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While she made sure to educate us on the town wholly, she also kept it concise and light-hearted -- and quick so we had more time to spend at our local wine-tasting. Our advice is to ask your guide before you set out from the ship how long and far your walk or hike is. Fortunately, Avalon makes the excursion selection process flexible (but they do highly recommend booking in advance for planning purposes). While our guide was happy to appease us (and most guides are with Avalon), situations like these made it a smidge more difficult to decide which Active excursions would match our needs and even daily moods. We couldn't fully grasp how active we'd be on an excursion, which ostensibly ranged from almost no movement to training for the Olympics.
With Active Cruises More Popular Than Ever, Backroads Adds New Options - Forbes
With Active Cruises More Popular Than Ever, Backroads Adds New Options.
Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Avalon Waterways Offers a Varied Active Program
Its medieval marketplace buzzes with activity, featuring cute shops, traditional half-timbered houses, and local culinary treats. At Scenic Cruises’ onboard fitness center, cruisers might tackle the “Five Tibetan Rites.” That’s a set of exercises to help reverse the effects of aging. Many lines offer small exercise facilities outfitted with state-of-the-art fitness machines and weights. It was a quick stop where our guides offered us the chance to dive off an overlook into the water. Then we were back into the kayaks for the short trip back to our departure point.
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Some Active excursions were rather short meanderings around charming, cobblestoned towns, while others involved 30-minute hikes up mountains at nearly a 90-degree angle (and I wish I was exaggerating). The latter was a hike in Cochem, Germany -- one that was solely labeled "a hike" without much warning of what was truly to come. Other routes are the Danube River, Burgundy to Provence via the Saone and Rhone rivers; on Bordeaux's Garonne River; on the Loire River; and on the Rhine (departures from Basel to Amsterdam and in the reverse direction).
Columbia and Snake Rivers in Washington and Oregon
AmaWaterways and Backroads Offer 140 Active River Cruises In 2023 - 2024 - Porthole Cruise and Travel
AmaWaterways and Backroads Offer 140 Active River Cruises In 2023 - 2024.
Posted: Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Contrary to popular belief, there are sailings out there that spotlight physical wellness and overall healthy living that are fittingly referred to as active river cruises -- and they're in the heart of Europe. Uniworld has a partnership with upmarket tour operator Butterfield & Robinson. Cyclists make tracks on shore using the ship as a floating hotel and spa. The river cruise biking option is offered on selected sailings on the Danube and Rhine rivers. This luxury river line maintains a fleet of free cycles for self-guided or escorted group excursions.
A bike ride along the ocean
I’m also a big fan of the Active & Discovery cruise I tried out, and would absolutely go on another! I think this style of cruise is better suited to a slightly younger crowd, and might be exactly what the river cruising industry needs to break out of its current stereotype of only being “for” retirees/Baby Boomers. Ama and Viking are pretty similar in their itinerary offerings, as well as their style of cruises. I found Avalon to be slightly more relaxed, and more suited to families, younger couples, and groups of friends who want to have a memorable trip together. On the Impression, as on all of Avalon’s ships, everything is centered around the view. Whether it’s floor-to-ceiling windows in most state rooms to a dining room designed to make sure every seat has a view of the river, everything about cruising on an Avalon ship is designed to make sure you can see the scenery.
Or, during that line’s call at Bratislava, Slovakia, travelers can take a guided hike to the Bratislava Castle ruins. Uniworld’s sister river cruise line, U by Uniworld, also draws an often younger, more active clientele. U by Uniworld’s eight-day “Vienna Vibe” voyage sails eight days from Vienna to Nuremberg, Germany. Alternatively, cruisers might check out Avalon Waterways’ “Active and Discovery on the Rhone” excursion.
Recommendations & Resources for choosing river cruises
This is the second abbey founded by St. Hildegard during the early 12th century, and throughout its existence, it has endured periods of adversity, including the Thirty Years War and World War II. History buffs will be thrilled to visit the impressive Stolzenfels Castle, a stunning example of Romantic Rhine architecture. The Electoral Palace, another architectural gem, showcases the city’s royal past and is a treat for the eyes. The banks of the Moselle River are lined with picturesque castles (cruising along it with Avalon Waterways confirmed this!), but possibly none more impressive than Reichburg Castle which is perched on a hilltop in Cochem.
These "Let's Go" options are a component of Uniworld's Wellness on the Water initiative, which offers lighter meal options, an onboard wellness coach and onboard classes such as yoga. Additionally, the line offers optional guided excursions in locales where cycling is especially good. These include the Dutch countryside outside Amsterdam; Austria's Wachau Valley; Germany's Kaiserstuhl wine region; and along the Moselle River in Germany.
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You're going to be doing a lot of walking regardless of whether you're participating in an active program or not, so you'll need a great pair of shoes. For most, a good pair of cross-trainers, with a thicker sole and solid footbed will do the trick. We like the RYKA Women's Dynamic 2 Cross-Training Shoe, with its breathable upper and grippy soles, perfect for everything from resistance training to dancing and walking. Shoes provide light support for lateral movements and make walking Europe's cobblestone streets feel more comfortable.
These two countries are legendary for their extensive network of car-free paths for bicycling. Most river boats in Europe carry a fleet of bicycles on board, so you can often cycle right from where your boat is docked to tour cities like Antwerp and Dordrecht, as well as pedal through the countryside. Heidi Sarna is the cofounder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising. Healthy dining options are available at every meal, too, which are labeled on menus as "Avalon Fresh" items.
While the mustard created was delicious, we felt disconnected from the region. Most of the Backroads sailings limit participation to 30, but several full-ship buyouts are offered each year. The Panorama Suites are a highlight of Avalon’s offerings, featuring beds facing floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views. The open-air balcony adds an extra touch of luxury and allows guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty outside.
The reason Avalon’s ships hold fewer people is thanks to their fleet being made up of their “Suite Ships,” or ships with the majority of state rooms being 200-square-foot Panorama Suites. Our guide on this excursion grew up in Hungary during the Soviet Era, and added so much to the experience with his personal stories. This freedom of choice sometimes made it tough to decide what I wanted to do on any given day, but ultimately is a great problem to have. If you’re traveling with friends or kids who have different interests, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find something to suit everyone. Who clients are seeking to travel with is evolving after the pandemic, as well, with more guests looking to share the experience with others (and some preferring to go it alone). The Globus family of brands — which includes Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways — sent out a “Wish List” survey to the brands’ previous travelers back in December.
