I was recently asked how European barge cruises differ from standard river cruises.
Size of the Vessel. Where a standard river cruise ship is a like a hotel on the water, a barge is more like a country home on the water. Barges are small, with a capacity of 8-20 passengers, compared to river cruise ships, which house 125 passengers or more. This leads to a more intimate experience and a high level of personal service.
Slow Pace. Your barge will travel less than 70 miles during your one-week cruise, at a slow speed of approximately 3 miles per hour.
Smaller Waterways. Because the ships are smaller, they can access smaller waterways that the larger river cruise ships can't get to. This allows you to cruise through smaller waterways in France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland.
All Inclusive. The hotel barge experience typically includes:
- Comfortable accommodation in air-conditioned, en-suite staterooms or suites
- Gourmet meals prepared by the on board chef, fine wines and an open bar
- Daily escorted excursions to places of interest and private wine tastings in air-conditioned minibuses
- Local transfers
- Bicycles and on most hotel barges, an on-deck spa pool
- Attentive service from an experienced crew - Captain, chef, tour guide, and hosts/hostesses
Pricing. You will generally pay a bit more for a barge cruise over a standard river cruise, with an average price of $4000-$5000 per person for a 6 night itinerary.
Ability to Charter the Entire Barge for a Small Group. If you have a group of family or friends who like to travel, you an charter an entire barge for your trip. This allows you to customize the experience to suit your group's interests!
Check out our 2018 Burgundy by River Barge Cruise for 2018.
Want to learn more? Schedule a call with me!
