European River Cruises For Families (why We Recommend Them)

Sponsored by Avalon Waterways

You might have heard currently of extra households taking European river cruises with their kids, together with us, and on this submit we’re sharing our household perspective on this type of journey.

Information is spreading that it is a enjoyable new method to journey as a household. A means that provides a extra relaxed tempo as ships meander slowly down iconic rivers just like the Danube, the Rhone, and the Rhine, stopping at smaller cities and bigger cities providing a straightforward method to go to a number of nations with out packing and unpacking each couple of days and coping with planes, trains, and cars.

We not too long ago had the chance to expertise a European river cruise with our two daughters, aged 15 and 11, on an Avalon Waterways 8-day Danube River cruise by way of Germany, Austria and Hungary.

Our household completely loved the expertise and walked off the boat saying, “which European river cruise ought to we do subsequent?” We wanted to concentrate on one other dream journey to assist us recover from the after-travel blues that hit us nearly instantly upon disembarking and realizing we have been now as soon as once more answerable for EVERYTHING!

After two weeks of touring by way of France and Italy independently, I used to be grateful for the “sit down and revel in your self Mother, we’ve acquired all the things coated” type of the river cruise. I believe the women loved me additionally not being boss girl and head tour information!

Our cruise expertise was a paid partnership with Avalon Waterways to share why river cruising generally is a nice new means of touring for households with older kids, and beneath are our private insights.

European River Cruises For Households – why take them?

We’ll be sharing a number of posts on our expertise with Avalon, however first we wished to share why we thought it was a terrific expertise for households and some ideas that will help you get probably the most out of it. 

Independence for all

One of many greatest advantages of European river cruising with older children is that they’ll love and recognize the independence it presents. 

Firstly, they’ll get their very own cabin as staterooms are made for 2. The ladies have been throughout the hall from us and beloved shutting their door and having their very own area!

They might come and go as they happy, which they took nice benefit of for midnight raids of the snack bar within the ship’s again lounge.

Savannah even acquired up at 4:45am one morning to observe the Budapest dawn from the highest deck. And our introverted 15-year-old beloved escaping to her room to learn and take heed to music.

Because the ship is way smaller compared to massive ocean cruise ships, we felt comfy with them strolling round on their very own. They couldn’t get misplaced, and we might simply discover them.

In addition they have numerous choices to select from when it comes to excursions off the ship. The ladies loved with the ability to make the choice on what to do. Some days they’d go on an tour with simply one among us, or all of us, and in the event that they have been just a bit older (16+), they might have gone on a metropolis exploration tour with out us!

With this comes independence for folks as properly. Craig and I have been in a position to step off the ship to have a drink one evening once we have been docked in Linz, Austria whereas the women stayed inside their cabin. They have been completely happy and content material to spend time aside from us and we knew they have been protected on the ship!

This isn’t one thing you’d do with youthful children after all, however with teenagers it’s good. And, on our final day in Budapest, Craig and the women did a meals tour, whereas I snuck away on a improbable Budapest wine tour!

Wonderful Historic Studying

This may occasionally not swimsuit all kids, and odds are, any individual younger or previous will get bored with cathedrals, castles, and palaces in Europe. However, as a former instructor, I can guarantee you there is no such thing as a higher method to study than in actual life!

River cruises are extra cultural than ocean cruises and might take you thru a few of Europe’s most notable cities and areas. It’s a great method to train children about European historical past, artwork, tradition, and music.

On our cruise by way of Germany, Austria, and Hungary we discovered loads concerning the Second World Conflict, the Austro-Hungarian empire, the affect of the church on historical past and European tradition, and classical music, artwork, and meals.

I do know this sort of information will solely profit the women’ future as they study in class, but in addition as they discover ways to be world residents.

I additionally loved the extra mature conversations it gave us on the dinner desk, and seeing how these historic insights are shaping my ladies’ views about issues like faith immediately.

I’ve been on a number of ocean cruises, and I can’t say I’ve actually gotten to know any of the locations that we’ve visited. The off-shore excursions are sometimes costly, so that you both don’t’ do them and simply hang around near port fending for your self, or they have been actions like seaside driving, snorkeling or zip lining – all enjoyable, however probably not connecting me to the tradition and historical past of the vacation spot.

A Deal with Journey Actions

On board our Avalon Waterways cruise ship was an journey host who ran morning yoga lessons, video games on board, and journey type actions within the port locations. It wasn’t simply the journey itineraries they plan for you, however onboard leisure too!

I beloved beginning every day with a mild 30-minute yoga class with our journey information, Hristo from Bulgaria. Savannah joined me one morning; I couldn’t drag her away from bed on the opposite mornings regardless of her asking me to – these comfortable beds have been exhausting to get out of.

Or was it the late-night snack bar raids!

As a substitute of taking town excursions which can be typical at every port cease, Avalon presents an journey exercise instead for exploring the vacation spot.

Savannah beloved placing her independence into motion by stating that “I’m not doing town tour immediately, I’m climbing as an alternative.” Being lively is extra her persona.

She beloved climbing to the lookout in Passau with Craig for lovely views over town, and climbing with me by way of the forest to Melk Abbey within the small village of Melk, Austria.

Craig and the women joined the bike tour alongside the Danube in Vienna and had a good time seeing this lovely metropolis from the attitude of the river trails. And I went climbing by myself with Hristo in Budapest, whereas Craig and the women did town tour.

You too can take the on-board bikes out by your self at any port cease.

Now I’m undecided if that is typical of all journey hosts, or it was simply Hristo, however it was like having our personal Flytographer with us. That could be a photographer you pay to fulfill you in a vacation spot to take journey pictures of you!

He took so many nice pictures of us whereas having fun with these journey actions. It was such a considerate factor for him to do and now we’ve got nice reminiscences captured. It’s typically tough to get all of us in a photograph when one among us is answerable for taking them.

Nice elective actions

On our Danube River cruise, there are elective excursions you may select to do at a number of of the port stops. These are for an extra price however an effective way to dive deeper right into a vacation spot in a far more suited to particular person pursuits.

In Vienna, we selected to do the classical music live performance which all of us beloved, particularly Kalyra. She listens to music all day lengthy (massive Swiftie fan), so I believed she’d get pleasure from it, however I used to be additionally involved because it’s classical, she may need discovered it boring.

It was surprisingly humorous and entertaining and ended up being her favourite exercise from the cruise and a improbable means for teenagers to find out about Vienna – town of music – and why composers like Mozart and Strauss have been as soon as the rock stars of their time.

Kalyra had solely heard of Mozart a few days earlier than as we stood exterior his delivery dwelling in Salzburg. That was one other elective day tour Kalyra and I took, the place we additionally visited some Sound of Music filming areas and the attractive Mondsee (Mond Lake).

Craig and Savannah as an alternative took the day journey to the medieval metropolis of Cesky Krumlov within the Czech Republic, which they beloved!

Meals excursions are one thing we love doing as a household (we did one in Paris and two in Italy earlier than this Danube River cruise) and we did two of them on this cruise: Vienna and Budapest.

We love studying about native tradition by way of meals and breaking out of consolation zones to attempt new meals, like horse meat…when in Budapest!

In fact, sweets are often all the time concerned, which children love. It was all the time enjoyable to match meals tasting notes and see what they felt was good and never so good!

For folks, there may be often a wine or native liquor tasting concerned, however children will probably be given soda or juice options as an alternative. Talking of meals, one other BIG constructive of river cruising for households is the…

By no means ending provide of scrumptious meals

One of the crucial difficult, time consuming, and anxiety-inducing features of touring as a household is determining the place to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day!

Savannah is (or was) the fussiest eater on the planet, and I’ve gluten sensitivity points. Looking for a spot that fits all 4 family members, at an inexpensive funds, with good meals is extremely tough.

Generally I simply don’t eat as I can’t be bothered with how a lot analysis and planning it includes!

Considered one of my favourite elements of the river cruise, particularly for households, was absolutely the ease of mealtimes. I might present up for breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and completely happy hours, and belief everybody can be glad with scrumptious high-quality meals – that was not American – however stuffed with native, regional dishes.

I didn’t have to fret that I’d spend cash at a restaurant and waste it on terrible meals and dangerous service.

Each meal on the ship was improbable – in all probability the very best of our complete 4-week journey in Europe. And all lunch and dinner meals have been paired with excellent regional wine in addition to the desserts.

After which an absolute miracle occurred on this household river cruise. I don’t know if it was as a result of dinner felt like a high-quality eating expertise, and Savannah likes to be fancy, however she dumped her regular rooster nuggets and carrot sticks to eat dishes like uncooked tuna, Hungarian stuffed crepe, and broiled half-rock lobster tail.

I couldn’t recover from this modification in her and I hope she continues to eat on this means! And he or she took nice benefit of the 4 programs on providing.

Kalyra, then again, selected to pair it down with only a most important and dessert. With the meals on board the ship, you may have choices for all consuming kinds and tastes.

Don’t fear in case your youngster nonetheless wants plain meals, each evening are the usual grilled rooster and steak choices to cater to plain eaters.

Lunch was sometimes on the ship in between excursions or as we sailed to the following vacation spot, and breakfast was a buffet every morning with loads of choices. You might additionally order dishes like waffles or eggs benedict from a menu, or order breakfast in mattress, which we did on our final sail into Budapest.

Each ladies made far too many secret journeys to the limitless snack bar behind the boat – alternating between their favourite donuts and apple strudel and scorching chocolate.

They’d remind us every day when afternoon tea would begin and cargo their plates up with treats like black forest cake and macarons.

And Kalyra would seem from her guide studying time within the room proper on completely happy hour for her Fruit Punch (mocktail). And, I didn’t need to be answerable for planning any of it!

I believed I might miss consuming at native eating places, however I didn’t in any respect.

The meals was simply so good, it was regional, and it saved me a lot nervousness and time. Plus, we had BBQs on the Sky Deck with the very best views on the town, or gorgeous sundown views out the window as we cruised alongside the Danube. 

All Inclusive

I beloved not having to take my pockets out a lot for the 8-day river cruise. As soon as onboard nearly all the things is included within the worth of the cruise: breakfast, lunch and dinner, day by day excursions, actions on board, and, on our Avalon cruise, Completely satisfied Hour, and afternoon tea.

I’ve heard some European river cruises for households aren’t all inclusive and might get costly while you add up all these further prices.

On Avalon, we might select to do elective excursions (for an extra price), in any other case my pockets solely got here out for a espresso right here and there on land, and a scrumptious sausage and sauerkraut lunch in Regensburg, Germany.

Avalon did give us a packed lunch for that day journey, however Kalyra and I opted for consuming out as an alternative (adopted by scorching chocolate and apple strudel in a café Mozart used to steadily go to!) 

No theme park type leisure

I do know for a lot of this could be a detrimental, and our ladies do love ocean cruises for his or her waterslides and theme park type sights.

However for me, I discovered it a blessing. I’m not a theme park nor resort sort individual (besides on the odd events). I sometimes want to hook up with land, tradition, and folks and I need my ladies to additionally study the worth of this.

Generally, I believe children want a less complicated means of entertaining. I fear that the theme park glitter methods them into pondering that’s the one method to have enjoyable.

A river cruise has no area for that sort of stuff, so it forces children to attempt easier and extra slowed down methods of being entertained.

Plus, since crusing hours are minimal, and principally performed in a single day, or in the course of the day for the scenic sections, a river cruise is extra about getting off the ship and exploring the cities and small cities alongside the best way.

However when you’re onboard, there are nonetheless loads of issues to do to entertain all.

On this cruise we loved a corn gap competitors run by our journey host and with different cruisers as we sailed. We additionally loved enjoying video games of large draughts, the place I taught Savannah just a few successful methods.

There have been board video games on the ship we supposed to play however ran out of time, and film nights.

Savannah beloved the Broadway singer, Lindsay Hamilton, who entertained us one evening with unbelievable songs and a really humorous comedy sketch. She was thrilled to fulfill her after the present and even purchased her CD.

After which we had the farewell gala night the place we performed a dancing sport that Savannah gained! Whereas our tween’s persona is properly suited to this sort of exercise – dancing with strangers – for our introverted teen it is a destiny worse than demise. She was completely happy to take a seat that out!

There’s additionally Wi-Fi on board so the children can nonetheless watch their very own films or discuss to their pals again dwelling and provides them a tour of the boat. Savannah’s good friend loved watching the Budapest dawn together with her. 

High quality time collectively

In alignment with the above level, with a river cruise households can spend extra high quality time collectively.

Not like massive ocean cruisers the place you may lose your kids to children’ golf equipment when you laze round on pool chairs consuming cocktails, the river cruise strains are smaller and extra suited to bringing the entire household collectively by way of actions like on land excursions, fancy dinners, or borrowing the ship’s bicycles to journey alongside the riverbank.

The ladies and I loved ducking off into Vilshofen village in Germany for a mani pedi collectively throughout some free time. That was a enjoyable expertise working collectively to elucidate to the German and Vietnamese talking manicurists what we wished with a little bit of miming, google translate, and the assistance of an English-speaking German consumer within the salon!

As we’ve spent years touring with our ladies, together with seven years full time they usually’re getting actual sick of being with us (lol), I completely loved having extra of this valuable high quality time with them. I don’t know what number of of those I’ve left.

Attentive pleasant workers

I beloved the variety, friendliness, and attentiveness of the workers on board Avalon. We had a a lot smaller group touring on our ship which meant extra one-on-one consideration.

We couldn’t have requested for a greater crew. They have been humorous, partaking, and really variety to the women – all the time looking for them, suggesting sure meals for them to eat at dinner, and all the time ensuring that they had a drink and knew the place the sweets have been.

I additionally beloved that the women acquired to fulfill and discuss with crew members from Romania, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Hungary, Serbia, the Netherlands and so many different nationalities.

I need my ladies to have these interactions in order that they study just a few world truths: most individuals are good, range is value celebrating, and we are able to discover humanistic similarities with anybody and everybody from wherever and in every single place. 

See and do loads in every week

Europe river cruises could be good for teen-sized consideration spans. As Europe is small, a river cruise will take you throughout completely different locations and nations within the area of every week.

Principally ships sail in a single day, so that you get the fun of crusing someplace new the following morning. It additionally permits you to see nations which can be in any other case too costly or too distant to journey journey to independently.

For instance, if you happen to take a Rhine river cruise, you may move by way of Switzerland which is thought to be an costly nation to remain in, or you may take the Danube additional to Slovakia which isn’t someplace individuals sometimes journey to by itself.

Generally they dock in a single day, supplying you with the chance to exit by yourself and discover town extra in depth as a household. On our Avalon Waterways Danube River cruise, we stopped at three locations in Germany, two in Austria, and completed in Budapest.

Savannah even ticked off one other nation together with her day journey to Cesky Krumlov within the Czech Republic with Craig.

Some locations have been in a position to do a couple of exercise, like a metropolis tour within the morning in Vienna, and a meals tour within the afternoon, and a classical live performance within the night.

Usually, departures are within the night so you may have a full day to discover, so that you don’t have to fret about not having time for a day journey.

Smaller, extra intimate expertise

I like how river cruises are a smaller, extra intimate expertise. We utterly lucked out with our cruise solely having 56 passengers. Usually, it’s double this with a max capability on Avalon Visionary of 136.

Ocean cruises might include a great deal of bells and whistles, however in addition they include hundreds of passengers which could be overwhelming and, weirdly, at occasions isolating. It’s tougher to fulfill new individuals – aside from what children’ golf equipment provide – when there are such a lot of individuals in their very own bubble.

However on this river cruise, we had time to talk to nearly everybody on board. It was a pleasant, household sort setting and the opposite friends have been great to our two ladies.

It additionally meant we might discover our personal private area wherever on the ship at any time and we felt comfy with letting the women have their much-needed independence. I’d be extra apprehensive a couple of larger, extra crowded expertise because it’s a lot simpler for them to get misplaced.

We didn’t need to combat in opposition to crowds to make use of facilities or be part of excursions, and as talked about, service was far more customized and attentive!

On our first day, as we had arrived early within the morning, we even had Captain Thijs take us out within the small dinghy to a close-by swimming seaside. When have you ever ever been ready to hang around with the captain of a cruise earlier than?

By the best way, I by no means knew you can swim within the Danube River, what an sudden deal with that was! 

Suggestions for River Cruising with Children

There’s a lot to think about earlier than you resolve to take a river cruise with children. Listed here are a few of our most essential ideas.

Know that European River Cruising is for older children

A river cruise is just not for toddlers! I couldn’t think about the stress of getting to regulate a toddler who has simply discovered their legs. There is not going to be enough actions or children golf equipment to entertain youthful children.

I might advocate river cruising for teenagers aged 10 and up, probably whilst younger as eight, relying on their personalities.

Teenagers are tough to guage as all they wish to do is be with their pals and their temper swings are massive. However I do discover the river cruise presents a whole lot of worth to a teen, particularly in relation to the independence it presents them and the cultural land excursions.

They’ll have that a lot wanted down time of their room, but when they’re mature and wish to socialize, they’ll do this with the opposite pleasant passengers and crew, they usually can select actions that higher swimsuit their persona – even with the ability to go on excursions by themselves if they’re aged 16 and above.

Persona match together with your children

You already know it, no two children are alike. The flexibleness of decisions permits you, and your children, to decide on excursions which can be extra suited to their personalities and pursuits. So make sure you do this even when it means mother and father cut up up and take one youngster every.

Our extroverted Savannah spent most of her time collaborating in all of the occasions and interacting with everybody, together with singing with the Broadway performer, and dancing with us all on the final evening farewell gala dinner.

Whereas our introverted Kalyra was content material with spending quiet hours by herself in her cabin, popping out to get pleasure from day by day excursions, scenic sails, and mealtimes.

Make it a multi-generational expertise

As a river cruise caters properly to mature vacationers and older children, it will be a terrific alternative to make this trip a multi-generational one. Everybody will probably be completely happy and it’s a terrific alternative to bond collectively in a smaller ship expertise at a slower tempo.

Or, journey with different households or pals!

Have you learnt different households with children the identical age that you simply like to journey with? Why not all take a European river cruise collectively?

Our ladies would have beloved this river cruise expertise with a few their pals. Savannah was even planning for it together with her finest good friend she beloved to face time with on the ship.

Select the proper cruise for your loved ones

Not all cruises are kid-friendly ones. Some river cruises are extra for adults.

I used to be fairly shocked by the vary of ages on our cruise, from a pair youthful than us, to ages starting from forties as much as eighties. So, if contemplating river cruising with children do your analysis to decide on the proper one.

Avalon Waterways has a various collection of cruises to select from throughout a number of rivers in Europe. Select one that may be a terrific match for your loved ones.

What a couple of festive cruise exploring the Christmas markets of Europe? Or one which journeys into the Black Sea?

Ours was a extra basic historical past and heritage cruise down the Danube River, however Avalon presents Lively & Discovery cruises which have extra of the adventure-type actions that households will love, in addition to cultural immersive actions reminiscent of cooking lessons and portray and craft workshops.

Begin Small

On your first river cruise expertise as a household, I like to recommend you begin with a shorter cruise size. Cruises sometimes vary from 5 to 26 days.

I believed 8 days was good for our household, though I might have stretched that out to 2 weeks. I missed it instantly that evening once we needed to set up our personal dinner. If you happen to’re uncertain, begin with a five-day cruise!

Perceive what to anticipate

A river cruise is a unique trip expertise for households; it could not swimsuit everybody so there are some things to think about (some may even see these as positives!)

The very last thing you wish to do is select a journey expertise you’ll all hate. What makes one thing good or dangerous is solely a matter of desire, or perspective.

Know earlier than you go. River cruise ships gained’t have children’ golf equipment, waterslides, swimming pools, a number of eating places, arcades, and different kid-focused resort type facilities. The main target is on discovering the world exterior.

Cabin rooms aren’t configured for greater than double occupancy so you will want to get two staterooms, which children usually will love, however your pockets might not.

River cruises do value extra, though ours got here with included meals, excursions and different facilities, which might stability out the funds. Do the figures and preserve a watch out for offers. Many different passengers on the cruise informed us they discovered nice offers with Avalon.

And never all children might benefit from the metropolis excursions and different actions. Whereas we discovered one thing to swimsuit each our ladies, your children could also be completely different.

FAQs About European River Cruises

Right here’s what individuals often ask us about taking European river cruises…

In Conclusion

A European river cruise with children is a novel expertise that can provide households a lot wanted high quality time collectively. I loved it way over I believed I might and wouldn’t hesitate to do it once more. It was an easy and rewarding journey expertise that had choices to cater to our particular person personalities and pursuits.

I felt that was additionally invaluable for my ladies. I don’t need them to return from a household journey expertise, like cruising, and their reminiscences be of waterslides!

I need them to expertise the enjoyment they get from this, however I additionally need them to stroll away with enrichment. One thing that has a deeper connection to land and tradition and different individuals.

For a lot of children, they gained’t perceive these advantages till they’re older. Generally as mother and father we have to drag them away from the neon flashing lights and thrill rides to offer them these extra cultured experiences.

A European journey provides them these deeper experiences that permit them to study concerning the world, perceive how they match into it and uncover how they’ll use this to evolve into a greater individual.

As venturing into the world of river cruising for households is new for Avalon Waterways, I’m positive that quickly we’ll see much more kid-centric actions when exploring the port stops and on board the ship.

That is simply our parenting perspective of the worth of a river cruise for households. Keep tuned as a result of Kalyra and Savannah are going to write down a submit sharing their tween and teenage perspective of the Danube River cruise expertise we simply had.