View from the lounge of a River Cruise Boat

I used to mostly travel in Europe by land, but then I got a chance to take some River Cruises and over the last 2 years I took some Ocean Cruises.

River Cruising I find to be one of the most relaxing ways to travel, while it gives you the ability to experience the local culture in-depth. The ships are small, so they many times dock in the center of town, allowing you to walk off the ship and you are in the middle of your destination. 

Usually, one excursion per port is included in the itinerary, but you also have the choice to explore a on your own, do a regional bike tour, or do some combination. 

The ships enhance the local experience through special meals created from local ingredients and through local entertainment that they bring onboard.

Ocean Ships are larger than River Ships and, depending on the size of the ship. They usually dock in the major cities. As with River Cruises, on the way to your next destination you will see picturesque landscapes, like the Norwegian Fjords or the Dalmatian Coastline.

You might need to take a taxi or public transportation to go into the different cities where you dock, or you can take an excursion that brings you there right from the pier of the ship. Personally, I like to take an excursion on an ocean cruise, as it allows me to see a lot of the destination in a relatively short period of time.

What I generally like about cruising is that I have to unpack only once, that the food and entertainment are included and, the ease of going from one destination to the next, which many times happens overnight.