Posted on: Sunday, October 24, 2004

River journeys rich in value, adventure

By Irene Croft Jr.

If meandering and poking about is your style of travel, investigate the considerable charms of a river, canal or coastal cruise. Fascinating voyages are offered on six continents and can provide you with an unusual, intimate perspective of a country's populace, cultural history and scenic attractions. Indeed, rivers were the first highways and in some parts of the world remain today the major means of commercial transport.

You'll have the opportunity to observe man in his habitat, from a vantage point that is close-up but nonintrusive.

In developed nations, specially designed ships and barges meander on calm waterways, stopping frequently along the route for side-excursions into bustling cities and tranquil countrysides. Exotic journeys on rivers and coastal waters of undeveloped countries offer access to traditional peoples and to rarely explored terrain. Your river cruise could be a luxurious, peaceful odyssey or an African Queen-style adventure, depending on the destination and ambience you desire.

The homey barges, operating on ancient interconnected canal systems of France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, usually carry from six to 24 passengers in petite but comfortable cabins with en suite facilities. Public rooms are informal, conducive to passenger interaction and casual attire. Normally included on these barge trips are gourmet meals with wine, all shore excursions and even bicycles for independent sightseeing. This highly rewarding experience allows you to peek into the "back doors" of Europe.

Shallow-draft river ships accommodate from 12 to 100 passengers or more in cabins that range from barebones to sumptuous. Meals are generally excellent and reflect the best of local provender. You'll find a lounge, library and other public areas designed for convivial interaction with like-minded mates. These ships are ideal for inquiring minds who also crave their creature comforts.

No Glitzy diversions

Many river cruises will include all shore expeditions, while some offer their land programs as an option. What you rarely get on barges or river cruisers are professional entertainment, casinos and other glitzy diversions that are a signature of the Leviathan ocean-going cruise liners. Expert lecturers on your journey's highlights and performances by local folk artists could be the raciest action aboard.

Whether you're a potential first-time cruiser or a veteran of the seven seas, a river, coastal or canal journey offers a uniquely satisfying mode of exploring in-depth a particular area of the world. Although there are scores of waterways with cruise opportunities, some of the great ones come to mind: America's Mississippi, Columbia and Hudson rivers, plus the Intercoastal Waterway from Florida to New England, and the Great Lakes; the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers in Canada; Norway's coastal fjords; Burma's Irrawaddy River; Australia's Murray River; and the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.

Included also at the top of the A-list would be China's Yangtze River; the Volga, Don and Amur rivers of Russia; the Sepik River in New Guinea; Europe's Danube, Mosel, Elbe and Rhine rivers; the Egyptian Nile; the intricate medieval canal systems of Western Europe and Britain; South America's Orinoco, Napo and Amazon rivers; Sweden's Gota Canal; the Thames of England; the Po River in Italy; Ireland's River Shannon; and the Douro River in Portugal.

50 major operators

These worldwide cruises vary in price according to destination, shipboard style and amenities and included features of the trip. You can expect to pay from $150 average per night for no-frills vessels to $450 and up for the super-luxury barges and ships. Whatever the tab, you may count on receiving great value for your money on a well-chosen river or coastal journey.

There are more than 50 major operators of cruises on waterways around the globe. Some appeal to the seasoned upscale traveler, while others are directed toward the adventurous in spirit with limited finances. Check out the operators' Web sites, then contact your travel agent for recommendations and bookings.

Some of the most popular river and coastal journeys in the United States are offered by Clipper Cruise Line, (800) 325-0010 or www.clippercruise.com; Delta Queen Steamboat Co., (800) 543-1949 or www.deltaqueen.com; Cruise West (800) 580-0072 or www.cruisewest.com; American Cruise Lines, (800) 814-6880 or www.americancruiselines.com; and American West Steamboat Co., (800) 434-1232 or www.empressofthenorth.com.

Top itineraries on European rivers and canals are operated or marketed by Elegant Cruises & Tours, (800) 683-6767 or www.elegantcruises.com; Abercrombie & Kent, (800) 554-7016 or www.abercrombiekent.com; Peter Deilmann Cruises, (800) 348-8287 or peterdeilmann.com; and Uniworld, (800) 360-9550 or www.uniworld.com.

Ships that regularly ply the Great Lakes and Canadian rivers and coastal waters cruise under the banners of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines (800) 267-7868 or www.stlawrencecruiselines.com; American Canadian Caribbean Line, (800) 556-7450 or www.accl-smallships.com; Ontario Waterway Cruises (800) 561-5767 or www.ontariowaterwaycruises.com; and Great Lakes Cruise Co., (888) 891-0203 or www.greatlakescruising.com.

For options on South American rivers try Amazon Tours & Cruises, (800) 423-2791 or www.amazontours.net. Clipper Cruise Line, above, and Unique World Cruises, (800) 669-0757 or www.uniqueworldcruises.com, operate deluxe cruises on Russian waterways. Major Yangtze River operators include Regal China Cruises, (800) 808-3388; and Victoria Cruises, (800) 348-8084 or www.victoriacruises.com. Bergen Line, (800) 323-7436 or www.coastalvoyages.com, is the agent for Norwegian coastal cruises and Gota Canal voyages in Sweden. Oberoi, (800) 562-3764 or www.oberoihotels.com, operates the Philae, the most luxurious vessel on the Nile.

For truly exotic adventures on water contact www.assambengalnavigation.com, for a cruise on India's remote Charaidew River; Irrawaddy Flotilla Co., www.pandaw.com, for voyages on the great rivers of Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam; and Trans Niugini Tours/UniRep, (800) 521-7242 or www.png.com, and Melanesian Tourist Services, (310) 785-0370 or www.meltours.com, offer sailings on the spectacular Sepik River and Trobriand Islands in Papua New Guinea.

Irene Croft Jr. of Kona is a veteran globetrotter. Though not a travel agent, she orchestrates worldwide trips to raise money for nonprofit organizations. Her column is published every other week.