new ship, Joie de Vivre, which sails the Seine, complete with indoor pool, nightclub and a
French bistro.
Q Should I tip the staff or are these included? A Some lines include tips and those that don’t will recommend a daily amount, which might be from £4pp per day to £14. this is added to your on-board account but remember, it’s optional.
Meanwhile, Crystal Cruises (020 7399 7601, crystalcruises. co.uk) has launched two very smart riverboats, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, with butlers, private balconies, all-inclusive drinks and excursions. A week’s cruise from Vienna to Budapest on Crystal Mahler, all-inclusive, costs from £3,210pp, departing 3 April.