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Barge Cruises: Some Tips For Travelers

CHICAGO (CBS) -- As you saw on CBS 2 Wednesday morning, Barge Lady Cruises is a boutique travel company run by a woman here in Chicago.

Here are some useful facts provided by Barge Lady Cruises, for anyone who is thinking about getting on board:

• Barge cruises differ in many ways from river cruises. A barge cruise is only six nights, while a river cruise runs for one to three weeks. A barge cruise runs about 50 miles, while river cruises typically cover several hundred miles and numerous countries.

• Barge cruises also only involve groups of two to 20 passengers, while river cruises involve 125 or more passengers. The crew count on a barge cruise is two to six, while on a river cruise it is 50 or more.

• Barge cruises are likely to run slightly more expensive than river cruises. A barge cruise from Barge Lady Cruises runs from $4,000 to $7,900 per person, while a river cruise, according to the company, runs $3,000 or more per person.

• On the cruises, time each day is split between enjoying the slow-motion cruise down the waterway and stopping at points of interest on land for activities such as wine tasting, and visits to local markets, artisans, villages, and chateaus.

• Barging season runs from April through October, and the company advises that each time of the season has offers different experiences. As Stephanie Sack of Barge Lady Cruises put it by email: "April in Holland reveals the tulips; May is the perfect time to explore the region of Champagne in spring; June and September in consistently the most pleasant for European weather; July and August are super fun summer months for family charters; and October in Germany is a kaleidoscope of autumnal colors!"

More FAQs From Barge Lady Cruises

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