Self-Guided Europe River Cruise Experience Perfect for Young (or young at heart) Travelers

So here's the scoop. You love the idea of cruising and bus tours but cringe at the thought of being stuck aboard a ship or bus full of blue hairs and fighting over bingo dabbers. You want to explore Europe but let's face it, you don't have the time, nor desire, to backpack it. You want the best of both worlds - an organized trip where you won't miss out on any of the great wonders, but you also want the freedom to anchor for a few more days at a place you love.

Like Lewis and Clark, Alexander Mackenzie, and Jacques Cartier, we know that some of the best routes to explore worldwide are by river, hence the massive and growing popularity of river cruising now in Europe. This is certainly a viable option for you, except, their big river cruise-lines have a strict itinerary to adhere to. What do you think Cartier would have done if his ship was set to go North, instead of West to discover the St. Lawrence River. On your big ship river cruise, there will be no stopping at Marmande, a little village in France 

for the Wine and Cheese Festival. Nope, you can't stop at that little cafe overlooking the square to watch the sunset because the ship is leaving at 5:00 PM and no way can they navigate narrow channels to get you to that hidden medieval castle. Oh, and heaven for bid if you want to stay up past 10:00 PM to enjoy some music and look at the stars on top deck while the other cruising patrons are already fast asleep.

So what is the young explorer in you to do? The answer, gather up your friends or family and rent your own river boat! 

The newest, and most exciting travel product now available to Canadians is hiring a little barge, yacht, house-boat, fishing boat - whatever you name it, and be your own captain, your own Alexander Mackenzie! Included in the hire, you will receive hands-on instructions to how to run the equipment, maps and suggested itineraries so you can go and explore the rivers and canals of France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Ireland, and/or Poland entirely on your own. There are even circuits that are recommended for nature, gastronomy, swimming, heritage and cultural/urban. Fishing from your boat is no problem for those fishing enthusiasts, or for those who want to catch and cook their own dinner. Another great feature is that you can also rent bikes for the duration of your stay and store them on-board. Then when you port, you can further explore the country-side, town or city. It's like bringing your own home with you wherever you go!

Destination Wedding Planner, Laurie Keith, of Romantic Planet Vacations, had her wedding in Mexico last year and hasn't yet planned her own honeymoon. For a well-traveled couple who's been-there-done-that, renting their own river boat in Europe this summer is now their top choice.

The cost of renting your very own river boat depends greatly on the size of the boat itself, where, and the duration of stay but most are less expensive than European hotel stays and definitely less than the large river cruise-lines. A small river boat for two people for 7 days from Burgundy to Loire for example, is only about CAD$600 per person in September!

Please contact Romantic Planet Vacations at inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or 1-866-247-8123 www.romanticplanet.ca for more information.