River cruises aren’t just a riverboat or the landmarks you visit; they consist of intimate ambiance and personalized service. You'll have uncommon access to local culture, which you wouldn’t experience if you planned an individual trip.
What Is Available on a River Cruise?
According to Travel Age West, most ships are intimate, carrying 200 or fewer passengers. For many passengers, the slow pace of the ship lets them see the lay of the land.You'll see the fabled landscapes dotted with castles, villages, and vineyards. The cruise ships have amenities such as restaurants, bars, lounges, fitness facilities, spas, internet access, and comfortable staterooms.
They come in sleek longships to cozy barges. Longships are bigger and more active, while a barge is slower and calmer. There are more amenities with longships. Barges normally last six days and cover about 50 miles of river in one region, while a longship may cover several countries and last longer.
Choose the River That Meets Your Style
Except for Italy’s Po River, there are many cruise lines to choose from when deciding which river you’d like to enjoy. The Po River is shallow, and cruise lines must use a paddle boat to navigate it. Among the cruise lines that navigate the Po are CroisEurope and Uniworld. Other European rivers have cruise lines such as:- Viking
- Avalon
- AmaWaterways
- CroisEurope
- Riviera
- Tauk
- Uniworld
See the Danube
The Danube is great for first-time river cruisers. It features many marquee cities such as:- Nuremberg
- Passau
- Linz
- Vienna
- Budapest
- Bratislava
- Bucharest
- Belgrade
Cruise the Rhône and Saône Rivers
Rhône cruises are typically sailing between Lyon and Avignon or Arles. These take you through the beautiful areas of Burgundy and Provence.
You'll visit Pont du Gard, an iconic bridge that is France’s best-preserved ancient Roman architecture.
Arles is also known for Roman monuments as well as the one-time home of Vincent Van Gogh.
Sail the Rhine River
After the Danube, the Rhine is the most popular European river cruise. You’ll find castles in Rudesheim and Koblenz, Germany. Enjoy exploring cities such as Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, and Cologne.Enjoy the Seine River
You begin your Seine trip in Paris, where ships are docked within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower. Cruises are usually round trip so you’ll finish in Paris as well. Several cruise ships include excursions to Normandy’s D-Day beaches.Cruise the Douro
These cruises are from Porto, Portugal, to Vega de Terron, Spain, and are usually round-trip. Besides friendly people, you’ll enjoy good wine and paella from Spain and Flamenco dancers with Portuguese pingo. The landscape is breathtaking.Budgeting for a European Cruise
You can go from ultra-luxury to budget-friendly with a European cruise. If you’re willing to pay more than $600 a day, you‘ll have an all-inclusive experience, such as a personal butler and gourmet dining. You’ll also receive exclusive excursions. With some cruise lines, you'll receive private castle dinners. Cruise ship lines you should consider for a luxurious sail are Scenic, Tauk, or Uniworld.If you want to cruise for less than $600 a day, consider AmaWaterways, Avalon, and Emerald. Although they’re not as inclusive as the luxury-cruise lines, they offer excellent experiences and customer satisfaction. Each has separate perks, but they all feature various excursions at every port. They also host onboard activities.
River Cruises Let You See Europe
Experiencing the beauty of Europe while on a river cruise also includes convenience. If you were to design a trip on your own, you’d have to pack and unpack for every destination you visited. With a river cruise, you’re on a floating hotel and can enjoy your visit to each stop without worrying about meeting transportation to another destination or checking out of the hotel on time.Different river cruises have unique offerings that can meet any budget.
