The River Cruises That Display Pure Luxury

In the minds of most people, a cruise on a ocean is synonymous with luxury, care and well-being. But the same, if not more luxury, can be found on river cruises, as they add personal touches to the care of passengers, who live for a while as kings. From five-star food and bespoke entertainment on ships, which until recently were occupied by kings, there are cruises that, along with the anchor, raise the bar of luxury.

Popular cruises include trips to the Rhine, Main and Danube, from Amsterdam to Budapest. Guests can enjoy a rich royal meal at Namedy Castle, a 14th-century castle home of Princess Heide von Hohenzollern in Germany, visit the renovated Vienna City Palace for a reception and attend a private opera recital at the Hungarian State Opera, Budapest.

The "Spirit of Chartwell", formerly owned by the Magna Carta Steamship Company, was chosen as the Queen's ship, which she led with the Duke of Edinburgh and other officials as part of the 1000 flotilla to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Now, it takes 28 passengers at a time for a beautiful journey through vineyards and historic villages that are famous for their good food and, of course, their wonderful wine.

Photo: The Spirit of Chartwell

The newest fleet of river cruise ships in Europe, has a number of innovations that make life on board even more luxurious. The on-board pools are converted into cinemas at night, and breakfast can be served in your room to enjoy the view. Leaving Europe, luxury cruises are organized on the Chobe River in Angola, where passengers have the privilege of watching the African safari from the safety of their suite.

Cruises are combined with accommodation in Cape Town and Johannesburg and in luxury resorts, covering a wide range of countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. The word luxury may not be enough to describe the "Zambezi Queen", where the rooms have a private balcony and a seating area.

Photo: Zamebi Queen

Back in Europe, in England the "SS Maria Teresa" is the newest ship of the company, which made its debut in March for the fortnightly tour from Amsterdam to Budapest. The rooms on the upper and main decks have a French balcony, L'Occitane en Provence products in marble bathrooms, but also a special butler service for guests, which ranges at 4,200 euros.

The cruise ship "Ganges Voyager II" has been on the rivers since its inception in 2016 with 14-day excursions to cover "the Golden Triangle of India and the sacred Ganges".

Photo: Ganges Voyager 2

But how is the river different from road wandering and why is it worth the travel? A river cruise is a delight to those who love the water. It allows you to enjoy landscapes that are inaccessible from the mainland. Europe's riverside hides beautiful surprises: forgotten castles, small settlements where houses stand on stilts to deal with overflows, harbors with fishing boats. You can also explore different cities without emptying and filling hotels. An important advantage of riverboats is that they moor in ports located in the center of each city, in contrast to cruise ships, whose huge volume forces them to resort to ports outside the city. After all, the time spent in each city is enough and, in addition to the standard tour, you can go for a drink or explore the nightlife. Finally, it is the journey itself:the magic of moving gently in the river, enjoying the sun in comfortable armchairs on the deck, tasting exquisite flavors in the restaurant, having a drink at the bar watching the traffic on the illuminated bridges. Choosing the right ship, you feel like you are on a "floating boutique hotel". For further reading on some of the locations you may find on a ship, you can look at Bratislava Guide and Prague Guide.