Never considered a river cruise before? River Cruise expert and GoCruise Franchisee, Helen Worthington, provides ten reasons why today is the day to embark on a river cruise.

Think of the Places you can Visit!

River cruises provide access to areas you wouldn't otherwise be able to access and often provide superlative views filled with stunning scenery and architecture. The list of rivers you can sail down is forever expanding, but you can currently cruise a variety of rivers in Europe (such as the Rhine and Danube) Russia, Egypt (Nile), Southern Africa (Zambezi) Cambodia & Vietnam (Mekong), China (Yangtze), Myanmar (Ayeyarwady)and USA (Mississippi and many, many more).

Relax...

The beauty of river cruising is that you can relax in peace and tranquillity - without top deck amenities such as towering climbing walls or surf machines. You can soak up the local surroundings as you sail down some of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Imagine sailing down the Rhine, just watching the world go by... Do we need to say any more?

It’s a River...

Which means the term "Seasickness" is redundant here and is one of the factors holding people back from going on a cruise altogether. Unlike the sea, there are no powerful waves or strong sea breezes; meaning that the water will carry you effortlessly from one destination to the next. Additionally, with such calm waters - you will barely feel the boat move and it may even feel like you've never left the land.

The View!

Sometimes you just feel like a quiet moment of relaxation alone and on a large cruise ship, in one of the inner cabins, this can be quite isolating. That's where you'll discover another benefit of river cruising as all river cruise boats feature either a window of a balcony. Admire the view from the comfort of your own cabin and spend quality time friends or family.

You don't need to Fly

If you don't enjoy flying then a river cruise is perfect for you. Thanks to the channel tunnel and the Eurostar; many European cruises can be reached by one of the more relaxing methods of travel such as train or coach.

Size is Indeed Everything

Ocean cruise ships are getting larger and larger, but this is not a trend followed within the river cruise industry. River cruise boats aren't getting any larger and are instead becoming more contemporary, comfortable and luxurious. The general size of a river cruise boat is unlikely to increase at any point in the future either, due to the locks on the rivers. Most ships carry between 20 and 200 passengers - meaning there is always plenty of space to move and plenty of scope for relaxation.

All Inclusiveness

Going all-inclusive on a River Cruise means you will rarely need your wallet on board the ship and you may even forget you had a wallet at all. Many cruise lines include literally everything; so you can enjoy free flowing drinks, indulgent food; fantastic land-based excursions, and amazing amenities - such as the use of bikes and wireless internet - at no extra cost. No extra costs for high-end food or to gain access to an exclusive lounge. Everything is included.

Don't forget the Quietvox!

Quietvox? What's that? You may be asking yourself. The Quietvox is only the system used to provide narratives on shore excursions! It is an essential piece of equipment when exploring the various locations and ports; providing a deeper knowledge and understanding of all the places you visit on your river cruise. You can be browsing in a shop further down the street and still hear your guide.

A Glimpse of Contemporary and Modern Living

As previously mentioned, whilst river cruise ships aren't getting significantly larger - there is a higher emphasis on the contemporary and modern design on board. Many new river ships feature: swimming pools; Jacuzzis; spas and fitness suites; speciality restaurants; and in room entertainment systems.

It's Easy!

Easy peasy! Simply board your ship as normal and once on board you can relax at your leisure. Your river cruise boat will moor right in the centre of the town, allowing you to stroll around without having to worry about finding a parking spot. Once you've finished exploring one town, its back on the ship to rest up before arriving at your next destination. Bliss!