CTN River Cruise 2015 Consumer

RiverCruise Your Ultimate Destination Guide

2015

Discover the rivers of Germany France Russia India China Myanmar and many others PLUS The Gallery river cruise line profiles

Leading the Way in River Cruising

RATED THE BEST RIVER CRUISE FLEET IN EUROPE More than 280 ships were rated on accommodation, cuisine, service and more in the first ever Berlitz River Cruising in Europe travel guide. All eleven AmaWaterways ships received higher scores than any other river cruise line with AmaPrima being rated No. 1.

WHY BOOK WITH AMAWATERWAYS? In addition to having the highest rated fleet in Europe, AmaWaterways offers: • Luxurious accommodation in an outside stateroom - most with French/Twin balconies • Fine dining with all meals included within your cruise • Unlimited red & white wines, beer and soft drinks with every lunch and dinner on board • Life enriching tours and daily excursions included with every cruise • Highly attentive English-speaking staff and impeccable service • State-of-the-art Infotainment system featuring in-room direct internet access, free Hollywood movies, free wi-fi and more • Bottled water in every stateroom, replenished daily • Complimentary bicycles to explore on your own, plus guided bicycle tours* • Special onboard highlights including theme dinners, cooking demonstrations, lectures, onboard music and/or dance performances • Live piano music every afternoon & evening • UK based reservations team • Flexible packages – with cruise only, flight or train packages and land tours available *European Itineraries Only. Excluding Douro

www.amawaterways.co.uk 2

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

DANUBE | RHINE | MAIN | SEINE | MOSEL | RHONE | DOURO | MEKONG | AYEYARWADY | CHOBE

WE LC O M E | R IVE R C R U I S E 2015

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elcome to River Cruise 2015, the ultimate guide to river cruising, brought to you by Cruise Trade News in partnership with the Cruise Lines International Association UK and Ireland.

This annual supplement is now in its fourth year and bigger and better than ever, reflecting the continuing growth of river cruising in the UK. As well as favourite rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine and Rhône we have a raft of new waterways to whet your appetite.

Published by Cruiseworthy Media 10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 5TD, United Kingdom.

Keith Ellis: Publisher/Managing Editor keith@cruiseworthy.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1737 812411, Mob: 07802 256275 Jane Archer: Editor/Journalist janearc@aol.com Giles Ellis Creative: Design & Production Tel: +44 (0) 1444 480491 studio@gileselliscreative.com www.gileselliscreative.com Material in this publication are the copyright of the title publisher and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Prices were correct at the time of writing and can go up or down.

Maps provided courtesy of Viking River Cruises except p30 (Cruise.com), p41 (The Cruise Web), p42 (American Queen Steamboat Company).

Cruiseworthy Media.

The UK’s longest established trade, industry and consumer cruise publisher...

Turn to page 22 to learn about the Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne in Southwest France, which are proving a hit with wine lovers. On page 42 you’ll find out what awaits on a cruise of the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake Rivers in the US, while on page 39 we look at the exotic Brahmaputra and Ganges, which are tipped to be Asia's next river cruise hotspots. We are also delighted to welcome back the Nile

for 2015. You can read about that on page 41.

If you have never taken a river cruise or are looking for inspiration, River Cruise 2015 is the place to start. Our top-10 reasons to cruise is followed by advice on everything from life on board to how to choose your cabin.

Bon voyage.

KEITH ELLIS Publisher/Managing Editor, Cruise Trade News

What’s new in river cruising 4-5 Top 10 reasons for taking a river cruise 6-7 To sum it all up 8 Window on the world 10 Picture yourself on a boat on a river 11 Destination guide 12-43 Who goes where 44-45 What’s included 46-47 The cruise line Gallery 48-60 Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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A new Dawn Emerald Waterways, the first new river cruise line for a decade, is celebrating its first birthday next April with the launch of two more vessels. The 182-passenger Emerald Sun and Emerald Dawn will each have a swimming pool that converts into a cinema in the evening. www.emeraldwaterways.co.uk

Silver service Amadeus River Cruises is launching its second 135-metre river cruise boat next April. Amadeus Silver II will have 84 cabins and suites, including 12 with walk-out balconies, and an all-day Café Vienna selling speciality coffee, cakes and sandwiches. www.amadeusrivercruises.co.uk

What’s new in Suite talk Avalon Waterways is moving two of its Suite Ships to France next year. Avalon Tapestry II, one of two new vessels launching in 2015, will sail the Seine, while Avalon Poetry II moves to the Rhône. The company is also launching new vessels on the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar (Burma) and Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia. www.avaloncruises.co.uk

In memory of WWI European Waterways is remembering the First World War on cruises on the Canal du Nord and Canal du Somme on April 5, 12 and 26 2015. There’ll be included tours to museums, memorials and the clearing in Compiègne Forest where the armistice was signed on November 11 1918. www.gobarging.co.uk

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Seine step for Viking Viking River Cruises is moving a Longship to the Seine next year. The Viking Rinda will be sailing eight-day cruises round-trip from Paris from March 2015. The company is launching another 10 Longships in 2015, plus two smaller vessels specially designed to cruise the Elbe. www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk

river cruising

Better together AmaWaterways’ new AmaSerena and AmaVista, launching spring 2015, will be the first vessels in the fleet to have cabins with connecting doors, to make river cruising more family-friendly. Both vessels will have heated swimming pools, incabin movies and small gyms. www.amawaterways.co.uk

Into the Red Boldly going where no river cruise line has been before, Pandaw is launching on the Red River in Northern Vietnam in July 2015. The 10-night cruises are on the 32-passenger Angkor Pandaw and include a couple of nights in Halong Bay and Hanoi, trips to local villages and 8th and 11thcentury temples. www.pandaw.com

Paddling down the Loire A paddlewheel comes to Europe next April when CroisiEurope launches the Loire Princesse. The 96-passenger vessel, designed to operate on the shallow water of the Loire, will have a side-mounted paddlewheel and sail five and eight-night cruises from Nantes. www.croisieurope.co.uk

Like mother, like daughter Four years after launching Antoinette, Uniworld River Cruises will be unveiling the 155-passenger Maria Theresa, named after the mother of Marie Antoinette. The Habsburg Empress ruled the Austrian Empire from 1740 to 1780. The vessel enters service in spring 2015. www.uniworldrivercruises.com

What’s New | CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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So much is included

Small and friendly

All river cruise lines include accommodation and food in the cruise fare, and many also include daily excursions, wine, beer or soft drinks with dinner, or with lunch and dinner, and gratuities. Several also now serve free drinks 24/7 and offer free wifi. See pages 8, 46 and 47 to see who includes what.

The size of river cruise vessels is governed by the length and width of the locks they have to get through. Mostly they hold between 100 and 200 passengers; some hold fewer, a very few hold more but generally there are no more than 250 people. Combined with open dining in the restaurant, allowing you to sit with different people each night and the included wine many river cruise companies now include in the price, it makes for a very friendly atmosphere.

Top10 reasons for Listen very carefully

A room with a view

The best river cruise companies provide you with Quietvox receivers and earphones so you can hear what the guides are saying without having to crowd around them. It means you never have to miss their narration, even when they have to speak quietly in churches and cathedrals. Several cruise lines offer a choice of free excursions at selected stops at no extra charge. It might be a city tour, a bike ride or a visit to a neighbouring town.

All cabins on river cruise vessels are outside and most are on decks one and two and have large picture windows or French balconies (a French window that opens to a rail rather than a veranda so you can let in fresh air but not sit outside) so you never miss the views. Most new tonnage is also being built with walk-out private balconies. Entry level cabins are on deck three with a high window. For more about balconies, see page 10.

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No need to fly

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European river cruise holidays are perfect if you don’t want to fly as it’s so easy to take the Eurostar train from London through the Channel Tunnel, connect to a local high-speed rail network and join your cruise. If time is no object, there is no reason why you can’t take the train all the way to Budapest or Vienna, but cruises from Amsterdam, Paris or Lyon are most popular as they are do-able in a few hours.

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

It’s so easy

Watch the world go by

Just get on board, unpack and enjoy the scenery as your floating hotel takes you on a fascinating journey visiting numerous iconic towns, cities and villages. On a seven-night cruise on the Danube, you could be visiting Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Salzburg, Melk and Durnstein. On a twoweek journey through the centre of Europe, add in places such as Amsterdam, Koblenz, Cologne, Nuremberg, Rothenburg and many more. Mostly you’ll moor in the heart of the cities you are visiting so you can walk ashore and see the sights (but often shore excursions are included); most other times it’ll just be a short bus ride to the main attraction.

River cruise itineraries often have a half day ashore and a half day sailing, but unlike sea days on the oceans, on a river cruise you’ll always have a view of towns, villages, cities and the countryside you are passing through. There’ll be talks from guest speakers, wine or beer-tasting sessions, or cookery demonstrations, and as you cruise through places such as the Rhine Gorge or Iron Gate Gorge, your tour manager will narrate highlights along the way.

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taking a river cruise Modern living

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The newer river cruise vessels are a million miles away from the older tonnage that has dominated the market until recently. Book one of the new builds and you can have a balcony or sun lounge, large suites, and your vessel will likely have a small speciality restaurant as well as the main dining room. Most offer wifi throughout the vessel (often at no charge) and entertainment systems with built-in films and music as well as TV channels. Also, modern décor has mostly replaced the living-room look of old. Catch up with what’s new for 2015, pages 4-5.

The world is your oyster River cruising doesn’t have to mean staying close to home. As well as river cruises in Europe, sailing through France, Germany, Austria, the former Eastern Europe and Portugal, there are exotic journeys on the Mekong in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, the Yangtze in China, the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar, the Mississippi in America and the Brahmaputra and Ganges in India. See pages 12 to 43 to read about the key sights on these rivers.

It’s smooth sailing A river cruise is perfect if you’re worried about seasickness as choppy seas are never a problem. The only thing you do need to be to be aware of is that itineraries can be affected by low or high water. Not enough water and the boats can’t cruise, too much and they can’t get under the bridges. In these cases, coaches will be used to bus you to and from the key attractions.

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Reasons to take a cruise | CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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With so much included in the fare, river cruise passengers can almost afford to leave their wallets at home.

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To sum it all up

ompared to many land-based holidays, fares for both ocean and river cruising are very inclusive, covering accommodation, food and entertainment. It certainly makes a huge difference to the final cost of the holiday if you don’t have to pay for meals each day.

But just as ocean cruise lines vary enormously in terms of what else is included, so do the river cruise companies and it can be something of a minefield to pick your way through the packages and choose one that’s right for you.

For instance, book with Scenic Tours and Uniworld River Cruises and the price will include flights, transfers, alcoholic and soft drinks, excursions, gratuities and wifi. APT fares will also include all the above, and also free UK transfers, but only when you book one of the company’s Royal Collectionbranded cruises (there are five eight-day itineraries, on the Danube, Douro, Rhône and Rhine, and two 15-day cruises, one on the Rhine and Danube, the other combining the Rhine, Moselle and Rhône).

US operator Tauck calls itself all-inclusive, but fares are actually cruise-only, although they have opened a new office in the UK and flights and transfers can now be added on request. And while both CroisiEurope and A-Rosa include drinks (not Champagne or fine wines or brandies on CroisiEurope), their prices exclude shore excursions, gratuities, flights and transfers. However, A-Rosa does offer one free tour per cruise.

Viking River Cruises is among several companies that include flights

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– and a rail option if that’s a practical alternative - and transfers in the price. Others, exclude travel, while The River Cruise Line and Shearings package river cruises with ferry and coach travel from the UK and charge a supplement for flights.

While companies including Emerald Waterways and Avalon Waterways are not drinks-inclusive, they do serve complimentary wine, beer or soft drinks with dinner. New in 2015, Amadeus is also offering the choice of included beverages at dinner time instead of only serving complimentary wine. AmaWaterways and Viking serve complimentary free drinks with lunch and dinner as well.

Amadeus is also offering complimentary internet and wifi for the first time in 2015, bringing it into line with all the other top-end cruise lines. CroisiEurope added free internet in 2014.

Shore excursions are included by several companies, and increasingly these firms are also offering a choice of complimentary alternative tours in selected cities for past passengers who have done the ubiquitous city walk and don’t want to be penalised for having cruised the route before. So on one day, these companies might offer a guided walking tour, or a complimentary trip to a spa or cycling excursion. You just let them know which you want to do once on board.

River cruise companies including Amadeus, CroisiEurope and The River Cruise Line don’t include excursions in the price but they sell a package of tours which shaves some money off the total cost of buying the trips individually.

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See pages 46-47 for a complete run down of who includes what.

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Window on the world To have or not to have, that is the question when it comes to balconies.

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alconies are hugely popular with ocean cruisers as they give passengers a piece of private real estate outside – especially important on the big ships with thousands of passengers - with the added advantage that they can get fresh air into the cabin.

But do you really need one on the rivers?

Until seven years ago, there was a consensus on the rivers. The vessels either had oceanview cabins (with a window that didn’t open) or French balconies with a floor-toceiling window that opens to a rail so you can let the air in but can’t stand outside.

Then in 2008, Australian company Scenic Tours launched new craft with proper walk-put balconies, kicking off a debate that rumbles on all these years later.

The nay-sayers argue that balconies do not offer the same value on the rivers because the vessels are smaller and carry fewer people, so you can always get a seat outside or in the lounge. More to the point, if you sit on your balcony you only see one side of the river so potentially you are missing out on the views.

They have a point. When cruising scenic areas such as Germany’s Rhine Gorge, the Danube’s Iron Gate Gorge or the Three Gorges in China, you need a 360-degree view to see as much as possible.

However, other companies have recognised that people used to ocean cruising would never consider going on a ship without a balcony so they have redesigned their vessels to accommodate one.

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It’s been an interesting exercise. They can’t simply make the boats wider as they wouldn’t fit through locks, but if they just add a walk-out balcony the space has to come out of the cabin, making the room smaller. Here are some of the design features they have come up with.

Tours and sister company Emerald Waterways have adopted the sun-lounge-style balconies as these make the spaces useable in cold or wet weather.

Viking River Cruises: The corridor on the top deck of Viking’s Longships has been moved off-centre, allowing the company to offer deep cabins with balconies on one side of the vessel.

On the other side, cabins have been turned 90 degrees and two rooms bolted together to make suites with separate bedroom and living areas. The bedroom has a French balcony, the living room has a walk-out balcony. Two Explorer Suites at the back of the Longships have wraparound balconies.

Avalon Waterways: The company’s Suite Ships have two decks of cabins with wall-towall glass windows that open two-thirds the width of the room. On sunny days you can have the window wide open to create an ‘inside’ balcony that hasn’t taken space from the room.

Uniworld River Cruises: Suites on

Antoinette, Catherine and Marie Theresa (launching in 2015) have a balcony-style seating area with floor-to-ceiling windows that can be closed to form a weather-proofed sun lounge.

The top opens half way at the touch of a switch, but from the centre upwards rather than side to side. Cabins have a window that also opens halfway at the touch of a switch, and again from the centre upwards. Both Scenic

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AmaWaterways/APT: A new twin-balcony

design in the suites on their newest vessels gives passengers the best of both worlds. Half the balcony is outside, the other half is inside so it can be used in all weathers.

n o f l e s r u o y e r Pictu t on a river a o b a

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iver cruising is a leisurely way to travel but don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll be putting your feet up for two weeks. The days are busy with sightseeing on land and cookery demonstrations, talks and quizzes while sailing. And naturally there is plenty of eating and drinking to be done.

Early risers can start their day with pastries, tea or coffee in the lounge from about 6.30am and then head to the dining room for a full breakfast from 7.30am to 9.30am.

If visiting a town or city in the morning, tours usually set off as soon as the boat has moored as they don’t need clearance from the local authorities, unlike ocean-going ships.

You’ll be split at random into groups for sightseeing (don’t worry, you can stay with friends), but some tour directors have a group for those who want to see the sights at a slower pace. It will all be explained when you are first on board and then again the evening

before each excursion. Before disembarking insert for your tour,, remember to pick up a boarding pass from reception and hand it back it when you return as that is how they check everyone is on board.

Tours usually comprise a guided walk and time to wander alone. If they set off in the morning, they are usually timed to be back for lunch. Mostly, once everyone is back on board (be sure to note the all-aboard time), the ropes are cast and the captain sets off for the next destination.

That’s the time to relax and enjoy the scenery, but there are often other activities as well. Cookery demonstrations are popular, and several companies get a local glass-blower on board to show off the tricks of his trade. In Bavaria, expect beer-tasting sessions.

If you’re sailing in Germany, a bratwurst and beer brunch is often on the cards, or a Bavarian lunch. There will be commentary as

you sail through the Rhine Gorge, maybe wine-tasting and talks about life in the places you are visiting.

Between 3.30pm and 5pm, it is tea time, with sandwiches, scones and music in the lounge, then there is time to shower and get changed before returning to the lounge for pre-dinner drinks and the tour director’s presentation about the next day’s tours and activities.

Dinner is served at 7pm, usually with open seating so you can sit with whoever you like.

At about 9pm, be back in the lounge for the evening entertainment – maybe a quiz, a classical concert by a visiting group or local folk dancers (they get on and off at the locks or during quick stops).

If you still have energy, the resident pianist will keep the music going until the wee small hours – or until the last person is standing.

And next day it starts all over again.

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Rhine and its tributaries

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he Rhine flows from Switzerland to Amsterdam in Holland, passing towns and cities in France and Germany filled with centuries of history and culture. The Moselle flows into the Rhine from north-east France and Luxembourg. The Main river flows into the Rhine from eastern Germany; cruise along this and you end up on the Main Danube Canal, which connects to the Danube.

The most popular Rhine cruise is one week sailing from Amsterdam to Basel in Switzerland, or vice-versa, typically calling at Cologne, Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, and then sailing through the Rhine Gorge, which stretches for 65km (40 miles), before calling at Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Strasbourg and Breisach, the gateway to the Black Forest.

For this cruise, you fly into Amsterdam and out of Basel or Zurich (the other way around if you are sailing northbound), but you can also

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travel by rail from London, through the Channel Tunnel, changing onto Europe’s rail network at Lille, Brussels or Paris. It’s a long train journey from Basel to the UK, but you get a chance to see more of Europe.

There are also cruises round-trip from Cologne, and itineraries that combine the Moselle and Rhine or the Moselle, Rhine and Main, sailing from Amsterdam to Trier, from

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Trier to Budapest or from Amsterdam to Basel via Trier.

For the ultimate in European river cruising, there are two-week cruises from Amsterdam to Budapest, or vice-versa, using the Rhine, Main, Main Danube Canal and Danube, or a three-week voyage from Amsterdam to the Black Sea, flying home from Bucharest in Romania.

Amsterdam

Koblenz

The city is packed with things to see and do, from canal cruises on boats or pedalos to art museums celebrating the Dutch Masters Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Boats dock about 10 minutes’ walk from the Central Station so it’s easy to walk into town and Dam Square. Top sights include the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis, NEMO science museum or Heineken Experience, where you can find out what it feels like to be a beer bottle.

At the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, Koblenz is recognisable for the enormous equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I at the Deutsches Eck, or German Corner. Tours visit the statue and the narrow streets, squares and churches in the old city, but it’s a small place and easy to explore alone. A cable car goes across the river to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, 118 metres above the river, the second-largest preserved castle in Europe.

Cologne About 96% of the city was destroyed in the Second World War, but by some miracle the Gothic Cathedral survived intact. It had taken 630 years to build – it was only finished in 1880 - and was once the tallest building in the world. Now it is the highlight of a visit to Cologne, but take time to look around with a guide and you’ll hear the story of the elves of Cologne, see where Eau de Cologne was created, and find out what the Town Hall statue of the unpopular archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden is standing on.

Flower power Spring time on the rivers means tulips, with several companies offering seven-night cruises around the Dutch and Belgian Waterways that include an excursion to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, Holland. The gardens are open for just seven or eight weeks, between mid March and mid May, when the seven million tulips planted there, as well as daffodils and orchids, should be at their best (although their ‘best’ does depend a lot on the weather). The park covers more than 32 hectares and has outdoor beds as well as pavilions that host special flower shows. Tulip time cruises operate round-trip from Amsterdam and also variously visit Arnhem, for excursions to the Airborne Museum, Hoorn, Antwerp, Volendam and Edam.

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On the Moselle Cochem In Germany’s premier wine region, Cochem is another of Germany’s picture-postcard towns. Tours visit the market square with its half-timbered houses and the Church of St Martin, but the highlight is the Reichsburg Castle, high up over the town. It was built in the 1100s, destroyed by the French in 1689 and rebuilt in 1869-77. Inside are collections of Renaissance and Baroque furniture.

Trier Said to be the oldest city in Germany, Trier was founded by the Romans in 16BC. Reminders of their time in the city include the stunning Porta Nigra (Black Gate) and the remains of the imperial baths – the largest north of the Alps - and a 20,000-seat amphitheatre. Guides will show you the house where Karl Marx was born, Trier Cathedral and the former throne room of Roman Emperor Constantine, which is now a Protestant church.

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Rhine Gorge

Rüdesheim

Be sure to have cameras at the ready because this is the most scenic section of the river, with castles, spires, churches and precipitous riverside vineyards. The gorge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous for the Lorelei Rock, where, according to legend, a beautiful maiden threw herself to her death over a faithless lover and now lures sailors to their deaths with her hypnotic singing.

All tours go to the quaint Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Cabinet, a bizarre collection of music machines that is worth visiting just once. Otherwise, take a cable car over the vineyards to the Germania statue, marking the foundation of the German Empire (a walk back down through the vineyards is highly recommended). The Drosselgasse is a cute street lined with bars and cafés.

Strasbourg Mainz Mainz is at the confluence of the Rhine and Main Rivers, and is home to 2,000 years of history. If you’re there on a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday, it’ll be market day. Tours will take you there and to the half-timbered houses and Romanesque Cathedral, but make most time to visit the Gutenberg Museum, which houses the 42-line Bible printed in 1455 by Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing process.

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The city is an alluring mix of French and German cultures on account of the fact it has changed hands between France and Germany eight times over history. It’s known for the European Parliament and European Court of Justice, but they are worth skipping to spend time in the lovely old town. Don’t miss Petite France, with its halftimbered houses and canals, lovely restaurants and cafés, and the Gothic cathedral with an astronomical clock made in 1574 that still keeps perfect time.

Create memories that last WITH AROSA RIVER CRUISES

Life onboard A-ROSA DISCOVER EUROPE FROM ITS MOST BEAUTIFUL SIDE WITH AROSA RIVER CRUISES ON THE DANUBE, RHINE AND THE RHÔNE. AROSA OFFERS ALLINCLUSIVE, SOPHISTICATED, FEEL GOOD HOLIDAYS, A DIVERSE PROGRAMME OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND LUXURIOUS FACILITIES ON BOARD OF ITS FLEET OF 11 VESSELS.

With A-ROSA’s truly all-inclusive concept drinks are included around the clock and many departures come WITHOUT a single supplement. The unique On-board Dining Concept (no pre-assigned tables and very flexible and generous opening hours of the Restaurants) is another example of this forward thinking holiday product. All vessels are built in Germany featuring contemporary and bright interiors, spacious staterooms and suites with French Balconies, an extensive Sun Deck with Outdoor Bar & BBQ Area, Swimming Pool or Whirlpool, Lounges, Restaurants and our unique professional SPA-ROSA with Sauna, Gym and St. Barth’s beauty treatments.

All drinks, all day - more than 100 types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included throughout the day (NOT JUST WITH MEALS!)

NO SINGLE Supplement on more than 35 departures in 2015

Professional SPA (St.Barth) & Gym (Technogym) on board + 30% OFF all SPA & Beauty treatments

2 DINING CONCEPTS: A. Gourmet Buffet Restaurant with LIVE Cooking Stations B. A-la-Carte Speciality Restaurant (typically during a 7 nights cruise guests will dine 4 times in the Speciality Restaurant just by registering their interest at Reception)

Fully flexible dining arrangements - NO ALLOCATED TABLES and GENEROUS OPENING TIMES of restaurants offer guests as much choice and flexibility as possible

Free WiFi

For more information please visit us online on:

www.arosa-cruises.com To book please contact your preferred travel agent and to find out how to become a preferred A-ROSA agent please contact Lucia Rowe, Head of Sales UK, on l.rowe@a-rosa.de Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN

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On the Main Rothenburg The walled city of Rothenburg is about 45 minutes by coach from Würzburg and well worth a visit for its fairytale medieval architecture. Guides will tell the story of Mayor Nusch who drank three and a quarter litres of wine in one go to save the town from destruction by the invading Swedes. The story is immortalised by the figures that pop out of the astronomical clock on the façade of the Ratstrinkstube but is just a jolly good yarn. For a real taste of Rothenburg, walk the walls, visit the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop (it’s open all year) and torture museum and try a local snowball (balls of pastry coated with various flavours of icing).

NETHERLANDS Amsterdam RHINE

Kinderdijk

GERMANY

Cologne MAIN

Koblenz

Bamberg Miltenberg Würzburg Rothenburg MAIN-DANUBE CANAL

DANUBE

Regensburg Passau

Cruise N

Heidelberg A 35-minute drive or tram ride from Mannheim, Heidelberg is home to a grand castle most memorable for housing a 221,000-litre wine barrel – the largest in Europe. In the old city, €3/£2.40 will get you into the old student gaol, where young miscreants were locked up for getting drunk, womanising, duelling and other misdemeanours. The walls, plastered with satirical pictures, names and verse, have been preserved to create Germany’s most bizarre museum.

Speyer

Nuremberg The city is infamous for its Nazi rally grounds and the Nazi war crime trials after the Second World War, but that grim side of its history is easily forgotten once you are in the centre of town. Climb up to the Castle for a view over the town and visit the Church of our Lady off the huge market square. Keen historians can take bus number 36 to the Documentation Centre, in part of Hitler’s unfinished Kongresshalle, which charts the history of Nazi Germany.

Conrad II, the Holy Roman Emperor between 1027 until 1039, decided to show his power by building the biggest cathedral in the Western world in Speyer, which was then home to just 100 families. It took 36 years to build and today is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Tours visit the cathedral, which is just five minutes’ walk from where the river boats dock, and also an 800-year-old Jewish mikveh, or purifying bath, which survived the Nazis and is now hidden behind lock and key.

Look out for the 1,500-litre wine bowl in the square in front of the Cathedral – when a new bishop is elected it is filled with wine for the townsfolk to help themselves.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 16

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Prague CZECH REPUBLIC

Nuremberg

Krems Melk Vienna

AUSTRIA

SLOVAKIA Bratislava

DANUBE

Budapest HUNGARY

Danube T

he Danube flows from the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea in Romania, passing through or between Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania along the way.

Itineraries on the Upper Danube are generally one week and variously sail between Budapest in Hungary and Passau or Vilshofen in Germany, or between Budapest and Nuremberg, which is also in Germany. Several start and end in Passau and a few sail round-trip from Budapest.

There are direct flights to Budapest, but for Passau, Vilshofen and Nuremberg you’ll most likely fly into Munich and transfer to the ship. Transfer time is between one and a half and two hours.

There are also one-week Danube cruises between Romania and Budapest, or longer itineraries from Romania to Nuremberg or even all the way to Amsterdam. In Romania, vessels dock at Giurgiu, about an hour by car from the capital, Bucharest.

Danube cruises visit Vienna, famous for palaces and the white Lipizzaner horses that perform at the Spanish Riding School, and Melk, famous for its Benedictine Abbey.

From Linz, a small town at the centre of Austria’s wine-growing region, there are excursions to Salzburg or Cesky Krumlov.

Budapest is actually two cities – Buda and Pest - divided by a river and packed with history, culture and spas.

DANUBE

Vienna AUS TRIA

Budapest

HUN GAR Y Kalocsa

CRO ATIA Osijek

TRANSYLVANIA ROM ANI A IRON GATE

Belgrade Vidin Belogradchik SER BIA Cruise

Bucharest Giurgiu Russe

DANUBE

BLACK SEA

Veliko Tarnovo BUL GAR IA

N

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Salzburg, Austria The city is a popular tour from either Passau (in which case you usually re-embark in Linz) or Linz (re-embark in Passau). Journey time is about two and a half hours each way. You’ll see where Mozart was born, where he played concerts and where he drank coffee, and you can buy Mozart chocolate (Mozartkugel), Mozart ducks, lighters, t-shirts and more. Tours take you along lively Getreidegasse. In free time, take the funicular up to the Hohensalzburg Castle for views across the city (€11.30/£8.80 including the funicular) or a horse and carriage (Fiaker) ride, priced about €40/£31 for 20 minutes.

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic A few companies offer this Czech town as an alternative to an excursion to Salzburg.

It’s about an hour and 45 minutes by coach from Linz but well worth the journey as it is a beautiful place with a river running through it. Tours start at the top of town and wend their way slowly down through the old castle into the centre, where you can go shopping, stop for a drink and try some local food.

Melk/Durnstein, Austria Two towns in the pretty Wachau Valley that are invariably visited on the same day, which allows companies to offer guided bike excursions between the two. It’s a 32km ride, mostly flat but with one very steep hill, and provided everything goes according to plan there will be regular stops to enjoy the scenery. In Melk, tours visit the ornate Benedictine Abbey (it’s pleasant to take the coach up and walk down through the little village). Durnstein is most famous as the place where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1190.

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Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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Iron Gate Gorge The Iron Gate Gorge is actually four gorges east of Belgrade that stretch for 90 miles, dividing the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains, and narrowing to just 150 metres at one point. If coming from the east, you’ll enter through giant locks that lift the vessel almost 27 metres in 60 minutes. A 40foot-high statue of King Decebalus marks the entrance.

Budapest, Hungary Actually two cities – hilly Buda and flat Pest – divided by a river that were united in 1873 and are packed with history and culture as well as plenty of fun attractions. There are walking, cycling and Segway tours, a river ride amphibious bus, which tours the streets and then plunges in the Danube, and trips to the spa. Head to Fishermen’s Bastion (a steep climb, or take the funicular) for fabulous views of the city. Tours visit Heroes Square, built in 1896, built to celebrate Hungary’s 1,000th anniversary.

Vienna, Austria The jewel in the crown on the Danube, with highlights including the Hofburg Palace, from where the Habsburgs ruled Austria for 700 years, and the Schönbrunn Palace, their summer residence. Tours visit both, and also the Gaudi-like Hundertwasser Haus. If you book ahead early, you might get to see the white Lipizzaner horses at the Spanish Riding School. For sure you must splash out on coffee and the original Sacher Tort at the Sacher Hotel.

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DANUBE

Budapest

Bratislava, Slovakia The city was crowned capital of the new country of Slovakia in 1993, which makes it the youngest capital city in the world.

The Old Town is small but delightful, and easy to explore alone – it’s a five-minute walk into town from where the boats dock. Be sure to sample the local ‘floating

Vienna

bread’ (beer). Several companies have Communist tours that visit the city’s stunning war memorial and include a ride on a Soviet-style bus.

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HU NG AR Y

Ruse, Bulgaria Tours from here go to the seaside town of Varna, a three-hour drive away. If that doesn’t appeal, look out for excursions to Ivanovo and Basarbovo to see two rock churches – the former covered in frescoes, the latter filled with icons. There are also day trips to Veliko Turnavo, the capital of Bulgaria under the Ottomans, and Arbanassi, a delightful 14thcentury village once used as a holiday retreat

by Communist party officials.

Bucharest, Romania A French-style city with wide tree-lined boulevards and one key attraction – the palace built by the former Romanian dictator Nicholas Ceausescu. The world’s second-largest building, it stands in 33 hectares, was built by more than 20,000 workers and has more than 3,000 rooms decorated with marble floors and pillars, plush carpets, grand chandeliers and silk panels. The irony is that Ceausescu and his wife were tried and executed on Christmas Day 1989, before they could move in.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

Danube | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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Loire Valley

Paris

Cognac

FR AN CE

GIRONDE

Pauillac

Blaye

Libourne Saint-Emilion

Bordeaux

DORDOGNE

Cadillac

Cruise Arcachon

N

Bergerac

GARONNE

Bordeaux Vessels dock on the left bank of the Garonne River, which cuts through Bordeaux, so all you have to do is cross the road and tram tracks and you’ll be in the historical centre. It’s pleasant to stroll the narrow alleys and shopping streets admiring the 18th-century architecture but you can also hire a bike for €2 an hour and cycle the streets and the long promenade that runs along the side of the river. This has been reclaimed for pedestrians in recent years and is a favourite place for strollers, runners and cyclists, with the stunning miroir d’eau (mirror of water) a big favourite, especially with children.

Highlights in the city include the opera house, Place Gambetta, where 364 people lost their heads during the revolution, and the classical lines of the Place de la Bourse.

Bergerac

Bordeaux O

K, there isn’t actually a Bordeaux River, but the city’s name is a useful shorthand for three rivers (the Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne) that have been linked to create a cruise in Southwest France.

Although the actual order of the itineraries might differ, all companies featuring this region visit much the same places and also include plenty of time for you to get to know Bordeaux as all cruises start and end there.

You will fly in and out of Bordeaux (or take the Eurostar from London and change in Paris

to a high-speed SNCF TGV Atlantique train; travel time just under seven hours).

From the airport, it’s about a 30-minute drive to the city.

Highlights include tours and tastings at some of the famous wine chateaux in the Médoc, St Émilion and Sauternes wine regions, and also visits to Bergerac and Bordeaux itself. There are also optional excursions to Arcachon on the Atlantic coast from Bordeaux and to Cognac from Blaye, on the north bank of the Gironde.

Tours to Bergerac depart from Libourne, a busy town at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne rivers. It’s a 90-minute drive to the town, which has a lovely old town with pretty squares, halftimbered houses and plenty of places to eat.

The tourist office makes much of the fact it shares a name with Cyrano de Bergerac, although he never actually lived in Bergerac, but no matter. There are two statues to him, complete with the big nose that made him famous. It’s a pleasant place to stroll but if you’re there on a Saturday be sure to visit the market by the neo-romantic L’Eglise NotreDame. It’s bound to make you feel hungry so if there is time treat yourself to duck or foie gras for lunch, two of the many specialities of the region.

St Émilion The town is forever associated with wine but with its cobbled streets, medieval buildings and monolithic church, it is also a great place to spend a few hours. The town was founded in the 8th century by a monk, St Émilion, a Robin Hood-cum-miracle man who stole bread for the poor and turned the loaves into logs when he was arrested. OK, it is just a myth but it is interesting to visit the cave where he was supposed to have lived and also to see the remains of the 11th-century monolithic church next door.

Blaye Excursions take visitors along the Route de la Corniche Fleurie, so named because many of the houses were built in the 19th-century by ship captains who decorated their dwellings with exotic plants they picked up on their travels. There are also tours around Blaye’s 17th-century citadel, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 22

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Contact your travel agent or visit: www.cruiseandmaritimevoyages.com Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN | Prices are per person based on two adults sharing a double/twin cabin. Fares shown are from and applicable to lowest fare sailing date. Subject to availability and may be withdrawn without notice. Terms & Conditions apply. Operated by South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd trading as Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV Signature River Cruises). ABTA V9945. ATOL 4619 1719

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Rhône / Saône Lyon

Paris SEINE

FR AN CE

Dijon Beaune Chalon-sur-Saône

Tournon Viviers Cruise

SAÔNE

Lyon Vienne

RHÔNE

RHÔNE

Avignon Arles Marseille

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France’s second-largest city, Lyon has a cobbled old town and attractive Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It is also acknowledged as the gastronomic capital of France. The food is certainly good and you don’t have to spend a fortune to eat well either.

Look for one of the bouchon restaurants that serve traditional Lyonnaise food in simple surroundings. Give it a try if your cruise stays in the city overnight (which many do) and be up early next morning to visit the local produce market. Tours often start at the white Basilica of Notre Dame, built high above the city on the site of the old Roman Forum, and then move down to the old town below, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to explore the medieval alleyways.

Tournon/Tain l’Hermitage

T

he Rhône rises in Switzerland and flows into France, emptying into the Mediterranean near Arles. The Saône rises in France. They converge at Lyon, where the Saône becomes the Rhône.

The main itinerary here is a seven-night cruise from Lyon to Arles or Avignon, or viceversa (some cruises also depart from Châlon-sur-Saône, just north of Lyon). There are also one-week voyages round-trip from Lyon and some companies combine the cruise with a few nights in Paris, or package the river with the Rhine or Seine to make a 15-day holiday.

If you are cruising from Lyon to Arles you’ll fly into Lyon airport and out of Marseilles,

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which is about 75 minutes by car from Arles.

Some companies fly passengers in and out of Lyon, with a coach trip between Avignon and Lyon at the start or end of the cruise.

However, an increasingly popular alternative is to take the Eurostar train from London through the Channel Tunnel and transfer onto one of France’s fast TGV trains at Paris (if travelling to/from Lyon) or Lille (if travelling to/from Avignon). It is slower than flying but if you have the time, it’s a great way to see more of the French countryside.

From Lyon, cruises typically go north for a day, to visit Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, before turning around and heading south, calling at Vienne and Avignon, as well as Viviers, Tournon and Lyon itself.

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Tournon’s 10th-century castle (extended in the 1300s and 1500s) is worth a visit, and the village is a pretty place with interesting medieval houses, but the main attraction is to cross the river by suspension bridge, arriving in Tain I’Hermitage, which is famed for its Valrhona chocolate – backstage tours at Valrhona’s École du Grand Chocolat show how it transforms from cocoa bean to the finished product - and Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage wine.

Viviers A once-thriving medieval town, Viviers now has a population of just 3,000, down from about 30,000 in its heyday. A guided tour – AmaWaterways offers one it calls a ‘ghost walk’ – of the narrow streets visits the cathedral and ornately-carved façade of the House of the Chevaliers.

Vienne Julius Caesar arrived in Vienne in around 47BC and transformed the city into a thriving Roman city. These days it’s a typical French town with a Gothic cathedral and medieval, half-timbered houses, but the main attraction is the Roman remains – the temple built in honour of Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia, the 13,000-seat amphitheatre still used today for jazz festivals, and an obelisk believed to have been in the circus, which would have been used for chariot races and gladiator fights.

Avignon The city is home to the only bridge in France with a nursery rhyme named after it. We know it as Pont d’Avignon, but it is actually Pont SaintBénezet. Built in the 12th century, only four of the original 22 arches remain, but it is still the top attraction in the city, along with the nearby Palais des Papes, a grand building where the popes lived between 1309 and 1377.

Hotel barges If you thought river cruise boats were small, check out the hotel barges offered by European Waterways, CroisiEurope and Belmond (formerly Orient-Express) through its Afloat in France brand as these offer an even more intimate holiday on water.

The barges hold between six and 24 passengers and mostly sail the rivers and canals of France, although European Waterways also has cruises in Holland, Belgium, Scotland, England, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Luxembourg.

Choose this option and you’ll by looked after by a small but attentive crew, and enjoy prices that include everything from food

Arles Another Roman city, another Roman amphitheatre, except the one here is more spectacular as it is substantially intact and also has been partially restored. It dates from 90AD and holds more than 20,000 spectators, and is used today for concerts and plays. Keen Roman historians will also find the remains of a theatre, baths and the forum (look out in the Place du Forum). Guides will also point out medieval highlights of the city on a walking tour, but for many visitors the big attraction is that Van Gogh loved to paint here; a fun game is to try to spot scenes from his paintings as you wander around.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 and accommodation to alcoholic and soft drinks (CroisiEurope excludes Champagne, special wines and fine brandies) and guided trips to local places of interest. The travelling costs to get to the barges are extra.

This is a very leisurely holiday as the barges travel slowly and stop regularly to go through locks. You can just relax enjoy the views or get off at a lock and walk or jog along the towpath for a while. Barges carry bikes so you can also cycle along the towpath or explore more of the immediate countryside.

Cabins can be booked individually on most barges, but whole-boat charters are also popular with families or groups of friends celebrating a milestone birthday or anniversary.

Rhône / Saône | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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T

he Seine rises in France, flows north through Paris, into Normandy, and empties into the English Channel at Le Havre.

River cruises sail from Paris to Rouen or Caudebac and back. You can fly in and out of Paris but if you are travelling from South-East England, it makes more sense to take the Eurostar train through the Channel Tunnel from St Pancras in London to Paris Gare du Nord in the centre of Paris. Journey time is just two hours, 15 minutes.

All itineraries go from Paris to Normandy and back, and while the actual order of the visits will be different, you can expect to have a full day in Paris, and call at Vernon, to visit Giverny, where artist Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926, as well as Les Andelys and Rouen.

Seine

Paris One day sightseeing in Paris is added on to the start or end of most river cruises, which is just enough time to see some of the city’s highlights – maybe Notre Dame and Montmartre, or take in the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Or how about visiting L’Arc de Triomphe and wandering down the Champs Elysées? If you want to do all these things, add at least one night in a hotel to the start or end of the cruise.

Vernon Excursions from here go to the garden at Giverny, home of the impressionist painter Claude Monet, which has been kept much as it was 100 years ago. Art lovers will see scenes from his famous paintings, keen gardeners will love to see the plants and shrubs, and learn how it is all maintained.

DO M UN ITE D KI NG

Gold Beach Juno Beach Omaha Beach

Les Andelys

Rouen Les Andelys Giverny Conflans Vernon SEINE

FR AN CE

Paris

There is only one reason to visit to Les Andelys and that’s to see the ChateauGaillard, built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart in the days when England owned Normandy. It’s a ruin now, destroyed by Henry IV in 1603, but had a colourful history, having changed hands between the British and French several times during the Hundred Years War and been besieged many times.

Rouen Most river cruise itineraries stay overnight in Rouen because there is so much of interest in and around the city. Tours visit the cathedral, which was rebuilt after suffering severe damage during heavy bombing in the Second World War, the half-timbered houses and the Church of Saint Joan, built on the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. Tours outside the city visit the pretty fishing village of Honfleur or the D-Day Landing Beaches.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 26

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Douro T

he Douro rises in north central Spain and flows south-west and into northern Portugal, emptying into the Atlantic at Porto.

There is only one cruise, sailing from Porto to Vega de Terrón on the border with Spain, a distance of 210km (130 miles), passing through five deep locks on the way.

At Vega de Terrón river boats have to turn back because the river is no longer navigable.

You’ll fly in and out of Porto, unless you add extra time in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, which is two and a half hours by train to the south. Some companies package a

cruise with two or three nights in the capital.

The scenery is the star on these cruises, which either start or end with a tour of Porto and take you past acres and acres of terraced vineyards and through picturepostcard valleys.

Itineraries call at Régua and Pinhão, in the heart of port wine country, and Vega de Terrón, in Spain, for excursions to the Spanish city of Salamanca.

Excursions go to Vila Real, to see the baroque Mateus Palace, or Lamego, to visit the baroque Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies pilgrimage church built atop an ornate baroque staircase with 680 steps.

Castelo Rodrigo SPAI N

Porto

Braga Barca d’Alva Régua Pinhão Bitetos Vega de Terrón Salamanca Lamego DOURO RIVER

Coimbra

An elegant city at the mouth of the Douro river, Porto gave its name to the famous fortified wine made in Northern Portugal. Walking tours take you through its narrow cobbled streets to the 13th-century cathedral and São Bento railway station, where 20,000 tiles depict the history of transport and Portugal. There are also boat rides under the bridges that link Porto with Gaia on the other bank, and tours and tastings at one of the port lodges in Gaia.

Régua

Santiago de Compostela

ATLA NTIC OCE AN

Porto

POR TUG AL

Lisbon

This is a tiny 10th-century hamlet built some 2,200 feet above sea level to protect it from attack by the Spanish. Its tiny 12th-century church provided a resting place for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Salamanca A two-hour drive from Vega de Terron, Salamanca is home to one of the two leading universities in the world as well as one of the biggest squares in Spain, Plaza Mayor. It is Spain as it used to be, without the tourists but with about 55,000 students, which makes it a lively place after dark. Tours visit the ‘new’ cathedral, built between 1513 and 1733, the 13th-century university and the House of Shells, and usually include lunch with a flamenco show. In free time, don’t miss the market and Plaza Mayor, considered one of the most beautiful squares in Spain.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 28

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

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Ultimate Destination Guide

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T

Po

he Po is the longest river in Italy, flowing 652 miles from the Cottian Alps and emptying into the Adriatic south of Venice. However, river cruises on the Po cover a much shorter distance.

The vessels operated by CroisiEurope and Uniworld sail from Venice across the lagoon to Chioggia, where they enter a canal system, and join the Po at Taglio di Po. They then sail to Polesella – a distance of only around 60 miles – where they stay one or two nights, then turn back to Venice.

The big attraction of these river cruises is the time they allow in Venice at the start and end of the trip, and because you are staying on a river cruise boat you don’t have the expense of a hotel. The drawback is that you spend a lot of time in coaches on sightseeing trips from Chioggia to Padua (30 miles) and from Polesella to Bologna (44 miles), Ravenna (62 miles) or Ferrara (14 miles).

European Waterways’ La Bella Vita barge cruises from Venice to Taglio di Po, where it joins the Canal Bianco and sails to Mantua, some 60 miles further west than Polesella. The journey takes a total six nights and includes a tour of Chioggia, a trip to a winery and a full day in Mantua before disembarking. On alternate weeks, the itinerary operates in the other direction.

Venice: The only way to see the city is by foot,

walking along the small streets and alleys around the canals. Highlights include the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square, and there are also tours to the islands of Murano and Burano, respectively known for glass and lace-making.

Padua: One of the oldest cities in Italy, it was the setting for Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and where astronomer and mathematician Galileo studied.

Bologna: Guided tours visit the historic centre – look out for the acclaimed ‘porticos’, or covered walkways – and a pasta-making workshop.

Ravenna: An important seaport until the Middle Ages, the city is now land-locked but notable for the 5th and 6th-century mosaics that adorn its churches and Basilicas.

Ferrara: A medieval town with ancient cobbled

streets, a Gothic cathedral and story-book castle with towers, moat and a drawbridge.

Verona: The city of Romeo and Juliet and of

course you’ll want to see the famous balcony (although it has nothing to do with the tale of the love-struck teenagers), but the highlight is the Roman amphitheatre that is a highly-prized venue for opera lovers these days.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 30

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A truly unique experience Our ho hotel tel bar barge rg ge cr cruises uises gently gentlly introduce intrroduce oduce you you tto o some of Europe’s Eur rope’s fines ffinest inest scenery, scenerryy, fascinating fascinating his history torry and local culture.

From the picturesque vineyards of Burgundy to the spectacular Scottish Highlands; from the sun-drenched South of France to the storybook Alsace region - along canals like the Nivernais, Burgundy and Canal du Midi in France and majestic rivers such as the Thames, Shannon and Po. Each 6-night cruise is a slow-paced, immersive experience as you enjoy a balanced blend of daily excursions and fascinating cruising, gourmet cuisine, fine wines - all whilst being pampered by an attentive crew.

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O

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Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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FI N LA N D

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Uglich Yaroslavl MOSCOW CA

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Moscow

Russian Waterways R

ather than a single waterway, the cities of Moscow and St Petersburg are linked by a series of canals, rivers and lakes.

There is one itinerary, a 12-night cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg, or vice-versa, that includes time in each city at either end of the cruise.

If you are cruising from Moscow, you’ll fly into that city and sail on the Moscow Canal, Volga River, Rybinsk Reservoir, Volga-Baltic Waterway, Lake Onega, Svir River, Lake Ladoga and Neva River, and fly out of St Petersburg. If your cruise starts in St Petersburg, you will do it all the other way around.

Highlights include the cities, which merit at least two full days for sightseeing, the towns of Uglich and Yaroslavl, and the waterways themselves. Itineraries also call at Goritsy, to visit a superb icon museum in the 14thcentury Monastery of St Cyril in Kirilov, Kizhi Island and the village of Mandrogi, where you can stock up on local crafts and souvenirs.

You will need a visa to cruise in Russia and this must be obtained in advance. Price as at October 2014 was £82.40 but check this and any other documents needed with your travel agent or river cruise line.

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St Petersburg St Petersburg is another feast for sightseers, who need at least three days to do it all justice. You can spend hours in the Hermitage Museum, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and now one of the largest art museums in the world. It is estimated you’d have to walk 24 miles to see all the exhibitss so go with a guide to see the highlights.

Other top sights include the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, St Isaacs Cathedral, the Battleship Aurora, which fired the shot that started the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, a canal boat ride and the Church of the Spilled Blood, built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. The Yusupov Palace, visited on several itineraries, is where Rasputin was poisoned, shot and finally drowned.

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Moscow

Yaroslavl

The waterways

Must-see sights in the city include the Kremlin – go to the state armoury to see everything from weapons to jewels and Fabergé eggs – St Basil’s Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theatre, Red Square, the huge Soviet department store GUM and the Tretyakov Gallery, home to 100,000 pieces of Russian art. Most tours also visit the Metro, to see ornate stations with chandeliers, sculptures and frescoes.

An ancient city of churches, cathedrals and monasteries founded in 1010 by Yaroslavl the Wise. The story goes that he came upriver, defeated a bear that was worshipped by the resident pagans and started his settlement.

Walking tours visit some of the churches and the food market.

Cruising from Moscow to St Petersburg, you pass through 18 locks (you go through one twice) and drop 196 metres to sea level. The route goes along the Moscow Canal, built by political prisoners under Stalin to link Moscow to the Volga River, and the Rybinsk Reservoir, created by flooding 700 villages. Apparently 126 people who refused to leave their homes were drowned. You’ll also sail over Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe and so big you might be at sea – except it freezes in winter. During the 900-day siege of Leningrad (now St Petersburg) in the Second World War, trucks drove over the ice, risking enemy artillery fire, to bring supplies to the starving city. Despite their efforts, more than 640,000 people died of cold and starvation.

Uglich One of the oldest cities in Russia, Uglich is where Dmitri, the 10-year-old son of Ivan the Terrible, was banished after his father’s death.

Seven years later the boy’s throat was cut on the orders of Boris Godunov, who wanted to be tsar. The church, Dmitri on the Blood, was built where the boy was murdered. It’s a simple church, unlike the small Cathedral of the Transfiguration next door, which is a vision of frescoes and has the acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall.

Kizhi Island A museum houses the only two surviving multi-domed wooden churches built during the reign of Peter the Great. The Church of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour has 22 domes, the Church of the Intercession has nine, and both were built without nails or plans. There are also wooden houses, chapels, windmills and granaries, all examples of ancient Russian architecture.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

Russian Waterways | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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he Elbe rises in the Czech Republic, flows into Germany and empties into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, near Hamburg.

There is only one cruise, and it is offered by a very few operators, which is a shame because it’s a fabulous itinerary, sailing seven nights from Germany to the Czech Republic, or vice-versa. Before choosing this cruise, be warned that the river suffers from such low water levels that often the boats can’t move so you end up being bussed around.

You will probably fly into Berlin and out of Prague or the other way around, depending which direction you are sailing (Riviera Travel takes passengers in and out of Berlin, with Prague visited on a day trip from Bad Schandau). If you have the chance, add a few days in Berlin and Prague at the start and end of the cruise to take in more of the sights and the atmosphere after dark in these fabulous cities.

Once on board, stops include Wittenberg, Meissen and Dresden, which all have a fascinating history. You’ll also cruise through the craggy limestone peaks of Saxon Switzerland and visit the spa resort of Bad Schandau. Viking River Cruises also visits Torgau, to see the monument that marks the spot where Russian and American forces met in 1945.

Berlin There’s so much to see and do in the German capital, but highlights should include the museum at Checkpoint Charlie, which tells of the various attempts made to escape over the Berlin Wall, the dome of the Bundestag, the Topography of Terror Documentation Centre, which focuses on the crimes of the SS and police during the Third Reich, and the powerful Jewish Museum. Shoppers should head to the Kurfürstendamm, where fashion favourites include MaxMara, Tommy Hilfiger, H&M, Benetton and Zara. If it’s not part of the cruise itinerary, try also to visit the magnificent Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam.

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Wittenberg The city is known as the birthplace of the Reformation and tours follow in the footsteps of German priest Martin Luther – where he was born, where he preached (St Marien’s Church) and where, in 1517, he nailed his 95 Theses (Castle Church), challenging clerical abuse and leading to the Protestant Reformation. The Theses are hung on the original door in bronze.

Meissen This is the town that gave its name to the world-famous porcelain so naturally excursions visit the Meissenware factory, which has been in existence since 1710, as well as walking through the old town.

Dresden Once known as the Florence on the Elbe, the city was razed to the ground by the allies’ carpet bombing towards the end of the Second World War, but has been rebuilt to its former glory.

Highlights include the Frauenkirche, which was rebuilt from materials salvaged from the rubble, the restored Semper Opera House, the fairytale Royal Palace, which has been completely rebuilt, and the baroque Zwinger Palace. For something different, take a Kompakt tour in a Trabant (the former East German car). Price is from €34/£26.50 per person for one hour, 30 minutes, based on four people.

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Prague The capital of the Czech Republic is outstanding, famous for the ancient Charles Bridge (the first stone was laid in 1357), which is always packed with painters, musicians, souvenir sellers and tourists but there so much more to see and do. Don’t miss the Jewish Quarter, where a Hebrew clock runs counter clockwise; Prague Castle, which dates back to around 880 and was the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor between 1346 and 1378 and is now the home of the Czech president; and the 15th-century Astronomical Clock on the Gothic Tower of the Town Hall. On the hour, small statues of the 12 apostles appear. Get there early for a good view.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

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Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

he 10th longest river in the world, the Mekong rises in the Tibetan Plateau in China and flows through Myanmar (Burma) and Laos into Cambodia and Vietnam, emptying into the South China Sea near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

The top itinerary is a seven-night cruise between Siem Reap in Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam that is usually combined with time in both cities either end of the cruise, and maybe a couple of nights in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

Itineraries include at least one day in Phnom Penh, and visit small villages, temples and pagodas, and floating markets. As important as the sights is experiencing the contrast between the tranquillity of the river and bustling Ho Chi Minh City.

There are also cruises on the remote Upper Mekong to and from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, that visit Laos and Thailand.

Various cruise itineraries are offered with highlights that include Luang Prabang, the Pak Ou Caves, Kuang Si waterfalls as well as visits to local towns and villages.

You will need visas to enter Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

You can buy them on arrival in Cambodia and Laos (prices are $20 and $35 respectively, payable in US dollars) but the Vietnam visa (£44) is best bought in advance. Information is correct as of October 2014 but always check before travelling.

Ho Chi Minh City

Phnom Penh

The city is home to around eight million people and 3.8 million scooters (crossing the roads requires skill and courage) and attractions including the Reunification Palace (formerly the Presidential Palace), the colonial-style Central Post Office and Notre Dam Cathedral, and stylish Rex Hotel, used by foreign correspondents during the Vietnam War. A guided tour by scooter is a fun way to see the sights. A short way out of the city, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 200km network of underground tunnels where the Viet Cong lived and launched attacks on the American GIs during the war. You’ll see the secret entrances, learn how they lived and see the terrifying weapons they built.

The capital of Cambodia arouses mixed emotions. These days it is a bustling city with a lively waterfront packed with restaurants and bars (try dinner at the Foreign Correspondents Club if your boat is staying overnight, but book ahead as it gets very busy), but this is also where you come face to face with the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. During a terrifying 14 years some three million Cambodians were murdered by the Pol Pot regime. Tours visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and one of the Killing Fields where thousands died. Tours also visit Central Market and Royal Palace. To explore alone, a tuk-tuk is the best way to get around.

Siem Reap The big attraction here are the temples of Angkor, built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Angkor Wat, said to be the largest religious building in the world (it took an estimated 30 years to build), is the best known, but there is also the 12th-century Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire, and the Bayon Temple, with its giant carved faces.

Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women) is a small temple built from red sandstone dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Ta Prohm temple dates back to 1186 and has been largely untouched since it was discovered in 1947.

Luang Prabang Visited on cruises on the Upper Mekong, the city was declared a UNESCO World heritage Site in 1995 on account of its temples – Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513, which contains a collection of antique wooden Buddhas, Wat Xieng Thong and the richly-decorated Wat Mai. From the city there are excursions to the Pak Ou Caves, which house thousands of Buddha statues measuring from just a few centimetres high to two metres, and a Laotian village. You can also go on a jungle trek to see the hill tribes, an elephant ride or take a cycle ride around the city.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

On the river A cruise on the Mekong is as much about seeing rural life in Cambodia and Vietnam as ticking off the key sights. You’ll learn about Cambodian dining delicacies such as deepfried tarantulas, Khmer fried cricket (KFC) and long-tailed chicken (rats), ride in an oxcart and rickshaw, visit local markets and meet children eager to try out their English.

You’ll probably have the dubious pleasure of being able to try rice wine flavoured with snake, and also be able to learn the history of the two countries.

Mekong | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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Ayeyarwady and Chindwin

Is it Myanmar or Burma?

You can call it whichever you wish but correctly, Myanmar refers to the whole country and all the nationalities who live there, while Burma is the portion inhabited by the Burmese.

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

T

he Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) rises in Northern Myanmar (Burma), at the confluence of the N’mai and Mali rivers and flows south through the country, emptying 1,348 miles later in the Andaman Sea. The Chindwin River rises in Homalin, in the north-west of Myanmar, close to the border with India, and flows 720 miles south to join the Ayeyarwady between Mandalay and Bagan.

Most river cruises in Myanmar are on the Ayeyarwady and range from three and four-night minicruises between Mandalay and Bagan to seven and 14-night voyages between Yangon and Bagan or Mandalay.

There are also one-week cruises from Mandalay to Bagan and back and 11-night cruises from Mandalay to Bhamo and back to Bagan.

Cruises on the Chindwin are generally seven nights, but longer itineraries that start or end of the Ayeyarwady are also available.

Only small ships with a shallow draft can navigate this river, and many are even then limited to certain times of the year.

Whichever itinerary you choose, you’ll have to fly to Yangon and either sail from there or take an internal flight to Bagan or Mandalay. There are no direct flights from the UK to Yangon, but you can transit through Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Airlines, Doha and Bangkok with Qatar and Bangkok with Thai International. You can also fly with British Airways to Bangkok and on to Yangon with Bangkok Airways.

Seeing the golden pagodas and Buddha statues is a highlight, but cruises in Myanmar are as much about seeing Asia as it used to be. Life is unhurried, Westerners are an oddity and no one hassles you to buy things. If they are selling souvenirs you don’t want, a polite ‘no thank you’ will suffice.

You’ll also find yourself cut off from home as Western mobile phones won’t work, and wifi is patchy.

The Brahmaputra The Brahmaputra, the new kid on the block when it comes to river cruising, is not only a wild child – the fastest-flowing river in the world – but also top of the list when it comes to adventure cruising.

It rises in the Himalayas, flows 1,300km east through Tibet and then curls round, like a huge question-mark, before heading south through Assam in India to join the Ganges in Bangladesh. Its total length is 2,980km.

On the way, it blazes such a trail through the landscape that sandbanks come and go, causing the scenery to change by the hour. In the monsoon season, so much water floods through that the river is no longer navigable.

The seven-night cruises are on the 46-passenger Mahabaahu, operated by a tour company called Far Horizon India, and include excursions to remote villages, Hindu temples, monasteries, ancient monuments from the 13th to the 19th centuries and tea plantations. And then there is the Mahabaahu’s ace card – an elephant back safari in Kaziranga National Park in search of Bengal tigers (it is very unlikely you’ll see one) and rhino, of which there are plenty.

UK passport holders need a visa to enter Myanmar. Applications can now be made online if you are entering the country via Yangon.

You will be issued with an approval letter to be presented at immigration at Yangon International Airport. Price is $50 (as of October 2014).

Yangon Called Rangoon under the British, Yangon was the capital of Burma from 1948 until 2006, when it was relocated to Naypyidaw by the military junta. The highlight is the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, some 100 metres high and covered in 11 tons of gold. The pagoda is like a town within a city, covering some 12 acres, where monks, nuns, friends and families come to meet, pray, meditate and party, because giving to Buddha is seen as a joyous thing. Other sights include Scott’s Market, the Lion Throne in the National Museum and colonial Strand Hotel – the Raffles of Myanmar but a lot cheaper.

Bagan The capital of the first Burmese empire between the 11th and 13th centuries, Bagan is just over an hour by air from Yangon. The ancient city used to have more than 5,000 temples and pagodas but many were destroyed in earthquakes between 1938 and 1975. Now it is an archaeological site, and still peppered with 2,237 pagodas and temples.

You can climb to the top of several for a view over the Bagan plain, which is stunning, especially at sunset. If you’re docked early

enough, there are hot air balloon rides to see the sun rise. New Bagan (which is still pretty old) has lots of reasonably-priced restaurants if you want to try some local fare.

Mandalay Just over an hour from Yangon by air, Mandalay was the last royal capital of Burma. Highlights here include the Mahamuni Pagoda, which houses a gold-leaf statue of Buddha, and the Shwenandaw Monastery, famous for its elaborate teak carvings. Tours also visit U Bein’s Bridge, claimed to be the world’s longest teakbuilt bridge, and the walls of the Royal Palace, which was destroyed by fire at the end of the Second World War.

On the river Highlights cruising the Ayeyarwady include the Buddha carvings in the cliff at Akauk Taung, and the city of Pyay, to see the 100-foot high Sitting Buddha and golden Shwesadaw Pagoda. From Pyay there are also excursions to Sri Ksetra, an important centre in the 5th to 8th centuries and now an archaeological site. You’ll also visit the Gwechaung and Minhla Forts, built

by Italian designers from 1860 to 1863 to protect Royal Myanmar from further encroachment from the British (in the event, both forts fell to the British Army in two days in 1885, giving Britain control over the whole country), and Salé, to see the ancient YoutSaun-Kyuang teak monastery and a golden Buddha made from cloth, sawdust and lacquer.

The Ganges The Ganges in West Bengal, known as Mother Ganga, is the holiest river in India and a brilliant choice for culture, history and a spot of adventure.

Hop on one of these cruises, on colonial-style vessels sailing round-trip from Kolkata, and in seven nights you’ll learn about the life and work of Mother Theresa, visit temples, mosques and palaces, and see the birthplace of the Krishna movement.

You’ll also ride in a rickshaw, visit local shore-side markets and have time to watch life unfold along the river banks (and maybe spot a Gangetic dolphin) as you sail from one exciting activity to another.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45 Ayeyarwady and Chindwin | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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Yangtze

Beijing Tours visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, China’s imperial palace between 1420 and 1860 and now a World Heritage Site, and most also venture out to the Great Wall.

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The city has an alluring mix of gleaming skyscrapers and colonial low-rise buildings.

Tours visit the museum, which houses a vast array of art and artefacts from China’s long history, and the Bund, the historic river-front promenade. Some river cruise lines offer a trip to an evening acrobatic show.

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The Amazon Most people think of the Amazon as the stretch of river between the Atlantic and Manaus, but that part is so wide it is more like being at sea (and indeed, small oceangoing cruise ships can navigate it). So if you’re talking river cruising on the Amazon, you need to head further upstream, to Iquitos in Peru or Ecuador.

Whichever route you choose, this is an amazing experience - a real getawayfrom-it-all adventure that will take you trekking through rainforest, spotting river dolphins, monkeys and colourful parrots, macaws and toucans, and meeting the indigenous people.

You’ll explore in canoes or skiffs, see scary piranha fish and get close to caiman (South American alligators), which the guides catch with their bare hands (but only for a photo opportunity!).

Cruises are anything from three to seven nights on small but comfortable river cruise boats that have room for just 20 to 30 passengers.

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Pictures cannot prepare you for seeing the thousand-strong Terracotta Warriors for real.

They are all over six feet tall, each with a different expression, and were built on the orders of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, to guard him in the after- life. The scale of the project – and remember this all happened 2,200 years ago – is mind-boggling.

Three Gorges Dam

T

he third longest river in the world after the Nile and Amazon, the Yangtze, or Chang Jiang (meaning Long River), rises in the Tibetan Plateau and empties into the Yellow Sea at Shanghai.

All itineraries either start or end with a few nights in Beijing or Shanghai, so you’ll fly into one city and out of the other.

Several itineraries also include a night or two in Xian, to see the Terracotta Warriors.

If you start in Beijing, you’ll probably fly from there to Xian, then join the river cruise and depart from Shanghai. If you start in Shanghai, you’ll go from there to the river cruise and then to Xian and Beijing.

River cruises are between four and six days, sailing through the scenic Three Gorges between Chongqing and Wuhan or vice-versa, but packaged into longer holidays that also visit Beijing, Shanghai and Xian.

You will need to obtain a visa to travel to China before leaving the UK. Price is from £30 per person (correct as of October 2014). Your travel agent or river cruise company will be able to help with your application.

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Dubbed China’s new Great Wall, this concrete giant – 1.4 miles long, 377 feet wide and 607 feet above sea level – took 12 years to build, although the last 32 generators only went into operation in July 2012, six years after construction finished.

Strange to say, but a visit is fascinating.

Three Gorges These are the highlights of the river cruise – three deep gorges with soaring, craggy peaks that are often shrouded in mist, which gives them a mystical feel. Xiling Gorge and Qutang Gorge (Witches Gorge) are both regarded as ‘strong men’ by the Chinese, but Wu Gorge, in the middle, is seen as a woman as it is surrounded by more gentle mountains covered with trees and grass. Most river cruise lines will have guides to explain about the myths and legends as you sail through each gorge.

Lesser Three Gorges At Wushan, a smaller boat takes you along the Danang River and through the Lesser Three Gorges. They are more beautiful and narrower than their big sisters. Those with sharp eyes will spot hanging coffins and the old plank road carved into the cliffs, and maybe even one or two of the monkeys that inhabit the area.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

The Chobe This river rises in Angola, where it is called Kwando, and flows into Namibia and Botswana, where it becomes the Chobe, before meeting the Zambezi and tumbling into the Victoria Falls.

This is your chance to combine a river cruise with a wildlife safari – you can expect to see elephants, giraffe, crocodiles and hippos - and also visit local villages and schools, taste African cuisine, and see the stars at night in all their pollution-free glory.

Cruises, on the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen, are just two to four nights so they are always combined with a land holiday in Africa, maybe including a few days in Cape Town, a few days at the Victoria Falls, or a land-based safari. AmaWaterways packages it with a three-night Rovos Rail train journey from Victoria Falls to Pretoria.

Nile

T

Cairo

he Nile has two sources, One rises in Ethiopia, the other in Uganda. They meet in the Sudan and flow on to Egypt, emptying into the Mediterranean east of Alexandria.

Most Nile cruises are seven nights sailing from Luxor to Aswan and back (in which case you’ll fly in and out of Luxor) or shorter one-way itineraries (in which case you’ll fly in to Luxor and out of Aswan, most likely with a change in Cairo). Some operators combine a cruise with a few nights in Cairo.

Guides travel on the cruises to lead excursions and explain about the history of the pharaohs.

Trips, mostly included in the price, are mainly to temples, but most companies have excursions to the Valley of the Kings in Luxor where the rulers were buried and offer optional dawn balloon rides over the West Bank.

Tourism to Egypt took a battering after the Arab spring that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. At the time of writing, the country was off the Foreign Office no-go list but the number of holidaymakers travelling there was small. It means you won’t encounter hordes of tourists at the key sights, but they will be packed with locals trying to sell souvenirs, who can be very persistent.

First stop for all visitors to Cairo is the Sphinx and Pyramids at Giza. The Egyptian Museum is also a must as it houses the world’s finest collection of Pharaonic artefacts including the treasures found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. Other sights include the Citadel, a Crusader-style fortress dating from the 13th century, and the Khan elKhalili bazaar.

Luxor This is the jewel in the crown on the Nile, with so many attractions that most river cruise companies allow two full days in the city. In the town itself there’s the grand Karnak Temple and the smaller Temple of Luxor. You can go down into the pharaohs' tombs in the Valley of the Kings – they are empty but the frescos are worth seeing – and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of very few woman pharaohs. You’ll also see the Colossi of Memnon – two huge statues sitting out in the desert which are all that remains of the temple they once guarded. If you’re in Luxor overnight, consider going to the sound-and-light show at Karnak Temple.

Aswan You will need a visa to enter Egypt. These can be purchased on arrival, price £20.

Information is correct as of October 2014 but always check before travelling.

The top tour here is a three-hour drive through the desert to see the sun rise over the Temple of Abu Simbel, moved to its present location when they built the Aswan Dam. The tour is usually an optional extra and starts very early in the morning. Aswan

Other highlights Temple of Edfu: Dedicated to the

falcon god Horus, it was built between 237 and 57 BCE, and is one of the best preserved in Egypt,

Temple of Kom Ombo: A double

temple with the southern half dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and a duplicated northern half dedicated to the falcon god Horus.

tours also visit Philae Temple, the dam (worth skipping) and the unfinished obelisk, where you learn how they cut and moved these giant pieces of granite. If time permits, have tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel, a favourite haunt of Sir Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie and the Aga Khan.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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Mississippi

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he fourth largest river in the world, the Mississippi rises in northern Minnesota and flows south through the US, either bordering or passing through 10 states, and 2,340 miles later empties into the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans.

River cruising here is all about paddlewheel boats, harking back to the 19th century when the river was a vital artery for transporting goods and people and boats powered by steam were developed so they could navigate upriver against strong currents.

The core route is a seven-night cruise between Memphis and New Orleans, but there are also round-trip itineraries from New Orleans.

These operate between February and late June and again from October to December. In the summer vessels move to the Upper Mississippi, sailing between St Paul and St Louis, and cruising also the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers.

Keen Steamboaters can do a two-week journey from St Paul to New Orleans.

Whichever itinerary you choose, it makes sense to combine the cruise with a longer stay in the US, maybe adding a couple of nights in Nashville or time in Memphis and New Orleans to the core itinerary Cruises are diverse, offering a glimpse of everything from Elvis and Civil War history to slavery, fur traders, outlaws and wildlife.

Memphis: No visit to the city is complete

without paying tribute to the King at Gracelands, but there is much more to see – Sun Studios, where an 18-year-old Elvis dropped in to make a $2 record back in 1953, the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum charting the city’s contribution to the music scene and the Civil Rights Museum, which opened in 2014 in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968.

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Vicksburg: It’s where Coca-Cola was first bottled but more important is the role it played in the American Civil War of 1861-65.

Identified as key to winning the war, the town was subjected to a year-long campaign by Union troops that ended with a 47-day siege.

The Confederates surrendered on July 4 1863; Vicksburg did not celebrate Independence Day for the next 81 years.

New Orleans: With its French, Spanish and American vibe, the city is an exciting blend of cultures, big on jazz and packed with restaurants, nightclubs and antique stores.

The French Quarter has a faded charm, the American Garden District is elegant. Ride the street car along St Charles Avenue, which boasts 17 churches in less than seven miles.

Baton Rouge: The city has an interesting history thanks to Huey Long, the governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932, who on the one hand called for a Share the Wealth scheme to help the poor and on the other ordered

convicts to knock down the old governor’s residence, then spent a fortune building a new one modelled on the White House. There are boat rides on the nearby swamps to see alligators.

Natchez: In the early 1800s, there were

more millionaires and antebellum houses in this town than anywhere else in the US thanks to cotton and slavery. You can learn about the life of slaves at Frogmore Plantation, now a museum.

St Louis: Its location near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio River, which flows westward from Pittsburgh, made the town a hub for river boats and settlers heading west.

A 630ft stainless steel arch was built in 1965 to recognise its role as the gateway to the west. Tours take in the city’s history and breweries.

* Who goes where, pages 44-45

Columbia and Snake Rivers People with a keen sense of American history know the Columbia and Snake Rivers as the waterways used by Lewis and Clarke on their historical expedition across the US in search of the Pacific Ocean in 1803-06.

There is one itinerary, a seven-night cruise from Portland in Oregon to Lewiston in Washington or vice-versa. Along the way you can chart the progress of Lewis & Clark (pretty much unheard of in the UK, but as famous as apple pie in the US) and learn about the settlers who moved west on the Oregon Trail.

There are trips to museums, waterfalls, vineyards and the fort where Lewis & Clark overwintered in 1805, as well as talks about their expedition and the history of the region.

If you cruise from west to east, you embark in an area known for its rain and disembark in desert (and of course it’s the other way around if sailing east to west).

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

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www.amawaterways.co.uk

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www.aptouring.co.uk/cruising

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www.a-rosa.de/en

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www.avaloncruises.co.uk

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Websites

European Canals

Moselle

Main/ Main-Danube Canal

Danube

Rhône/ Saône

www.americancruiselines.com www.aqsc.com www.lightbluetravel.co.uk

www.belmond.com www.croisieurope.co.uk

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Cruise and Maritime Voyages

www.cruiseandmaritime.co.uk

Emerald Waterways

www.emeraldwaterways.co.uk

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www.gobarging.com

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European Waterways Far Horizon India Hebridean River Cruises

www.perlrivercruises.co.uk www.hebridean.co.uk

Mekong River Cruises

www.lernidee.com

Pandaw

www.pandaw.com

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Riviera Travel

www.rivieratravel.co.uk

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Saga Cruises

www.saga.co.uk/cruises

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www.scenictours.co.uk

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www.shearings.com

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Sanctuary Retreats Scenic Tours Shearings Swan Hellenic Tauck Titan Travel The River Cruise Line Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Viking River Cruises Wendy Wu

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Rhine

Tulips/ Dutch waterways

www.sanctuaryretreats.com

www.swanhellenic.com www.tauck.com

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www.titantravel.co.uk

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www.therivercruiseline.co.uk

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www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk

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www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk

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www.wendywutours.co.uk

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Your Ulti mate Destination Guide | R IVE R C R U I S E 2015

Seine

Garonne/ Gironde/ Dordogne

Douro

Elbe

Po

Russian Brahmaputra/ Waterways Ganges

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Ayeyarwady

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Yangtze

Chobe

Mississippi/ Columbia & Snake

Nile

Amazon

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Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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W H O I N C LU D E’s WHAT River Cruise Lines...

Amadeus River Cruises AmaWaterways American Cruise Lines

www.amawaterways.co.uk

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APT - Other Cruises

www.aptouring.co.uk/cruising

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CroisiEurope

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www.perlrivercruises.co.uk

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www.emeraldwaterways.co.uk

Hebridean River Cruises

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Emerald Waterways

www.hebridean.co.uk

Mekong River Cruises

www.lernidee.com

Pandaw

www.pandaw.com

Services of tour manager

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www.croisieurope.co.uk www.cruiseandmaritime.co.uk

Far Horizon India

Selected cruises

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www.belmond.com

Cruise and Maritime Voyages

European Waterways

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www.a-rosa.de/en www.avaloncruises.co.uk

Accommodation

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www.aptouring.co.uk/cruising

Belmond

Selected cruises

www.americancruiselines.com

APT - Royal Collection

Avalon Waterways

Overseas transfers

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A-Rosa

UK transfers

www.amadeusrivercruises.co.uk

www.aqsc.com www.lightbluetravel.co.uk

American Queen Steamboat Company

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Riviera Travel

www.rivieratravel.co.uk

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Saga Cruises

www.saga.co.uk/cruises

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Sanctuary Retreats Scenic Tours Shearings Swan Hellenic Tauck Titan Travel The River Cruise Line Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Viking River Cruises Wendy Wu 46

Websites

Air/rail/ coach travel from the UK

www.sanctuaryretreats.com

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www.scenictours.co.uk

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www.shearings.com

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www.swanhellenic.com

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www.tauck.com

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www.titantravel.co.uk

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Your Ulti mate Destination Guide | R IVE R C R U I S E 2015

Meals

Wine/beer and soft drinks with dinner

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Wine/beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner

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Barge fleet

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Wifi

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Shore excursions

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Unlimited tea and coffee

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Alcoholic and soft drinks at all times

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Russia only

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• Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

47

GAL L E RY Your guide to the river cruise lines Amadeus River Cruises 49, AmaWaterways 50, American Queen Steamboat Company 51, A-Rosa 52, Avalon Waterways 53, Cruise & Maritime Voyages 54, Emerald Waterways 55, European Waterways 56, Riviera 57, Sanctuary Retreats 58, Scenic Tours 59.

Book with your preferred travel agent

48

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

Amadeus River Cruises | G AL L E RY

The fleet Amadeus Silver II 168 passengers

Cruise style Amadeus Silver 180 passengers Amadeus Brilliant, Amadeus Elegant 150 passengers Amadeus Diamond, Amadeus Symphony, Amadeus Classic All 146 passengers Amadeus Princess 160 passengers Amadeus Royal 144 passengers Mekong Navigator 68 passengers Irrawaddy Explorer 56 passengers

Enjoy a stylish and relaxed onboard ambience with exceptional standards of hospitality and superb cuisine as you make new friends with your fellow passengers from around the world. With English being the first spoken language on board, Amadeus River Cruises offers enriching itineraries on the Dutch and Belgian Waterways, the Rhine, Main, Danube, Rhône and Saône. New for 2015 are the romantic Seine and the mysterious Asian rivers, the Mekong and the Irrawaddy. Christmas markets, Christmas and New Year cruises as well as some beautifully-crafted themed cruises and land programmes ensure our passengers have enough choice to sail with us time and time again.

Key features • Family-run business with maximum attention to detail from start to finish.

• Renowned high standards of Austrian hospitality.

• English as the first spoken language onboard.

• A truly international passenger mix from around the world.

• Complimentary free flowing quality wine, beer and soft drinks with every dinner onboard.

• Exceptional value for money. www.amadeusrivercruises.co.uk

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

49

GAL L E RY | Am aWater ways

The fleet AmaCello, AmaLegro, AmaDagio, AmaLyra, AmaDolce, AmaDante All 146 passengers.

AmaSerena, AmaSonata, AmaReina, AmaPrima, AmaCerto, AmaBella All 164 passengers.

AmaVida 106 passengers.

AmaDara, AmaLotus 124 passengers.

AmaPura 56 passengers.

Zambezi Queen 28 passengers.

50

Key selling points Cruise style When you travel with AmaWaterways, you do more than simply pass through a destination – you experience it in an authentic and in-depth manner. We craft our itineraries to immerse you in the scenery, history and culture of all of the destinations on your chosen river cruise holiday. Visit famous landmarks and explore delightful hidden gems with a variety of included daily tours and excursions. Be as active as you desire, with plenty of walking tours and guided bicycle tours. Whether you take one of our cruises in Europe, Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia or Myanmar (Burma), an AmaWaterways river cruise is not just a holiday, it’s a collection of unforgettable experience.

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

• Luxurious cruise accommodation, often with pioneering twin-balcony cabins.

• Fine dining (only river cruise line inducted into Chaines des Rotisseurs) with complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinner.

• Highly attentive staff and impeccable service.

• State of the art Infotainment System featuring free in-room internet access, wifi, Hollywood movies and more.

• Life enriching tours and daily excursions along with Limited Edition tours and bicycles to explore on your own or on guided tours.

• Onboard lectures, theme dinners, cooking demonstrations, music and/or dance performances and live piano music every afternoon and evening.

• Rated best river cruise fleet in Europe by Berlitz. www.amawaterways.co.uk

American Queen Steamboat Company | G AL L E RY

The fleet

Key selling points

The American Queen 432 passengers

Cruise style The American Empress 223 passengers

Each American Queen Steamboat Company voyage offers unique perspectives on America's history, culture and landscape that you can't get anywhere else: Up close, indepth and unforgettable. On board delight in the luxurious modern amenities, gracious service and endless authentic experiences that have become synonymous with American Queen Steamboat river cruising. The style onboard is Country Club casual ambience with no formal wear required. The elegant American Queen offers an antebellum charm without sacrificing modern luxury amenities, whilst the American Empress offers a boutique style with all the convenience and comfort of modern luxury.

• The largest, most opulent river boats cruising on the Mississippi and the Columbia and Snake rivers.

• Included shore excursions in every port of call on our own dedicated fleet of luxury coaches.

• Daily lectures by Riverlorians, our onboard history and culture experts.

• Acclaimed entertainment worthy of Broadway-spectacular reviews, cabaret and more.

• Complimentary wine and beer with dinner, and fomplimentary speciality coffees, bottled water and soft drinks throughout your voyage.

• Gracious service from a friendly all-American staff. www.aqsc.com www.lightbluetravel

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

51

GAL L E RY | A- R osa River Cruises

The fleet

Key selling points

A-Rosa Donna 242 passengers.

• Unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks included in the price.

• No single supplement on more than 35 departures in 2015.

• Professional spa (St Barth) and gym (Technogym) with 30% discounts on all spa and beauty treatments.

• Gourmet buffet restaurant with live cooking stations or à la carte speciality restaurant where passengers typically can dine four times during a seven-night cruise.

• No allocated tables and generous restaurant opening times to offer guests as much choice and flexibility as possible.

• Free wifi.

A-Rosa Silva 186 passengers.

A-Rosa Viva 202 passengers.

A-Rosa Flora 186 passengers.

A-Rosa Stella 174 passengers.

52

Cruise style A-ROSA River Cruises offers all-Inclusive, sophisticated, feel-good holidays, a diverse programme of leisure activities and luxurious facilities on board its fleet of 11 vessels, five of which are sold in the UK. Alcoholic and soft drinks are included in the price around the clock and many departures have no single supplement. The on-board dining (no preassigned tables and flexible restaurant opening hours) is another example of this forwardthinking holiday product. All vessels are built in Germany and feature contemporary and bright interiors, spacious staterooms and suites with French balconies, an extensive sun deck with outdoor bar and BBQ area, swimming pool or whirlpool, lounges, restaurants and our unique professional SPA-ROSA with sauna, gym and St Barth’s beauty treatments.

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

www.a-rosa.de/en

Avalon Water ways | G AL L E RY

The fleet

Key selling points

Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon Tranquility, Avalon Poetry II, Avalon Artistry II, Avalon Visionary All 128 passengers.

• Private chauffeured door-to-door home pick-up service (within a 100 mile radius of UK airport or Eurostar station).

• Staterooms range in size from 172 square feet to 300 square feet • All onboard gratuities included.

• Full board with à la carte dining and a choice of international and regional dishes, with complimentary regional wines, beer and soft drinks served with dinner, • Return flights or train travel included with wide choice of UK regional departures available.

• Choice of sightseeing options with local guides at a pace to suit individuals.

Avalon Impression, Avalon Illumination, Avalon Expression, Avalon Vista, Avalon Panorama All 166 passengers.

Avalon Felicity, Avalon Luminary, Avalon Affinity, Avalon Creativity, Avalon Scenery All 138 passengers.

Avalon Siem Reap, Avalon Myanmar 36 passengers.

Cruise style Avalon Waterways offers an individual firstclass river cruising experience with the highest level of comfort and personal service aboard award-winning deluxe ships. Our Suite Ships have 200 square feet staterooms that feature wall-to-wall panoramic windows designed to enhance the river cruise experience and provide guests with a feeling of freedom, space and comfort. We offer a luxurious onboard experience, à la carte dining with regional specialities, attentive service and spacious staterooms with full-sized bathrooms. A wide choice of fascinating cruises take guests to the heart of a destination to experience the passing landscapes, famous landmarks and spectacular sights.

www.avaloncruises.co.uk

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

53

GAL L E RY | C r uise & Maritime Voyages

The fleet

Key selling points

Bellejour 180 passengers

• 18 scenic cruising holidays between April and October 2015.

• Discover the Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Rhône and Saône rivers.

• Flycruise, rail-cruise or cruise-only options.

• Delicious full board cuisine and relaxing entertainment.

• House wine, house beer and soft drinks included with lunch and dinner.

• Excellent service standards from a friendly and attentive crew.

Belvedere 176 passengers Bellefleur 150 passengers

54

Cruise style CMV is delighted to present a selection of scenic cruising holidays on the beautiful Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Rhône and Saône rivers in association with our sister company TransOcean Kreuzfahrten aboard the Bellejour, Belvedere and Bellefleur. These premium river ships carry our discerning guests in style and comfort, enjoying excellent service standards and delicious cuisine. Cruising aboard these intimate vessels, pampered by the excellent crew, is a truly relaxing way to travel. Guests unpack once and enjoy the ever-changing panorama as they glide past beautiful scenery, quaint towns and elegant cities in the comfort of their floating hotel.

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

www.cruiseandmaritime.com

Emerald Water ways | G AL L E RY

The fleet

Key selling points

Emerald Star, Emerald Sun, Emerald Sky, Emerald Dawn.

All 182 passengers

• Unlike any other on Europe’s waters, our new boutique river cruise ships boast a heated pool complete with retractable roof and a bar.

• Emerald Panorama Balcony Suites feature our revolutionary indoor balcony, where at the touch of a button, the upper half of your suite window opens.

• Book a 2015 Emerald Waterways cruise and you will be one of the first to experience innovations such as the on-board cinema. Grab a bowl of popcorn, relax and watch the show.

• The terrace is a beautiful setting to enjoy alfresco dining. For a perfect start to the day, watch the sun rise with your morning tea or coffee and breakfast.

A-Rosa (chartered) 174 passengers

Cruise style Emerald Waterways pushes the boundaries of river cruising with its next-generation fleet of custom-built Star Ships. With sleek composition and stylish features, our guests will experience a contemporary designed ship while travelling along some of Europe’s most scenic waterways. From the moment they step on-board, our passengers enjoy exceptional Emerald value with so much included such as excursions and all tips.

www.emeraldwaterways.co.uk

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

55

GAL L E RY | Eur opean Water ways

The fleet

Key selling points

La Belle Epoque 12 passengers

• All-inclusive of gourmet meals, fine wines and other drinks, daily chauffeured excursions in air-conditioned minibuses, transfers, bicycles, spa pool on most barges.

• Relaxed, exclusive ‘house party’ atmosphere with small passenger numbers, from 2 to 20 passengers, and a very high level of service.

• Cruises on many small waterways with excursions to ‘off the beaten track’ places.

• Gentle pace cruising generally less than 70 miles in a week and immersion in the local culture and history.

• Cruising only a few feet from the towpath, so easy to explore local villages and countryside on foot or bicycle.

• Ideal for whole barge charters for families and themed cruises for small groups.

L’Art de Vivre 8 passengers L’Impressionniste 12 passengers Anjodi 8 passengers Renaissance 8 passengers Panache 12 passengers Scottish Highlander 8 passengers Enchanté 8 passengers Clair de Lune 6 passengers Nymphea 6 passengers Rosa 8 passengers

Cruise style Discover the fascinating world of hotel barging - through the vineyards of Burgundy or along the shaded Canal du Midi in Southern France; across the Venetian Lagoon and on the historic River Po, or through the picturesque Alsace region; through the tulip fields of Holland, or in the spectacular Scottish Highlands. Each relaxing six-night, all-inclusive cruise is the perfect way to enjoy a unique insight and immersive experience in some of Europe’s heritage-rich regions. Passengers enjoy a balanced blend of daily excursions and fascinating cruising, gourmet cuisine, fine wine – while all the time being pampered by an attentive crew.

Absoluut2 8 passengers Savoir Faire 12 passengers La Nouvelle Etoile 8 passengers Athos 10 passengers Magna Carta 8 passengers Shannon Princess 10 passengers La Bella Vita 20 passengers

56

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

www.gobarging.com

Riviera Travel River Cruises | G AL L E RY

The fleet

Key selling points

Lord Byron, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen All 140 passengers

• Return travel by Eurostar or air (supplements may apply).

• Modern luxurious ships with beautiful cabins, hotel standard beds, private bathrooms and river views.

• Many excursions included.

• Exceptional cuisine with full board throughout.

• Escorted by a dedicated cruise director and tour manager.

• Unrivalled price-to-quality ratio in the premium river cruise sector.

Swiss Tiarra, Swiss Corona 142 passengers Swiss Sapphire 124 passengers Douro Spirit 128 passengers Jayavarman 56 passengers Mekong Prestige II 64 passengers Irrawaddy 57 passengers

Cruise style Riviera Travel has been operating escorted tours for 30 years and European river cruises for almost six years. We truly focus on the customer experience, in terms of quality, accommodation and sightseeing excursions.

Our river cruises are carefully tailored towards our customers, resulting in a comfortable, relaxed and sociable onboard experience. We offer fascinating river cruises along the Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Main, Elbe, Rhône, Seine, Douro or Mekong aboard four-star superior and five-star vessels including the Lord Byron, William Shakespeare and, new for 2015, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

www.rivieratravel.co.uk

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

57

GAL L E RY | S anctuar y Retreats

The fleet

Key selling points

Sanctuary Nile Adventurer 64 passengers

• Largest suites on the river in China and Myanmar.

• Private docks in Egypt.

• High staff to passenger ratios, offering a personalised service.

• “Luxury, naturally”, commitment to conservation and responsible tourism.

• A choice of culture-infused itineraries.

Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau 12 passengers Sanctuary Sun Boat III 32 passengers Sanctuary Sun Boat IV 80 passengers

Myanmar Sanctuary Ananda 42 passengers

Cruise style Sanctuary Retreats employs only the finest floating boutique hotels with a limited number of travellers to create a private, club-like atmosphere. Secluded docks as well as carefully-designed itineraries in each location offer you the ultimate in cruising. On board, your expectations will be exceeded, while outside, there’s a whole new world for you to discover.

China Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer 124 passengers

58

| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide

www.sanctuaryretreats.com

Scenic Tour s | G AL L E RY

The fleet

Key selling points

Scenic Sapphire, Scenic Emerald, Scenic Diamond, Scenic Ruby, Scenic Pearl All 167 passengers

• Ultra all-inclusive, with return flights, accommodation, meals, drinks, excursions, wifi, port charges, transfers and tips included in the price • Luxurious ‘Space-Ships’ offering a five-star level of luxury.

• Exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences, included in the price, go beyond the ‘run-ofthe-mill’ sightseeing.

• Fly from up to 15 regional airports or travel

by Eurostar and first-class rail.

Scenic Crystal, Scenic Jewel, Scenic Jade, Scenic Jasper, Scenic Opal All 169 passengers Scenic Gem 128 passengers Scenic Tsar (charter) 112 passengers

Cruise style Scenic Tours’ ultra-all-inclusive approach to river cruising means absolutely everything is included in the cost of your holiday. From exceptional dining and unlimited complimentary drinks to once-in-a-lifetime experiences with Scenic Enrich and flexibility to discover your destination with Scenic FreeChoice, Scenic Tours offers the ultimate luxury river cruise experience.

www.scenictours.co.uk

Your Ultimate Destination Guide | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | CTN |

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| CTN | RIVER CRUISE 2015 | Your Ultimate Destination Guide