As a parent, you try to raise kids who are both happy and curious. As a grandparent, I hope for the same thing for my grandchildren, thus arriving at the recent decision to start showing my six-year-old granddaughter, Millie, more of the world. A European river cruise through the fairy-tale landscapes of the Rhine River this past summer, offered by Adventures by Disney, proved the perfect opportunity. Her 40-year-old parents (my daughter and son-in-law) joined us as well.
On the seven-night cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, we traveled through four countries—Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands—as we bonded during encounters that took us out of our routine and expanded our imaginations.
While Adventures by Disney river cruises do not feature Disney character appearances and themed attractions, as on Disney Cruise Line ocean ships, it helps to have some affinity for Disney if you opt for these more intimate river cruise sailings. There were ample Disney references during our Rhine cruise, along with a soundtrack of Disney movie songs playing on the ship’s sound system, among other tie-ins. Fellow passengers were fans who were excited, for instance, to collect daily Disney trading pins (in our case including pins featuring such princess characters as Snow White and Rapunzel) and to play Disney trivia in the ship’s lounge.
An Adventures by Disney canoeing outing in Strasbourg with the entire family was a hit with this crew, including writer Fran Golden, and her granddaughter Millie in the center, with daughter and son-in-law at the front and aft.
Photo by Erin Golden
The Disney difference I found most intriguing was the calm that came from knowing the trip would be both well organized and extremely family friendly. As we boarded the 156-passenger AmaLucia, chartered by Disney from the upscale river cruise line AmaWaterways, Millie was excited to see Captain Minnie in stuffie form sitting on the reception desk. Millie’s other big elation: A handful of girls her age aboard, who were among the 13 younger kids, 17 teenagers, and plenty of adults traveling with and without kids. The youngsters quickly gravitated to the ship’s outdoor pool as their favorite hangout spot.
Overseeing our whole cruise experience were five well-trained Disney Adventure Guides attuned to storytelling, three hailing from Europe and two from the USA, and all having worked at Disney parks in the past. In an effort to keep kids engaged along the way, they would make references to concepts such as “pixie dust” and a “fairy godmother.”
As we viewed real castles (not of the fairy-tale variety) along the Rhine, we were advised to create our own family story during the cruise. When asked how our story might begin, Millie shouted out “Once upon a time, of course,” eliciting giggles from the crowd.
With our guides as cheerleaders in the memory-making department, our friendly AmaLucia crew, more accustomed to dealing with adult river cruisers, also embraced the fact that kids were aboard. One waiter showed off skill in making paper hats in the dining room while the ship’s hotel manager, a grandfather himself, kept a help-yourself jar of pink marshmallows at his desk.
The writer embraced some of the unpredictability that comes with sharing a stateroom with a six-year-old.
Courtesy of AmaWaterways
Millie was my shipboard roommate, her parents staying in a stateroom across the hall. We had twin beds and AmaWaterways’ signature twin balconies—one step-out balcony with chairs, the other a French balcony.
Rooming with a six-year-old requires a sense of humor and the ability to improvise. One morning, Millie gave me a 6:30 a.m. wake-up call, peeling open the curtains and declaring “Look at the sunrise! I like to watch sunrises.” One night, when Millie’s excuse for not sleeping was that she was hungry, I had an orange to peel but no serving dish, so Millie ate orange slices out of my wine glass.
The AmaLucia made some minor adjustments for Disney such as the addition of a kids’ menu featuring burgers and pasta. Millie preferred the always-available grilled salmon from the grown-up menu of international dishes. Each evening there were complimentary mocktails alongside cocktails in the lounge, and I taught Millie how to clink glasses.
Our route included passing through a dozen locks, during which our ship entered the lock (a sort of oversize bathtub), and the water was lowered, bringing the ship down to the next level of the river so it could then sail onward. The first lock was during daylight (most occurred at night). Unbeknownst to me, Millie had, with her new friends, made her way onto the bridge and was watching with the ship’s affable captain. It was reassuring to see that my granddaughter had made herself at home on the ship.
Along the way, we had an impressive choice of excursions that were included in the cruise fare. I let my daughter, Erin, and her husband, Spencer, choose prior to the cruise what we would do. They also added some alone time to the agenda while I entertained Millie, which I was thrilled to do.
At each port, passengers went in different directions based on their interests, including heading off on their own if they didn’t want to take one of the optional tours with local guides. More than just chaperoning tours, the Adventure Guides also offered advice on how to spend free time in the ports, even down to what local snacks in each town kids and adults might best enjoy (adult libations included).
Adventures by Disney’s Adventures Guides can be a major asset when traveling with young kids. For instance, the writer’s granddaughter’s mood improved after one of the guides gave her a sign and had her lead the tour group.
Courtesy of Fran Golden
Our chosen outings included everything from screaming on rides at Europa-Park, Germany’s huge, Disney-esque amusement park, to admiring Van Gogh art and historic windmills in Amsterdam. Our biggest thrill, roller coasters aside, was canoeing past half-timbered 17th-century houses, including into a lock to be lowered, in Strasbourg, France.
The guides made sure we didn’t miss any references to things along the route that had a Disney connection, such as noting that the astronomical clock at Strasbourg Cathedral is said to have inspired founder Walt Disney to create the iconic “It’s a Small World” ride.
Millie had a hard time with the more intensive history lesson delivered by a local guide at the Heidelberg Castle, the Renaissance landmark in Mannheim, Germany, especially after she answered a question wrong and burst out in tears. But an Adventure Guide stepped in and gave her a tour sign to hold, and Millie embraced her role as leader of our group.
In Cologne, Millie oversaw Captain Minnie, a task assigned to one family each day, which included reporting findings to the entire ship that evening. A moment of grandmotherly pride came as she told passengers she was less excited about the Gothic Cologne Cathedral but loved the Lindt Chocolate Museum, with plenty of free samples. Her dad, she noted, missed the chocolate as he was on a pub tour.
Adventures by Disney charters river cruise ships, such as this one, from upscale line AmaWaterways. Added bonus: Kids can watch the castles of the Rhine River Gorge from the pool deck.
Courtesy of AmaWaterways
In the medieval old town in Rüdesheim, Germany, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum, filled with antique music machines and curiosities, was a memorable hit. One tiny music box with a moving bird may have inspired Walt Disney’s creation of animatronics. Afterwards, we used our provided gondola tickets for higher-up views of the river and hillside vineyards. While her parents stayed in town for a winetasting, Millie and I held hands the whole way back to the ship. At times, too, I reached for my daughter Erin’s hand, which stirred up memories of her as a youngster. We both marveled at how well we all got along during the trip.
Grandmother, mother, and daughter were all smiles when Millie showed off a silky two-piece, lime-green sleeveless top and skirt bought at a designer shop in Strasbourg, which an adult on the ship said made Millie look like Tinker Bell. All three generations had a blast dancing to Taylor Swift at an evening dance party one night. And Millie’s parents loved that a few nights the Junior Adventurers were treated to their own dinner and activities, including movie showings, while parents had the opportunity for more grown-up pursuits, such as taking a nighttime stroll, or dining at the ship’s complimentary Chef’s Table, a set-menu multicourse culinary experience that kids might find boring.
An afternoon sailing through the Rhine Gorge, a 40-mile UNESCO World Heritage site dotted with 30 historic castles, may be reason enough to book this itinerary. But as we floated past the centuries-old citadels, it was hard to keep Millie’s interest, even though we tried to cite fairy tales. She was entirely more interested when I took her to afternoon tea in the ship’s observation lounge.
Fascinated by my granddaughter, I did skip some adult things, such as the ship’s small massage room and gym. These were minor sacrifices. With special attention for youngsters, Adventures by Disney is the perfect outfitter for creating core family memories.
To book: Adventures by Disney’s Rhine river cruises start at $5,799 per person.