Travelers looking to truly know the soul of a city or region oftentimes needn't look further than its lifeline – the flowing waters of its river, from which nourishment, trade, transport, recreation, and more nods to cultured civilization have all sprung forth. River cruising, long popular with Europeans, is today experiencing a surge of interest on storied waterways around the globe, thanks to the intimate and enriching destination approach it provides on routes simply impossible to replicate by any other means. Leave the over-the-top Las Vegas megaships out at sea, and parking and traffic headaches back on land, and instead opt to cruise the meandering waterways of a region’s heartland aboard small ships ranging from luxury riverboats to vintage paddle-wheelers, with every river bend revealing a destination’s new face courtesy of a constantly shuffled deck of quaint riverside towns, historic monuments, and pristine countryside.
see next pageDiscounts up to 62% on fall transatlantic crossings Editors' Review
$399+: 10-Night sail through Canada & New England Orbitz
Up to 60% off: 7-day Bermuda sailing from New York VacationsToGo.com
$599+: Norwegian 7-nt sail from NY to the Bahamas CruisesOnly
$183/day+: 12-day spring cruise to Baltic capitals Travel Leaders