Dancing Moon Travel Blog

To be perfectly honest, Alaska is an expensive destination to visit.  Land-based vacations must account for the high prices of local accommodations, transportation and food.  In contrast, Alaska cruises reflect exceptional value since so much is included with just one cruise fare.  While most cruise providers do not provide a literal “all-inclusive” experience, virtually all cruises are quite inclusive, and the value of Alaska cruises is hard to duplicate with a land-based Alaska vacation experience.  Further, several of the top Alaska cruise providers are now offering optional packages that make them even more inclusive.  Princess Cruise Line, Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Lines are always among the most popular providers in the Alaska cruises market and each have very attractive packages that provide great value.  These typically will include:

• Beverage packages, including wine, beer & most cocktails
• Wifi
• Onboard Credit

 These packages differ from one provider to the next but may also include staff gratuities, shore excursion credit and some specialty dining.  The best travel agent will be able to guide you in selecting the best provider and package for your specific preferences and needs.

There is so much to see and do when sailing on Alaska cruises.  Classic Alaska cruises itineraries include stops at:

• Juneau
• Skagway
• Ketchikan
• Victoria, Canada

The best Alaska cruises will also include a day exploring the unforgettable scenery of Glacier Bay.  If you are just going to make one trip to Alaska, we highly recommend selecting an itinerary that include this experience.  There are strict limits on the number of ships allowed into Glacier Bay each day, so not every cruise itinerary offers this experience.  The best cruise travel agent will help you select an itinerary to ensure you don’t miss this lifetime experience.  If you want to explore some of the lesser-known ports of call, some of the cruise lines are now including stops in smaller ports like Sitka and Icy Strait Point.   Whatever your ultimate choice in itineraries, we strongly encourage clients to include excursions in each port in line with their interests.  Some of our client favorites include the White Rail Pass in Skagway and the Deadliest Catch experience in Ketchikan.  

Alaska cruises – if for whatever reason, Alaska doesn’t ring your bell, you may want to consider choosing an itinerary from the options for best river cruises in Europe.  There are so many choices for these amazing explorations of Europe that you certainly want to engage the best cruise travel agent to guide your selection.  Among the best river cruises in Europe, my top picks include:

• Danube River – with cities like Budapest and Vienna and charming villages, a top pick for first-time river cruises
• Rhine River – with romantic castles and beautiful views, always an amazing experience ranking among the best river cruises of Europe
• South of France – includes the gourmet capital of French cuisine in Lyon and cities such as Arles and Avignon
• Christmas Markets – specialty cruises typically sailing the Danube and Rhine Rivers in late November and December
• Tulips & Windmills – specialty cruises sailing from Amsterdam during spring tulip season

The best cruise travel agents will include most of these options on any short list of best river cruises.  If you aren’t excited about the idea of Alaska cruises, then perhaps the options for best river cruises in Europe will be more to your liking.
Either way, whether Alaska cruises or best river cruises in Europe, Dancing Moon Travel advisors are among the best cruise travel agents to assist with planning your cruise vacation.  Contact one of our experienced, well-traveled agents today to explore options for your next amazing cruise vacation.

​River cruises continue to grow in popularity year after year, and for good reason.  River cruises are a wonderful way to explore the world’s most iconic cities, as well as charming small villages that are difficult to discover on traditional travel itineraries.  When it comes to booking river cruises, however, many people are overwhelmed by the myriad options.  Hopefully this short summary will help provide some clarity on which are the best itineraries for river cruises, especially for those who are ready to move forward with booking first-time river cruises.

Danube River Cruises

Featuring amazing cities such as Budapest and Vienna, as well as the incredible scenery of the Wauchau Valley, you cannot go wrong booking the Danube River for an unforgettable vacation experience.  This is an exceptional choice and definitely belongs in any list of best itineraries for river cruises.

Rhine River Cruises

With a myriad of itineraries to choose from, these definitely are among the best itineraries for river cruises.  The Rhine runs through amazing towns and scenic valleys. Itineraries include cities such as Amsterdam, Cologne and Basel and offer opportunities to explore ancient castles, stunning cathedrals and historical landmarks.

Rhone River Cruises

If you are intrigued by the romance, art and cuisine of France, this could be your first choice in river cruise itineraries.  You will sail from the culinary capital Lyon, explore the historically significant city of Avignon, and end in Arles where you can trace the steps of artists like Van Gogh and Picasso. Rhone River definitely provides a unique experience and on my picks for best itineraries for river cruises.

Tulip Time River Cruises

These springtime river cruise itineraries, not surprisingly, sail during the spring tulip season between mid-March and May.   If you are a lover of incredible floral displays with a backdrop of breathtaking windmills, this could be the best of the river cruise itineraries for your first-time sailing.

Christmas Market River Cruises
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Yes, it’s wintertime and yes, it’s cold … but the mulled wine and hot cider will warm you right up.  These are among the best river cruise itineraries and can be found on both the Danube River and on the Rhine River.  If you can imagine all the charm of these itineraries and add the holiday lights, music and endless days of Christmas shopping, you can see why these are counted among the best itineraries for river cruises.

So, while there are many other options, this is the short list of Pat’s Picks for the best river cruise itineraries in Europe.  Is there one that stands out and gets your attention?  Let us know – at Dancing Moon Travel, we love the vacation experience that the best river cruise itineraries provide and can help you turn this amazing vacation experience into a PLAN! ​