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Their fans paint river cruising as an idyllic, perfectly paced and immersive way to travel, but few talk about what you lose by choosing one. Having done 12 European river cruises and over 100 ocean ones, I've found the differences are bigger than most people think or expect. Some things river cruises absolutely do way better than ocean ships. But some things? They don’t. here's what river cruises and ocean cruises each do better than the other, and why.
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0:00
Their fans paint river cruising as an
0:01
idyllic, perfectly paced, immersive way
0:04
to travel. But few talk about what you
0:06
lose by choosing one. Having done 12
0:09
European river cruises and over 100
0:10
ocean ones, I found the differences are
0:12
bigger than most people think or expect.
0:15
Some things river cruisers absolutely do
0:17
way better than ocean ships, but some
0:19
things they don't. Welcome aboard. I'm
0:21
Gary Benbridge, and here's what river
0:23
cruisers and ocean cruisers each do
0:26
better than the other, and why. The
0:28
first thing that river cruisers do
0:29
better is they offer a smaller and more
0:31
intimate cruising experience. Ocean
0:33
ships often carry thousands of people.
0:36
While some do carry as few as 600
0:37
passengers, they're getting bigger and
0:39
bigger with up to 7,000 passengers on
0:42
some. European river cruise ships range
0:44
from 100 to 200 passengers. My most
0:47
recent Ryan cruise on Avalon Envision,
0:50
for example, held just 166 passengers.
0:52
This scale means a very different
0:54
experience on board. It's more intimate
0:56
and easier to connect with other
0:58
passengers. This has really big
1:01
implications. For example, river
1:03
cruisers have extremely smooth and
1:05
hassle-free embarcation. There's no big
1:08
terminals, lines, and security to get
1:10
through. Literally, you just walk on
1:12
board, check in with no waiting, and
1:14
you're completely and utterly done. It's
1:17
also very flexible. On that recent
1:19
cruise, I could arrive at any time
1:21
during the day as long as I'd checked in
1:23
in time for the safety briefing captain
1:25
welcome and the cruise overview by the
1:27
cruise director. This is so different to
1:29
ocean cruising where embarcation can be
1:31
busy, chaotic, and can be rather slow.
1:34
Dismbbarcation is also really relaxed.
1:37
On that recent cruise, I could stay in
1:39
my cabin up until at least 9:00 in the
1:41
morning, and then I could stay on the
1:42
ship until late afternoon when the next
1:45
cruise briefing took place. During the
1:47
cruise, it was more intimate, laid-back,
1:50
and very social. Few passengers mean no
1:53
crowded venues or lines for anything,
1:56
and you quickly get to know pretty much
1:57
everybody through the excursions,
1:59
dining, where you're sharing tables, up
2:01
the top deck during scenic sailings, at
2:03
the nightly happy hour and next day
2:05
briefings. You really do get to know
2:07
everybody. Also, the smaller passenger
2:09
numbers means the staff get to know you.
2:12
They remember your name. They know your
2:14
likes and your preferences. Even the
2:16
cruise director is readily available,
2:19
easy to access. They can answer
2:21
questions, give tips, and help sort out
2:23
any issues. I find there's more of a
2:25
sense of community, too, that builds on
2:27
a river cruise. Another thing that river
2:29
cruising does better is it has more
2:31
inclusions and less push to spend more
2:35
on board. I'll reveal later what river
2:37
cruises actually cost, but river cruises
2:40
generally include many things within the
2:42
fairs that most ocean cruisers don't.
2:46
using that recent Avalon Ryan cruise as
2:48
an example because it's very typical as
2:50
well as the cabin and of course all the
2:52
meals. It included wine and beer and
2:54
soft drinks with lunch and dinner,
2:55
drinks at the nightly happy hour,
2:57
24-hour specialty teas and coffees,
2:59
choice of up to two to three excursions
3:01
in all ports, stling Wi-Fi for as many
3:04
devices as I wanted, and the use of
3:06
ebikes and regular bikes in the ports.
3:08
The only extras were gratuitities,
3:10
transfers to and from the airport. Some
3:12
added charge speciality excursions like
3:14
say vineyard and wine tasting ones, the
3:16
mini bar and drinks at all times that
3:19
weren't included in those times I
3:20
mentioned were extra charge. And of
3:22
course any purchases you made at the
3:24
pop-up merchandise shop. I come away
3:26
from this cruise with an onboard bill of
3:29
zero. It's important to note that
3:31
inclusions and exclusions differ
3:33
slightly by cruise line, but it's a much
3:35
more inclusive experience on rivers than
3:37
most categories of ocean cruises. Also,
3:40
there's no upsell. No photographers, art
3:43
auctions, casinos, bingo, spa, or other
3:46
events which are designed to get us to
3:48
part with our money on board. There
3:49
wasn't even a future cruise sales desk.
3:52
The third area that fans of river
3:54
cruising stress is that unlike most
3:56
ocean cruisers, the ship stock in the
3:58
heart of cities and towns, and the
4:00
overall focus is more on where you're
4:02
going to than what is available to do
4:04
and happens on board. In most stops on a
4:07
river cruise in Europe, unlike with
4:09
ocean ships, river ships do not dock on
4:12
the outskirts in a working industrial
4:14
container port far from the center,
4:16
meaning long walks or shuttle buses
4:18
required. Usually you can step right off
4:21
the rivership in or close to the center
4:23
of town or the city that you're calling
4:25
on. For example, on that Ryan Avalon
4:28
cruise, we were in the heart of
4:30
Amsterdam, Cologne, Rudishime, and
4:33
Mains. On Daniel cruises, I've docked
4:35
right in Vienna, Budapest, and Passau.
4:38
On other river trips, I've docked even
4:40
in the heart of Venice and right in the
4:42
heart of Paris by the Eiffel Tower. So
4:44
in the day and when staying light into
4:46
the evening or overnight I could
4:47
literally walk out and enjoy the towns
4:49
and sites like we had and I was able to
4:51
do in Amsterdam, Cologne and Rushine.
4:54
But another plus is as well as talking
4:56
in the heart of the action is river
4:57
cruises have constant scenery and a real
5:00
feeling of being connected to the
5:02
region. On a river cruise, the banks are
5:05
always close by. So I always feel that
5:08
I'm connected and experiencing the area.
5:10
Even when I'm passing through more
5:12
industrial areas, past campsites, people
5:14
fishing or swimming bar when bar ships
5:17
are passing by carrying raw materials
5:19
and containers. I feel connected to what
5:21
the region is all about. Of course, when
5:23
river cruising, the scenery will often
5:25
be way more picturesque. Vineyards,
5:28
castles, villages, and towns. Like when
5:30
you're sailing on the Ryan through the
5:31
Ryan Gorge, you've got around 40
5:33
castles. And on the Danube when you're
5:35
passing through the Wash Valley with
5:37
castles, Mel Cathedral and quaint towns
5:41
on an ocean cruise when sailing and on
5:43
sea days there's only kind of the
5:45
endless ocean and nothing kind of going
5:47
on or sites to see. River cruising also
5:50
has a different focus to ocean cruisers
5:53
as they do a deeper dive into a region
5:55
and of course head way further inland
5:58
than ocean cruisers do and can. For
6:00
example, on this Ryan River cruise, we
6:02
traveled 500 m from Amsterdam near the
6:05
coast all the way inland to Basil,
6:08
Switzerland. The itinerary is also more
6:09
in-depth and intense as the distance
6:11
covered is much less than on an ocean
6:14
cruise with more frequent stops. On that
6:17
Ryan cruise, we traveled an average of
6:19
only 70 m a day, rambling slowly through
6:22
the area, stopping at various places
6:24
along the way to visit and explore. This
6:27
is then supplemented by much more
6:28
cultural immersion than you get on an
6:31
ocean cruise. The excursions tend to be
6:33
walking tours where you explore the
6:35
cities, the history, the culture.
6:37
Onboard entertainment is often local
6:39
performers showcasing regional dance and
6:42
music. Local experts coming on to talk
6:44
about the history or traditions. Also,
6:47
every day at the daily briefing, the
6:49
cruise director will normally talk about
6:51
the river, the places and so on. I find
6:54
river cruises a more immersive
6:56
experience and I always feel more
6:59
connected to the region than I do when
7:01
I'm going on an ocean cruise. Linked to
7:03
that is another plus of river cruising
7:06
which is most have regional and local
7:08
destination focused dining and drink.
7:11
The menus generally include and reflect
7:14
the local cuisine and dishes where
7:16
you're cruising through. So on a Danube
7:19
cruise for example, you're passing
7:21
through multiple countries, Germany,
7:23
Austria, Hungary, and the cuisine will
7:25
often change to showcase the dishes,
7:28
desserts, the pastries, the cheeses, the
7:30
wines, and the beers specific to each of
7:32
those. Another massive plus of river
7:34
cruising for anyone susceptible or
7:37
concerned about motion seasickness, it
7:39
is pretty much impossible to get it on a
7:42
river cruise. The rivers flow steadily
7:44
and calm and the ship just glides gently
7:47
through the water. So, that all sounds
7:49
fantastic, but what do river cruisers
7:51
not do better than ocean cruising? And
7:53
where does ocean cruising have the upper
7:56
hand? The biggest by far is the sheer
7:58
amount of choice, variety, and ability
8:01
to be flexible. Ocean cruising offers a
8:04
multitude of diverse destinations and
8:07
permutations all around the world. From
8:10
sunny tropical islands right through to
8:12
seeing exotic wildlife in the remote
8:14
polar regions, often covering vast
8:17
distances and packing many countries
8:19
into one cruise. River cruises are more
8:22
limited with most in Europe on a handful
8:24
of rivers, others in the Mikong, in
8:27
rivers in China, in India, the Nile, and
8:30
some parts of South America and the USA.
8:32
it is much more limited. But also, ocean
8:35
ships, even the relatively small ocean
8:37
ships, offer a lot of choice. They all
8:40
have several bar and lounge venues. They
8:42
have entertainment options like a
8:43
theater with production shows and guest
8:45
entertainers, live music venues, casino,
8:50
kids clubs, a medical center, shops, and
8:53
some even have a library. There'll be a
8:55
spa, a fitness center, swimming pools.
8:58
Large mega ships even have ice skating
9:00
rinks, rock climbing walls, water parks,
9:03
and flow riders. And they also offer
9:06
multiple dining options, which usually
9:09
includes a main dining room, buffet
9:12
restaurant, casual dining spots offering
9:14
burgers and pizzas, several specialtity
9:17
restaurants, and also room service
9:19
options. River cruise ships are way more
9:21
limited. My recent ship just had a main
9:23
lounge with bar, second lounge at the
9:25
rear of the ship, one dining room, a
9:28
small fitness center, and a deck on top
9:29
of the ship with a small hot tub.
9:32
Another area where ocean ships have more
9:33
choice are cabins. On ocean ships, you
9:36
have choices for a wide range of
9:37
budgets, including inside cabins, ocean
9:40
view, balcony, suites, and many have
9:42
accessible cabins, solo, and family
9:45
cabins, too. However, river ships have
9:48
limited choice. At most, three types of
9:50
cabins. cabins 3/4 below the waterline,
9:53
cabins with picture windows like I had
9:54
or a balcony, and some have one or two
9:57
suites. Many have no accessible cabins
9:59
and hardly any solo cabins. Cabin sizes
10:02
also tend to be smaller. In terms of the
10:04
daily program, there's much more on
10:06
offer on an ocean cruise. For example,
10:07
on Sky Princess I did before this recent
10:09
river cruise, there are almost 70
10:11
activities on the daily program. It's
10:15
way more flexible with many options
10:17
available throughout the day and late
10:18
into the night. This is not the case on
10:21
river cruisers which have limited
10:22
onboard activities and almost no evening
10:25
entertainment. Perhaps a pianist, some
10:27
local musicians and singers, perhaps
10:29
some games. This all means that ocean
10:31
cruisers offer a more flexible approach
10:34
and definitely cater for many different
10:37
travel types compared to river cruisers.
10:40
River cruising tends to attract and
10:41
cater more for older couples, although
10:43
they are trying to attract younger and
10:44
multigenerational travelers with more
10:46
active excursions and flexible dining.
10:49
However, ocean cruisers beat it in so
10:51
many ways, not only age related. First
10:54
of all, travelers with mobility issues,
10:56
river cruising can be a challenge due to
10:58
lack of accessible cabins and elevators,
11:00
deep gang ways, mostly walking tours in
11:02
cobblestone towns. Whereas ocean cruise
11:05
ships have specific cabins, they have
11:07
access features and often tours for
11:10
people with mobility issues. For solo
11:12
travelers, many ocean cruise ships these
11:14
days have cabins for them and they have
11:16
arrange meetups. Few river ships have
11:18
solo cabins. Also, if traveling as a
11:21
family, Ocean Beats River with family
11:23
cabins or the ability to have three or
11:25
four in a cabin. They have kids and
11:27
teens clubs and programs. Many have
11:29
features like water parks, games,
11:31
arcades, and so on. Some river cruise
11:33
lines are introducing family programs in
11:35
peak school vacation time, but it comes
11:37
nowhere close. Another advantage ocean
11:40
cruisers have over river cruisers is it
11:42
doesn't have any of the quirks and
11:44
niggles that is a feature of river
11:46
cruising. Unlike river cruisers, ocean
11:49
ships do not dock a few feet away from
11:51
each other, sometimes three side by
11:53
side. On river cruisers, when docked,
11:55
often when you open new curtains, you'll
11:57
be staring into another cabin about an
11:59
arms length away, making your cabin very
12:01
dark and definitely less private. When
12:04
this happens, you will also have to
12:06
perhaps climb up and over the ship next
12:09
door and down to get onto the shore. Or
12:11
in some cases, you have to walk through
12:12
another ship to get to and from the
12:15
shore and your ship. Also, with very few
12:18
exceptions like the Panama Canal Cruise,
12:20
almost no ocean cruises go through
12:22
locks, while river ones pass through
12:24
many, 12 on my recent Ryan River cruise.
12:27
You also don't have sea days on a river
12:29
cruise, but you do have those on many
12:31
ocean cruises. And for many people, they
12:33
love sea days as a time to enjoy the
12:35
ship, to relax and unwind. Also, ocean
12:39
cruising doesn't have to the same degree
12:42
weather itinerary disruptions. Of
12:44
course, ocean cruises can be subject to
12:47
weather like say wind or swell means
12:50
missing a port, but it is pretty
12:52
unusual. But stretches of river cruising
12:55
seasons can be impacted for long periods
12:57
by water levels being too high or too
13:00
low for ships to sail on parts of the
13:02
river. And I've actually been on several
13:04
river cruises affected by this. In the
13:07
past, some cruisers, for example, have
13:09
seen my imbulcation and disembarkation
13:11
port change. The ship had to stay in one
13:13
spot and we were bus to and from the
13:15
various planned excursions further down
13:17
the river. and some friends of mine have
13:19
even changed ships partway through to
13:22
join a ship further down the river to
13:24
get past kind of the no sail areas. One
13:27
of the biggest things that ocean
13:29
cruisers have over river cruisers though
13:31
is the cost. River cruisers are
13:33
significantly more expensive per day
13:36
than most ocean cruises, even when you
13:38
consider they have more inclusions.
13:41
For most people, the cost of a river
13:44
cruise per day is significantly more
13:46
than any ocean cruise they would
13:47
consider or go on. Unless you're the
13:49
traveler that goes on luxury or ultra
13:52
luxury lines like Oceanania, Viking,
13:54
Explore Journeys, Silver Sea Region, and
13:56
Seaborn, and so on, you're definitely
13:58
going to be spending way, way more than
14:00
you would on your ocean cruise. Let me
14:02
give you an example. Avalon is kind of a
14:04
four-star mid-tier cruise line. So, you
14:06
have five-star luxury river lines above
14:08
it like Uni World, Scenic, and
14:10
Riverside. And you have the more value
14:12
three star lines across Europe and two
14:14
below that. And even the entry- level
14:16
cabins on Avalon that are three/4ers
14:18
below the water line cost around $1,000
14:21
for a cabin for two people per night. It
14:23
cost $1,800 for those with big picture
14:26
windows per night. If river cruising
14:28
does appeal to you and you want to do
14:30
it, join me over in this video where I
14:31
reveal things people keep getting wrong
14:33
when they plan, book, and go on a river
14:35
cruise. See you there.
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