River Cruise vs. Ocean Cruise: I Sailed Both Back-to-Back — Here's My Honest Take

It's the question I get asked more than any other: "Should we do a river cruise or an ocean cruise?"

So this fall, I did something a little crazy — I sailed Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and then hopped straight onto Viking Forseti for a river cruise through Bordeaux, France. Two cruises, back to back, two completely different experiences.

And I came home realizing something: there isn't one "best" kind of cruise. There's the best cruise for you.

Let me walk you through what each one actually felt like, so you can figure out which one's yours.

The Ocean Cruise: Wonder of the Seas

First up: a 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day sailing out of Miami — and it doubled as our 26th wedding anniversary trip. 🥂

On Wonder of the Seas, the ship itself can be part of the destination. There are neighborhoods to explore, entertainment, restaurants, pools, activities, nightlife — you could spend the entire day onboard and still have more to discover. One day on a ship like this genuinely feels like, "What are we doing on the ship today?"

And here's a little travel advisor confession: we stayed in an interior cabin. Zero regrets. Instead of spending more on a room we were barely in, we put that money toward the things we really wanted — first-class seats on our flight, multiple spa treatments, a poolside cabana at Royal Beach Club, specialty dining, and an adults-only day at Hideaway Beach on Perfect Day at CocoCay. Honestly? Trading the cabin view for a whole lot more luxury outside of it might have been my favorite move of the trip. 😎

One of our favorite dinners was at Hooked Seafood — New England clam chowder, shrimp, steak, lobster, and two desserts because it was vacation. That's the thing about a big-ship ocean cruise: you can turn dinner into an experience.

Ocean cruising is big-ship, big-energy cruising. It's made for families, multigenerational groups, and travelers who want lots to do. If your crew can't agree on anything, an ocean cruise lets everyone do their own thing — and everybody wins.

The River Cruise: Viking Forseti in Bordeaux

Then I traded the ocean for the river — Viking Forseti, sailing through the Bordeaux region of France with my friend and fellow advisor Annie Schlegel. 🇫🇷

Completely different rhythm.

The ship was beautiful and relaxing, but the focus was so much more on where we were going — Bordeaux, Libourne, the wine region, the towns, the food, the culture, the scenery drifting by. On a river cruise, the destination is the destination.

A few things surprised me in the best way:

The food became part of the destination. Each night, Viking offered a regional three-course menu inspired by the places we were sailing through. One night's dessert was a moelleux au chocolat made with Valrhona Tainori cacao — rich, decadent, silky. When you're traveling through one of France's most famous food and wine regions, the food isn't just dinner. It becomes part of the destination. 🍷

We actually had time in port. We had enough time in Bordeaux and the surrounding area that I started to feel like I actually knew the city. We're not just stopping somewhere, taking a picture, and moving on. We had time to explore, experience, and settle into the destination.

The pace was glorious. Standing at the railing watching the French countryside drift by, glass of wine waiting later — no rushing, no schedule. Sometimes the best part of travel is simply slowing down.

The excursions were something else. Annie and I climbed into a vintage motorcycle sidecar with Retro Tour Bordeaux, and the journey to Saint-Émilion became part of the adventure — wind in our faces, vineyards flying by, tiny French roads, a medieval village, and eventually… wine. 🍷 Would you take the sidecar or the bus? 😂

Now, My Honest Take (Because a Good Review Isn't Just "Everything Was Amazing!")

I loved the river cruise. But there's one thing I'd be honest with you about: I didn't love the large-group excursions. I tend to prefer private or small-group experiences with more flexibility and a more personal feel. On this sailing, there wasn't a huge price difference to upgrade, but the availability of those smaller options was more limited than I would have liked.

That's something I'd absolutely talk through with a client before booking — especially if private touring matters to you. And that is exactly why I believe firsthand experience matters. You can love a vacation and still know what you'd change.

That's what I go, so you know. ❤️

The Head-to-Head

So Which One Should YOU Pick?

👇 Ocean cruise if you want nonstop action and options — entertainment, pools, nightlife, activities for every age, and the ship itself as half the fun.

👇 River cruise if you want slow mornings in storybook towns — immersive, destination-focused, regional food and wine, and time to actually settle into a place.

Still torn? That's literally what I'm here for. I don't want to just tell you a vacation is beautiful — I want to experience it, learn what it's really like, and help you find your version of it.

Because your perfect cruise might be completely different from mine — and that's okay. ❤️