On a recent Google search for best Europe River cruise blogs, we came up number 1.

140 River Cruise Blogs and 116 Europe Travel and Advice Blogs—256 and Counting we wrote in 2025!

Okay, now we are up 159 (not including this blog) + blogs about river cruising are impressive but does the quality match the hype?

We really work very hard on our blog to be factual and informative. In my opinion, this is not the feature that makes the difference. It is the perspective we add to our thoughts.

We all travel for many reasons, but we find many are looking for experiences to help them understand the world we live in better.

So, let’s examine if our blog really rocks?

SEO and Blogging

SEO (search engine optimization) experts call this authority—it means that the source is trustworthy, high quality, relevant and has something to offer. Although very complex and often changing, search engines use a collection of formulas to determine the quality and relevance of a web page, and blog posts called algorithms.

It is not so important for us to understand how these formulas are developed; it is just important for us to understand if the results will help us answer your questions correctly.

We show up a lot on page one for Europe River Cruising (routes, company comparison, river cruise advice) I recently did a podcast for Trade Secrets called “Honest to Blog—How One Agency Turned Blogging into River Cruise Gold.”

One of the first questions was “How did you become so successful blogging?”

My answer was simple—our content and perspective. I really do not know much about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but we just are ourselves and try to write like we are having a conversation directly with you.

When I mentioned how overwhelming it was seeing 14 different ships from many key river cruise companies at the 2026 ASTA River Cruise Expo for many travel advisors (I was a speaker there), I said each ship and company have a different vibe. That instantly resonated with the 2 esteemed journalist (Jamie Biesiada and Emma Weissmann) who were interviewing me.

Emma even had a clever past social media reel about assigning each cruise line a dating profile (clearly, we are too old school as neither of us have ever completed a dating profile online or created a reel)!

Who knew an old dude like me could do a podcast with rocking younger travel journalists and be relevant?

**My Trade Secrets Picture for the Podcast**

Facts Are Cool but Just Facts

When we report on a ship review, a port of call, an itinerary or a cruise line, it is easy to just tell the facts, add a few pictures (in our case they are great since Anne took them) and now you have a good report.

It is not the real story, as any good blog can provide facts effectively. What makes a difference is how you will get to experience and feel about the experience, using the topic we are writing about.

We try to let our quirks, humor and tone make you feel comfortable with our reporting of the facts. There is no better example of this than our last blog post of the AmaSofia Ship Tour.

Anne began our last blog post, explaining how 17 years of sailing on AmaWaterways meant to her and how sometimes change is difficult. There was no sugar coating in her words.

Then I posted a totally unflattering picture of Old Hank on the love seat in our stateroom. Traveling all day with an overnight flight, slumped on the loveseat with my stomach pushed out more than usual, it was as real as it gets. It really showed the furniture was too small and 2 chairs would have been a better solution.

**Exhausted Old Hank on the narrow loveseat. Not flattering but real—we think 2 chairs a better solution!**

Then the blog reported accurately on the ship features, the food and the christening ceremony, all with our comments about our perspective about what we liked and didn’t like.

The blog got some very interesting reactions. One poignant response was that the reader really felt like she knew Anne; another shared their thoughts on the changes; and another shared our blog post was terrific.

Here is the link to last week’s blog:

https://www.dreamdestinations.com/blog-main/amasofia-ship-tour

High Quality

For us, a high-quality blog has great content.

From a personal perspective, we believe that the blog should be free of ads and pop-ups—not only is it annoying, but we also believe it degrades our message.

A lot of bloggers try to make money from their blogs—not us. Our only goal is to educate and inform.

Are we factual?

Can you see yourself traveling on a river cruise?

What is the day-by-day experience? (we do have 162 day-by-day routes for 8 different river cruise lines we follow on our website with our personal pictures).

What are the facilities and staterooms like on the various river cruise company lines?

Here are some of the topics we write about—1) Our River Cruise Services, 2) River Cruise Lines Comparisons, 3) River Cruise Routes, 4) River Cruise Advice, 5) River Cruise Ports, and 6) River Cruise Reviews.

Do we add a meaningful perspective to the facts allowing you to make an informed decision about the value of taking a river cruise vacation?

Is our Blog Relevant?

A search query has to have information that is up-to-date and provides useful information to be relevant.

We try to write blogs that resonate with you—what will you get to see and do on the river cruise?

Do we help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of river cruising?

Do we fully explain the benefits of river cruise?

Do we keep you informed about current river cruise trends?

What is the vibe of the river cruise line?

Perhaps the key question is after reading our blog:

Did you learn something worthwhile that helps you decide if a river cruise vacation is right for you?

Storytelling

We try to get you to feel the experience just as we did or do, which requires perspective. We also accomplish this by storytelling.

We are very good storytellers, in my humble opinion.

Experiences are best when shared. We try to share our experiences with you in mind—what do you really want to know about the subject we are wring about and will it benefit you?

Okay, two cool stories!

First, we often learn about places to visit during a river cruise. Here is a good story about why we returned to Vienne, France.

The town of Vienne deserves more than a couple of hours, so we returned for a couple of days. Our adventure started by wanting to visit a small bistro during a port stop, but it was closed. After touring the town, we decided to return for a great visit on a future trip.

**Cool Wrought-Iron Sign caught our attention**

**Outside of the Bistro L’e Table de Bouchers**

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is a new discovery.

Vienne, France falls into this category—few Americans know much about this town and river cruise port on the Rhône unless they have sailed the Rhône. It is at the confluence of the Rhône and Gère Rivers.

Just 35 miles south of Lyon, it would be easy to overlook.

Vienne has great Roman ruins, cobbled lanes, an historic abbey, a castle and some of the best food experiences in France—perhaps, you are now getting more interested.

We have visited Vienne 3 times on a Rhône River Cruise (2013, 2014 and 2016 all on AmaWaterways) and before our 3rd Rhône cruise we spent 2 delightful days in Vienne pre-cruise.

We were inspired by a great looking restaurant in Vienne, L’e Table de Bouchers (The Table of Butchers in English) and wanted to try it out.

**Another picture inside L’e Table de Bouchers**

**L’e Table de Bouchers served me this great meal—steak, green beens and scollop pototoes**

Our instincts were correct and it opened us up to this gem overlooked by most pre-cruise visitors who might choose Lyon over Vienne.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Vienne—you won’t be disappointed!

Roman Ruins

Julius Caesar was the founder of the Roman colony in 47 BC (or correctly now BCE—Before the Common Era). It became a major trade and commerce center in the Roman Empire.

The best ruin is not really a ruin—it is the wonderfully preserved Temple of Augustus and Livia. It was built around 10 BCE; it showcases Roman architectural style and religious practices. This temple was really a small imperial cult of Roman god worship honoring the Emperor Augustus and his third wife Livia.

This is one of the two best preserved Roman temples in France. Only priests were allowed inside—other citizens gathered in the Forum for religious ceremonies.

**Temple of Augustus and Livia**. **This temple was dedicated to a small imperial cult of Roman god worship honoring the Emperor Augustus and his third wife Livia.**

The Pyramid of the Roman Hippodrome is another interesting past relic. A hippodrome is a chariot racetrack.

4 teams would compete—the winner was the first to complete 7 laps. The judges were in the Pyramid to determine the race winner. It is built to resemble an Egyptian Obelisk.

This picture shows what remains of the hippodrome—it takes a lot of imagination to see it as the center of a racetrack, as buildings and streets have covered the old racetrack area and only the center pyramid stands today. This pyramid-like structure was the center of the chariot racetrack.

**Pyramid of the Roman Hippodrome. A hippodrome is a chariot race track**

Visitors can see the remains of the old Roman theater. Here is a view from high above the ampitheater.

Our Hotel—true Luxury

We stayed at La Pyramide Hotel in Vienne, France, a 4-star Relais & Châteaux hotel and it has a two-Michelin star gastronomic restaurant—I guess you can figure out why foodies like us wanted to experience both. Now some pictures:

Our 2-star meal

**Maison Henriroux 2-star restaurant is gourmet dining as I was served a lobster main course**

**Michelin star gastronomic restaurant Maison Henriroux 2-star restaurant**

**Michelin star gastronomic restaurant Maison Henriroux 2-star restaurant—great finish to a special meal!**

What a story—who knew there was so much to see in this French town?

The second was learning about Requewihr.

The story of Riquewihr is that it was the major inspiration for Disney’s animation of Beauty and the Beast.

It was one of the two villages that inspired Belle’s village (she is the Beauty, if you hadn’t figured out by now) and the second being its neighboring town, Ribeauvillé.

Here are the characteristics Disney wanted:

Research French villages for architectural styles and layouts.
Incorporate cobblestone streets and quaint shops for charm.
It includes a central marketplace to reflect community life.
Use vibrant colors and floral decorations to enhance beauty.
Feature a castle or grand estate as a focal point.
Add elements of nature, like gardens or nearby forests, for a magical feel.

So how does Riquewihr match up? Here is our summary of this village:

Riquewihr, France is a constant splash of colors, half-timbered buildings and wine shops jumbled together that just is so charming you will not know where to look next.

This medieval walled city, with a tiny population of 1000, still has most of its walls entact. There is a watch tower that today houses a museum about the defensive structures of the city, the people who manned the defensive structures and the weapons they used.

**Colorful building with a well Riquewihr**

Don’t forget to shop, enjoy the food or a snack and sample the white wines this region is so famous for, and these wines brought wealth to this village.

I wrote a blog about Riquewihr—here is the link: Read More About Riquewihr

Our River Cruise Archives Page

Our website can’t post more than 30 blogs on the main blog page. To overcome that restriction, we have a River Cruise Archives Page where we list blogs by topic for easy access.

Easy information to ease your search for Europe River cruise questions, organized in a logical manner. We have never found an equally comprehensive blog resource like this.

Our Final Thoughts

We hope our blog is worth your time to read. As you can see, there is much more than these brief thoughts to describe the value of our blog, especially for river cruising.

I think we help you become a more informed traveler by being good teachers, providing inspiration, providing objective information, and developing trust If our blog has helped you get more knowledge about travel, then we have done our job, and the blog is worth your time to read.

Thanks to the many who take time out of their busy lives to read the blog—we love you folks!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision-making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you with high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 30 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 55 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). His last major certificate is a Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certificate earned from the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
CLIA Riverview Certificate
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Riverside Luxury Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Brit Agent

Why Our Blog Rocks—159 River Cruise Blogs and 122 Europe Travel Advice Blogs—281 and Counting!

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