River Cruising: Why should seniors have all the fun?

“The suitcases go under the bed!” I was told by another passenger the first evening of my first river cruise. It’s so obvious when you know. You unpack once; push the suitcases under and behind the bed skirt and forgot about it for the rest of the cruise.

I am onboard Scenic’s newest river ship the Emerald Luna for a seven-day cruise that will visit five cities in the Netherlands and Belgium. (And not just for the waffles and chocolate.) And I’ve brought along my 12-year-old daughter for the history lesson.

I was advised when booking “that there are not any set activities/amenities for kids on our river ships. Because the ships are intimate (180 guests), there isn’t an arcade or water slide or kids club like you’d have on the big ocean ships. Also want to note that there is one dining room with a set dinner time of 7 pm, and no kids menu per se. That said, for the right kid it can be a really fun way to see Europe.”

I knew I had the right kid; but I wasn’t sure I belonged. I had heard that river cruises are for the old. Was I at 55 years too young? I was assuaged at the airport when the other passengers in the pickup van was a grand-mother and her 30 something granddaughter. The other passengers all looked to be between 50 and 70.