Grantham travel expert Lynne Page writes about the positives of a river cruise

A river cruise is worth the try, writes Grantham travel expert Lynne Page.

Last month I was lucky enough to be invited on a river cruise down the Rhine and Moselle. I had always been curious about how river cruising would compare to ocean cruising and I was very pleasantly surprised.

From the moment we landed at the airport, we were greeted by a member of the cruise team and looked after throughout the whole trip until we returned to the airport.

We were taken to our coach for a 40 minute journey to the ship. Once our luggage was loaded onto the coach at the airport, it was taken care of and taken straight to our cabins.

When we boarded, we were greeted by the cruise director and the hotel manager. The ship was stunning, with beautiful crystal chandeliers and classic decor throughout.

Checking in was a breeze, we just gave our names, had our photograph taken and were given our room card for our cabins. Each of us was escorted to our cabin and shown all of the facilities.

Then it was straight to the dining room for an a la carte dinner with paired wine. After dinner we made our way up to the lounge, where drinks are included from 6pm until midnight, and the resident musician, who played guitar and sang every evening.

Each night you could either eat in the restaurant or book a table at the Bistro at the stern of the ship.

Every evening, when you retired to your cabin, there was a chocolate left on the pillow and a ‘cruise programme’ on your bed, giving you all the information you needed about what was happening the next day.

Timings for each meal, where you were docking and what time, any excursions that were included and what time you needed to be back onboard. There was also information about any other entertainment that was on, the cocktail of the day, the weather forecast and the ship contact information.

I loved the relaxed pace of river cruising, there was always something to see, not just

a vast expanse of ocean. You could chill out on the sun deck or open your sliding

doors in your cabin and it was like your whole room became a balcony with the most

stunning scenery.

So if you have been wondering whether you would like a river cruise I would urge you to give it a try.