River Cruises for Solo Travelers: A Great Option to Consider

When I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, on my way to board a ship for a 12-night cruise along the River Seine with Vantage Travel, I had no idea what was in store for me.

Not a fan of schedules or being at the mercy of others when I travel, not only had I never taken a cruise, I had never taken an organized group tour of any kind.

I wondered what it would be like. Would I chafe at defined meal times? How would I handle all the structure? Would I be bored? What would my cabin be like? Would I enjoy the company of the other passengers? Are river cruises a good option for solo travelers?

Over the course of 13 days, all of these questions were answered. Meals were well-timed, delicious, and optional; if the ship was docked, you could go into town for dinner if you felt like it. There was some structure to the day, but you always knew in advance what it would be and I could go along with it or plan around it. I was never bored, not for one minute. My cabin was 165 square feet of well-utilized space. Sometimes I enjoyed my fellow passengers, sometimes I enjoyed alone time. And I can now say that I think river cruises can be a fabulous option for solo travelers. Following are some of the discoveries that led me to this conclusion.

What’s So Great about River Cruises for Solo Travelers?

Let’s get this out of the way right up front. Vantage Travel had invited me, along with a group of other writers, on a press trip to enjoy one of their river cruises. I prefer to travel on my own, like any other passenger, so I can share with you an experience that you can have, unadulterated by any special perks I might receive as part of a hosted group. I went to their website and found that they have a Solo Travel section, which includes a page called Solo Last-Minute Travel Deals. I chose one of those last-minute deals so that I could tell you exactly how much it would have cost you to take this exact trip, and what you would have received for your money. Vantage sponsored my trip, but I paid for my own drinks in the lounge, paid to upgrade my flight to a premium economy seat, and covered any miscellaneous expenses along the way.