Europe River Cruise vs Europe Coach Tour

Travelling Europe is an experience to behold, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. However, if you are trying to decide between a river cruise or coach tour in Europe, then here are some things to consider when choosing the right holiday for you.

Accommodation

River cruising has the benefit of a floating hotel following you around everywhere you go. It is an experience like no other and one that you may not have had the chance to try, particularly for Australians and New Zealanders who have to travel overseas to do so. Given that your accommodation travels with you, you only have to unpack once, and you’ll be able to set up your stateroom just the way you like it. You can enjoy coming home to the same comfortable space, getting to know the staff, and having all the ship facilities at your disposal for the duration of your river cruise. There are plenty of open areas to relax in, from the lounge to the sun deck, and service staff who know you by name are on hand to cater to your every need.

Onboard river cruise ships there are no inside staterooms, so they all have at least a window. On lower decks this window may sit quite high up and while providing natural light, is not designed to provide a view. On a European river cruise you have the flexibility to choose your cabin category, so you can upgrade to have a larger window or even a balcony should you choose. Some of the luxury staterooms have both a bedroom and lounge with two balconies. Beyond your cabin you’ll have dining facilities at your fingertips, so you don’t have to venture far to indulge your palate. With your cabin just down the hall, you can enjoy a long dinner followed by an aperitif, or you can retire to your room when you choose. Most river cruise ships also offer room service and a little café or snack station often accessible 24 hours a day.

On a coach tour you will stay in different accommodation throughout your journey. You’ll get to experience different parts of cities and towns, often staying right in the middle of them, and sometimes in completely remote locations. You’ll enjoy iconic hotels and unique properties like a chateau in France or a traditional yurt in the Siberian Arctic. Your accommodation style will vary by tour operator and can be anything from complete luxury to camping depending on what experience you are after.

Imagine staying at the magnificently indulgent Ashford Castle as you explore the Castles and Kingdoms of Ireland with Luxury Gold. The 350-acre estate is equipped with an award-winning spa, suites with antique furniture, a cinema, cigar terrace, billiard room, wine cellars, world class dining, and over 30 activities including falconry and even zip-lining for the more adventurous. If it’s adventure you are after, then Intrepid offer One Week Camping in Iceland to their youth travellers and many tours of Morocco include a night in a desert camp after riding out into the dunes on a camel.

Travelling on a small group tour offers get the chance to stay in truly boutique accommodation where rooming is limited, and larger groups cannot be accommodated. Picture a converted farmhouse in Italy with vines growing up the whitewashed walls, a home-cooked meal and cosy homestay in Konya Village or a a restored mansion with boutique 'cave houses' for rooms in Cappadocia while exploring Turkey with G Adventures.

Transport

While the destinations you visit tend to be the most important part of your holiday, getting between them also plays a part in the enjoyment of your trip. River cruises generally cruise overnight between ports. There is no motion sickness to contend with and you’ll glide along taking in the twinkling lights on the river bank as you drift off to sleep. You get to awake each day in a new destination with new experiences on your doorstep. You’ll often dock in the centre of a city or town, so once in destination, you can usually walk off the ship to commence your exploration. However, there are many excursions that are driving distance from the ship, so you can still expect some coach travel on your river cruise journey. For the more active, you often get the option to cycle from one port to the next while the ship does a scenic daytime sail.

While we’ve all been on a bus before, the style of coach you’ll travel on during your holiday comes down to the operator you travel with and choosing the right group size for you. Larger coaches are usually equipped with toilets on board, the ability to recline, and may offer fold-out dining trays. If you are worried about comfort and the space available in your coach, then consider an operator like Insight Vacations who have reconfigured their fleet to accommodate just 40 seats so you can travel in style. This means you get business class legroom and more space to enjoy panoramic views as you tour across Europe. You may forgo some of these creature comforts on a small group tour where you travel in mini-coaches, however, you’ll get the chance to take the back roads inaccessible to larger vehicles.

Travel Times and Pace

River cruises generally sail at night, meaning you have more time in destination rather than on the move. You can choose your pace, as there is no obligation to partake in any activities or even leave your stateroom if you choose not to! There is an array of options offered at each port, so you can choose an excursion that meets your interests and fitness levels. Many cruise operators offer gentle walking tours at a leisurely pace, and also have more active excursions that may include hiking, biking, or paddling your way through a destination. You can go ashore yourself to do your own thing, and there are often complimentary bicycles for guests to use. There are also activities hosted onboard and there are sometimes stretches of daytime scenic cruising where you can enjoy the view and accompanying commentary.

On a coach tour you can also dictate your pace from the outset by choosing the right tour for you. Some guided tours spend just one night in destination and are on the move each day, and some spend multiple days exploring the same place. Some include all your day touring and meals, and some leave you to your own devices with plenty of free time. There are a small number of tours that use the same base for the duration of your holiday and take day trips from there. However, most coach tours involve moving around so you will need to be ready to pack your bags and to hit the road in the mornings. Some days are longer than others, but you’ll seldom spend more than a few hours on the road without stopping along the way to take in the sights.

Experiences

There is no shortage of experiences to be had on a river cruise or coach tour. Both provide the opportunity to immerse yourself in different cultures and take part in excursions that fit your interests. Onboard river cruises you can enjoy evening entertainment which often includes performances customary of the region you are travelling through. Some river cruises also include a special show at a venue onshore on the itinerary, like a musical ensemble in a Viennese palace or a can-can performance in Lyon.

River cruises infuse their menu with produce and cuisine from each region you travel through to give you a quintessential experience, however, with most meals included you will be dining onboard with your fellow travellers rather than in a local bistro or tapas bar. That being said, every effort is made to reflect the flavours and feel of the culture ashore, and sometimes your river cruise itinerary will feature special local dining experiences. Imagine being invited for lunch at one of the many charming family-run quintas (estates) that flank the banks of the Douro River in Portugal. When you cruise the Douro, you can!

During a coach tour you may be exposed to the local life a little more as you will stay at properties and dine at venues with those outside your tour group. Again, this depends on the tour operator and itinerary you choose. Some tours include all your meals, so you will be dining primarily with your tour group, albeit in a local setting. Other tours include few meals, which means you can get some insider recommendations from your Tour Director or find a little bistro with no English menu and ask for the specialty.

Staying in hotels or boutique accommodation on tour means that you will meet different people, from other guests, local hotel staff, or the welcoming family of your homestay. The location of the property will depend on your tour, but if you are in the middle of town you can go out of an evening and explore after all the sightseeing for the day is done. You do still get this opportunity on a river cruise, but you’ll need to check your ‘all aboard’ time to make sure you don’t miss the boat – literally!

Social Dynamic

The social dynamic of group travel is something special – people from all walks of life come together to share experiences and their curiosity of the world around them. This will vary depending on your group size, but whether you are on a small group tour or a larger coach, you will be touring with fewer fellow travellers than on a river cruise ship. On a coach guests are encouraged to rotate seats daily, so you’ll get to mingle with different people and will get to know everyone on your tour (particularly when travelling with smaller groups). The nature of coach travel fosters a social environment in which you will interact more closely with everyone.

On a river cruise ship, there is a bit more personal choice when it comes to how social or private you would like to be. You can keep to yourself in your stateroom, choose a place on the sun deck to relax and read your favourite book, or throw yourself into all the shore excursions and onboard activities. With more passengers onboard, you can be a social butterfly or lose yourself in the crowd. At meal times there is open dining, which means tables are shared and you can have a meal with someone different each time or stick to sitting with your new favourite friends. If you choose to have a night to yourself, you can order room service and dine on your balcony with the steady lap of the water to keep you company.

The Best of Both Worlds

If you still can’t decide whether to take a river cruise through Europe, or join a guided coach tour, then the good news is that you don’t have to! There are lots of itineraries that combine both river cruising and coach touring so that you get the best of both worlds. If there isn’t an itinerary that pairs the European river cruise you want to do with the coach tour you are eyeing off, then ask your consultant and they can piece it all together for you.