My First River Cruise: A Unique Experience Aboard the Gentleman
- Esther
- Oct 20, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2025
My first river cruise experience began aboard the Gentleman, a modern ship from Van Loon Cruises that has been sailing since 2024.
After many years of experience with ocean cruises, this was my very first river cruise and I can say it’s a completely different experience. Both types of cruising have their own charm, each with its pros and cons. In the end, it all comes down to what you value most in a cruise.
I was on board for the maiden voyage of The Gentleman. This new ship from Van Loon Cruises is 135 meters long, accommodates 172 passengers, and features 86 cabins, including 8 suites. There’s premium Wi-Fi on board, as well as a fitness room and a spa. I boarded in Rotterdam during the christening ceremony, and a week later, we sailed for one night during King’s Night from embarkation in Amsterdam to our arrival in Hoorn.
One thing that stood out to me was that the ship has a single restaurant, which is open during a set dining window. Within that time, you can dine whenever you like.
On the top deck, you'll find the sundeck a lovely spot to relax and enjoy the scenery when the weather is good.
River cruises are often associated with an older audience, but that image is starting to change. It’s a calm and comfortable way of travelling, where you literally step right into the heart of towns and cities. Ideal, especially for people with limited mobility. With ocean cruises, it's often a different story: the port is usually located outside the city, and you often need a shuttle, taxi, or bus to reach the center.
In short: a river cruise offers a unique and relaxing way to travel, and it’s definitely worth exploring, especially if you're looking to try something new beyond life at sea.
Above the restaurant is the lounge, a cosy space with views of the outside, perfect for relaxing. Here, you’ll often find afternoon tea and, in the evenings, live music. This setup makes it incredibly easy to connect with fellow passengers. Since everyone dines in the same restaurant and gathers in the same lounge, it naturally creates a sense of community. If you’re travelling solo or simply enjoy meeting new people, this is definitely one of the highlights of river cruising.
Another thing I noticed is that river cruise ships often dock side by side in port. This means that, at times, you may need to walk through another ship to reach the shore. Boarding itself is very simple you just walk on and off the ship, without the lengthy security checks or large terminals you’d find with ocean cruises.
Most of the sailing happens at night. As a result, you might hear a bit more noise, especially since the ship travels close to the riverbanks and passes through locks fairly often. Light sleepers might want to keep that in mind.
It was truly a wonderful experience to board the ship right in Amsterdam, directly next to Central Station. Within minutes, you’re in the heart of the city. We were lucky enough to celebrate King’s Night in Amsterdam a unique experience. Late that night, the ship set sail for Hoorn, where we arrived early the next morning. From the dock, it was just a five-minute walk to the charming town center, where we enjoyed the festive vibe and all the kids selling second-hand items at the street market for King’s Day.
And just imagine: a river cruise around Christmas, visiting the festive markets in Germany that sounds magical to me. I’m beginning to see so many advantages to this way of cruising.
An interesting detail: Celebrity Cruises best known for its luxury ocean cruises is now entering the world of river cruising. That says a lot about the growing interest in this type of travel, even among younger travellers. The days when river cruises were mainly for seniors seem to be over.
My Experience
I really enjoyed river cruising, it’s a completely different way of being on the water and exploring cities. I’d definitely recommend it, and I’d love to go again myself. One of the biggest advantages for me is that you're docked right in the heart of a city or village. That means you can easily hop on and off throughout the day to join an activity or tour, or simply explore at your own pace. For solo travellers or older guests, it's truly ideal, it’s very easy to meet people and connect.
Want to know more about river cruises? Be sure to check out this video of a magical Christmas river cruise!: https://youtu.be/jDQxvQsZ084
This video was made by my husband, Andrea.
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