By all means everyone should explore Europe. But the means of transport is a large factor in the day to day life of your journey. I investigated river cruising for a very long time before booking, and found that it was not what I expected, largely due to what information was not supplied prior to embarkation. For example, travelling down the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers nowhere was I told that there was a total of 68 locks, and part of the journey was on man made canals, not the river. It seemed every night at dinner the ship passed through 2 locks, and the view out the window was cement walls. Also, the room was so small that twice I hit my head on the sink, when lowering myself to the toilet. The bed also was a struggle as it was 2 mattresses set on the base, which kept spreading apart, with me finding myself in the crack between the two. The itinerary gave the choices at each port each day, but failed to say that actual time in the port could be as short as 2 to 3 hours. Not really enough time in a port. And lastly, I really did not get a sense of the close quarters in the Crystal dining room or the lounge. There is zero private space when dining, and the table for guests at the next table we’re about 8 inches away from your table, so everyone heard everyone else’s conversations. The lounge was the same, with zero space. I do not know how many times I banged my shins on the little tables, trying to get to, or from my seat. Also, the noise level with so many people in such a confined space was deafening. And finally, I was disappointed with the bar. I am not a big drinker, and my favourite drinks are fruity blender drinks like daiquiris, pina colada etc. I saw a blender in pictures prior to the cruise, so I thought it would be fine, because search as I did, I could not find a bar drink list online before we booked the cruise. Well, there was a blender at the bar, but it was only used 2 times I knew of in our 2 week cruise. Pine Coladas were shaken, not blended. Daiquiris were not available. So I tried to think of every kind of drink I could possibly order, that they might be able to make. I ordered a Harvey Wallbanger, and they googled it, and made one, although not a good one. I asked them to make a drink in the blender, that they usually use the blender to make. They did not understand the request, or maybe there is no drink that is made in the blender. They serve wine, champagne, and any spirit mixed with something else, but as it turned out the blender was purely ornamental. So for 2 weeks there was not a drink I had, that I liked. Also, the entertainment in the lounge was background noise to the talking noise. So, while I enjoyed Europe, and will go back to Europe, I will never again go on a river cruise.n