As I lay in my bed staring across the river to hilly Buda ide of Budapest, I finally understood all the fuss about Avalon Waterways' so-called "panorama suite ships."
While some lines brag about their balconies, Avalon has built its brand around the core concept of providing almost all of its cabins with beds that face floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to essentially turn the entire room into a balcony. The only ones that don't have the feature are a few offered on the bottom deck.
And while some travelers - particularly those inclined to leave their belongings strewn about their cabin - might prefer a separate outdoor space, I loved opening my eyes to the view without having to even roll over in bed.
I even worked one afternoon from the bed, enjoying the fresh air and being able to peek up over the screen every few minutes at the passing boats and beautiful skyline.
Other lines offer the window-facing beds in some cabins and suites, but Avalon's entire fleet is now comprised of the panorama ships.
It's one of differentiators I was able to experience this spring with back-to-back sailings with on Avalon, Amadeus and Uniworld.
While Avalon promotes its window-facing beds, Amadeus, which focuses heavily on the charter business, emphasizes its more generic international luxury feel.
Its ships have more neutral-colored, European contemporary designs that are suitable for all audiences, whether it's an LGBT-themed sailing or a group of American or German retirees.
On their ship, the Amadeus Star, I had a roomy suite with a corner seating area, floor to ceiling windows with a shallow balcony and a marble bath with a shower that offered plenty of space for turning around.
Another differentiator for Amadeus is their oversized public spaces. So that even when the ship is full, you never walk into the restaurant or lounge and find just one seat left.
Uniworld is unique in that each of its ships is different, hence its full name, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
While most brands might switch up the color palette or make other small tweaks in decor, they generally keep the cabins and amenities consistent across the brand.
With Uniworld, half the fun is discovering what awaits - such as the blue umbrellas and blue-and-black print upholstery that livens up the top deck of the recently relaunched S.S. Beatrice, which sails the Bordeaux region.
Indeed, as river cruise lines continue to expand, there is a ship for every personality. The hard part is deciding which is best for whom.