Europe for Visitors Blog

ABOVE: River Baroness is one of two Uniworld ships that will cater to children and teens (and their adult companions) on featured cruises in July and August.

The word "children" usually doesn't come up in discussions of river cruising, but this summer, Uniworld is proving that ship travel on Europe's waterways needn't be reserved exclusively for adults. The U.S.-based company, which sails on 11 rivers in more than 20 countries, is testing the waters of "family-friendly" cruising with four voyages that will incorporate activities for young people into 9-day/7-night itineraries. 

To make the cruises even more tempting, Uniworld is offering 50% fare discounts for passengers between ages 4 and 18 who are accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or other adult.

Featured cruises include:

Castles along the Rhine
Basel-Amsterdam
9 days (7 nights)
July 10 and August 7 departures

Paris & Normandy
9 days (7 nights)
July 3 and July 17 departures

Activities include things like hikes, scavenger hunts, dessert-making classes, games and movies in a PlayStation-equipped playroom, German or French language classes, a ship's tour with the captain, and special shore excursions (such as a visit to the Chocolate Factory Museum in Cologne or a sightseeing-balloon ascent in Paris). A children's menu will be available, and young guests will receive free soft drinks at lunch and dinner. 

For more information, see the Castles Along the Rhine and Paris & Normandy pages at www.uniworld.com.

Photo: Uniworld.