Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts Steve and Wendy recap their adventure cruising on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Their story shows what you can expect cruising the Northwest region of America.
After almost 25 years and more than 2,000 days at sea on cruise ships, we decided it was time to try cruising on a river. And so, we completed our first voyage navigating the Columbia and Snake Rivers through Washington and Oregon. Here’s a summary of our experience.
Our stateroom was very well appointed and quite comfortable. Our balcony allowed us to enjoy the views of the river at all times.
Daytime activities included many lectures by the onboard Riverlorian (river historian). He was an expert in the history of the Oregon Trail and the Lewis and Clark expeditions. There were also movies, trivia games, and a well-stocked library.
The Itinerary: Our experience started with a pre-cruise stay at the Historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington. We’re glad we decided to spend an extra night, because this was a terrific hotel – elegant without being stuffy, beautiful, and very well run. It is right downtown in Spokane with easy access to the lovely riverfront parks.
We were driven from Spokane to Clarkston, Washington to board the boat. And then it was overnight there before heading west. Stevenson and Richland, Washington as well as The Dalles and Astoria, Oregon were our ports. We enjoyed every port – small towns with lots of history and spectacular scenic beauty all around.
The On-Shore Experience: We enjoyed shore excursions in each port – we took the jet boat ride through Hells Canyon which was fun. For those who just wanted to experience the towns, try a hop on/hop off bus tour with stops at the important sights in each port. It is a convenient and comfortable way to see the sights in a short time.
Summary: We really liked river cruising in the Northwest, and would do it again. We liked the relaxed atmosphere typical of a river cruise and the small towns we were able to visit along the way. We lucked out with perfect weather to explore this beautiful part of the U.S., which was new to us. It was a great way to spend our 30thWedding Anniversary, and we are happy to have had this opportunity.
Learn more about cruising American rivers.
