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Many American travelers have heard of river cruise lines like Viking, AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways -- and you can find more about them below. This German cruise company's distinctive ships are easy to recognize by the large red lips and rose on the bow. Their fleet of 12 ships was joined by the new A-Rosa Sena, a hybrid powered ship expected to cruise the northern Rhine almost silently and emission-free. Family-friendly amenities include a kids club, heated outdoor pools, and free passage for children ages 15 and under.
Grand European Tour Amsterdam to Budapest
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. On one-week cruises, you'll follow the river 130 miles past green hillside vineyards in the Douro River Valley, a UNESCO-recognized destination, before turning around at the Spanish border. The river cruises typically include a visit to the university town of Salamanca in northern Spain. Viticulture is very much the lesson en route, as you learn about port production on the "River of Gold."
Viking
Wine lovers will want to experience the seven-night "Taste of Bordeaux," with visits to iconic chateaux, timeless vineyards, and delicious wine tastings while cruising the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers. Excursions include a tour of a medieval castle and tasting of Sauternes, a stop in Pauillac, gateway to the Medoc wine region, and a Saint-Emilion tour and tasting. Returning to Bordeaux, guests will explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and capital of the wine world. Some lines, however, offer excellent value—especially when you compare the price to the overall cost of a land-based vacation in Europe.
Enchanting Danube ( (Budapest to Passau,
One cruise line that consistently offers great value is Emerald Cruises, a river cruise operator that gets travelers more bang for their buck—without compromising on quality or service. As standard, Emerald’s eight Europe-based “Star-Ships” offer a generous number of inclusions built into the cost of the cruise, with typically lower entry level fares. 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.
The 8 Best European River Cruises 2024 - Forbes
The 8 Best European River Cruises 2024.
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The most popular month for these cruises is August, which has the most tour departures. 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.
Splendours of Europe (Start Budapest, End Amsterdam)
Their deluxe beds and luxurious linens provide comfort in spacious, quiet quarters with ample closet space. Avalon offers "Active & Discovery" river cruises with activities for a variety of energy and fitness levels, from traditional sightseeing to action-packed experiences. The stellar 2022-built Viking Egdir, carrying 190 passengers, offers a ringside seat of bucolic vineyards and medieval castles on the Rhine, Main and Danube.
France’s Finest
Daily escorted walking tours and other excursions provided by the river line take you to key UNESCO World Heritage Sites and other city and village attractions you've come to see. Or you can choose to explore on your own, which is easy since your ship often will dock right in town. Belmond has another way to cruise some of Europe's rivers — on luxury barges with private chefs and excursions like truffle hunting, hot air ballooning, canoeing, and wine tasting. The elegant barges cruise the waterways of Burgundy, Provence, Alsace, Champagne, Languedoc, and Franche-Comté from April to October. Uniworld's one-of-a-kind vessels are inspired by the locales they visit, making their luxurious ships a destination in themselves. 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.
Rhine Getaway Basel to Amsterdam
After an Oktoberfest celebration and captain's farewell dinner, the cruise ends the next day. 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. The line’s newest ship sails Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle rivers, featuring a heated pool that transforms into a cinema, spacious suites and a dedicated wellness area.
Sail through Europe this summer with 50% off Uniworld river cruises - The Points Guy
Sail through Europe this summer with 50% off Uniworld river cruises.
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The "Active & Discovery on the Rhone" cruise begins in Lyon and heads south through the French countryside of Provence and ends in Port-Saint-Louis. On the way, Avalon Choice excursions include a culinary walk, cooking class, painting workshop, wine tastings, guided bike rides, and more, with Active, Classic, and Discovery level activities. For true indulgence, book a table at the fleetwide reservation-only Vintage Room, set up for private dining, with an extravagant seven-course wine-pairing menu. The experience is worth the $295 fee, especially for true oenophiles who will get to savor coveted Bordeaux Grand Crus. Other highlights include visiting a truffle farm near Viviers and savoring a selection of wines at Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard. In Lyon, guests can visit foodie heaven at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the city’s outstanding indoor food market filled with a vast array of produce.
The company's "time to discover" philosophy focuses on intensive travel experiences, shore excursions, and varied culinary offerings. Guests are kept busy (if they wish to be) with daily shore excursions, and most cruises offer several options depending on interests and activity levels. Bikes and walking tours are available in most ports, or guests can choose a leisurely day in a comfortable lounge enjoying the passing scenery.
From Portugal's dazzling Douro to the mighty Danube, a river cruise is a fantastic way of exploring Europe’s magical cities and sensational countryside. Sparkling new Europe-based ships seemingly debut every year, all with innovative features and itineraries that showcase art, history, food and more. The best European river cruises make it easy to enjoy the continent’s marvelous scenery to its fullest, with thoughtful amenities, intimate ship sizes and a slower pace to soak it all in. AmaWaterways ups its dedication to active cruisers with a bevy of wellness spaces as well, including massage rooms, a fitness center, open-air spin classes on the sun deck and a pool. However, despite being twice as wide as most river ships in Europe, there are only about 30% more travelers onboard (just shy of 200 passengers). 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.
This Austrian family business dates back more than 40 years and offers European river cruises on its fleet of 16 AMADEUS ships. Five-star service, facilities, and cuisine are their hallmarks, and their ships feature wide panoramic windows and a spacious sun deck. The eight-day "Sensations of Lyon & Provence" cruise begins in Lyon and heads to a quaint village and then south again towards Tournon, with its 16th-century castle. Along the way, guests can choose a hike through vineyards, canoe trip, village walking tours, or wine tasting onboard. The 196-passenger, Danube-based AmaMagna is a standout among the cruise line’s well-equipped offerings.
When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Sure, you can catch sight of the Eiffel Tower when boarding a river ship in Paris, but you can do that while staying in a hotel, too. The real attractions of a Seine River cruise are sailing on the river outside the city toward the English Channel and a visit to the beaches in Normandy for a perspective on World War II. When it comes to top cruising rivers in Europe, the Rhine wins for natural beauty and fairytale landscapes. Along the route, between Melk and Krems in Austria, you cruise through the Wachau Valley, a key wine-growing region producing rieslings and gruner veltliners, with sipping opportunities available. It's also a great place to bike, which is why it's nice to sail with lines, such as AmaWaterways, that carry bikes on board for passengers to use.
Apt's offerings include rail journeys, as well as small boat, yacht, and ocean cruises. If you like to stay fit and healthy on vacation, Avalon Waterways is the best line for get-up-and-go European river cruises. In addition to regular itineraries, Avalon offers Active & Discovery sailings on the Rhine, Danube, Rhone, Moselle, Seine and Dutch waterways. Work up an appetite with action-packed kayaking, hiking and cycling tours before returning to a well-earned meal. Onboard cuisine features a variety of menus including Avalon Fresh which showcases mainly vegetarian dishes.
Each ship has an onboard wellness director who hosts daily fitness classes as well as meditation and yoga. AmaWaterways was also the first river cruise operator to carry a fleet of complimentary bicycles. Airport transfers to and from the ship, drinks (non-alcoholic, beer and wine) with lunch and dinner, gratuities, Wi-Fi and a plethora of shore excursions are included. There are often excellent deals to be had, too, such as free flight credit when booking early, buy-one-get-one-free offers and reduced-single supplement for solo travelers.
If your ship passes the Hungarian Parliament building at night, you're in for a treat; magnificently lit, it's one of the most photographed sights on the river. The fleetwide reservation-only Vintage Room is set up for private dining, with an extravagant seven-course wine-pairing menu. The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages. This ship truly embodies the decadence of Renaissance Venice, with a playful interior featuring hand-painted Venetian masks and flamboyant custom-made fabrics by Venice-design house Fortuny.
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