I have to confess that I love to cruise on the big ships, and until a few years ago, I had never been on a river cruise. Consequently, I decided to do a little survey of my clients and found many had also put river cruising in the back of their minds for a later date. We thought we were not ready for the quiet “cruising down the river” on “any” afternoon. But, we decided to change all that and put river cruising at the top of the list. Our first river cruise was the Danube and it was a beautiful experience so it was only natural to next book a river cruise on the Rhine.

The Rhine is without a doubt a very busy international waterway. You will notice immediately the different flags flown by cargo and passenger ships. You will also be mesmerized by the quaint towns and the number of castles you will pass as you sip a glass of wine produced in some of the most famous wine-producing areas in the world.

The Rhine is 820 miles long and runs through six countries. It is connected to the Danube by a canal, which in turn flows through another eight countries and into the Black Sea. Ok, so much for a few facts that you can easily find on the internet. Here are only facts you really need to make a decision.

Fact: River cruising is not just for the retired generation. River cruising has followed cruising in general and is not the passive cruising down the river told to you by your grandparents. River cruising offers more active excursions, healthy meal choices, and a perspective of the countries that you cannot get any other way.

Fact: You will get plenty of exercises, as most tours are designed with a lot of walking and you have the option of selecting a very active tour which may include biking or you can rent a bike and do your own thing.

Fact: You will immerse yourself into the history and the culture from the moment you open your eyes in the morning until you go to bed. It is impossible not to get caught up in one of Europe’s most important and historic waterways…the Rhine River.

My suggestion for your first river cruise…take your friends or family with you. River cruising, unlike the big ships, allows you quality time with the people you care about the most. And, you will have lots of stories and laughs to relive years later.