ROMANCE OF THE RIVERS
River cruising has never been more popular, so which one is best for you?
DATE WITH THE DANUBE
ZERO marks the start of this epic journey on the Danube with Hebridean River Cruises, sailing from the 0km sign at the Black Sea all the way to austria and Germany.
The cruise is on the Royal Crown, a Thirties-style river boat with lots of polished wood and brass. Tours of fortresses, cathedrals and Vienna are among the highlights.
Need to know: Gala night with Hebridean means haggis is on the menu.
Details: Hebridean River Cruises ( hebridean. co. uk; 01756 704 704) offers a sevennight voyage on the Danube, starting and ending in Vienna, departing on June 4 from £ 3,200pp, including flights, transfers, excursions, drinks, gratuities and wifi.
DAYS OF THE RAJ
Sail through the sights and sounds of india on Titan Travel’s new seven-night river cruise on the sacred Ganges from Calcutta, the former capital of the Raj. The holiday starts with a tour of Delhi, agra and Jaipur. Visit temples, tombs, mosques and the headquarters of Hare Krishna devotees.
Need to know: Pack extra socks for temple visits; shoes aren’t allowed in holy places.
Details: Titan Travel ( titantravel.co.uk; 0808 163 5715) has a 14-day Golden Triangle and Sacred Ganges trip to india, departing December 27, that combines a one-week cruise with a five-night Golden Triangle tour from £5,949pp, including flights, transfers, drinks with dinner and excursions.
VINTAGE TOUR
RAISE a glass to ama-Waterways’ Taste of Bordeaux river cruise, which includes winetasting tours in the Sauternes, Medoc, St emilion and Cotes de Bourg regions of France. The cruise, on France’s Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne rivers, also visits chateaux, castles and Cognac.
Need to know: it’s free to borrow a bike if you fancy some DIY exploring.
Details: ama-Waterways ( amawaterways.co.uk; 0808 256 8422) has a seven-night cruise round- trip from Bordeaux, departing May 27, from £1,399pp including flights, transfers, excursions, alcoholic and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, bottled water and wifi.
MYANMAR PRINCESS
GOLDEN pagodas and a hot air balloon ride over thousands of temples in Bagan await on Travelmarvel by APT’s cruise on the ayeyarwady in Myanmar (Burma), on the new Princess Panhwar. excursions to markets and lacquer-ware workshops; plus traditional puppet shows.
Need to know: Watch the sun set over the Bagan plain for free from the top of a temple.
Details: Travelmarvel by ATP ( aptouring.co.uk, 0800 012 6683) has a 17-night Majestic Myanmar cruise from Yangon to Mandalay departing December 9 from £3,995pp, including flights, transfers, house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, excursions and gratuities.
TERRIFIC TRIO
STEP back in time on emerald Waterways’ eight- day voyage on the Main, Rhine and Moselle rivers with tours of Roman Trier and the medieval town of Miltenberg. in Bamberg, taste the famous smoked beer; in Wurzburg, tours visit the Baroque Bishops’ Residence.
Need to know: Get to nuremberg a day early to taste the town’s sausages, the best of German wurst.
Details: emerald Waterways ( emeraldwaterways.co.uk; 0808 115 6269) offers an eight- day legends of the Moselle, Rhine and Main cruise from nuremberg to Trier, departing July 5, from £1,795pp including flights, transfers, excursions, beer, wine or soft drinks with lunch and dinner, gratuities and wifi.
ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER
LET the good times roll on an epic 2,000- mile Mississippi cruise from St Paul to new orleans on the american Queen steamboat.
This journey through the heart of america and the Deep South visits Mark Twain’s home town of Hannibal, and St louis. There are trips to plantation homes and elvis Presley’s Gracelands mansion in Memphis.
Need to know: Hop-on, hopoff bus tours take in the top sights at most ports — and they’re free.
Details: light Blue Travel ( lightbluetravel.co.uk; 01223 568 904) has a 22-night Mighty Mississippi cruise from St Paul to new orleans departing august 14 from £ 5,495pp, including flights, transfers, drinks with dinner plus two nights pre-cruise in St Paul.
ASIAN PROMISE
ENJOY a taste of the exotic as Scenic sets sail on the Tonle and Mekong rivers in Vietnam and Cambodia with lessons in Khmer cooking and the chance to be blessed by monks. Cruising between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City, there’ll be excursions to temples and tunnels, puppet shows and high tea at the Raffles Hotel le Royal in Phnom Penh.
Need to know: a one-hour massage on the Phnom Penh waterfront costs US$10 (£7).
Details: Scenic ( scenic. co.uk; 0808 102 0155) has a 15-night Treasures of the Mekong trip departing May 6, that combines a seven-night cruise with three nights in Siem Reap and two in Ho Chi Minh City from £3,890pp including flights, transfers, excursions, drinks, gratuities and wifi.
CZECH MATE
THE once royal city of litomerice in the Czech Republic is among highlights of a new Saga cruise on the Havel, elbe and Vltava rivers between Berlin and Prague. You’re on board the Katharina von Bora, an intimate craft for just 80 passengers, stopping at Dresden, Wittenberg and Meissen, which is famous for its porcelain.
Need to know: Pick an upper deck cabin with a French balcony so you never miss the views.
Details: Saga ( saga. co. uk/ rivers; 0800 096 0082) has a seven-night cruise from Prague to Berlin departing november
5 from £999pp including flights, transfers and travel insurance.
MUSIC MAESTRO
HOP on Croisieurope’s cruise along the Guadalquivir in Spain. It’s a classical music-themed jaunt with private concerts, lectures and an evening of Fado music in lisbon. In Seville, discover Sephardic and Andalusian music with a concert in the former Jewish quarter.
Need to know: the boat is in port each night so treat yourself to an evening out.
Details: Croisieurope ( croisieurope.co.uk; 020 8328 1281) has a six-night cruise on the Guadalquivir round-trip from Seville departing June 30 from £1,443pp, including selected drinks and excursions plus two hotel nights post cruise in lisbon.
TRIPLE TRIP
ROMAN, ottoman and Communist history are recurrent themes on Shearings’ eastern Danube cruise through Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. the cruise is on the Serenade 2 and includes tours of budapest and the once roman town of Pecs. In Hungary, try some Puszta pizza, named after the local breed of horses.
Need to know: Cabins 337 and 338 are the best, with private balconies.
Details: Shearings ( shearings.co.uk; 0844
209 7143) has a 12-day budapest and Eastern Danube holiday departing June 26 from £1,249pp, including a one-week cruise round-trip from the Hungarian capital four hotel nights while travelling by coach to and from the UK and two excursions.
CHINESE ADVENTURE
PREPARE for the adventure of a lifetime on Pandaw’s expedition cruise on the fast flowing waters of the upper Mekong River
on the new 24-passenger boat Yunnan Pandaw. Sailing from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, there’ll be jungle treks and trips to local villages, night markets and the awesome Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of Buddha statues.
Need to know: Pack an adventurous spirit and be prepared for the unexpected on this exciting trip.
Details: Pandaw ( pandaw.com; 020 8326 5620) has a 14- night Laos to China cruise from Vientiane to Jinghong, departing September 20 from £4,600pp, including transfers, local beer, spirits and soft drinks, mineral water and crew gratuities. SAY cheers to Avalon Waterways’ beerthemed cruise through Holland and Belgium in the presence of the pope. Germany’s Beer Pope that is, aka Conrad Seidl. He’ll be hosting trips, talks and tastings, plus a beer-paired dinner.
Need to know: Go on a tulip tour of Keukenhof Gardens.
Details: Avalon Waterways ( avaloncruises. co.uk; 0800 668 1801) has an eight- day Charms of Holland and Belgium cruise round-trip from Amsterdam, departing April 12, from £1,075pp, including flights, UK and overseas transfers, excursions, wine with dinner and gratuities.