Before my first river cruise, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. As a travel advisor and experienced traveler and ocean cruiser, I had booked vacations for others and traveled extensively myself. Still, when I boarded a Scenic River cruise through France, I quickly realized that river cruising was very different from what I had imagined. Some of the surprises were practical. Others were delightful. A few were things I wish I had known beforehand. If you're

There’s something uniquely magical about watching Europe unfold from the deck of a river cruise ship. One moment you’re sipping coffee as vineyards drift by outside your window. A few hours later, you’re wandering through a centuries-old village, exploring a Christmas market, or sharing a leisurely dinner and wine with new friends as castles glow in the distance. Unlike many traditional vacations focused primarily on major tourist capitals, river cruising often introduces tra