AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Imagining a trip to Europe has always been easy, but planning one? Not so much.
Whenever the thought crossed my mind, I pictured myself hopping from medieval towns to castle-topped hills, pausing for wine or cheese, and ending each day wrapped in all the nature around me.
It’s a romantic vision to easily get lost in — right until you start juggling hotels to book, train schedules to plan around, and the somewhat impossible task of creating the perfect itinerary.
All I could think was, I’d rather spend my time exploring than worrying about the logistics. River cruises, it turns out, do just that.
Instead of mapping out every stop and second-guessing each decision, a river cruise already has it all figured out for you. For me, all I had to do was unpack once, wake up each morning, and step off the ship into a new town ready to be explored.
As our cruise director Tony liked to say, traveling by river feels less like moving between destinations and more like sailing in a floating hotel, with Europe just unfolding outside your window.
The curated excursions
As a first-time traveler to Europe, I assumed a river cruise would follow a fixed, one-size-fits-all itinerary, where every other tourist would commit to the same activities at every stop.
In reality, it was quite the opposite. The itinerary was flexible, which was exactly what I loved most about my trip with Avalon Waterways.
My journey spanned eight days along the Rhine River, from Switzerland through Germany and France, before ending in the Netherlands. Once the cruise was booked for late October, I had a couple of months to decide which excursions to take for each day.
It felt like building my own itinerary online — adding tours, tastings, hikes, and museum visits to my cart, with none of the usual stress over the people to contact or tickets I had to keep track of.
All excursions were also led by local guides who worked with Avalon. They were either lifelong residents or students who knew the town like the back of their hand.
Venturing off the beaten path especially made some stops feel like hidden gems, with our guides narrating stories of the town’s history, culture, and little quirks straight through our earpieces as we wandered down narrow alleyways.
It’s tempting to say each day became a new favorite, but two stops stayed with me longer than the rest. In Obernai, France, we walked through a medieval town set against green hills and vineyards along the Alsace Wine Route.
Crossing the old ramparts into town, I roamed cobblestone streets lined with restaurants, meat and cheese shops, all leading toward the open market square. It felt oddly familiar — like stepping into the opening of Beauty and the Beast’s “Little Town,” only this one was more lived-in than a fairytale.
I may have gone to my first wine tasting earlier that day, but it hardly shaped my fondness for Obernai. The town charmed me on its own, and strolling past the half-timbered houses made me imagine what everyday life might have been like growing up there.
The Rhine also reminded me of just how much a single river journey can offer, carrying us past hillside castles and shadowed forests alike, which leads me to my second favorite stop: Germany’s Black Forest, also known as Schwarzwald.
While we spent most of the day riding up and down the mountain slopes, the mix of green, amber, and gold trees at peak autumn more than made up for it — a season few from Southeast Asia get to witness.
The forest, however, unveiled more than just trees. Self-sustaining villages dotted the dark conifer slopes, and a railway crossed streams as if the mountain had a world of its own.
I watched cuckoo clocks being built, saw traditional butter churning, learned local customs of courtship and marriage, and, of course, sampled a slice of Black Forest cake.
Thinking about how all this happened in just two days made me realize how much river cruising made my time in Europe even more valuable.
Traveling at your own pace
What made Avalon’s itinerary even more appealing, however, was the way it intentionally dedicated a few hours for passengers to explore the towns on their own.
After visiting Strasbourg, I wandered into local bookstores, munched on a croissant, and stopped by La Petite France’s canals, where the still water mirrored the half-timbered houses and yellow-green trees tucked between them.
I also spent two late afternoons in Breisach and Mainz, Germany, moving between parks, local markets, neighborhood cafes, and even grocery stores — the kinds of places that reveal how a town actually lives beyond the postcards.
When we toured Heidelberg Castle, officially a ruin but far from the looks of it, we later parted ways in Altstadt, the old town below.
University students from Germany’s oldest university filled the streets, street performers sang opera, and locals and visitors alike strolled past shops selling everything from books and clothes to Germany’s famous sausages and spaghetti ice cream.
Another day took me to the Cologne Cathedral, one of the few buildings to survive World War II. I lit candles and said a prayer for loved ones I had recently lost, and it was especially comforting as my visit just so happened to be on All Souls’ Day.
By the time we reached Amsterdam, we had more free time on our hands. The hours stretched into long walks past rows of parked bicycles, dogs being walked in every direction, and “coffee shops” that were inviting but felt a little daring as a tourist — if you know what I mean.
Between sips of coffee and a warm stroopwafel, I shopped for pasalubong, met some of the friendliest dogs, and devoured one of the best smash burgers and crispiest fries.
Even when I wanted to venture the towns out alone, Avalon allowed me to skip the excursions, so long as I followed the one rule that mattered most: be back before the ship sailed, Tony joked. Not that they’d really leave us… or so I’d like to think.
On board the ship
While experiencing Europe was the highlight of the trip, staying aboard the Avalon Envision offered the much-needed rest. It was like the world would slow down every time I stepped back into my Panorama Suite.
The room greeted me with a wall-to-wall panoramic window overlooking the Rhine. Sliding it open led to a balcony, where a cool breeze drifted in as I leaned back.
Even checking in on work felt manageable, thanks to the room’s desk, good lighting, and conveniently placed outlets.
On nights when I wanted to wind down with a movie, the wall-mounted TV offered a wide selection of shows and channels, including some fairly recent titles.
Every detail was thoughtfully designed, from the spacious bathroom and full-size closet to under-bed suitcase storage. But the real luxury? The mattress. One moment I was lying down, and the next I was fast asleep.
Rest, however, didn’t end at the cabin door. Around the ship, there were always cozy seats facing the river or spots on the Sky Deck where you could sit with a warm cup of coffee and finally open the book you’d been putting off for weeks.
For those needing to catch up on work or emails, the ship also comes equipped with enough outlets, stable Starlink Wi-Fi, and cookies to snack on at the Club Lounge.
Oddly enough, my favorite part of the ship was the self-serve beverage stations — yes, plural. With two of them on the ship, you can often find me with a hot chocolate in hand.
If you’re more into alcohol, the ship also offered complimentary cocktails during happy hour —and if that hour wasn’t enough, dinner came with a rotating lineup of European wines.
This may be a lot already, but the Avalon Envision had about 10 more amenities, including a fitness center, a library stocked with books and board games, a bar, a whirlpool, and an outdoor viewing deck.
In the mornings, you might even find yourself joining a yoga session with the ship’s very own adventure host. While in the evenings, you could be grabbing a mic at karaoke, dancing to a live band, or trying to win at trivia night against fellow passengers.
There truly was just as much activity and opportunity for socializing on board as there was in the towns we wandered.
A taste of every stop
If all the exploring has you wondering about the food on board, don’t worry, it sure does not disappoint.
At every stop, the ship’s galley team made sure to offer a taste of the local flavors. Breakfast came as a buffet, while lunch and dinners were served as four-course meals.
During our first night, we enjoyed Switzerland’s rich lobster bisque and pan-fried veal strips called Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, finishing our meal with a Swiss chocolate lava cake and a variety of local cheeses and crackers.
As we cruised through Germany, we had the famous schnitzel, an assortment of sausages from bratwurst to currywurst, and a warm, authentic apple strudel.
While on our last night in Amsterdam, we savored spoonfuls of the traditional Dutch split-pea soup called “Snert,” roasted Zaans Kipje chicken, and of course, more cheese like Brie and Gouda.
Beyond the regional specialties, lunch and dinner also offered a variety of starters, soups, mains and desserts to choose from.
But what I kept coming back to, whether for breakfast or dinner, was the Caesar salad. The dressing, which came with an actual anchovy, just hit the right spot against the crisp lettuce, bacon, and parmesan.
Although the dishes mostly offered a taste of Europe, the ship also delivered a taste of home. With several Asian chefs in the galley, including two Filipinos, passengers who came from the other side of the world got to enjoy familiar flavors such as Pad Thai, Nasi Goreng, Chana Masala, and Grilled Tilapia.
If your table wanted to try more than one dish per course, the staff were even happy to oblige. Dietary restrictions were also handled well, as the chefs had no issue adjusting their dishes as needed.
In case you wanted to sample each dish in small portions, the ship also offered a “light lunch” or “bistro menu” as an alternative to the full lunch and dinner at the Panorama Lounge.
Passengers could even enjoy breakfast in bed by filling out a simple checklist the night before, and a tray would arrive at your doorstep the next morning. Although the buffet offered everything from waffles to bacon and eggs, breakfast in bed was a treat worth trying at least once.
There were days, though, when lunch was served at the excursion site itself. This was the case during our visits to the Black Forest Open Air Museum and Heidelberg Castle, which I appreciated as it meant more time in town and less time shuttling back and forth to the ship.
And no, you’re not paying extra. These lunches came as part of the excursion as well.
The friends you make along the way
Above all, the staff and tour guides shaped the whole experience. Across coaches, dining tables, and cabin corridors, they welcomed guests with familiarity and warmth, turning routine interactions into conversations that made the cruise feel less like a service and more like a shared journey.
It was especially a joy to listen and talk to our cruise director, Tony. Every night before dinner, he gathered passengers at the Panorama Lounge to walk us through the next day’s plans, share stories about the places we were visiting, slip in a few jokes, and address any concerns.
On this cruise, you became part of a small, moving community. Travelers from around the world crossed paths in the same hallways and streets, making life on the river feel as vibrant as the towns we visited ashore.
By the end of the trip, I had come to see the cruise as a storybook adventure, richer than any getaway or vacation that often only seeks rest.
I’ll remember the orange-and-pink sunrises and sunsets blending into autumn leaves, the way the river reflected the changing sky and landscape, and the birds that followed us — gliding overhead or strutting along the streets we walked by.
This river cruise showed me the best of Europe without having to rush. It was time well spent, creating memories in a faraway land I once only dreamed of. I’m grateful to have experienced it, even just once in this lifetime.
If anything, it taught me that the journey can be just as rewarding as the destinations themselves. Nothing wasted.
--
Editor's note: The trip to Europe was hosted by Avalon Waterways. At no stage does the host organization have a say on the stories generated from the coverage, interviews conducted, publication date and story treatment. Content is produced solely by Philstar.com following editorial guidelines.