Sometimes for our holidays we want to see lots of new places, take in some new sights and still have plenty of time for relaxation, which seems a lot to ask. If you want to avoid the stress of travelling from one destination to another whilst trying to cram everything into an itinerary, then a river cruise may be the perfect solution.
Today our partners at Travel Department share the advantages and reasons for going on a river cruise for your next holiday.
Before we start
Donegal Media and Travel Department want to help you fall in love with travel again.
Travel Department is delighted to offer readers of Donegal Daily, Donegal Woman and Donegal Sport Hub a fantastic offer on their River Cruise holidays… €75pp* off European River Cruise Holidays departing in 2023. Use promo code: DON75. Book before October 31st!
T&Cs: Offer valid for all new bookings made on or before 31st of October 2022. Offer is €75pp off any 2023 European River Cruise holiday using the code DON75. Offers are non-transferable, subject to availability, cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and has no cash value. All deposits are non-refundable. Please note Egypt Nile River Cruises are not included in this offer.
If you have any questions, or would simply like to learn more about their wonderful destinations, why not give one of their brilliant team a call on 01 637 1698
1. Less time spent repacking
If you were travelling overland from city to city, you would constantly need to repack your bags, haul your baggage, check in and then check out of a new hotel at each destination. The beauty of river cruise ships is they are essentially floating boutique hotels. You only need to unpack once, so you can get comfortable, whilst travelling from one fascinating destination to another and settle in your cabin for the rest of your trip.
2. Cruise iconic waterways
Discover the highlights of Europe, sail along the Danube, Rhine or Douro. Take our Classical Danube River Cruise, sail along the Rhine with Lueftner Cruises or discover our Douro River Cruise with nicko cruises. You can also experience a river cruise in some worldwide destinations, such as Egypt, where you can cruise down the Nile and visit all the ancient sites or take the Yangtze Cruise in China.
3. Wake up to a different view
The beauty of a River Cruise is that the ships are much smaller than ocean cruise liners, which allows them to navigate through smaller waterways, meaning you can experience many adventures along the way and dock in the very heart of cities or towns.
4. Guided city tours
Every day will be an exciting experience in a new destination. Depending on your tour, you can enjoy guided city tours in Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava on our Danube river cruises or you can explore Cologne, Heidelberg and Strasbourg on our Rhine river cruises.
5. Optional excursions
Depending on your river cruise itinerary, there will be plenty of optional excursions at each point of port of call, from experiencing a classical music concert in Vienna and hearing the works of Mozart to wine tasting in Cochem. If you prefer, you can stay on-board the ship or explore more of wherever you’re docked that day independently; your local guide or tour leader will be happy to give some top tips or suggestions.
6. It’s relaxing
Each ship offers a range of fantastic facilities, you can relax on the sundeck whilst taking in the scenery, have a drink in the bar, enjoy a delicious themed dinner prepared specially by the onboard chef and even experience live music. As it’s much smaller than an ocean cruise liner, you’ll have more of a chance to get to know your fellow like-minded passengers and the crew members in a more laid back setting. Also, unlike some ocean cruises where the seas can get rough, it offers a smoother sailing journey, so there’s a much smaller chance of travel sickness and there’s always something interesting to see on either side of the river.
7. It’s stress free
It’s all taken care of, as our holidays include return flights, guided transfers, and full board accommodation aboard your vessels; allowing you more time to experience the sights, relax and enjoy your river cruise escape.
A river cruise holiday is a fantastic way to visit multiple destinations, get a taste of some of Europe’s beautiful capital cities or to tick off some of those items off your dream travel list while avoiding the stress of organising a comprehensive itinerary yourself.
Travel with Confidence:
Your holiday is a very special time, and Travel Department craft the itineraries to make sure that you get the most enjoyment. The world is continuously changing, and they have been adapting to make sure that they deliver the best experience for you. Their priority is to bring you a wonderful experience safely. So, when you book with Travel Department, you can do so in the knowledge they’ll look after you every step of the way.
Travel Department is Europe’s leading escorted tour operators with nearly 30 years’ experience of crafting beautifully curated, inspirational itineraries to worldwide destinations, all accompanied by expert local guides. They offer a wide range of guided group holidays from City Breaks to Solo Travel to active and adventure holidays (including Walking, Yoga and Photography holidays) with their sister brand, TD active Holidays.
Flights are available from Dublin, Cork and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
The holiday mood is upbeat and friendly making for a fun, inclusive group where everyone feels welcome.
Travel Department’s escorted holidays typically include flights, accommodation, transfers and guided tours. They carefully plan your trip, so you experience the best holiday highlights accompanied by a friendly local guide. With Travel Department you see more!
