If you have ever considered taking a river cruise, you might wonder if you need to buy cruise-specific travel insurance. Some people assume that that is only necessary for ocean cruises, but that isn’t always the case. The answer depends on a few key things: What’s the Difference Between Cruise Insurance and Regular Travel Insurance? … Read more
I’ve recently a European river cruise on an ultra-luxurious cruise line which is the most expensive trip I’ve ever booked. The average price of a cruise like this, in the cheapest room is around £500 ($650) per person per night. This is far more than I would usually spend. I’m not sure what I was … Read more
I have taken two wonderful “Barge, Bike and Cruise” sailings on an ex-1930s cargo ship named Merlijn. Both involved cycling up to 50km/31 miles each day through the German countryside. They really were a test of my fitness and endurance, but I am so glad I went. They were some of the most memorable cruises … Read more
I booked a luxury cruise on the Uniworld river ship, SS La Venezia, in a sale. Normally this trip would have been out of my price range, but I got a really good deal. I was so excited to find out what luxury cruising was about. We sailed around Venice and the Islands in the … Read more
If you enjoy ocean cruises, you may look at River Cruises and think they could never be as fun or enjoyable. Ocean Cruises and River Cruises offer very different experiences. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but both can offer a really enjoyable cruising experience. In this article, we look at the popular misconceptions people have … Read more
River cruises are expensive, it is a fact of life. When Tui moved into the river cruise market in 2021 it opened up river cruising to a new group of travellers who may not have previously afforded them. I have cruised with TUI on the river twice. This post is based on my experiences with … Read more
Heading off on a winter river cruise? How exciting! I’ve just got back from a river cruise in Germany. To make sure you have everything you need (and nothing you don’t.) Here is a streamlined guide to packing for your winter adventure. My Christmas cruise T-shirt is from here. Quick Climate Check Clothing Essentials Footwear … Read more
Normally when you’re driving to a cruise port you’ll see the ship appear over the horizon and it is such an exciting feeling. That isn’t what happened on my last cruise though. When we arrived at the TUI Skyla in Germany we were in a completely different place to where we were originally meant to … Read more
I’ve just disembarked a European river cruise on a 1930s barge that took everything I thought I knew about cruising and turned it on its head. Our cruise was a week-long, and on the cruise schedule was 225km of cycling across the German countryside from Bonn to Saarburg. I am definitely not a cyclist, so … Read more
You may have heard about cruise ships being named by a Godmother, and you may be wondering how and why they landed this wonderful job. I was, and in this post, I explain all. I recently had the opportunity to interview the Godmother of the river ship TUI Maya, Catherine Hawkins. She told me … Read more
If you are considering a TUI river cruise, you may be wondering what is included. I did, and have recently returned from a river cruise on the TUI Skyla. In this post, I will tell you what is included, and mention other costs that you may incur along the way. I have sailed with … Read more
I took a European river cruise on a cruise line that cost around 1/3rd of most other river cruise lines. It was a very eventful cruise in lots of ways and a few very odd things did happen. Normally, if you want to take a European river cruise, you’re looking at £300, £400 per night. … Read more
If you are considering a river cruise with TUI onboard the TUI Maya, TUI Skyla, or TUI Isla, you may be wondering which cabin to pick. There is a range of cabins available, from those below the waterline to much larger cabins on higher decks. I recently took a cruise onboard the TUI Skyla and spent … Read more
If you are taking a river cruise with TUI, you may be wondering how much the drinks cost onboard. I’ve taken two river cruises onboard the TUI Skyla, and below are menus from both the main lounge and the club lounge when I was onboard. All drinks prices are inclusive of VAT and service charges. … Read more
I love cruising and I love Christmas but when I booked an MSC cruise that included Christmas day onboard I didn’t know what to expect. Christmas is a big deal and the decision to spend it on a cruise was definitely a risk of sorts – you can’t re-do Christmas if it goes wrong. My … Read more
If you are considering your first river cruise, you might be wondering what you actually get for your money. I’ve been on quite a few river cruises and I am always incredibly impressed with the value for money that they offer. During this article, we will look into everything that a river cruise fare includes. … Read more
If you are considering taking a river cruise you may be wondering if you’ll find the onboard experience boring. I’ve taken quite a few river cruises, ranging from luxury to budget, and I haven’t found any of them boring! In this post we will look at life onboard a river cruise – so that you … Read more
I was invited by Saga to join them on a Danube river cruise. We cruised from Budapest to Bucharest onboard the Filia Rheni and had an amazing time. Despite doing my research before the cruise I found very little information regarding dress codes. In this post, I will share some examples of what I wore … Read more
Are you Wondering if a Saga River Cruise is right for you? I took one and had an amazing time exploring the Danube. I’d definitely recommend a cruise with Saga – but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. The following seven points will help you to make an informed decision about whether a Saga River … Read more
If you are considering a river cruise with Saga you may be wondering what it is like onboard day by day. I took a saga river cruise onboard the Filia Rheni, we cruised from Budapest to Bucharest along the Danube River and had the most amazing time. This post will take you through from embarkation … Read more