The Dutch port employee is surprised.

Three kindergarten-aged children jump down the gangway of the river cruise ship A-Rosa Sena.

We are in the picturesque town of Dordrecht in South Holland, which we want to discover with our children.

The young Dutchman points to the porthole just above the water surface.

He heard there was a kids club on the ship, he says, sounding incredulous.

We nod.

Just behind these panes is a large playroom for children.

Again he points to the gangway.

An elderly couple is walking down there much more slowly.

“Is that okay?” asks the docker in English.

From the look on his face you can see that he is not wondering if the seniors will arrive at the quay unscathed.

He has often helped to moor river boats at the port,

he finally says.

But he had never seen a ship on which young and old traveled together.

Fear of the supposed resentment of the regular customers

is that alright

We asked ourselves the same question before we boarded the newest and most modern member of the fleet of the Rostock shipping company A-Rosa in Amsterdam - and asked ourselves another question: Why shouldn't you actually take children on a river boat in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam , Antwerp or Dordrecht, after all it's as practical as it is relaxed?

A floating hotel of manageable size, no constant packing of suitcases, short distances from the cabin to the deck or to the restaurant and the harbor is always very close to the center, which can also be reached without a bus or taxi.

Why should this comfortable luxury only be reserved for the older generation?

It goes without saying that children go on holiday with their parents and grandparents – but not everywhere.

River cruise ships traditionally belong to the child-free zone.

They are considered the ancestral and exclusive holiday destination of older travellers.

And the majority of the organizers of river cruises themselves ensure that the image of the floating retirement homes is shaped and maintained.

"We don't want to alienate our regular guests by taking children on board," is the common reason why river cruises shouldn't be attractive for families, let alone children.

Even on the high seas, children and young people have to stay outside on some ships.

It is striking that this policy is primarily pursued by British shipping companies.

Richard Branson launched his shipping company Virgin Voyages exclusively with adult ships at the end of 2021.

Viking Ocean Cruises does not allow minors and P&O Cruises only on select ships.

Only those who have five decades or more under their belt are allowed to travel with Saga Cruises.

Exceptions are only permitted for younger companions, who must be at least forty years old.

No more old school cruising

In contrast, A-Rosa, as a lone fighter in the industry, tries to open up the journey on an inland waterway vessel to all generations.

They have been working on it for almost a decade, says Annika Schmied, the travel agency's press officer.

The driving force at the time was the managing director Jörg Eichler.

When he took over the management in 2013, himself a father, it was his goal to make the company family-friendly.

As early as the following year, the first childcare was offered during holiday periods.

Before that, there were simply no children on board.