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Travelers looking to truly know the soul of a city or region oftentimes needn't look further than its lifeline — the flowing waters of its river, from which nourishment, trade, transport, recreation, and more nods to cultured civilization have all sprung forth. River cruising, long popular with Europeans, is today experiencing a surge of interest on storied waterways around the globe, thanks to the intimate and enriching destination approach it provides on routes simply impossible to replicate by any other means.
Leave the over-the-top Vegas-esque megaships out at sea, and parking and traffic headaches back on land, and instead opt to cruise the meandering waterways of a region’s heartland aboard small ships ranging from luxury riverboats to vintage paddle-wheelers, with every river bend revealing a destination’s new face courtesy of a constantly shuffled deck of quaint riverside towns, historic monuments, and pristine countryside.
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Sections of the wild waters of the Peruvian Amazon (like the portion that courses through the 5-million-acre Pacaya Samiria Reserve) are so remote that they can only be reached by plane or by ship, but the pristine region's ecological riches (think mammoth Victoria Regia water lilies, pink dolphins, sloths, and capuchin monkeys) have long lured veteran travelers. Getting there is no longer a tedious task thanks to Aqua Expeditions' luxury cruiser, the M/V Aqua. Conceived by Peruvian architect Jordi Puig, the über-modern, 12-suite vessel is designed for maximum comfort on 3- to 7-night jungle expeditions, which embark via Iquitos (airport transfers to the port are provided for select flights). Guests appreciate perks like the onboard master chef and plush, 230-plus-square-foot suites all the more after a full day of fishing for piranha, trekking through the jungle, and paddling through creeks. Ships operate year-round. www.aquaexpeditions.com.
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Set sail on the well traveled “Blue Danube” whose beauty inspired one of Johann Strauss’ Viennese waltzes. Used for centuries as a route between eastern and central Europe, the river stretches from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. The M/V ‘River Cloud II,’ operated by Abercrombie and Kent, offers the opportunity to voyage a portion of the river on 7-night cruises. As one of the maximum of 88 passengers aboard this luxury vessel, keep your eyes on the banks, where a montage of castles, vineyards, and modern cities compose the changing river scenery. While there is plenty to see from the deck, the charm of the ship will not go unnoticed, from its lounge centered on a Steinway grand piano to its Northern European and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant. The M/V ‘River Cloud II,’ boasts several different itineraries, the most popular of which runs between Budapest, Hungary and Vilshofen, Germany while passing through Vienna, Austria (from June to September). www.abercrombiekent.com.
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American Canadian Caribbean Line’s 12-day “Northeastern Fall Foliage” itinerary combines sailings along New York and Canada’s most scenic waterways. Embarking from the cruise line’s homeport in Warren, Rhode Island, the Grande Mariner and Grande Caribe each sail past Manhattan and up the length of the Hudson River towards the St. Lawrence Seaway. En route, the itinerary calls for an overnight stop at the Erie Canal, a visit to West Point's U.S. Military Academy campus, and a wander through romantic Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay. Once past the Canadian border, guests may visit the art museums of Montreal, before disembarking to stroll the cobblestone streets of Quebec City. Designed to navigate through the narrow watercourses and low bridges, both ships feature a dining hall, auditorium lounge, and several cabin options for passengers. And while a voyage on these waterways is beautiful any time of year, the eye-popping colors of these autumn (September and October) sailings make it downright breathtaking. www.accl-smallships.com.
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Explore America's mighty Mississippi region on the \"American Heartland River Cruise,\" a two-week epic excursion offered by American Canadian Caribbean Line. Catch glimpses of our nation’s past that only the Heartland can provide, with an itinerary between Chicago and New Orleans (or vice versa) that reveals a variety of landscapes and cultures with latitudinal changes. Stop off in historical hot spots like the restored pioneer village of New Salem, where Abraham Lincoln once lived; Pickwick Dam, an original riverboat stop from the 1800s; and quintessential Southern plantations and gardens, draped in Spanish moss. You’ll traverse eight different river routes on this journey, all aboard the sleek, 84-passenger Niagara Prince. To ensure guests keep cool down South, the cruise line only offers sailings in May and June. www.accl-smallships.com.
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The 12th largest river in the world (by volume), the Mekong is the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, snaking through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea. High Country Passage Travel, a company specializing in small group educational tours, emphasizes the latter two countries in an 12-night journey that kicks off with a land tour from Hanoi on to the imperial city of Hue, passing through colorful floating villages and remote rice paddies en route, before reaching action-packed Ho Chi Minh City. From there, embark on a luxe 1920s-style steamer, the Mekong Pandaw, up the Mekong Delta, cruising through jungle landscapes and past authentic villages before disembarking in Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Along the way, before retiring to your hardwood-clad stateroom, you’ll be treated to engaging lectures on Theravada Buddhist teachings and Khmer art and architecture. From Phnom Penh, travel by land as the surrounding jungle becomes denser and denser until you reach the phenomenal ancient temples of Angkor Wat. Finally, catch a flight to discover bustling Bangkok. An optional post-trip extension to Laos is also available. This special experience is available in late October. www.hcptravel.com.
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The “Mighty Murray” is to Australia what the Mississippi is to the United States. Stretching from its mountain source in Victoria to near Adelaide in South Australia, it, combined with the Darling River that feeds it, comprise Australia’s longest river (and the seventh longest in the world). Navigated since ancient times by Aboriginal tribes, then European explorers and traders, it is today most trafficked by recreational houseboats and historic paddle steamers. Sample the river’s bounties aboard an authentic paddle wheeler, Captain Cook Cruises’ well-appointed, 60-stateroom PS Murray Princess, from the historic town of Mannum, situated about 50 miles east of Adelaide (connections are available). Their four-night “Outback Heritage Cruise” combines historic and nature-based activities like nature walks, vineyard tastings, and aboriginal history talks, on a river route marked by locks, old river port towns, and dramatic Australian outback scenery marked by towering cliffs, red gum forests, and wildlife sightings ranging from kangaroo to egret. Cruises run year-round. www.captaincook.com.au.
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The awesome sights of ancient Egypt are on every intrepid traveler’s to-see list and you can cover all the highlights, from the pyramids and the Sphinx to King Tut’s tomb and the Luxor Temples, on a once-in-a-lifetime Nile sailing with Grand Circle Travel. This 15-day tour includes six nights on land at a quality Cairo hotel, guided museum tours, home-hosted dinners, and treks to the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, before embarking on a weeklong M/S River Anuket Nile River cruise through temple-speckled Aswan and Luxor. While arranging a vacation tour this grand and all-encompassing on your own would usually mean big bucks and stressful planning, this hassle-free cruise vacation curtails the cost and covers it all. Plus, the tour, available during select periods from May to December, also includes round-trip airfare from New York to Cairo, airport transfers, most meals, sightseeing excursions, and private motor coach transportation on land — which translate to savings as staggering as the pyramids.
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Glide along in style on France's sinuous Seine aboard Avalon Waterways' newest vessel, the Avalon Creativity. Carrying just 140 passengers, this ship is one of the smallest in the Avalon fleet — but there's certainly no shortage when it comes to luxurious amenities. Bunk down in one of the colorful, modern staterooms, most of which come with French balconies — perfect for gazing out across the water at the romantic landscapes bordering the river from Paris to Normandy. During the course of the 7-night itinerary, passengers can unwind onboard at the whirlpool spa, fitness center, hair salon, or bar and lounge area. Offshore excursions promise plenty of magic, with options to visit sights like Claude Monet’s magnificent gardens at Giverny, Vincent van Gogh’s Auvers-sur-Oise, the famous Rouen cathedral, Normandy's historic landing beaches, and, of course, the incomparable sights and tastes of Paris itself. www.avalonwaterways.com.
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Although the French are known for their high-speed, high-tech TGV trains, you’ll find some of their most notable routes (and the most authentic French experiences) along their slower, regional tracks.
A well-kept secret is their Mediterranean line, TER Méditerranée, which, while not particularly stunning onboard, more than makes up for it with its spectacular location, which straddles the French Riviera coastline as it rolls from the port city of Marseille (accessible from Paris in just 3 hours by TGV train) to Ventimiglia, Italy, stopping at the Riviera capital of Nice, the resort towns of Antibes and St. Raphael, film-famous Cannes, and high-rolling Monte Carlo along the way.Experience Russia’s imperial majesty while sailing along one of the oldest Russian routes, visiting cities of the Golden Ring, from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Premium Amadeus Waterways offers memorable 14-day Russian waterway sailings aboard the well-appointed Tolstoy (originally built to host big-shot Kremlin officials). The itinerary starts with one of the country’s grandes dames, Moscow, famous for its domed churches and burgeoning hip nightlife scene, then covers visits to various Golden Ring cities like Uglich and Yaroslavl, before arriving in Russia’s other crowned-jewel, St. Petersburg, a magnificent city speckled with imperial palaces and a few hundred bridges. The journey incorporates cultural extras like an exclusive ballet performance at the Hermitage Theater, onboard Russian classes, and even a home visit and meal with a local Russian family in Uglich. Sailings are available from May through September. www.amawaterways.com.
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Discover China's treasures by signing up for one of Viking River Cruises’ 11-night \"Imperial Jewels of China\" excursions, which combines land tours of the Beijing capital, the Terra Cotta Warriors’ site at Xian, and cosmopolitan Shanghai, with a cruise along the Yangtze River, a river lifeline that has long served to interweave the lives and legends of the local people. The intimate and upscale Viking Century Sky offers spacious staterooms each with windows or private balconies, well suited for enjoying the views of the breathtaking Three Gorges region. The cruise line’s package rates include all meals, shore excursions, six nights in high-end hotels, and intra-China flights; sailings are available between May and November. Trip extensions are also available to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. www.vikingrivercruises.com.
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