River cruising offers an unparalleled level of convenience, as you often dock right in the heart of town, mere steps away from charming squares, magnificent cathedrals, and bustling market places. You’ll never wait in long lines to get on or off the ship; you’ll never tender into port; you’ll never spend long hours wave watching on a vast ocean (which is inescapable on larger cruise ships); and you’ll never experience rough water or motion sickness—only smooth and peaceful sailing throughout your journey.

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A small ship is part cruise ship and part private yacht. You have many of the advantages of cruising, but you can go to remote locations and out-of-the-way ports where big ships can’t go. Because of their turn-on-a-dime maneuverability the small ships can get into secluded coves and remote places inaccessible to bigger ships, going up rivers to where they are just navigable or going to places that can be reached only by water and are less often visited. Usually there is focus on learning about the environment and people and cultures of the area, with some lectures by naturalists and historians, wildlife excursions with guides, and a library with books and videos on the destinations. You might learn about ancient roots of civilization while viewing Mayan ruins or archeological sites in the Greek Islands or you might get close to nature watching the courting dances of blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos, or feeding bananas to lemurs in the Seychelles. Because there are fewer people, you have the opportunity to meet with speakers in informal conversations. The lectures, the artworks, the closeness to the environment all provide a profound sense of place to the destinations.

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Expedition cruising is a taste of exploration and adventure in off-the-beaten-path places. It's an experience more likely torn from the pages of National Geographic than Travel & Leisure. Expedition ships are small, with shallow drafts, able to inch closer to those less visited, out-of-the-way ports or scenic wonders.

In lieu of cruise director and staff, expedition ships are led by an "expedition team," with a team leader and sometimes a support staff of academicians and scientists who deliver lectures and briefings on the politics, culture, history, geology, geography, biology, ecology or anthropology of their vessel's destinations. In this context, the educational becomes the meat and potatoes, with a soupcon of entertainment thrown in to spice things up and keep the trip from getting too serious.

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Experience a fascinating world of hotel barging, whether in the shaded Canal du Midi in Southern France, the Venetian Lagoon, the rustic beauty of Ireland, the Royal River Thames, the stunningly rugged landscapes of Scotland, the picturesque Moselle region, or the flower capital of Holland. These luxurious vessels carrying 6 – 12 passengers move sedately along, just step ashore at a lock and stroll or cycle along the towpath with the reassuring knowledge that your hotel barge is waiting further down the canal. On your all inclusive cruise, your floating boutique hotel glides gently along while you relax and enjoy gourmet cuisine, vineyards, markets and other places of interest along the way and when you return to the barge, you can be sure of dedicated, professional crew will be there to look after you.

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