Hello clients and friends,

When it comes to taking a cruise on a river or ocean, there isn’t really a bad choice. Both offer incredible views, luxurious amenities, and the opportunity to explore interesting ports. Each one comes with its own unique perks, and depending on your specific needs and desires for your next trip, you might find that one is a better fit than the other. So how do you decide?



Excursions and Exploration

You stop almost every day at a new port with river cruises, often for walking tours through quaint towns with little tourist traffic, and you’re always in view of land. With ocean cruises, ports are farther apart, so you can go days without seeing land, and usually have less time to spend in each location, but ports of call and excursions tend to be more exotic and high adventure.
Viking Cruises - Aschaffenburg, Germany
Royal Caribbean - Oasis of the Seas

On-Board Options

Because of their larger size, ocean cruises offer plenty of options for many ages and are often more able to accommodate a wide variety of special health needs. For this reason, they tend to make the best option for multi-generational family gatherings that include young children. For the traveler who is into high-octane adventure, ocean cruises provide a wide variety of activities onboard, as well as exotic and more daring day excursions.
 
Intimacy and Interaction

River cruises tend to be much smaller (190 max vs. up to 6,200 on the largest ocean cruises), and as a result, you’re much more likely to be interacting with other passengers and crew members. That smaller scale translates to all areas of the river cruise. You dine on a regular schedule at tables with other passengers. Instead of 50 different things to do on board, amenities tend to be more modest with river cruises — think libraries, a workout room, cultural programs, and free Wifi vs. ten kids’ playrooms, glitzy Broadway shows, and a skydiving simulator. There tend to be fewer kids on river cruises, making them popular for travelers seeking quiet and relaxed time together.
AmaWaterways
Viking Cruises - Beijing, China

Cost Comparisons

River cruises do tend to be more expensive per person — but that price also includes more things. Ocean cruises have a lower sticker price per person, but you are often charged extra for certain amenities. With a river cruise everything is included, such as excursions with local guides and drinks – including wine – are all paid for upfront instead of purchasing an extra package.
 
As always, we are here and would love to discuss your next cruise. We can look at all the details of your upcoming trip — what you need, what you want, what your dream is — and together we can come up with a cruise you and your loved ones will remember fondly for the rest of your life!
 
Give us a call at 425-827-5656 or simply reply to this email.
 
Sincerely,
Anita Bornemann, Owner
Professional Travel Service, Inc.
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Anita Bornemann
Owner, Professional Travel Service, Inc.
(425) 827-5656 
(800) 275-9876
anita@ptserv.com