Cruise at leisure along waterways used since ancient times. Cruise the Yangtze or Mekong river, and see China and the Far East up close.
Europe River Cruise Deals and Discounts
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Our service is FREE. We do not charge any booking fees, service fees, or other fees. Many other online agencies will charge up to $40 each time. Our service is FREE.
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The 21st Century River Cruise - A Luxury Experience
European river cruising takes place in what is, at maximum, a 38-by-410-foot vessel, dimensions dictated by the locks and bridges the vessels must past through and under along Europe's rivers.
But even within that box, the 21st century river cruise experience has evolved.
"If you compare the amenities of the Avalon Artistry [built in 2004] at introduction with the Creativity at her christening in August 2010," said Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon Waterways, "we have added an elevator, rear club lounge, whirlpool on the sundeck, sundeck grill and outside forward viewing area; increased the percentage of floor-to-ceiling windows/French balcony staterooms; enlarged the shower; added flat-screen TVs, additional dining options - the late-riser breakfast, afternoon cake and coffee and an alternative lunch option - and added beer or soft drinks as a choice with wine at dinner."
"With the added competition and rapid growth, the river cruise sector has undergone changes, to the ultimate benefit of the customer," said Guy Young, president of Uniworld. "What we have seen is a very marked evolution in the service standards onboard the ships. Basic service no longer satisfies the needs of travelers attracted to river cruising."
Consequently, Young said, the number of onboard staff has increased, and the quality of the staff has improved.
As for the ships themselves, "20 years ago, you did not have a river cruise ship with spacious staterooms, hotel-style beds, comfortable mattresses, luxurious linens and other fine amenities," Young said. "You also didn't have all-inclusive wine with dinner, an all-English speaking staff, Internet, TV."
To keep up with the evolving demands of the marketplace, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, for one, adopted an aggressive refurbishment schedule.
"All of our ships have been completely refurbished since 2005, and we have a strict capital improvement plan whereby all of our ships undergo a refurbishment every four years," Young said. "Our two oldest ships are the River Ambassador and the River Baroness, and these are also two of our most successful ships in terms of load factors."
