Marble floors, an emerald-green Murano chandelier, a life-size glass horse set against the backdrop of a cascading waterfall: Boarding the S.S. Catherine was like stepping into a meticulously curated room featured on the cover of Architectural Digest.
It wasn’t until I checked into my stateroom in late August and pulled back the curtains to reveal the lush green banks of the Rhone River that I remembered this wasn’t a lavish boutique hotel in Paris, but a luxury riverboat, and we were about to embark on a Uniworld cruise from Lyon through Burgundy to Provence.
This was my first river cruise, and as I set out for four days of the full seven-night cruise, I wasn’t sure what to expect. On my plush, handcrafted Savoir bed was an invitation to the captain’s gala dinner.
The word “gala” sent me into a slight panic over the dress code. Was this a black-tie event? Were gowns required? Or would a cocktail dress be sufficient? I poked my head outside the door, hoping to gather some clues and was greeted by a guest in her 60s wearing a white power suit with shiny green stiletto heels. “Relax,” she said when I asked her guidance. “A spring chicken like you, you’ll look fabulous in anything.”
I anticipated being one of the younger guests, but when I walked into the ship’s Van Gogh Lounge for the reception and saw all the retirees sipping Champagne, I worried that things might be a little slow. But before I could indulge those concerns, I was approached by two energetic couples, who, as if sensing my skepticism, made a case for why river cruises are the best way to explore Europe.
“We’ve done it all — planes, trains, cars hotels — and it’s a lot of hassle especially now with all the disruptions and travel chaos,” said Geoff Skilleter, a 64-year-old retired teacher from Australia, who was on the second leg of a back-to-back river cruise across France with his wife, Robyn.
“From the second you step on the boat, you don’t have to worry about a thing,” said Ms. Skilleter, also a retired teacher. “Everything is included and taken care of, all you have to do is relax.”
This summer, Europe saw one of its busiest seasons, with demand to some destinations outpacing 2019 levels. Not unexpectedly, prices surged and sites were overcrowded. By June, many hotels were booked for the summer, and airports grappled with disruptions caused by high traffic and extreme weather events. While some travelers abandoned or delayed their plans, others…
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