15 of the Best European River Cruises
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For a lazy, dreamy, wonderful river cruise experience, nothing quite beats exploring the wine regions of Portugal on the Douro, one of the major rivers through the Iberian Peninsula. The home base for these river cruises is Porto, Portugal, with its historic city center, spectacular bridges and port houses. The magic of our award-winning European river cruises goes far beyond the riverboat you're aboard or the landmarks you'll visit. And in the uncommon access to local culture and exclusive destination driven experiences you can't get on your own, as you experience a true slice of European life and return home transformed. During Amawaterways' Black History cruise, guests aboard the AmaKristina will sail through the South of France along the Rhone River.
Christmas Along the Elbe
After an Oktoberfest celebration and captain's farewell dinner, the cruise ends the next day. Upscale river line Tauck is the best for solo river cruises in Europe, even though Grand Circle gives the line a run for its money. Tauck waives single supplement charges on all of its Category 1 lower-deck cabins on every ship in its European fleet. When it comes to a river cruise line in Europe, Scenic's all-inclusive fares are hard to top.
Best European River Cruise for First-Timers: Viking River Cruises
You'll also find plenty of energetic and engaging activities, like tobogganing, 4x4 tours and bike excursions. The ships also have small pools onboard, popular with any kid on vacation. In the evenings, supervised meals for kids and teens (and movie nights) keep the vibe upbeat until bedtime. Adventures by Disney is, unsurprisingly, one of the best river cruise lines for families in Europe. The line charters AmaWaterways and, while you shouldn't expect a bevy of Disney branding on the ship, Disney's Adventure Guides are trained to bring kids into the river cruise experience. CroisiEurope is the largest company based in Europe and operates a fleet of riverboats and hotel barges.
Passau Walking Tour
A stop in Vienna includes a Mozart and Strauss concert at a Viennese palace, a city tour, and a taste of local delicacies. The cruise ends in Passau with a choice of bicycling, walking, or hiking to explore the city and a special captain's farewell reception and dinner. Perhaps the best known of the river cruise companies, Viking promotes their "longships," which include large suites and inviting verandas for outdoor dining. Guests enjoy Viking's destination-focused dining as well as the variety of staterooms and itineraries with a wide range of prices. Programming and excursions are geared toward kids, To that end, expect a focus on storytelling rather than straight history lessons.
Europe River Cruises
Day four is spent in Verona, with its ancient amphitheater and Giusti Gardens. The next days are spent in Cremona and Mantua with disembarkation and a coach trip back to Venice. The "Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle" begins with arrival in Frankfurt and transfer to Mainz for boarding.
Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise
Billed as "the world's only authentic boutique cruise line," Uniworld offers in-suite butler service, world-class cuisine, and all-inclusive rates that cover premium spirits and wines as well as gratuities. European Waterways has 17 barges sailing along the less-visited waterways in the U.K., France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy. Most European Waterways ships are old working barges, though the casual houseboat atmosphere includes beautiful modern interiors. Each all-inclusive cruise holds just eight to 20 passengers and can also be chartered by families and groups. The line also offers reduced solo-traveler surcharges on higher-grade cabins on select sailings. Tauck's ships carry fewer passengers than riverboats of a similar size, so it's easy for solo travelers to make new friends.
India’s Golden Triangle aboard Uniworld
With more itineraries than any other, Viking is the best cruise line in Europe for first-time river cruisers. The world's largest river cruise line offers a well-tested river cruise recipe on its fleet of identical Scandinavian-style longships. Insightful port talks provide information on the next day's program that cover all questions, such as how much walking is involved and difficulty levels. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
Travel Insurance for River Cruises: Coverage, Benefits and Tips (2024) - MarketWatch
Travel Insurance for River Cruises: Coverage, Benefits and Tips ( .
Posted: Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Seine
Children must be 10 years old or older to take part in Emerald’s kid-friendly voyages. Both itineraries have been modified and feature destinations the whole family can enjoy. The Danube Explorer includes stops in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. While the Jewels of the Rhine explores the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. With a number of cruise companies and rivers to choose from, planning a river cruise can take some time. Consulting with a travel advisor is always a good idea, and there's plenty of information available online as well.
Additionally, the line's culinary director is a member of the French association Tables et Auberges de France. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The one-week route doesn't take you far but does include the walled city of Padua, the charming fishing village of Chioggia, and the culinary mecca of Bologna.
The journey from Arles to Lyon will include stops in Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, and Vienne. After arriving in Lyon, passengers will stay in Paris for an exclusive guided tour showcasing jazz, food, and wine, all while shining a light on Black heritage. Emerald is opening up two of its Europe river itineraries to younger guests, with kid-friendly menus and exciting onboard activities such as video games, movies, and tournaments.
In this post we’ll take a look at 10 Reasons To Choose Luxury Hotel Barge Cruising. All river cruises on the Seine offer all-day excursions to Normandy’s Landing Beaches like Omaha Beach. France is a wonderful river cruise destination, and if Paris is on your list, then you have to cruise the Seine. Many Seine river cruises operate between Paris and Rouen (or Honfleur, which only a few ships can do). On a typical seven-night river cruise between Amsterdam and Basel, you’ll visit Cologne, Koblenz, Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach and possibly other ports of call. There’s lots of history here and plenty to see and do, which is the Rhine makes our list of best river cruises in Europe.
The six-day "Highlights of the Rhine" cruise begins in Cologne and cruises on to Rotterdam and then Amsterdam the following day. Options include a bus tour, canal tour, pedal boats, or private auto tour, each at an additional cost. The eight-day Danube River Cruise starts in Budapest where excursions include a horse show at an equestrian park and a goulash-making competition for Adventurers. In Bratislava, Junior Adventurers can visit a petting zoo, and in the evening, there's family karaoke. A tour of Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace, marionette show, concert, and strudel making are options the next day. A day in Salzburg ends onboard with "The Sound of Music" film and singalong.
This is an ideal cruise for mid to late Spring, with trips generally beginning and ending in Amsterdam. Departing from the Dutch capital, you’ll generally float through Antwerp, Arnhem, Ghent and Rotterdam. Don’t miss the wonderful windmills at Kinderdijk or the pottery and porcelain produced in Delft. And after a visit to the world’s largest floral park (Keukenhof Gardens), you’ll see first-hand why this is one of the best river cruises you can do in the spring – or anytime.
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