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July 13, 2009
A Family Afloat
I like to think of every Grand Circle river cruise as its own floating community—because there’s something about this special way of traveling that naturally brings people closer together. From the very first moment you’re onboard, there’s a feeling of freedom. You unpack your suitcase once and then forget about it. This ship is your home now … and as you cruise from one town to the next, excitement spreads in waves throughout the decks as the sights pass you by—a castle, maybe, perched above the Rhine, or a family farm on the banks of the Nile. It’s so natural to turn to your shipmates and say, “Look! Do you see it? I can’t believe we’re here …” And when you see each other later in the lounge or at dinner, you’re already connected by a shared experience. You’ll make connections, too, over separate experiences, as you gather in the evening after a day in port and the whole ship is chattering about “what did you do today?”
This kind of camaraderie just doesn’t exist on an ocean liner—and neither does the access you’ll have to discoveries on shore. You’ll dock right alongside the towns you’ll be visiting, which means as long as you’re in port you can come and go as you please. And even while you’re cruising, you’re never far from land—so you can wave to the people on shore and they’re close enough to see you and wave back.
If you’re one of the many Grand Circle travelers who are hooked on river cruising, I’d love to hear why. Email me your stories at:
harriet@gct.com
In fact, I’d love to hear your stories from anywhere in the world. If you’d like to see your story featured here, I’ll be focusing on Europe next in Harriet’s Corner!
Harriet Lewis