Why 2022 might be the (almost) perfect year for a European river cruise

Welcome back fellow travelers!

We hope you’re enjoying this last month of summer with some stress-free adventures.

We both snuck away last week – Barb hiking in Colorado and Jeri on a river cruise in Europe – and we’re pleased to report both trips ran surprisingly on time and hassle free.

Maybe it was just dumb luck, but even getting through Amsterdam Schiphol, one of Europe’s most problem-plagued airports this summer, was a breeze.

In fact, Jeri has concluded that with some proactive planning and a flexible attitude, this year might be the perfect time to brave the unpredictable skies and take a European river cruise. Crowds are down. All the constantly evolving testing and mask requirements are gone. But the full range of services, activities and excursions are back.

The state of airport lounges, however, is another story. More on that later.

First, here’s the news we’re watching:

In the “it’s about time” category, the Department of Transportation is considering new rules to protect air travelers from the unpredictable hell that has come to define post-pandemic travel. Among the changes being floated, a requirement that airlines offer passengers a refund if their flight schedule is changed significantly (three hours for domestic flights or six for international) or the airline makes major changes to their itinerary, The Associated Press reports. Refunds – which would apply to all classes of tickets (yes, even basic economy) – would also be due if the airline changes the passenger’s departure or arrival airport, adds stops in their itinerary, or causes “a significant downgrade” in the travel experience by switching to a different type of plane. The DOT has also proposed mandating that refund credits never expire. Similar proposals are being floated in Congress. When or if any changes actually come to fruition, however, is anyone’s guess.

Speaking of airport hell, American Airlines takes a page from hotels. The carrier announced it will debut the new look for its Admirals Club lounges at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) this fall with a design ethos built around "calmness," featuring natural woods and fireplaces. Overhauls are also planned at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Denver International Airport (DEN). With a creative vision led by architect Dwayne MacEwen and his hospitality-centric firm DMAC Architecture, the look sounds a lot like the community-focused hotel lobbies that were all the rage pre-pandemic. We’re all on board for a calm and homey atmosphere, but we’re skeptical of just how relaxing lounges can be without major expansions given the crowds.

Airport lounges: Get ready to wait. With so many flyers now holding credit cards that provide airport club access, we’ve found them to be more crowded than ever – even with business travel still down. (See Elaine Glusac's great story in The New York Times about the “democratization” of airport lounges.) Even Delta Air Lines' new 30,000-square-foot Sky Club at Los Angeles' LAX has been pretty packed the past two times Jeri’s stopped in. Ditto on the airline’s bigger and better lounge at the new Salt Lake City (SLC) airport and American Express’s Centurion Lounge in Seattle (SEA). Even Atlanta (ATL), which as Delta’s base has a total of nine Sky Clubs, can’t seem to keep up. Flying through that airport late last month, Jeri was saw more than 20 people lined up to enter Delta's lounge in Terminal E. Luckily there was no line at the international terminal, but it was still more crowded than she has ever seen.

They’re back! The souvenir NO ONE wants to bring home

Remember the 2010 bed bug outbreak that had hotels hiring pest-sniffing dogs and paying for essentially bogus bug-free certifications? Well, travelers beware, they’re making a return – at least in Washington, D.C.

We know because Barb’s friend brought some home, and they learned from their ($3,500) pest control technician that this summer, the bugs are infiltrating homes and hotels across all price ranges in the Washington, D.C., area. And if they’re there, you can bet some of those nasty creatures have also been hitching rides out of town with travelers from around the globe.

Bedbugs can attach themselves to clothing and suitcases, making travelers especially susceptible to infestations. Once you’re home, the bugs can crawl out and nest in places like your bed, wood wall trim – even Mexican fabric tapestries hanging on the wall above the bed (our experience!). You’ll know they’ve been around for a while if you start waking up with mysterious bites and especially if you start seeing tiny dark blood stains on your sheets.

How can you protect yourself when traveling? Our technician told us to never put your suitcase on a bed in hotels. And when you get home, store it in a basement or somewhere else far from the bedroom. We dug into our byline archives for additional tips from pest control experts:

• When you arrive in a hotel, check headboards, mattresses and box springs for bedbugs and the blood spots they leave behind.

• Hang all your clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture.

• Avoid unpacking clothing and storing your clothing in the hotel’s furniture drawers.

• Store baggage on a luggage rack or in the bathroom, as far from the bed as possible.

• Vacuum suitcases when returning, and immediately wash clothing in hot water.

And take a lesson from our unfortunate experience: if you suspect bed bugs, don’t wait and wonder. Call an expert for a consultation. The fee typically applies to the bill, if you hire them.

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By Jeri Clausing

The first thing I noticed when I wandered into Amsterdam before embarking on a recent Rhine River cruise was how quiet the streets, and the canals, were.

Maybe it was timing. Or as Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways, said, maybe some tourists have been scared off by all the headlines of chaos at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

Whatever the reason, it was a pleasant contrast to my previous visits to this popular, often overcrowded, European hot spot. And it foreshadowed what would turn out to be one of the most relaxing river cruises I’ve ever sailed.

Between ongoing Covid surges, headlines about air travel hell and the Russia-Ukraine war, river cruising – and travel to Europe generally – bounced back slower this year than originally hoped. And now, drought and low water in the Danube and Rhine are threatening to keep even more travelers away.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing – for travelers or the river lines themselves.

For travelers, this means that with some proactive planning, a little bit of luck and a flexible attitude, 2022 might just be the perfect year to explore the continent from the relaxing – and uncrowded – comfort of a river ship.

Last year, when I went to Italy just as it opened to Americans, I wrote about the once-in-a-lifetime chance I had to explore Venice with no big ships in port and no group tours clogging the narrow streets. But there were still mask mandates in place – even outside – and I had to take Covid tests before, during and after my river cruise there.

This year, though, all those Covid rules and restrictions are gone. And river lines are only sailing at about three-fourths capacity. That’s enough to offer a pleasant social experience, but few enough to never feel crowded or like you needed to rush to make a special dinner reservation, secure a prime viewing seat on scenic cruising days or worry about whether the excursion or spa appointment you want has already filled up.

In fact, it was my first long-haul trip since Covid where everything felt surprisingly normal – albeit a much more relaxed normal than pre-covid, when overtourism was the big concern.

And while some cities like Cologne and Rudesheim in Germany were bustling, there were still noticeably fewer groups clogging popular tourist spots. Strasbourg, France, however, was much quieter, making it easy to bike alongside the locals and enjoy the uncrowded streets and outdoor markets.

Even Floriade, a once-a-decade horticulture show that is being held this year in Amsterdam, was surprisingly empty. The morning our group of about a dozen arrived, we had the place almost to ourselves, wandering through the quiet gardens and exhibits focused on sustainability and hopping onto the cable car that gives an aerial view of the grounds without any wait at all.

And while the guest count on river ships may be down from the pre-pandemic norms that averaged about 95 percent of capacity, AmaWaterways offered as many or more excursion options and onboard activities as before the pandemic. That meant smaller groups, even the potential for private excursions – like the morning the bike guide was at the ready for a ride through the Kaiserstuhl vineyards around Breisach, Germany, even though I was the only one who had signed up for that excursion.

In the good news-bad news department, however, one of the biggest signs of a return to normalcy was the focus on something other than Covid protocols. The week we set sail, water levels in the Rhine were getting precariously low because of the hot, dry summer.

Fluctuating water levels are a normal part of river cruising. And AmaWaterways, Schreiner said, had plans in place on the Rhine and Danube to do ship swaps or reroute sailings if water levels get too low. Ship swaps are the preferred solution. In those instances, sister ships sailing in opposite directions stop before the low water spots and guests’ belongings are transferred to similar cabins on the other ship while they are on excursions. After the tours, they are taken to the new ship to continue their regularly scheduled itinerary.

We made it through the low spots, although the need to sail more carefully, combined with repairs on one of the key locks on the Rhine, slowed down our cruise, meaning we spent more time on board and less time in towns than usual.

That was fine with me. I’ll never complain about having to spend time in the casual luxury of an AmaWaterways ship, just relaxing taking in the views of the European countryside, castles and villages.

Like all AmaWaterways ships, the AmaLucia has a spacious glass-walled lounge that’s perfect for hanging out during the day or dancing at night.

On the sun deck, AmaLucia has plenty of comfortable lounge chairs, couches and tables – even a pool. The ship also has a small spa with a top-notch masseuse on board, as well as a small fitness center. And the onboard wellness director holds six different 30-minute fitness classes every day, from yoga and pilates to stretching, line dancing and water aerobics.

Although we were lucky and made it to Basel, Switzerland, without disruption, some lines had already started to reroute Rhine sailings to keep them in the higher water areas of the Netherlands and Belgium.

Yes, that sucks if you have your heart set on sailing past the 30-some castles that line the upper middle Rhine valley, hiking the Black Forest or visiting the Alsace region of France. But, to be honest, one of my favorite rivers cruises was in 2018 when low water forced my Rhine sailing between Amsterdam and Basel on another AmaWaterways ship to reroute through the Dutch waterways, with stops in picturesque villages far off the normal tourism path.

And whether it’s the Rhine, the Danube, the Rhone or the Bordeaux region, I’ve never met a (luxury) river cruise I didn’t like. After all, there is no more relaxing way to hit multiple cities – big and small – without having to constantly pack or unpack.

The problem for travelers is that river levels can change quickly, so if you do book for this summer, fall -- or even a Christmas sailing -- on the Rhine or Danube, be sure you know the lines’ refund and credit policies in case of disruption. And be aware that last-minute changes may mean last-minute cancellations or a day or two on a bus and in hotels instead of on the river, although most of the upscale and luxury lines that cater to North American travelers do their best to avoid that. So it’s important to stay proactive and in touch with your travel agent or the operator to find out what any backup plans entail. Oh, and be sure to have refundable or flexible airline tickets.

Not quite ready to brave the uncertainty? Book soon if you want to go next year. River operators, tour operator and travel companies in general say things are already filling up fast, both in Europe and beyond. More on that next week ...