Inquirer.com In the past, I’d cringe when I heard the word cruise. I had visions of crowds, busyness, lines, brassy nightclub entertainment I dislike, stores, restaurants, and no time to reflect on the surroundings. I preferred traveling on the glasslike water of canals and rivers. “You don’t have to go on one of those big cruise ships,” said my friend Beth. “My ship had 148 passengers, and we were able to do lots of animal watching — just what you loved on your safari trip.”

Emilie C.