J. Christina has been asked many times about European river cruising, and we want to define what we believe describes this type of European boutique river cruise - that we and many other travelers enjoy. Our post represents our personal opinions, words, thoughts, and comments about this unique river cruising experience and why we think it's so alluring to so many. While we use what we believe is the correct term, European river cruise ship.

Let’s start with what it is - An elegantly designed boutique river cruise ship sailing on the great waterways and rivers in Europe. While offering luxury hotel-style accommodations and amenities, and some with décor reminiscent of the region. 

Reception lobby onboard the River Queen

And what is not -   It is not an ocean-going vessel that offers casinos, all night buffets or Broadway productions on board, nor is it a small canal, towpath barge, that only travels a few miles in one country.

European river cruising allows travelers to embark on a one-of-a-kind, curated itineraries for the river traveler. Traveling in a unique style while stepping-off into the heart of great European cities, with ease, grace, and anticipation.

Our firsthand experiences are from cruising the many beautiful and enchanting rivers of Europe with Uniworld.  When vetting and designing our personalized European itinerary, we tick-off the boxes: educational, enriching, opportunity to meet other like-minded and well-traveled individuals, while ending sightseeing days with regional meals and luxury accommodations. So far, we believe we have found these amenities in European river cruising culture.

Biking in Amsterdam

European river cruising is often the mid-segment of our independently designed travels. We incorporate a variety of pre-and post-destinations to make crossing the Atlantic worthwhile, i.e., pre-Amsterdam and post-Switzerland and on to the Cote d'Azur.   In our case, European river cruising opens the passage for us to get from point A to point B..…effortlessly and refreshed to continue our extended travels.

Rijksmuseum Museum Gardens

Becoming a European river cruiser is a unique style of traveling with built-in luxury amenities. In 2017, we traveled aboard #Uniworld's River Queen. Join as we revisit the riverscapes of historic cities where we made daily ports-of-call in Germany, Luxembourg, France, and reaching our final destination ashore in Basel, Switzerland.

About J. Christina:

J. Christina is the author and hobbyist photographer behind Scribbles and Smiles, writing a personal travel blog from the Midwest. You can read their most recent dispatches from aboard an elegant European river ship, sharing the allure of Europe’s great rivers and their capital cities. Or follow them through serendipitous discoveries in the Cote d’Azur, where J. Christina captures the essence of a perched medieval village.

Christina (Christie) is married to John, a.k.a. Mr. Christie. Where Mr. Christie is right on-board with their travel jaunts around the world - sharing in their blogging endeavors. He supports, encourages, handles gadgetry and embraces the role of in-house editor - hence, their bespoke pen name, J. Christina.

J. Christina’s blogging journey began before the word blog was trending, writing about European travel destinations on share-sites, forums and online journals. After many years of intrepid travel, they thoughtfully opened their treasure-trove of European travelogues, artfully sharing with a worldwide audience. Intentionally sharing the joie de vivre through their words and images, so others can travel vicariously. J. Christina believes smiling with your eyes is a beautiful thing.

J. Christina’s work has been featured on France Today, Bonjour Paris, The Good Life France, and Perfectly Provence.

Every traveler’s dream is to be up-close and personal to iconic landmarks, flower-laden villages, and picturesque hamlets. As we visit Amsterdam, we will see historical canals, world famous museums and iconic paintings that some only glimpse on a postcard. Join us as we explore the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam today.

The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw.

The famed Rijksmuseum has been significantly updated, taking over a decade to renovate. Rijksmuseum contains the most renowned works of arts by Dutch and Flemish artists and artifacts in the world:  One of Rembrandt’s most famous paintings, The Night Watch is in the hall of fame along with Vermeer’s Kitchen Maid and the Woman in Blue Reading a Letter.

Amsterdam is just as famous for its artists and museums as it is for its canals.  Inside the Van Gogh Museum is over 200 of the post-impressionist master’s paintings, include The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers. Some of the most significant artifacts are the hand-written letters between Vincent and his brother, Theo. Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) is one of the Netherlands’ most famous artists.

Exploring the charming canals in Amsterdam

Welcome to Amsterdam!  J. Christina team has arrived  and we're off to see  handsome Amsterdam - where we will stay for a few days prior to our European river cruise.   Our personalized travel plans include a  pre- and post-element, bookends if you will.  Kicking-off  in Amsterdam to explore, tour, and tip-toe through the tulips in this beautiful canal city.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands needs little introduction as the capital and most populous municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Some call it the land of boats and bikes, or fondly the Venice of the North.  This small country is located in the  northwest of Europe, with Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and  swathed by the  North Sea.