Why River Cruises Are Calling My Name

Start Saving your Nickles and Dimes for 2028

I don’t think naked travel is going anywhere in my life. Let’s be honest. Y’all would probably hunt me down with pool noodles and cocktails if I tried. 😄

But after this last river cruise, I realized something:
I think river cruising is going to become a much bigger part of what I do starting in 2028.

Part of it is practical.

Airfare prices feel like they’re attached to a roulette wheel lately. Oil conflicts, fuel spikes, airline changes, global chaos… travel costs can shift overnight. But with river cruising, especially when booked through an agency well in advance, so much of the pricing is locked in early. Guests aren’t sitting there panic-refreshing airfare apps at 2 a.m. wondering if Europe suddenly costs the GDP of a small nation.

It creates a calmer experience from the very beginning.

But honestly, the bigger reason is the way river cruising allows people to travel differently.

Some guests wake up early and spend the day wandering ancient villages and Christmas markets. Others hire private guides to dive deep into something oddly specific and wonderful like bonsai collections, obscure museums, vineyards, architecture, or that one famous restaurant they’ve been obsessing over since 2019.

And some people stay on the ship all day wrapped in a robe watching castles, vineyards, and tiny villages drift past their cabin window while doing absolutely nothing.

That’s not laziness.
That’s luxury.

Everybody gets the trip they want.

I also loved meeting people outside our usual GoNaked orbit. Different travelers. Different stories. Different energies. It made the experience feel bigger and more connected to the world instead of just existing inside our own little bubble.

So yes… I’m already looking ahead.

For 2028, I’m exploring possibilities like:
✨ Sailing the Nile River through Egypt with extensions to Petra, Jordan
✨ Floating through Provence and southern France along the Rhône River
✨ Possibly an Italy-focused cruise experience as well, potentially along the Po River and Venetian Lagoon region

History, food, wine, culture, ancient ruins, lazy afternoons, gorgeous scenery, and enough little cafés to financially ruin me one espresso at a time.

There’s something deeply healing about river cruising.

You can socialize when you want to.
Retreat when you want to.
Close your cabin door, shut out the noise of the world, and simply watch the planet drift quietly by outside your window.

And these days?
That sounds pretty damn perfect to me.