At Cruise Critic we’re going to be on the rivers all summer long, filing reports from the newly ener

River cruising, particularly along Europe's Rhine, Rhone, Danube, Elbe and Seine, is undergoing a huge transformation. The old-style river boats were essentially styled as a motorcoach-on-water experience (a few more frills and a bit more space than you'd get traveling from city to city on a bus but still, pretty basic). The new ones? It's a whole new world on Europe's rivers, with actual balconies, alternative restaurants, and nightclubs, not to mention shore excursions that promise adventure and recreation.
Bottom line: If you like big ship (or even small ship luxury) cruising, you'll find that many – though not all, you'll need to do your homework – river lines are creating new interiors, particularly, that rival the coastal vessels.
What s missing from this shot of a cabin on Viking Neptune, built a decade ago? For a start: flat screen televisions, windows that open (or balconies), updated green day tour dates bedding, like duvets instead of quilted bedcovers....
At Cruise Critic we're going to be on the rivers all summer long, filing reports from the newly energized scene to you via blogs, features and reviews. We're covering all the major operators, such as Uniworld, Avalon, Viking, River Cloud II and AMA/APT. Are there any other lines cruising Europe s rivers that you want to hear about?
I forgot to mention we re targeting the barge cruise experience as well. Just completed a quick trip on Scotland s Caledonian Canal on European Waterways Scottish Highlander (story to come). And we already have some in-depth pieces on cruising the canals of France via French Country Waterways, so check those out, too.
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