After 20 Ocean Cruises, I Took My First River Cruise—Here Are 6 Ways It Was Better
Updated: May 01, 2024
Sailing on a river cruise through the Seine was like stepping back in time, to when cruising was more about the journey than the ship's outrageous amenities
In 1995, when I was a freshman in college, my parents first introduced me to cruising. I absolutely loved waking up each morning on a new Caribbean island, and I thoroughly enjoyed the nonstop array of activities to keep me busy on our floating hotel. In my 30s, once I had a little disposable income, I was reintroduced to the world of cruise ships, and I fell in love with them all over again. Today, in my mid-40s, I write about cruising for a living and still completely adore it—in fact, I recently completed my 20th ocean cruise.
But this year, I wanted to branch out. I had my sights set on scenic river cruising. It seemed so exclusive, so refined, so intimate, and everyone raves about their experiences. I had to know what I was missing. So my fiancé and I booked a sailing for March 2024 called “Paris and the Heart of Normandy” on the Viking Radgrid, a round-trip river cruise from Paris that follows the iconic Seine river through Normandy villages, with stops that included Giverny (and the charming house and gardens where Claude Monet lived) and the legendary D-Day beaches along the Normandy coast.
The impetus for this particular itinerary? This year marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings during World War II, and I have a personal connection to it—my maternal grandfather was a Purple Heart–awarded army medic in the 101st Airborne, who was wounded while attending to injured soldiers during the Normandy invasion.
As an avid ocean cruiser, I was excited about the opportunity to see this historic area through a river cruise. And despite my research ahead of time, I was still a bit surprised by some of the key differences between cruising the high seas vs. the river Seine. Most of them were actually preferable to ocean cruising—but one wasn’t. Ahead, I’ve included everything you need to know about river cruises and the biggest differences you’ll find compared to ocean liners.
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About the expert
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What’s the difference between a river cruise and an ocean cruise?
Unlike ocean cruise ships, which travel the open seas, river cruises travel along inland waters. River cruises are typically much smaller, as the vessels need to navigate smaller waterways and ports, which means fewer cabins and passengers as well. Ocean cruises often carry thousands of passengers (compared to hundreds of passengers on river cruises), and because there can be days at sea, the amenities (gyms, water parks, casinos, dozens of restaurants, live entertainment, kids clubs, etc.) tend to be extravagant. The river cruise is often a means of travel, while the destinations are the stars of the show.
The pros of a river cruise
There are quite a few pros in my book! These are the ways I believe river cruises stand out, compared to ocean liners.
All-inclusive experiences
One of my biggest gripes about cruising is that I often feel nickled and dimed to death. Even with the best all-inclusive ocean cruises, the final bill at the end of the sailing is always higher than you think it’s going to be—the drinks, specialty restaurants, excursions and Wi-Fi access can really add up. With Viking, almost everything was included in my upfront river-cruise fee—it was actually all-inclusive.
Every guest receives free Wi-Fi, which was a huge relief, since I was also working while I cruised. The connection was limited to two devices at any given time, but we didn’t find this to be an issue. However, the Wi-Fi connection was a bit spotty at times, especially when we went through the locks.
Beer, wine and soft drinks were included during lunch and dinner. Liquor and higher-end wines cost extra, but there was a package you could purchase to help defray costs (called the Silver Spirits Beverage Package, which was $350 per cabin for a seven-day sailing trip). Other items included specialty coffees (the hot chocolate was to die for), teas and bottled water; port taxes and fees; and ground transfers with a Viking Air purchase. And all of these upfront savings really made a difference on the back-end of my trip. Honestly, while Viking will never be considered one of the cheapest cruise lines, once you factor in the extras they include on the front end (ones you’d have to buy separately with other cruise lines), your total vacation costs may be more similar than you’d think.
Included excursions
Each sailing included one complimentary shore excursion in every port of call, and they were fabulous. Viking really goes out of its way to find the best local guides and takes you to both off-the-beaten-path sights and well-known landmarks. For instance, included in the package was a fantastic walking tour of Rouen and its impressive Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, a walking tour of Chateau Gaillard in Les Andelys and a tour of Napoleon’s Chateau de Malmaison just west of Paris. The all-inclusive cruise also included a full-day tour of the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy (including Omaha Beach, a four-mile stretch where two-thirds of the seaborne troops from the U.S. landed on D-Day), as well as visits to both the Caen Memorial Museum and Normandy American Cemetery, where Viking held a touching memorial service for all passengers.
I ended up paying extra for two non-included tours I couldn’t pass up (the Palace of Versailles and the Louvre Museum) and felt those prices were aligned with any other cruise line.
Ideal docking
The Viking longships were purpose-built to navigate the Seine river, which means they can dock at exclusive locations that are super convenient to the sights you want to see. For instance, this cruise began in Paris, and we were docked a mere 20-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. In fact, that’s the first thing I did after boarding the Radgrid, which allowed me to check off my biggest bucket-list item immediately!
Compared to docking at massive ports in the Caribbean, docking along the Seine was intimate—in towns along the way, we did so right in front of impressive castles, chateaus and cathedrals. Sometimes, we’d just hop off the boat and walk into town on our own, thankful that we didn’t need to coordinate public transportation or walk for miles. This also came in handy if we wanted to enjoy a meal in town or do some shopping on our own time.
Compare that to many ocean cruises, where you’re often docked an hour or two away from a major city—as is the case with Rome and Bangkok, for example. That makes your already short time in port even tighter and can negatively impact your ability to see and do as much as you’d like.
Fewer passengers (and more intimate settings)
With only 168 guests in total, you will quickly become acquainted with them all—there are very few public spaces to hang out, and you’ll see guests time and again in the restaurant and on your tours. If you consider yourself less social or are a couple looking for romantic cruise dinners, you might find this off-putting, as you’ll rarely have the opportunity to dine alone—in fact, all tables have eight or more seats (and you often find yourself repeating your life story to new passengers at every meal).
But we found it to be rather fun, getting to know a variety of people from around the world, each with interesting travel stories to share. Remembering all their names was the hardest part!
Bustling views
Because you’re on a river, there’s always a great view from the sun deck or your balcony. Most of the cabins have a balcony, except for the 22 standard staterooms, which have a half-height picture window. Compare that to staring off into endless miles of (beautiful) open ocean on an ocean cruise. While I do love the feeling of being “out to sea” and feeling small while bobbing on a seemingly never-ending body of water, there’s a lot more action on a river.
At times, we were passing through large, bustling cities along the Seine, and other times, meandering marsh-like areas. We moved under countless bridges, past woods and fields, and through the Norman countryside. The views kept changing hourly, and I felt like I was part of the scene. Several times, we passed so close to other boats that I could have literally stretched my arm out and touched them.
Smooth sailing
Most people are surprised to learn that I’m prone to seasickness, especially since I choose to take multiple cruises a year. While I clearly never let it deter me, I was incredibly pleased to note that there’s no jarring movement on a riverboat whatsoever. In fact, there were multiple times I didn’t even realize we had left the dock and were moving! It’ll be a huge relief not to have to add my seasickness wristband, Dramamine or prescription patch to my cruise packing list next time.
The con of a river cruise
Compared to an ocean cruise, there were, of course, some things I knew I wouldn’t find on board, including a casino, gym, spa, laundry room, swimming pool, waterslides, theater productions, photographers taking cheesy pictures of me, and children (all passengers must be 18 and over), and that was fine by me. In fact, I greatly appreciated the simplicity of the ship. It isn’t a destination or filled with amusement park–like amenities; it’s a means of transportation, and it serves its purpose well. But there was one thing in particular that I missed: food variety.
Lack of food options
One thing that got bit stale to me halfway through the cruise was not having any choice of restaurants or bars—there is only one of each on board. You’ll eat your breakfast, lunch and dinner in “The Restaurant” and get your drinks in “The Lounge & Bar.” You could choose to sit in the Aquavit Terrace, an indoor-outdoor area at the front of the ship perfect for al fresco dining when the weather cooperates, but our weather was pretty cold and wet during my late-March sailing, so we didn’t get to make much use of it. (I’m guessing this is fantastic in the summer!) And it’s the same menu as the Restaurant, so you’re only getting a different view, not different food.
I’m a total foodie, and I really crave a variety of cuisines and menus. I love the myriad choices you have on ocean ships, from culinary-focused cruises to the over-the-top 40 restaurant and bar venues on a mega ship like my cruise on the Icon of the Seas. Plus, I love hanging out in bars with different vibes depending on my mood.
While Viking did a nice job of providing well-rounded menus, incorporating some local French dishes and delivering tasty food, I yearned for a change of scenery and flavor profile. I look forward to my next Viking cruise, but I’d make more of an effort to eat off the ship whenever possible to help break up the monotony of mealtimes.
It’s all about the journey
I finally understand the magic of river cruising. It’s a wonderfully peaceful way to travel, you learn your way around the small ship in an hour (vs. several days on the big ships), you’re encouraged to interact with other guests, you get access to more intimate experiences and lesser-visited places, and there’s no surprise bill at the end, thanks to the all-inclusive model. I’ll still enjoy ocean cruises regularly, but I also look forward to exploring the Rhine, Danube and maybe even the Yangtze in the future.
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this story on river cruises, Jill Schildhouse tapped her experience as a cruise expert and longtime travel writer and relayed her recent experience on a Viking river cruise. We also rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions, verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Source:
- Viking River Cruises: “Paris and the Heart of Normandy”
Originally Published: April 30, 2024
