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Ships offer traditional-style cruising and Exclusive Discovery Series, which provides first-person accounts from locals or expert talks about the destinations you'll be visiting. However, there are also other lesser-known cruise lines to choose from that are contenders for the best river cruise line in Europe, depending on your travel style. To help you out, we've taken a look at 10 lines, from the familiar to the lesser-known, so you can decide the best river cruise line in Europe for you. Find the full list of the best river cruise lines — and more on what sets Viking apart — below. Cruise the Dutch & Belgian waterways past traditional windmills, absorb breathtaking views of the Danube's royal cities, or experience the Mediterranean flair in the South of France. Glide along the epic Seine, discover the wines of the Rhine or join us for a Festive cruise and some true holiday magic.
American Queen Voyages (formerly American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines)
Tauck's ships carry fewer passengers than riverboats of a similar size, so it's easy for solo travelers to make new friends. You'll also find a high number of inclusions, such as all drinks from the bar and with meals, to create a stress-free sailing with no hidden extras. 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. A jaunty kids' club with a climbing wall and secret nooks is positioned next to 12 family cabins, each sleeping up to five, featuring nautical-themed bunk beds. The 280-passenger ship—the largest on the Rhine—has a kids’ splash pool next to a larger pool, with some sailings offering kids swimming lessons for an extra fee.
Best European River Cruise for First-Timers: Viking River Cruises
The fleetwide reservation-only Vintage Room is set up for private dining, with an extravagant seven-course wine-pairing menu. Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Tauck's European river cruise guide will help you find the right Danube, Rhone, Rhine, Seine or Douro river cruise for you. Join Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge, our destination experts, and two 2023 Rivers of the World cruisers to learn what to expect on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Our decades of luxury cruising experience and 100+ years of hospitality excellence means you're always in the best hands.
A Portrait of India
Even if your cruise is only a week, don't underestimate the allure of relaxing for seven days on a river in France or on the dreamy Douro in Portugal. The 280-passenger ship—the largest on the Rhine—has a kids splash pool next to a larger pool, with some sailings offering kids swimming lessons for an extra fee. The "Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle" begins with arrival in Frankfurt and transfer to Mainz for boarding. There's a private classical music concert and tour of Reichsburg Castle along the way, as well as optional visits to the Mercedes-Benz factory or a walking tour of Strasbourg and its magnificent cathedral. Each one of our 17 one-of-a-kind ships is a floating boutique hotel, designed to fully immerse you in your destination.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises does the Po in high style with its 126-passenger S.S. La Venizia, completely decked out with a sense of place, from Fortuny fabrics and Murano glass to its gilded accents. 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. While Scenic isn't strictly adults-only, this elegant Australian-owned cruise line doesn't tend to draw many families, making it ideal for couples. Couples can dress up for glitzy cocktail receptions and choose from romantic dining venues, including Portobellos or L'Amour, for candlelit meals for two. Diamond Deck and Junior Suite guests can also dine at Table d'Or, where a six-course degustation menu is paired with local wines.
The next day, guests can tour the town of Bernkastel-Kues and enjoy a wine tasting or hike to the ruins of a castle for a stunning view. After a morning tour of Saarburg, the ship cruises along the Saar River with panoramic views of its massive loop. The ship stops in Luxembourg and then continues to Koblenz, where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers meet, before returning to Cologne. This Austrian family business dates back more than 40 years and offers European river cruises on its fleet of 16 AMADEUS ships.
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. 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.
Fun activities include a “meet the captain” event, pizza-making classes and treasure hunts. All ships are stocked with age-appropriate games and books, and family shore excursions to zoos and theme parks feature on itineraries. Founded in 2017 with the goal of making European river cruises more economical and personalized, family-owned American company Teeming River Cruises developed a different river cruise model. Instead of pre-programmed group activities, guests create their own unique experiences with a complimentary city tour app for each destination.
Should you travel Europe via river cruise? - USA TODAY
Should you travel Europe via river cruise?.
Posted: Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Bordeaux serves up the opportunity to sip Medoc, Margaux, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Sauternes wines as you expand your wine education. If you plan your cruise for September or October, you'll be able to admire the grape harvest. Your visit there and to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, as well as other memorials and monuments to the fallen, is a poignant experience (one that requires a two-hour bus ride from your ship, however). Avalon Waterways brings a World War II expert on board to add insight on select sailings. When it comes to top cruising rivers in Europe, the Rhine wins for natural beauty and fairytale landscapes.
Passengers can dine on fresh wood-fired pizza at Cielo's and sip Bellinis at Hari's Bar, all while taking in views of Venice's sparkling lagoon. CroisiEurope is the only line to sail on the Loire River in France, with a specially designed modern paddlewheeler to navigate low water levels. Similar vessels sail France's lesser-known Elbe River and CroisiEurope is also the only line to sail on Spain's Guadalquivir River and the Vltava River in the Czech Republic.
The most beautiful stretch of the river is a 62-mile passage through a gorge between the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains. Ships visit such cultural hubs as Vienna, with its opera and art museums and elaborate royal palaces, and Budapest, Hungary, with its magnificent architecture and modern vibe. 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. With longer port calls and our destination-focused approach, Viking maximizes your discoveries in Europe. From the fairytale castles of the Middle Rhine to the natural beauty of Norwegian fjords, you will gain deep insight into the continent’s cultural and historic riches.
Apt charters the ships from AmaWaterways, but their itineraries and onboard programs are unique to Apt River Cruises. Apt's offerings include rail journeys, as well as small boat, yacht, and ocean cruises. Partnering with AmaWaterways, Adventures by Disney offers cruises on the Seine, Rhine, and Danube Rivers, Disney style. Specially designed itineraries and Adventure Guides create experiences for parents, children, and teens, from active excursions to unique onboard activities. Adults-only dinners and wine tasting experiences along with teen programming, Disney movie nights, karaoke, trivia nights, and Junior Adventurer dinners provide entertainment for guests of all ages.
European Waterways isn't the most widely known European river cruise line, but for travelers craving something truly intimate and unlike any other sailing, it's the best. Top-ranked Viking does all the major riverways of Europe, with ships also on the Nile and the Mekong, and, new in 2022, on the Mississippi. Readers praised the line's value proposition and shore experiences that go beyond the norm. The "Thinking Man's vacation" is the way one reader who sailed on a Viking ship on the Rhine river put it.
AmaWaterways' holistic wellness program encompasses a variety of fitness classes and wellness-themed excursions, making it the leading European river cruise line for active travelers. 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. The doyen of Europe's waterways is the adults-only Viking Cruises, a multifaceted cruise line that also boasts a fleet of ocean and expedition vessels. With 55 Nordic-inspired “Longships” sailing mainland Europe—including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Rhône and Elbe—plus four ships on Portugal's River Douro, Viking has an itinerary for every type of river cruiser. The cruise line’s soothing Scandinavian aesthetic combines a chic design with spacious accommodations that include river views or private verandas, and sails also include drinks during mealtimes, shore excursions and Wi-Fi.
You deserve the finest chefs, the freshest locally-sourced ingredients, and distinctive wines and beers chosen by acclaimed sommeliers. We never tire of going above and beyond to create extraordinary experiences for you. 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. Due to fluctuating water levels and narrow passages, the Elbe is a challenging river that runs 680 miles between the Czech Republic and Germany. Historically, it formed part of the border between East Germany and West Germany.
Some of my favorite cruise experiences include sailing the Rhine during fall or a transatlantic voyage on the Queen Mary 2 during summer. I adore my home city, London, the west coast of Ireland and New York, where I once spent a summer living in Brooklyn Heights on a work abroad program. Outside of travel, my passions are my veggie patch, my record collection and spending time with friends and family. Some lines, however, offer excellent value—especially when you compare the price to the overall cost of a land-based vacation in Europe. 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.
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