A Mother-Daughter Cruise Down the Moselle

How an active family adventure on the water convinced writer Lisa Kadane that Europe is best seen by ship.

Twenty-one locks. Three wineries. More than 20 castles and ancient ruins. It’s my 18-year-old daughter Avery’s first time cruising in Europe and she’s game for almost anything (although she draws the line at posing beside a giant suit of armor outside Cochem Castle, which towers over the walled city of Cochem, Germany).

We’re sailing from Remich, Luxembourg, to Frankfurt on an eight-day cruise with Avalon Waterways. Although river cruising is often associated with a mature demographic, active excursions ranging from walking tours to moderate hikes wooed us over to this effortless and relaxed way of exploring Europe.

Before we set sail, a friend recommended that I “manage my daughter’s expectations,” lest she anticipate nightly clubbing instead of a daily dose of history and culture on our mother-daughter adventure. I needn’t have worried — from the moment we enter our stateroom, with comfy twin beds facing floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a view of swans swimming nearby, she’s smitten.

“You can lay in bed and see Europe!” she exclaims.

Rather than act on this temptation, we sign up for daily port activities that suit our interests. In Bernkastel, we learn about the famous half-timbered houses on a walking tour. In Koblenz, I visit a 356-year-old brewery while Avery wanders the cobblestone streets, testing her independence. In Rüdesheim, we hike through hillside vineyards and stop for samples of Riesling before finding the perfect laugenbrezeln (pretzels) in town.

Every evening over dinner, we swap stories while a landscape of tidy grapevines and steepled towns flows past. The staff quickly learn our names, and we get to know fellow passengers on our excursions — including a multi-generational family — which makes the trip feel even more familial.

For our finale, we dock in Frankfurt and take a spin around the city on bicycles. Thanks to the ship’s leisurely pace, eight days has felt like a gift of extended time with my daughter. I’ve loved watching her embrace a new country and culture before she heads off to university, and our bond has grown stronger with each shared pretzel, castle sighting and mutual awe over the fairy-tale architecture we encountered in every port. Three Tips for Planning a European Cruise With Your Kids