Are river cruises boring?

Many people who have never taken a river cruise ask if they are boring.  In fact that was my impression before I took my first one.  I kind of associated the word "cruising" with sedentary people watching the world go by from their window.  So I was delighted when we realized nothing was further from the truth And after a dozen or so river cruises, I know more than ever this is true.  So in this blog, I'll share with you some examples I've observed that make river cruises NOT boring.

10,000 steps or bust

You've probably heard that 10,000 steps a day is a reasonable goal to stay active.  On a river cruise you have the opportunity to blow past this goal virtually every single day.  If you do nothing else but the included tour each day, there's a good chance you'll put in a few miles per day.   We've clocked as much as 15 miles of walking on some days.  Boring and sedentary?  I don't think so.

Bikes and hikes

On many itineraries (and some cruise lines) you'll be able to take a bike ride whenever you want.  Tired of listening to a tour guide?  go off and take a bike ride no problem. Want to hike to the top of the castle instead of take the bus ride up?  absolutely, hike away.  Nothing boring about that.

Romans, Middle ages, communism at the same time

Where else can you walk from a Roman built coliseum to Impressionist art work within the same day?  Interested more in politics?  on a river cruise you can go from ex communist countries to some of the strongest democracies in teh world.  Want to walk in the foot steps of D Day soldiers or the Battle of Arnhem?  take a river cruise.

Foodies and river cruises

Like to try and compare wines from different regions and even countries on teh same trip without packing and unpacking?  If you're into wine, there's nothing boring about tasting a Hungarian wine one day and a German wine the next.  Nothing beats a fresh Parisian baguette or a classic french meal.  On a river cruise, each day brings new menus and tastes

Culture and locality

Interested in Opera?  Take a river cruise.  Interested in art work?  Take a river cruise.  Interested in lavender in France and tulips in Holland?  Take a river cruise.  Interested in how to navigate the lock system?  Want to explore towns and cities on your own?  Want to learn about history and culture from local experts?   Nothing boring here.

River Cruise passengers and conversations.

Perhaps the most surprising thing to me was that the other passengers I've met on river cruises have been the opposite of boring.  I've never been around so many interesting people in one place in my life.  You'll meet businessmen and retirees; people from oil and gas as well as pharma; the self employed and the corporate types; the artsy experts as well as the very well traveled; the wine lovers, the beer lovers, the lovers of life.  You'll meet great conversationalists and gracious individuals.  Sure you're bound to meet some people that rub you the wrong way but our experience has been that those people are in the minority.  Once you engage your fellow passengers in meaningful conversation, the word "boring" will cease to exist in your vocabulary.

Still think a river cruise is boring?  Everyone is different and if you're someone that needs to go 100 mph every minute of every day, then maybe a river cruise is boring for you.  All I know is that whenever I go on  a river cruise, I sleep very well at night from all the activity, I am constantly seeing new exiting and interesting things, I'm learning things about people that I've never known and I'm never bored.  Ever.

Now, certain itineraries, timing and cruise lines are more or less active than others.   A great travel agent can help you pick the right cruise, river, time of year that best matches your expectations and interests.  And after all, that's the best recipe to avoid boredom.

One last point - although we've emphasized on this post the activities available it doesn't mean you have to be active all the time.  There's plenty of opportunity to relax if you want.  We've intentionally stayed on the boat while most others go off onto excursions so we could just chill out and relax.  There's something wonderful watching hillsides and small towns go by while you graciously cruise the river.  Sometimes boring is exactly what you need and want and that's certainly available on a river cruise.