How Much Money For A Tennesse River Boat Cruise

Essential Tips for Finding the Best River Cruise Deals

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Traveling is always a fun experience, whether it be a short road trip or touring around a foreign country. So why not change it up this vacation and go for a luxurious river cruise? Great deals can be found for river cruises in the US and abroad. Before booking your cruise you need to determine where you want to go, what you want to do, and where to score the best deals.

What to Look for When Booking a River Cruise

When looking through the variety of river cruises available you want opt for a cruise that will give you something worth seeing and some fun activities ashore too. Many first-time river cruisers tend to travel abroad to Europe. Europe often offers fairly inexpensive river cruises with the bonus of seeing many of Europe's beautiful tourist destinations.

When looking through the various specifics you will need to pay attention to what is covered by the price. Some cruise lines have become all-inclusive. Other cruises, however, do not include all extras in their fares, including alcohol, port charges and tips.

Timing is everything. Plan and book in advance to get a great deal. Some experts recommend booking as early as 12 months ahead for peak vacation seasons and booking nine to 12 months ahead for the off-season.

Are you going solo or traveling with a large group of friends? This can also affect the cost of your cruise. Many discounts are given to large groups of at least eight to ten people. Solo cruisers may be charged more due to taking a room meant for two people.

If you have children, you want to look for cruises that are child-friendly. Some cruises have strict age restrictions. Another point to be aware of is the potential lack of child-friendly facilities, due to the smaller size of river cruise ships.

Preparing for Your Cruise

Make sure you have travel insurance. Many European countries require tourists to have travel insurance before entering the country. It is wise to have this insurance in case of any accidents or medical emergencies while embarking.

Double check your documentation and itinerary. Make sure everything is in order and matches your identification card and/or passport. It also helps to recheck these documents so that you don't forget to pack them. Make sure you also have required visas should you choose to travel to a country that requires them.

Get some local currency if traveling abroad. You will need to have local currency for where you are going if you wish to buy anything while there. When planning for your river cruise make sure to take foreign currency rates into account because they often change daily.

Research your travel destination thoroughly. You will want to know the various details about the place you are going so that you can navigate accordingly. Some foreign countries have different cultural norms than the US. Other factors to consider are the current political and social climate in case of a potential threat. You will want to know how to get to the US embassy and/or have access to a translator if you do not speak the local language.

Make sure you have all necessary flights booked in advance. Another policy of many European countries is having an exit flight, bus, or train ticket since you only get up to 90 days per stay in that country.

Be sure to pack light and take only what you need for the destination you are planning to visit. Having a comfortable pair of shoes will definitely come in handy. If you choose to travel abroad, make sure you have a power converter and power strip since some cruise liners only have European power outlets.

Top 5 Best River Cruise Deals in the US

Many people in the US don't have a passport, but they still want a great cruise experience. Don't worry, the US offers some beautiful river cruises that allow you to gaze at America's beauty and all the history in between.

1.) Mississippi River cruise: There are many types of river cruises going up and down the Mississippi River that you can choose from, depending on what part of the river you want to see.

2.) St. Lawrence River cruise: This cruise will allow you to see the beautiful cities of Canada such as Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, 1000 islands and Quebec city.

3.) Southeast Alaska river cruise: If you want to experience the breathtaking Northwest of the US, you can never go wrong with this eight-day river cruise.

4.) Historic South and Golden Isles cruise: For those with a passion for the South and all of its rich history you can always try this nice river cruise to test your knowledge.

5.) American Revolution river cruise: For those who want to see some of the U.S.'s beautiful monuments, get a lesson about the U.S.'s beginnings and enjoy the scenic Chesapeake bay all in one, you can always try this wonderful river cruise option.

European River Cruises

When choosing to travel abroad you can never go wrong with a European river cruise. Many popular liners have great European cruise ratings. One great company that offers inexpensive river cruises is Gate 1. Gate 1 River Cruises offers a variety of river cruises for multiple destinations depending on the time of year. They offer many European destinations for most of the year and river cruises in Thailand and China as well.

A popular European river cruise is going down the Danube River. This cruise allows you to see the beautiful Eastern European countries of Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine, and also the Western European countries of Austria and Germany.