Mountain City's Travel Blog

Windmills and tulips and river cruising, oh my! Springtime serves up the most iconic sights and moments of Dutch culture – and a river cruise may be the best way to experience them all. Our Emerald river cruise sailed round trip from Amsterdam, navigating the Netherlands’ vast network of inland waterways, canals and rivers through countryside, picturesque villages and dynamic cities....

Beginning in 2026, fans of Trafalgar tours have another way to enjoy the expert guidance, meaningful local experiences, cultural immersion and ease of travel they’ve come to expect from their Trafalgar trips. In fact, with the company’s new river cruise ships, you’ll now be able to unpack once for your entire journey as your floating hotel transports you to one...

AmaWaterways has debuted the AmaMagdalena, the first-ever major river cruise line ship to navigate Colombia’s Magdalena River. The launch opens a completely new cruise destination for fans of river cruising looking to add to their collection of exotic river cruises beyond Europe. With the launch, you can now cruise on AmaWaterways or other river cruise lines on the Amazon in South...

If you love Celebrity Cruises on the seas and have always thought of taking a river cruise, mark 2027 on your calendar. That’s when Celebrity River Cruises is launching – and you can book your place on one of the first European river cruises by this ‘modern luxury’ cruise line this year! In an announcement that took cruise and travel fans...

Welcome to Wave Season!  Wave after wave of promotions, offers and perks that make booking your next – or your first! - cruise irresistible. Cruise lines compete to outdo each other during Wave, and that gives you the opportunity to save money, get some extra perks to spoil yourself – or sail into new cruise horizons! Navigating WaveWith all the different...

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like a Christmas market cruise on the Rhine from Switzerland, through France, and Germany, to the Netherlands, in the cradle of so many of our Christmas traditions. It’s a multi-sensory travel experience, from the sights of festive decorations and booths at the markets, twinkling lights and decorations, the scent of mulled wine, and...

The Riverside Mozart is the ultimate floating luxury boutique hotel on the river – as you can see in the video, it’s about double the size of almost all other river cruise ships in Europe, but there aren’t double the guests. That’s a game-changer!  To me, it felt more like sailing on a luxury, small ocean ship that just happened to...

The first and only luxury hotel company to take to the sea has welcomed Ilma, its second newbuild, ultra-luxury ‘superyacht’. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s latest small ship is host to fewer than 500 guests in its 224 ‘airy and intuitive’ suites, all with private terraces providing direct access to the sea. The Ilma also offers guests world-class dining curated by MICHELIN-starred...

The pickleball craze continues! Not content to dominate community parks around North America, the sociable, ‘tennis light’ paddle sport is taking root in holiday destinations – not just on land resorts and hotels, but also at sea, and, in the latest twist, overwater! Pickleball on the Rivers of EuropeAmaWaterways made waves when it became the first river cruise line to introduce...

It’s some of the most incredible scenery along the middle Danube River! One of the absolute highlights of our river cruise on the Danube through Austria aboard the Riverside Mozart was the daytime scenic sailing through the wondrous ‘Danube Snare.’  The Danube is Europe’s longest river and the middle Danube is one of the most popular river cruise destinations in...

All eyes were once again on the coast of Normandy as the 80th anniversary of D-Day was marked on June 6, 2024 by the UK, US, Canada, and France. The surprise landing of over 150,000 Allied soldiers on the shores of France in 1944 was described by Winston Churchill as “the most complicated and difficult” military operation in world history. Despite...

There’s a whole world of river cruising beyond beloved European rivers. Have you dipped your toe in the waters of exotic river cruising yet? Well, new ships on two of the world’s most fabled waterways give you more options to see sail into the heart of the ancient treasures of Egypt and unparalleled natural richness of the Amazon on your...

Including the largest paddlewheel river cruise ship in the USA! American Cruise Lines has a unique approach to cruising: U.S. itineraries only, on river ships and with a river-cruise approach to coastal cruising using an innovative fleet of small ships of their own design. The appetite for cruising on American rivers and in domestic waters on coastal routes just keeps growing,...

It’s a balancing act – French style! Indulgence meets outdoor activity in the south of France on our Emerald river cruise on the Rhone and the Saone. The south of France has a legendary way of life, and a river cruise is one of the best ways to experience it all. That includes its wine, cheese, chocolate, olives, fine cuisine and...

 It couldn’t come at a better time. The thrills of the holidays have passed, and cold weather, cabin fever, and the doldrums of winter are descending. Everyone needs something to look forward to. Welcome, Wave Season! It’s the catchy name for the cruise travel equivalent to Black Friday. But instead of just a day, it’s a whole season of the best cruise...

A river cruise on the Rhone allows you to indulge in French cuisine, culture, scenery and lifestyle – and you’re going to want to take the best of the best of the region home! Our river cruise on the Emerald Liberte on the Rhone took us from Lyon, north on the Saone river, then down the Rhone to some of...

A Christmas market river cruise in Europe may be the very best way to capture the magic of the season. Our Viking Christmas on the Rhine river cruise from Switzerland to the Netherlands took us to four countries, each with its own Christmas markets, traditions, flavors and specialities.  WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE with highlights of some of the best Christmas markets...

One of the world’s longest rivers, flowing through six Asian countries, makes for an exotic Emerald river cruise to remember – and one that will let you strike a few items off your travel bucket list!  The Mekong River is a majestic waterway that winds its way through Southeast Asia. Dubbed “the Mother of Water,” the Mekong river is the lifeline...

The Czech Republic is already a bucket-list destination for beer lovers, with a beer culture dating back to the 10th century, and continuing today, with renowned brewing traditions and iconic beer styles.  Pilsner Urquell, the world's first pilsner lager, was born in the city of Pilsen, and visitors can explore the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Museum to learn about its history. Czech...

The Moselle is one of the rivers less-traveled in Europe, and that’s just the beginning of the magical appeal of an itinerary that sails from Luxembourg, then the Rhine and Main into Germany. Three waterways with two wine regions, a famous stretch of castles, plus “Active” and “Discovery” shore excursions that give new ways to experience the countryside, cities and...