I Spent a Week on 1930s River Cruise Ship

Key Moments
Editorial Summary
The creator documents a week-long journey aboard the Merlin, a 1930s barge converted into a small river cruise ship sailing 420 kilometers across Germany. Accompanied by her father, the creator explores the intimate atmosphere of traveling with only 23 other guests and a small crew led by owners Christina and her husband. The trip focuses heavily on daily cycling excursions through German towns and the countryside, which the creator manages by utilizing e-bikes to navigate hilly terrain. The video details the living conditions on the barge, including the spacious cabins, the unique use of river water in the toilets, and the high quality of the three-course meals prepared by Christina. Beyond the physical activity, the creator highlights the social aspects of the cruise, noting how the small group size fosters connections between passengers. The summary concludes with a breakdown of the costs, noting that the seven-night trip cost approximately 1740 Euros per person, covering accommodation, food, and daily tours. The creator reflects on the experience as a meaningful way to make memories with family while discovering the history and logistics of running a small-scale river cruise business.
Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
This is the Merlijn, she was built in 1930 to transport sand and she will be my home for the next week.
This cruise cost me around 250 euros per person per night... that includes the accommodation the daily tours and all of our food.
I tip 10 euros per person per night for the crew... seeing how hard this team worked... I was very happy to tip.
Creator's Tips & Advice
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Port Highlights
Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
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