Anyone ever tried a river cruise?

I don't suppose Luckygirl13 means to book to go right now. Meanwhile cruise ships are very busy right now. Thousands of people are enjoying delayed cruises. They can't all have Covid!

Sorry to put a dampener on this thread but Covid is still a big risk on cruises. A good friend has just spent 10 days incarcerated on the medical wing of a cruise ship with covid. Another friend did a river cruise in July -at least 10/80 contracted covid - those were the ones they knew about on board! No idea how many contracted it on the cruise, and suffered on their return home
Other consideration- river cruises offer train links or flights. We found train was good - apart from having to handle cases & find storage on trains- not easy! Flying better if you have mobility issues as you can ask for special assistance & they’ll help with luggage.
Agree , Titan or Saga worth looking at as they do door to door transport.

We went with Hurtigruten to Norway, flying to Bergen and did the South to North route in January to see (and did see) the Northern Lights. The ships are very comfortable although I would advise upgrading at least one level. They have thick hulls because of the ice so the lower cabin portholes are more like two foot deep tubes! I rarely noticed the ship roll at all as they're modern and stayed in sheltered waters between the islands. There are lifts between floors and good buffet meals. No dressing for dinner or Captains table. The ships are also postal and ferry ships so they stay close into the coast often only stopping for fifteen minutes to drop off and pick up so you see a lot of the coast and small towns as they call in along the way. There are maps by the gangway of the ports where they stay longer and excursions and daily talks. Coaches meet the ship as it docks and time it perfectly for dropping off back at the bottom of the gangway. There are walking tours around the towns too, but since maps are provided of each town as you dock so you can easily do your own thing. I was walking with two sticks at the time and got around fine with help always there when I needed it.

We also did a Nile cruise with Saga. More expensive than most but they park their boats in better spots, such as right next to the temples in Luxor rather than a couple of miles outside the town. One lady on board, in her nineties, never got off the boat, sitting on the top deck in the sun and watching Egypt float serenely by. Several temples would be fairly disabled accessible though, and being Saga they were very aware of the problems of older people. The ship had its own water filtration set up and you could visit the kitchens if you wished to prove how clean they were! This trip was before Saga was taken over so may be different now.

A friend of ours, a lady in her 80s who has mobility problems, is a big fan of Fred Olsen. She always seems to fall in with good company on board and likes the friendly atmosphere. She's done several cruises with them now including repeat itineraries as she's enjoyed them so much.

We favour Fred Olsen and I understand that singles are well looked after with special activities and get togethers on board.

Fred Olsen looks good and have single rooms - it is still around £800 more for a solo traveller. Definitely eye-watering!!

Thanks - off I go to look them up!

Have a look at Fred Olsen cruises. They use smaller ships and often leave from (the mouth of the Tyne) Newcastle. They do Iceland/Northern Lights/Norwegian Fjords, Bulbfields/Nordic Capitals, etc.

Really liked it

Fred Olsen cruises have single cabins. I've never sailed with them but friends have and really it. Smaller ships too. Check them out.

Why not go with a friend or daughter?

The cruises from Southampton look great - but the single supplements are eye-watering! I am going to have to learn to accept this as a fact of life.

We joined the ship in Southampton.
We’ve been with P and O Cruises which incidentally is a different company to the ferry P and O. We’ve also been with Princess and Celebrity.

Of course the Norwegian fjords cruise isn’t the only option.
Mediterranean cruises are wonderful in the variety of places you visit. It’s so great to wake up each morning, open the curtains and finds that we have miraculously arrived somewhere completely different.
It’s completely hassle- free holidaying, on a luxurious floating hotel.
You do need to do your research though as there have been some tv programmes recently featuring cruises which I would pay good money to avoid!!

You don't have to join in with the "dressing up".
Big ships have buffet restaurants and room service for those who prefer to be casual. There's no pressure to do anything you don't want to.

I agree re Viking Ocean. Extremely comfortable and well planned but no dressing up or formal, well anything, really! The Baltic cruise we did with them was excellent. In fact we're going with Viking again in March on their Northern Lights cruise. Really looking forward to it. Come too?

Luckygirl3

I wonder if folk could tell me which company they used for the fjords cruises please.

We used Viking Ocean. No dressing for dinners. We, are jeans people.

We used Hurtigruten for a short cruise to see the Northern Lights. We wanted to to a dogsleigh ride but were advised not to as DH had had major back surgery the previous year.

Thank you for all the ideas that you have taken the trouble to post - I am grateful for that.

I have looked at lots of the videos and have come to the conclusion that maybe these things are not for me - the idea of posh restaurants and Captain's dinners fills me with horror - I am strictly a jeans and no make-up girl!

What I really need is a walking holiday - but that is now closed to me.

I will keep searching. Holidaying alone is new to me and I am determined to find something!

Mum and Dad used P&O for several fjords cruises, sailing from Southampton.
P&O offer a coach service from various pick-up points to the port which might suit you?
Stunning scenery as others have said.

Riverra travel. Are so helpful

I wonder if folk could tell me which company they used for the fjords cruises please.

Luckygirl I struggled on canal boats again due to access. Often very steep ladder like access.
I completely agree re a Fjord cruise. I have such happy memories of opening the curtains in the morning and looking out at a gorgeous Norwegian scenery. Also sitting looking out as the ship sailed. There's something very therapeutic about it somehow. Yes ships do sail from various ports in the UK. I honestly think you could have a marvellous time and wouldn't have to worry about your mobility.

Norwegian fjords sounds great. Presumably you can travel directly by boat from UK.

I have also found some interesting UK canal hotel boats which are small and basically just there for you to enjoy the scenery floating by. Or to stroll on the tow path.

I recommend a sea cruise to the Norwegian fjords.
Most of the cruise lines have fjord cruises in the summer, and sailing up them in the morning, taking in the scenery on both sides is wonderful.
We made a cup of tea first thing and sat on the balcony looking at all the tiny little brightly coloured houses tucked into the hillside.
Then you have the little towns to explore, which generally are fairly small. I think this option sounds more suitable for you than a river cruise.

Sea cruises cater extremely well for folk with mobility issues, and even those in wheelchairs are able to access virtually the whole ship.

Thank you very much for the links - extremely helpful.

They have put me off a bit!!! - but that is good; forewarned is forearmed.

They look totally exhausting! - traipsing round "cultural" venues day in day out. I am more of a country person - I live in the middle of nowhere and love being in the countryside and absorbed in that beauty. I see myself sitting on the deck taking in the beauties around me as the ship sails slowly on.

I am wondering if there might be UK river cruises that might better fit that bill. I will keep looking. Thank you for all the help.