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5 Reasons to River Cruise Europe Solo

The thought of solo travel for some can be exhilarating, and for others it can often be daunting. There are many ways to travel Europe solo and river cruising is one of the best. Here are some reasons why. Travel solo, but not alone Some...
31 August, 2018Traveller on sun deck of river cruise ship

The thought of solo travel for some can be exhilarating, and for others it can often be daunting. There are many ways to travel Europe solo and river cruising is one of the best. Here are some reasons why.

Travel solo, but not alone

Some people travel solo because they like to be independent, others choose to do so because they want to meet new people and share their experiences. On a river cruise, you get the best of both worlds. River cruises in Europe welcome less than 200 guests and the ships are designed to provide you both with privacy and communal areas to socialise. You can spend time in the solitude of your stateroom or in a secluded space on the ship, you can head ashore by yourself, or you can participate in activities both onshore and onboard with your fellow passengers.

As there is open dining on river cruise ships with no allocated seating, meal times are a perfect time to mingle. You can sit with a different mix of people every day or you can choose to dine with the same guests at every meal. If you want some ‘me’ time, most river cruise ships offer room service, or you can grab a snack at the snack station to enjoy up on the sun deck. River cruising really does give you the ability to travel independently but with the added benefit of a network of fellow kindred spirits.

Mature travellers sharing a meal

You can choose your stateroom

The beauty of river cruising is that you can choose your stateroom to suit the experience you have been dreaming of. All staterooms include at least a window, however, on the lower decks this may only provide natural light and not a view. If you are wanting to put your feet up and read a book while enjoying the scenery outside, then perhaps upgrading to a stateroom with full length windows or a balcony is for you. Travelling solo or not, you get to choose which cabin category you stay in on your European river cruise. You don’t have to share with someone else just because you are travelling solo, and you won’t run the risk of getting a smaller room (unless you choose). It is that kind of flexibility that makes river cruising perfect for tailoring your solo holiday to you.

As far as pricing goes, there is usually a single supplement to be paid when occupying a stateroom solo. You may find this waived or discounted as part of a deal being run by the operator. Tauck currently offer Solo Traveller Savings on all European river cruises, including no single supplement payable on Category 1 Cabins on all European river cruises in 2018 and 2019. There is also a limited number of designated single cabins on some ships that are priced accordingly, including those of APT and Scenic, as well as on two of the Viking river cruise fleet – the Viking Legend and the Viking Prestige.

APT Aria river cruise ship single cabin

Get value for money

Travelling on a river cruise offers great value particularly if you get a good solo fare. Your accommodation is taken care of and your transport is sorted. You’ll have some or all excursions included in your cruise fare, and depending on your cruise operator, sometimes have the option to purchase more. Meals onboard are covered, as are drinks to varying degrees depending on your cruise line. Tipping onboard your river cruise is usually covered, however, sometimes activities onshore are exempt. You can budget in advance for anything extra you want out of your holiday and won’t need to worry about awkwardly splitting the bill or alternating rounds at the bar – it’s all taken care of!

Strasbourg, France

Have extra security

Security is a big consideration when planning a solo holiday. On a river cruise you have the benefit of travelling in a group, participating in organised shore excursions with local experts, and having new friends to explore with. If you want to go adventuring on your own your Cruise Director can give you some recommendations on where to go and tips to help you make safe choices in each destination.

The security of going on a river cruise also extends further than just the ‘safety’ aspect. You will also enjoy the security of having all the logistics looked after, so you don’t have to worry about organising anything or spending hours researching where to go and how to get there. You won’t miss any transfers, you won’t have to lug your baggage around while juggling a map and a guidebook, you won’t have to stress about navigating and driving at the same time, and you won’t have a worry in the world except maybe fitting into your jeans after all the incredible food onboard. It's all smooth sailing on a river cruise.

Solo woman traveller

Enjoy immersive experiences

One of the benefits of travelling solo is that you get to tailor your holiday to you. You don’t have to compromise your trip of a lifetime to satisfy someone else’s desires, travel at their pace, or to pursue their interests. It’s all about you, and on a river cruise, you can make it so. There are plenty of itineraries to choose from so that your ‘must sees’ are ticked off and you get some enchanting surprises along the way. Onboard you will get treated to entertainment, activities, informative lectures and delicious cuisine designed to capture the essence of the places unravelling outside your window - quintessential experiences paired with all the ease of river cruise travel.

There are shore excursions aplenty on each itinerary, so you can choose the ones that interest you. These excursions offer a local insight into a destination and immerse you in a way that is hard to do independently. As you will generally dock in the centre of the towns you visit, you can also wander ashore to sightsee on your own terms. Your Cruise Director can offer some recommendations for independent exploration, and some operators offer pre-programmed itineraries and provide GPS trackers that you can take with you. The interactive maps of the Tailormade program with Scenic guide you through your own self-directed excursions with insightful commentary activated at each point of interest. Take it at your own pace, stop for coffee, linger a little longer, it’s all up to you.

River cruising is the perfect mix of independence and camaraderie, making it a great for solo travellers. Ready to give it a try? Take a look at our European river cruise collection.

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