Join Me In 2021 & 2022: Crystal River Cruises, Riviera Cruises, Barging On The French Canals
As of this writing in early January no one can say with certainty when it will be safe to travel internationally again. My best guess is that late summer/early fall of 2021 will be well within the safe margins to board a flight, travel to Europe and step onto a river cruise vessel.
It's reassuring that many river cruises operated successfully during the pandemic. Strasbourg-based CroisiEurope, for example, carried more than 11,000 guests on 152 cruises between June and November. Similarly, AmaWaterways operated in Europe through the end of November. An anomaly in the safe-sailing department was on Swiss Crystal when 60 guests tested positive on a folk-music themed cruise, which included - yes, it's true - yodeling in an enclosed space.
Me? I'll step back on board a ship in late September, when I cross the gangway onto the beautiful Crystal Bach for an 11-day sailing on the Rhine and Moselle, roundtrip Amsterdam. Next, it's on to Budapest to cruise on Riviera's Emily Bronte. A couple of weeks later, I'm looking forward to the homespun tunes of singer/songwriter David Wilcox, as this extraordinary talent performs on a barge trip through Burgundy.
You can join me on any of these cruises, and I've provided more information below. Or reach out to be directly by completing any of the forms below. They all come to me. Hoping to see you on a river soon, Ralph Grizzle
Barge With Me In 2021 | 2022
Three Trips From Which To Choose
Beautiful Burgundy
October 21-27, 2021
Besançon to Montbéliard
Hosts: Ralph Grizzle & Singer/Songwriter David Wilcox
$4,095
/person
Alluring Alsace
April 8-14, 2022
Lagarde to Strasbourg
Canal cruising
$3,495
/person
1 cabin available
Bountiful Burgundy
April 16 - 22, 2022
Dijon to Besançon
Fine dining
$3,495
/person
1 cabin available
Note that all payments are non-refundable. Please purchase travel insurance from a reputable provider in case your travel plans change due to illness or other matters. When investigating travel insurers, be sure to check CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) insurance and Covid coverage.
NEW RATES FROM $5,599 on Crystal Bach's 11-Day Enchanting Moselle
Interested In Joining Me?
Next September, I’ll be hosting a cruise along the Rhine and Moselle rivers on Crystal Bach. This is the same itinerary that I cruised in October of 2019. That cruise proved to be so scenic and enjoyable that I wanted to share it with other avid cruisers.
Crystal’s rate – and terms – for this 11-day sailing are exceptional: $5,599 per person based on double occupancy with no money down until February 22, 2021. At that time, if the promotion is not extended, a 15 percent deposit (per person) will be required to secure your booking. Final payment and cancellation without penalty is 60 days before the sailing.
We quickly blasted through the first allotment of 10 cabins, and I added 10 more – six of those cabins currently remain for those who would like to reserve space on this sailing. If you’d like to learn more – or if you’re ready to reserve space – please click the button below. If you’d like to learn more – or if you’re ready to reserve space – please complete the form below, and we’ll start the dialogue.
When submitting your information you agree to our Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Full Disclosure. | Booking Terms.
The Best Available Suite fares are cruise-only and apply only to new bookings in categories S1 through S5. The categories are capacity controlled and will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis.
Combinability. Best Available 2021 fares are combinable with Easy Book. Offer is not combinable with Crystal Assured Savings Program (CASP) discount of 2.5% savings; however, the $500 deposit may be applied. Future Cruise Payments (FCP) are combinable with Best Available 2021 fares, Future Cruise Credits (FCC) are not combinable on River Best Available 2021; Standard cancellation policies apply. All offers may not be combinable with other promotions, apply to first two full-fare guests in suite, are capacity-controlled and subject to availability and may be withdrawn or changed at any time without notice. Offer is not combinable with Crystal Society Savings.
8 DAYS FROM $3,569 on Riviera Cruises Danube
Cruise with me October 4-11, 2021 on Riviera Cruises' Emily Bronte. Roundtrip from Budapest, this 8-day cruise visits Vienna andSalzburg as well as fairy-tale-like Durnstein, and Melk, with its magnificent abbey.
Check out my story Seven Ways That Riviera Seeks To Stand Out.
Download a brochure with details about this sailing.
Book by December 14, 2020 and get a FREE Beverage Package PLUS a $250 gift card. Call 888-838-8820 for more details. Be sure to mention that you want to travel with Ralph Grizzle.
When submitting your information you agree to our Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Full Disclosure. | Booking Terms.
There are river cruises, then there are barge cruises. The two are worlds apart, or at least waterways apart. River cruises take place on Europe’s major waterways on vessels that typically carry from 100 to 200 guests. By contrast, barge cruises operate on small canals (you could skip a stone across many of them) and typically carry no more than two dozen guests. To say that the experiences are similar would be a quite a stretch. Sure, they both operate on water, but they are markedly different modes of transport. How so? In this post we’ll take a look at 10 reasons to choose a barge cruise.
Alluring October (2021) | Enchanted April (2022): Three Barge Cruises In France
April in Paris? How about April in Burgundy? From my April 2012 barge cruise in Burgundy, the village of Tanlay. © Ralph Grizzle
In April of 2022, I am offering two hosted barge cruises in France, one in Burgundy, and one in Alsace. Before that, in October of 2021, we’ll be barging Burgundy with singer/songwriter David Wilcox.
Cruise with me on one or on all three!
These trips are …
- All-inclusive
- Intimate, with only 22 guests on each trip
- Interesting, with included tours in some of France’s most beautiful cities and villages
Burgundy, October 21-27, 2021 with Singer/Songwriter David Wilcox
From Besançon to Montbéliard, cruise through lush landscapes and breathtaking scenery along the valley of the Doubs. Discover authentic cities and sites with a rich heritage and unique traditions such as Montbéliard, the Citadel of Besançon, the city of Baume-les-Dames or the Reposoir Chapel. See full itinerary here.
Alsace, April 8 – 14, 2022
From LaGarde to Strasbourg, embark on an authentic and traditional cruise in the heart of Alsace. You will cruise on the Marne-Rhine Canal where you will discover a colorful heritage and monuments that reflect its history through exciting tours. Explore the Hops Trail, the Haut Barr and Lutzelbourg castles or the Chagall trail and be astonished by the richness of this captivating cruise. See the full itinerary here.
Burgundy, April 16-22, 2022
From Dijon to Besançon, this majestic cruise on the Rhône-Rhine canal will take you through authentic and traditional cities with different stories and hidden gems. You will visit the Saline Royale of Arc-et-Senans, Dole or the charming city of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, first river port of France home to the Musée de la Batellerie, recounting the history of navigation on inland waterways. See full itinerary here.
Details
- Prices are per person, double occupancy. Single traveler rates can be quoted upon requests.
- A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person guarantees your space. See Booking Terms.
- Please review the Waiver Agreement that you will be required to agree to and sign before boarding.
