Explore more on a river cruise

Ocean cruises take you to countries, but river cruises take you through them.

River cruising offers the ultimate in effortless travel but anyone watching television commercials must be convinced that there’s only one company that offers river cruises. This of course is a fallacy and there are many river cruise specialists who offer a wide range of sailings along rivers across the globe. Saga Cruises offer an excellent choice of river vessels, from intimate ships carrying a maximum of 50 passengers to larger ones that convey up to 200 guests. Some of their ships are chartered exclusively for Saga guests, while other cruises are shared with other guests. Whichever you choose, there will always be a Saga representative travelling on board.

The joy of floating through a landscape at a medieval pace cannot be understated. Rivers form the backbone of many continents and nations and offer a slow-running commentary where towns and villages open up in a different way to roads and cars. With Saga River Cruises they make sure you get the most out of every destination allowing you to explore independently, join an excursion or join visits led by a local guide.

As well as Regina Rheni II, Rex Rheni II and Filia Rheni II, which have been exclusive to Saga for a number of years, there’s also Duoro Queen, Amadeus Symphony and Johannes Brahms amongst their chartered fleet. Each vessel offers itineraries, entertainment and cuisine created with UK passengers in mind, as well as excellent facilities and exceptional standards of service. The team of chefs on board produce high quality menus featuring mouth-watering cuisine inspired by fresh produce and the regions visited – from tempting buffet-style breakfasts to superb four-course dinners.

Saga River Cruises operate on the Rhine; Dutch and Belgian Waterways; Moselle; Main; Danube; Elbe; Oder; Rhone; Saone; and Douro rivers in Europe. They also have cruises along the Russian Waterways; the Mekong in Asia; and the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake rivers in America.

The company plans their river cruises to coincide with fascinating spectacles such as the Rhine in Flames Festival. There are also cruises to Normandy and the D-Day Landings; the Danube Delta for wildlife spotting; Monet’s garden in Giverny; as well as a Jazz and Wine cruise on the Rhine and Moselle.

Passengers on a Saga River Cruise sail safe in the knowledge that with so much included, there’s nothing left to budget for. This includes a free bar; wines, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner; and of course, all meals and entertainment on board.

To make life completely hassle-free there’s a host of included benefits. These include return rail or coach travel within the UK mainland to London or UK departure point; free car parking close to the Eurostar terminal at Folkestone or departure airports; return economy-class flights plus any domestic flights; as well as return transfers between overseas airport, train station, hotel and port. For more details of Saga River Cruises call 0800 484 0370 or click on www.cruisedirect.co.uk.