The first difference you notice is that the river ship glides on calm waterways instead of riding choppy seas often associated with ocean cruising. These long sleek ships built to transport passengers along wide European rivers, past picturesque villages and vineyards are gaining momentum as a sought-after vacation experience. Virtuoso ranks river cruises in the top five 2016 travels trends.
On a seven-day cruise on the Rhone River in France aboard the Scenic Emerald, I discovered many delightful advantages of traveling by river. The pace is leisurely with pastoral scenery in view from large windows or on open decks. There’s an impressive display of crew navigation as the ship traverses river locks and when docked in town, you’re in walking or biking distance to most sights.
In Arles, we walked in Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps. The wharf here inspired the artist’s iconic painting “Starry Night.” The bakeries in Arles inspired me. Fresh strawberry tarts are a culinary work of art.
France on the menu
On board the Scenic Emerald, meals feature the regional foods produced in the Rhone River valley. Menus are hyper-local with cheese selections changing to include varieties from the area we were cruising through that day. Don’t know the difference between a goat’s milk Rigotte from Lyon and a cow’s milk Charolais from Burgundy? Join the cheese class with a dozen French cheeses to sample.
Adding to the laid-back luxury, wines and cocktails on Scenic cruises are all inclusive. Pop some bubbly for breakfast and end the evening with a cordial in your coffee. It’s all part of the gastronomic experience included in the fare.
For passengers craving a deeper dive into what’s for dinner, executive chef Tamas Kiss leads a tour through the bustling Les Halles market in Avignon. He chats with butchers and bakers and offers sample tastes of local breads, cheeses and produce. “It was great to see the foods of summer,” says Kiss. “But now it’s autumn and there are exciting new things like mushrooms and different olives in the market.” Kiss caps off the visit with a tasting of freshly shucked oysters.
From artichoke truffle soup to whole roasted lamb, menus are marked with indications to alert those with food allergies. Even more good nutrition on the “Vitality Corner” vegetarian menu with entrees such as bulgur risotto with mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and spicy basil salad. As the river flows so do the fabulous foods on Scenic.
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