On a European cruise with my teen, I watched her grow into a traveller | Canada Voices

Watching my daughter grow was perhaps my favourite experience of a mother-daughter cruise down the Rhine River.

It first happened while we wandered the narrow lanes of Strasbourg’s Petite France, among geranium-adorned half-timbered houses along the River Ill. I heard maturity in her voice. She carried the emotion of someone who had encountered something new, and was impressed with the experience.

“I could live here,” gasped my 14-year-old, above the chatter of summer visitors to the eastern French town.

Knowing better than to smile visibly in response, I felt the warm, internal satisfaction of a travelling parent. Veya had moved beyond enjoying the activities of vacation and begun to imagine herself out in the world – solo.

Family travel can be a challenge to plan. Will children be engaged and excited for adventure, or mopey, longing for their electronics? Will parents be able to relax and have time with each other, as well as with the entire family? I’d wondered if this European river cruise would result in our returning home needing a vacation from our vacation, and from each other.

The trip was relatively simple to plan. I booked our cruise with Adventures by Disney Small Ship Adventures. The tour company organized everything, all I had to do was choose a few off-ship adventures. The Disney brand was light on this river cruise, with an occasional film soundtrack, movie night or trivia quiz. And instead of travelling with costumed Disney characters, we followed entertaining Disney-trained guides who provided relevant background about the area‘s history and culture, as well as any fascinating Disney connections. In Riquewihr, for example, we learned that the French Alsace village inspired Belle’s hometown in Beauty and the Beast.

Before the trip, in discussions with Veya about booking the off-ship adventures, which ranged from a summertime toboggan run in the Black Forest to a canoe trip through the centre of old Strasbourg, I noticed her interest piqued. Until she noticed my noticing, however, and then she added, “I mean, I’m going because you want me to.”

We began our voyage in Basel, Switzerland, after spending a day walking around town and enjoying the bliss of a sunny July day at a riverside café. Every few minutes, a handful of people floated by, aided by their Wickelfisch – colourful, floating dry bags in the shape of fish. While Veya wasn’t interested in joining them, she was interested in hanging out with the two young children and teenage niece of my friend, who joined us on the cruise. A mom who travels for much of her work like me, Terry was also solo parenting on the trip. We’d planned some excursions together, as well as leisurely lunches in town, so our children would get a deeper sense of place in each destination.

Once we boarded the AmaLucia, a sleek 156-passenger river ship, and settled into our rooms, we took a tour to find the main lounge where all meetings and entertainment would take place, the ship’s two restaurants, the heated pool on the sun deck and the stateroom locations of our friends.

I also gave Veya some free-range opportunities. Bound by the railings of the ship, I wasn’t too worried about her hanging out with other kids.

Our Rhine River itinerary included stops in Germany (Breisach, Mannheim, Rudesheim, Cologne), France (Strasbourg) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam). I’d visited some of the cities before, mostly as a young adult on my first solo trips to Europe. But as we cruised along, passing vineyards, tiny towns, castles and even industrial areas, I sat back and watched Veya take in the views.

Her introduction to far-flung travel had come sooner than mine, and she wasn’t as interested in the region’s history as she was in the culture and general vibe. So I kept our excursions light, and blended the ship’s guided experiences with time on our own.

In Strasbourg, we wandered through Petite France with our friends, shopped for French skincare products in a pharmacy and people-watched while we lunched in the shade. In Rudesheim, we visited a music box museum, sampled local hot chocolate and soared over vineyards in a gondola. In Amsterdam, we visited the Rijksmuseum, found some of my old haunts and stopped to watch a handful of windmill sails turn in the breeze.

Watching my child notice day-to-day life beyond the boundaries of her own country became my daily habit. Being exposed to life and culture that were different from her surf-town home, Veya could imagine a future that embraced the possibility of spending time in different places – whether that was through gap-year travel or even attending school in another country. While I’d initially be sad to lose her to school overseas, I would also be thrilled to have a kindred travel spirit. I know how much travel opens the world to those who are curious enough to step through the door.

Travelling together on a cruise (instead of exploring independently) gave me the ability to relax and took the heat off many turning-point decisions (like when we needed to leave town and get back on the ship).

The best days had a seamless blend between guided excursion and free time to wander and soak in the culture. After spending one morning touring Heidelberg Castle with a guide dressed as Victor Hugo, we took our time walking down more than 300 stairs to Heidelberg’s old town and ambled in the summer sun along the Neckar River, following a family of swans. Walking with my friend, we caught up on each other’s lives as we watched the chattering kids run ahead and fall back. Everyone enjoyed the luxury of not needing to be anywhere other than where we were in that moment.

In Amsterdam, on our last night aboard the ship, Veya gathered the e-mail addresses of new friends and spent time with the ship’s guides, whose kindness made them seem like family members. “I’ll never forget you,” she said to them, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

I smiled to myself when I saw that tear.

Veya learned another travel lesson that only gets better. The more places you go, the more connections you’ll make. And while we may be sad to say goodbye, it’s those memories and people that fuel the desire to get back out there.

If You Go

The eight-day Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise begins in Basel and ends in Amsterdam. Passengers sail on AmaWaterways’ ships AmaLucia or AmaSiena, which accommodate up to 156 passengers. There are six departures a year, the next one leaves in June. Per-person rates are based on double occupancy and start from US$6,099 (adults) and US$5,499 (children 11 and under), including meals, entertainment, gratuities and off-ship guided excursions.

The writer was a guest of Adventures by Disney. The company did not review or approve this article prior to publication.