Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Exploring Cultures through Rivers

But, is a River Cruise vacation for you ? 

Bet, you had never thought of getting to know a country or culture through its Rivers & discovering quaint hidden ‘off the track’ gems. Have you been curious about River Cruise holidays & wondered if they would be the kind of holiday that would appeal to you, the budget conscious, adventurous & independent traveller?

Most cosmopolitan cities developed along the rivers, the world’s first trade routes. From iconic “must-sees” like Paris, Amsterdam & Budapest to quaint villages & towns waiting to be discovered, a river provides you easy access to savor the delights of both. Cities like Berlin, Lisbon, Prague, Vienna, Moscow, Cairo & Beijing are just a few that are accessible on a river cruise and offer opportunities to step ashore in fairy-tale towns & major European capitals & lately emerging destinations in Asia & Africa & Americas, that can’t be reached on a traditional cruise ship.  

River cruising is a relaxing, immersive & thoroughly enjoyable form of travel where you can enjoy ever-changing scenery along the banks of European waterways such as the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, Volga and now increasingly also in Asia & Africa & Americas. Exciting adventures aboard small boats on some of the world’s most amazing rivers & canals. Most river cruisers take these trips to immerse themselves in contemporary cultures in a way they can when traveling between a different port every day and to learn something about the history of the towns along the Continents greatest rivers.

Haven't you always dreamt of enjoying memorable experiences as you journey to exotic locales?  But, without breaking the Bank !

Obviously, your first response would be YES. So, why do we think so? Here is the company line: We think a River Cruise is today’s best international vacation value and provides both couples & "single travelers” with the most rewarding, most luxurious, hassle-free & relaxing way to experience many of the most beautiful & storied regions of the world. And, did we mention that it is almost impossible to get sea sick on a river cruise - yes, just about impossible!

We have all stayed in a wonderful hotel: a hotel with outstanding service, a fantastic restaurant, a spacious bedroom & of course, a well-stocked bar! Now imagine that hotel follows you as you travel with the additional benefit of ever changing views & the opportunity to relax as you take in the breath-taking scenery, without the hassle of unpacking & repacking every day.

The Convenience | The Sights | The Onboard Comfort | Making Lifelong Friends

River cruising was an entirely new concept to Europe when it was introduced in the mid-1970s: a floating hotel that journeys between destinations. In its simplest form, a river cruiser is nothing more than a barge with a hotel on top. For many travelers, the slow chug along the river is just the right pace for getting the lay of the land. Sitting on the top deck of a ship under brilliant blue skies, you gaze on fabled landscapes dotted with castles, villages & vineyards. A flight of stairs down you have all the amenities of a modern hotel - restaurants, bars, lounges, fitness facilities, spas, Internet access & comfortable staterooms.

Maybe you, too, have been on one of the newer generation of mega-cruise ships, you know the ones we mean, those that you share with 3500-5000 of your “best friends,” the crew never knows your name, you wait in line for almost everything, and it can take up to two hours to disembark the ship, only to wait in yet another line to get on a shore excursion bus so you can "enjoy" an over-priced tour - who enjoys that, no matter how “cool” the ship is.

River cruises are great for everyone, especially those desiring a more relaxed & intimate form of travel. While the River cruises can be enjoyed by people of all ages, they generally appeal to people more advanced in age - baby boomers, in particular. Many river cruise lines allow children aboard their ships, although they may have age restrictions in place and usually there isn't much for kids to do. It caters to people of a wide range of nationalities, but more often than not, guests come from English-speaking countries and guests have ample opportunities to meet like-minded people over dinner, at the bar or when exploring your new surroundings.

Individuals who have never stepped foot on a ship before will enjoy the relative ease of a river-bound trip with little chance of seasickness. Furthermore, with a focus on cultural exploration of locations, river cruises are perfect for those with a curiosity about art and history, or a general interest in travel. Every river is unique and each tells a different story - not only of the countries through which it flows, but also of its locks, canals, scenery & bridges.

River cruises embody the luxury of being looked after every step of the way, whilst you admire mighty landscapes that have inspired generations of great artists, stroll a cobbled maze of medieval villages & unwind at leisure upon the onboard terrace - all at an exceptional price. Waterways, particularly in Europe, will offer you a unique perspective of the continent’s most spectacular villages, natural sceneries & historical treasures.

River cruise boats are brimming with onboard amenities. Today’s modern river cruise boats / ships, operated by distinguished companies, have all the creature comforts. Staterooms, ranging from 150 to 600 square feet, are most often river-facing & come equipped with hotel-style beds, private bathrooms, individual climate control, refrigerators, safes & TVs as well as free Wi-Fi. Higher stateroom categories may have French balconies, verandas, and separate sleeping & sitting quarters. All with a great river view (no inside cabins on river ships, most with a balcony). Cabin entertainment includes first run movies, U.S. TV shows. Ships include restaurants, lounges & bars & some even come equipped with libraries, boutiques, pools & / or sun decks.

Most River cruises are offered on an all-inclusive board basis. Guests are given a choice of dining options, including where & what to eat. Breakfasts can either be enjoyed al fresco or at the morning buffet, while lunches & dinners can be eaten while viewing passing sights or with friends in a common eating area. Cruises offer regional cuisine & use locally sourced ingredients to help with their authenticity. Open seating is offered, allowing guests to meet new people or enjoy the presence of the same people each day. Gourmet food is accompanied by a selection of complimentary fine regional wine & beer pairings, selected from local tastes to help enable the guests get a closer understanding of a region's culture. You will be pleasantly surprised by the high standard of the meals however, you also have the flexibility to venture within picture-postcard villages or bustling cities to sample local flavours, if you so wish.

Evening, onboard entertainment is also on offer to suit all tastes, ensuring that there is always something to do. Your value-packed price also includes a wonderful array of guided, English only sightseeing tours, & even includes free bicycles for your enjoyment.

River cruisers spend more time in the cities, towns & ports along the way. Included shore excursions consist of guided tours that help guests become well-acquainted with the culture, art & history of their destinations. In addition to guided tours, guests can roam freely around local stops or arrange optional shore excursions. There is always ample opportunity to find something to do in every port, whether it is visiting an ancient castle, attending a classical concert or enjoying a famous museum.

Do you still need a bit more convincing? Just think about this… unpack & pack only once, do as much as you want or very little as you control the pace, exercise off the calories in the gym or relax in a sauna or on some ships, swim in the pool. You will also spend much more time seeing the places you visit because River cruise ships usually dock right in the center of town (with overnight stops), where you are only footsteps away from the local residents, the best sights & if you choose a great walking street for you to sit & enjoy a pastry & espresso as the world passes before you. Oh yes, River cruise ships stay later in port & in many cases that allows you to go ashore after dinner to get a different view of the city at night.

With a new stop almost daily, river cruises are perfect for the adventurous traveller looking to take-in the many highlights of a region.

So why not do what so many experienced travelers are doing? Choose a destination from your personal “bucket list”, book a very affordable river cruise vacation & leave the driving to the ship’s captain. Meander along stunning rivers whose banks and hillsides are lined with medieval castles & vineyards in Europe, visit ancient and mystical places along the Nile River in Egypt, explore the alluring floating markets of the Mekong River as it winds through fascinating Indochina, or explore China’s incomparable Yangtze. Today’s luxurious river cruise ships allow you to experience any of these extraordinary places you have yearned to explore - in an up close and personal manner.

Enjoy travel, enjoy learning as much as we can about a region, its people & their culture rather than struggle through a, “if it’s Tuesday it must be Belgium”-type of vacation. Sure, you still want to experience it all, but would prefer to do it with people “like me” who share similar interests, are fun, enjoy exploring & learning & want a bit of pampering along the way… you know, by day you want to interact with the people & places you visit & by night you want a fine Cabernet, a poached fresh salmon with asparagus et all.

River cruises range from 8 to 23 days, with itineraries featuring Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhone, Douro, Moselle, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers; Russia’s Volga, Neva & Svir; Ukraine’s Dnieper; Egypt’s Nile; China’s Yangtze & Southeast Asia’s Mekong & Ganges.

The bottom line ? A River Cruise will be your BEST vacation ever & let us have the opportunity to arrange all the details of your next one. You will not only have the benefit of our seasoned team but also the support that ensures quality control at all times prior to, during & even after your river cruise vacation. No matter what you might desire, our goal is to provide you & your family with the perfect, most memorable river cruise vacation at a great price.

Please note currently all our Journeys are listed under the “Culture” theme before being transitioned gradually under the respective Headings. 

Check-out our suggestions (work in progress) & if you have a specific destination in mind, even if it is not yet featured on our site, we can always design & customise a Journey, especially for you. Almost all of our Journeys are available on demand, allowing you to specify a departure date & group size. Private departures are ideal for family, friends & social groups.

We are in the process of updating our experiential offerings of River Cruises. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore more options & we will be happy to customise & offer suggestions based on your personal preferences……

Come……be inspired & discover the World