This Is the Smartest Way to Vacation in 2024 — and It's Not What You Think

Staff Author, Janice Wald Henderson
·4 min read
5

Get ready for the year of the river cruise.

<p>Courtesy of AmaWaterways</p> The Scenic Opal sails past the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest.

Courtesy of AmaWaterways

The Scenic Opal sails past the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest.

Take the Slow Boat

The smartest way to vacation next year might just be on a languorous river cruise. By Janice Wald Henderson

<p>COURTESY OF UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES</p> The Van Gogh Lounge on Uniworld’s Catherine

COURTESY OF UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

The Van Gogh Lounge on Uniworld’s Catherine

Even if you’ve never contemplated going on a river cruise before, 2024 could be your year. With long-haul airfares at elevated levels and travel disruptions a constant threat, savvy travelers are booking long trips that navigate multiple rivers and maximize the transatlantic journey.

<p>Courtesy of Scenic</p> A bar on Scenic's Jasper ship

Courtesy of Scenic

A bar on Scenic's Jasper ship

“It’s been a huge trend in 2023 and will only expand in 2024,” says Samuel Spencer, a travel advisor and the owner of Ocean & River Cruises, an agency in Calgary, Alberta. Spencer notes that four different river-cruise lines—Avalon Waterways, AmaWaterways, Scenic, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises—now offer multi-week trips through France. While some of these longer itineraries pre-date the pandemic, several lines tell T+L that they have recently surged in popularity among Americans.

<p>COURTESY OF UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES</p> A Grand suite on Uniworld’s Bon Voyage.

COURTESY OF UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES

A Grand suite on Uniworld’s Bon Voyage.

It’s a seismic shift for travelers, who’ve begrudgingly become accustomed to playing Where’s-My-Luggage, navigating crowded museums, and paying enormous premiums for high-quality hotels—particularly in Western Europe. Touring by river ship, which often feels more akin to staying in a luxury hotel than cruising on a ocean liner, can address most of these challenges—all while delivering tremendous value, usually at an all-inclusive, up-front price.

<p>Courtesy of Avalon Waterways</p> The Avalon Tapestry II cruising the Seine River.

Courtesy of Avalon Waterways

The Avalon Tapestry II cruising the Seine River.

And while river cruising is commonly associated with waterways on the Continent, operators are running similar trips in destinations around the globe. “Uniworld has a hugely successful cruise that spans multiple continents over 55 days,” Spencer notes. The epic trip touches down in Peru for a sail on the Amazon before continuing on the Rhine, Main, and Danube through Central Europe, stopping along the Rhône in France, and wrapping up with a journey on the Mekong for sightseeing in Cambodia and Vietnam.

<p>Courtesy of AmaWaterways</p> AmaWaterway's AmaCerto cruise sailing through Würzburg, Germany

Courtesy of AmaWaterways

AmaWaterway's AmaCerto cruise sailing through Würzburg, Germany

Because river ships book up well in advance — and are considerably smaller than their oceangoing counterparts — now’s the time to think ahead to next spring and summer. Consider these noteworthy 2024 river trips for...

<p>Courtesy of Scenic</p> The sun deck on one of Scenic's Space-Ships

Courtesy of Scenic

The sun deck on one of Scenic's Space-Ships

...France Completists

Uniworld’s Ultimate France voyage spans 22 days, beginning in Bordeaux and ending in Arles, with visits to Burgundy, Normandy, and Provence in between. The itinerary, which is operated in three segments on a trio of vessels, includes a wide array of outings, such as a tour of the vineyards surrounding Château Royal de Cazeneuve, a 13th-century fortress in Bordeaux where you can sip Sauternes with descendants of the family that built it.

...Food Lovers

Avalon Waterways puts a particular focus on cuisine in its 20-day Grand France journey. The trip starts with two nights in Nice before heading north along the Rhône and Saône rivers on the Avalon Poetry II toward Dijon, a culinary powerhouse. Guests then continue via TGV to Paris, where they’ll board the Avalon Tapestry II for a slow cruise on the Seine, with stops at cideries and creameries in Normandy, before returning to Paris and, after a quick trip on the Eurostar, three nights in London.

...Offbeat Destinations

Scenic has several longer trips through Central Europe, including a 15-day sail on the Danube from Budapest to Bucharest, Romania. The line’s river ships, the largest of which accommodates 163 passengers, are known for their white-gloved butlers, who handle guests’ needs both on board and on shore, organizing things such as theater tickets and spa visits. These trips stop at places Americans tend not to visit, such as Serbia’s Fruška Gora National Park; the architecturally significant city of Ruse, Bulgaria, which is often compared to Vienna; and Sighişoara, Romania, said to be the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler and, since 1999, a unesco World Heritage site.

...History Geeks

AmaWaterways bundles the Moselle, Rhine, and Main on its Europe’s Rivers & Castles trip, which is bookended by stays in Paris and Prague. The 14-day journey, aboard either the AmaCerto or AmaPrima, both of which accommodate 162, takes travelers past cliffside castles, terraced vineyards, and small towns such as Bamberg, Germany, which is known for its half-timbered houses and a market square that dates back to medieval times.

A version of this article appeared in the November 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Take the Slow Boat."

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