My husband and I have done eight ocean cruises (between 2016 and 2019) on our own, with our kids and with extended family groups. We had never done a river cruise before. We realised once we were on the cruise that we had not given the cruise itself much thought. To all the naysayers who had said to us smirking, "You're a bit young for a river cruise", we had replied smugly, “Who cares?”

Turns out we did care.

Our cruise was with Viking - The Grand European. Two weeks in July from Budapest to Amsterdam via the Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers, it was our treat to ourselves for our 30th wedding anniversary.

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The cruise was the last part of a seven plus week trip to Europe. We were very much looking forward to unpacking properly and once after being on the go for five weeks. We were also looking forward to some luxury. We were rewarded with all of this although we did have to pack and unpack once mid journey as we swapped from the Viking Gefjon to the Viking Ve. This was because the water level in the Main Danube canal was too low. Who knew that this happened? We didn't, but it was actually the third trip in a row for the Gefjon where this had happened. It was a small inconvenience, and the logistics were handled expertly by Viking.

The cruise stopped in the grand cities of Budapest, Vienna, Cologne and Amsterdam but our highlight were the story book towns in between that we had never before visited. Each town had a different story: whether it was bombed to smithereens or spared, reconstructed as it was pre-WWII or not.

What did we like/love about this trip (in no particular order).

Would we river cruise again?

Yes, 100 per cent. The positives outweighed the negatives. It was "freeing" (as we have always felt with cruising), it was educational and it was inspiring. Inspiring insofar as what we learnt from our daily locally guided tours, in what we learnt from the other passengers we met and in seeing people well into their 80s travelling - #goals.

So, am I too young to do a river cruise at 55?

Yes, probably although it would be an ideal trip with our parents. It would also be more fun with a group of friends so that you weren't eating with strangers every night.

We buddied up with a lovely English couple in their late 70s - Dirk and Val. Dirk had a shared passion for cricket with my husband and both were intelligent and well-travelled. As we said our farewells at the final dinner, Val hugged me and sincerely said, "Enjoy your life." It touched me and, even as I write this, I feel emotional remembering the genuineness of her words. That is what life is about isn't it? Enjoyment. A River Cruise, even at 55, ticks that box well and truly.

Feature Image: Supplied.

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