As many of us anticipate, enter or enjoy retirement, a major priority is often the pursuit of travel. We have spent much of our lives making a place for ourselves in the world, often at the expense of exploring it. When it finally does come time to set foot on new and exciting shores, we are faced with more questions than answers. Where do we go? How do we find out the best things to do, places to eat, and sights to see? How do we traverse countries where we don’t know the language or culture?
This is where Journeys come in. Forget about the hassle of choosing hotels, booking flights, and sifting through mountains of activities and restaurants, hoping you choose the right one to spend your valuable time at. Journeys allow you to simply relax and enjoy the wonders of the world.
We will only ask you to make one decision: how would you like to traverse them?
Read our guide below to help you decide exactly what kind of travel is best suited for your needs!
Ocean Cruising
What do many of the world’s most exciting cities and beautiful islands have in common? They are all on the ocean. When choosing how you’d like to visit these incredible places, why not take advantage of this convenient fact, and choose to cruise. Many people love ocean cruising as it offers unique benefits that other modes of travel cannot match. The vastness of the ocean leaves room for some very large ships, packed with amenities like plazas, restaurants, pools, gardens, spas and more. This means that even when you’re not exploring somewhere new, you are never starved for luxurious ways to pass the time. All while benefitting from one of the biggest benefits of all – only needing to unpack once!
While all of this may sound enticing to you, there are also some drawbacks to ocean cruises that one must consider. The biggest one for many are the crowds. With a bigger boat comes more people – in some cases thousands more. On board the cruise and while at port, you are unlikely to escape the rest of the people taking the same journey. Along with this, are the environmental impacts of big ships, and the limited flexibility you have on the time you wish to spend at each port. However, at Journeys by Van Dyke, we offer private excursions, eco-friendly and smaller ship cruising to compensate for some of these issues – but they can still be a detractor for some.
Our most popular Journeys for Ocean Cruisers in 2025 are the Countries of the British Isles, Coastal Italy and our Scandinavian Dream Cruise.
Discover all of our Featured Journeys for Ocean Cruisers.
River Cruising
If the thought of only unpacking once appeals to you, but the scale of ocean cruises does not, then river cruises may be more your speed. While river cruises are understandably confined only to river networks, entire civilizations have been built around rivers for millennia, so you will not need to worry about a lack of destinations. From the Rhine, Danube, Yangtze or the Mekong, the world is filled with incredible rivers waiting to be explored. Without ocean waves or large crowds, river cruising is a far more relaxed and intimate way to see a region of the world. They often offer longer port stays and lesser travelled destinations that can lead to a far more immersive and authentic experience. As the first company to bring European river cruises to the Canadian market, we at Journeys by Van Dyke take great pride in our selection.
Some things to note about river cruises that may be dealbreakers are the space onboard the ship, and the associated cost. Rivers simply do not have the room for massive cruise ships. So, naturally, river cruise boats do not contain the same amenities that you might be used to on an ocean liner. Also, since the boat is smaller and thus the number of passengers is also lower, the cost per person is often higher than it would be on a bigger ship. The smaller group size can be a draw for many travelers but does also limit the variety of group activities that are organized. Overall, there are many things that make river cruising a favored option for thousands of people every year. Give one a try and see what you think!
Our most popular Journeys for River Cruisers in 2025 are the 12 Days of Christmas Markets on the Rhine, and our much anticipated upcoming releases for the Douro River and Mekong River Cruises.
Discover all of our Featured Journeys for River Cruisers.
Land Journeys
If you’ve ever travelled across our beautiful country from Victoria to Halifax and everywhere in between, you’ve probably noticed the distinct lack of river and ocean cruise companies that offer the journey! Unfortunately, not everywhere worth going can be accessed by boat. This is where the land tour comes into play. Land tours can offer some incredible benefits and itineraries simply not possible with a cruise. Many land tours allow for much more in-depth exploration of a country or region, and can access mountains and inland cities providing for a more unique experience compared to a cruise. Like river cruises, land tours often consist of much smaller groups. Tours by land can often be far more customizable to one’s tastes as well. Whether you travel more for the history, gastronomy, or nature of a place, a land tour can accommodate those needs much more easily. Some of our most popular Journeys to Iceland and Southern Africa are only possible as land tours and offer stunningly immersive and authentic experiences as a result.
When choosing to travel by land, there are a few realities one must accept. Hotels are going to be numerous, and each will require you to unpack and repack your things with each stop. The mode of transportation can vary from coach, to train, to plane and each of those systems of travel must be navigated by everyone. This can sometimes be stressful and unfortunately unpredictable. The amenities will vary by destination and may not always be to the same degree of luxury depending on what accommodations are available in a given region of the world. While these things can certainly add to the complexity of travelling, we firmly believe that many places in the world are worth the “hassle”.
Our most popular Journeys for Land Tours in 2025 are The Wonders of Japan, The Grand Tour of Iceland and our Southern Africa Safari Tours.
Discover all of our Featured Journeys for Land Tours.
Land & Cruise Tours
At this point, you are probably thoroughly debating the merits of each way of travel and may be having a difficult time trying to decide which one works best for you. This is where a combination of travel styles may be in your best interest. Relax and cruise down a river when convenient and travel overland to see places that the river simply does not go. Joining these two types of travel can allow for far more interesting itineraries that are not confined to the constraints of any one type. An example of this flexibility in action is our signature Yukon and Alaska tour. Without combining both land and cruise, we risk missing out on what makes the journey so special—experiencing the one-of-a-kind people of the Yukon and the stunning views from the dome car along the scenic railroad to Anchorage, to the must-see sights only accessible by sea, like Hubbard Glacier and whale watching in the deep waters of Icy Strait.
When choosing to combine land and cruise travel, you also manage to mitigate many of the downsides of each, even if only for part of the journey. If you dislike crowds, the land portion of your journey will free you from the chaos of a larger cruise ship. And if you dislike having to unpack and carry your luggage from hotel to hotel, the cruise portion will free you from that burden. A great compromise when travelling with friends or partners that have differing preferences, and a fantastic option when you want to experience the benefits of each!
Our most popular Journeys for Land and Cruise Tours in 2025 are the above mentioned Signature Yukon and Alaska Tour, Exploring Egypt and the Nile and of course, our Adriatic Odyssey.
Discover all of our Featured Journeys for Land and Cruise Tours.
To enhance your travel experience, consider joining one of our exclusive group tours. Our expert guides and carefully planned itineraries ensure that you make the most of your time, providing insights and experiences that you won’t find anywhere else. Plus, traveling with a group of like-minded individuals can add a social and enjoyable dimension to your journey.
We look forward to travelling the world with you soon!
