The 10 Best River Cruise Lines in Europe
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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. After an Oktoberfest celebration and captain's farewell dinner, the cruise ends the next day.
Best High-End European River Cruise: Uniworld, S.S. La Venezia
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. 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. 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 10 Best River Cruise Lines in Europe for Every Traveler
The itinerary sees Scenic whisk passengers to historic vineyards and cellars in Regua, Vinhateiro and the Côa Valley to sip on local wines and Port. An unmissable outing for couples is a private classical concert at the beguiling Sao Francisco Church in Porto, offered as one of the cruise line’s “Scenic Enrich” experiences. German river cruise line A-Rosa has carved a niche for multigenerational river voyages after pioneering its kids club in 2014. The line's European family program is available on at least one ship on each river the line sails during school breaks.
Why You Should Cruise Europe's Moselle River - Travel + Leisure
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Most popular rivers in Europe
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. Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2022, this family-owned and operated cruise company focuses on excellent food and wine, tasteful décor, stateroom views, and innovation in their luxurious fleet.
Apt charters the ships from AmaWaterways, but their itineraries and onboard programs are unique to Apt River Cruises. The eight-day "Saar and Moselle Fairytales" cruise boards in Cologne and cruises down the Rhine to the Moselle and its tributary, the Saar River. The ship passes the Mosel vineyards and docks in the medieval town of Cochem for a guided walking tour. 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.
In addition to the main dining room, ships have smaller venues where every passenger can have a meal. There's also the exclusive Table La Rive fine dining experience for Diamond Deck suite guests. Daily activities feature a wide choice of included shore tours so you can personalize your cruise experience. Viking includes one excursion in each port with your fare, and offers a wider variety of river cruises in Europe than others. That gives new-to-river-cruise passengers plenty of options to try their hand at a cruise length that fits their style and a wide array destinations from which to choose. 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.
Palate-pleasing gastronomy and epicurean shore excursions make new arrival Riverside Luxury Cruises a standout for foodies. The cruise line, which cruises on several ships that once belonged to luxury cruise line Crystal, offers a sublime culinary program, particularly on the 110-passenger Riverside Ravel, which taps into the Rhône’s extraordinary bounty. All menus onboard reflect the region, with vintage wines, dishes featuring truffle, escargot and foie gras and a gout-inducing selection of premium cheeses. For a luxury European river cruise with a contemporary vibe, take a look at Scenic's eight river ships. The line's all-inclusive river itineraries provides a high-end experience with a more relaxed atmosphere than others on this list. For instance, while butler service is provided for every cabin on a Scenic cruise, the attendants don't wear formal butler uniforms.
For those looking for a longer experience, Uniworld cleverly combines a Po cruise with luxury rail journeys to places like Istanbul, Switzerland and beyond. That's even before you get to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fleetwide reservation-only Vintage Room is set up for private dining, with an extravagant seven-course wine-pairing menu. AmaWaterways is the only cruise line on Europe's rivers to be a member of the prestigious international gastronomy organization Chaine des Rotisseurs.
This might be a glass of Champagne on a tour of Baden-Baden's glam casino, a tasty waffle in Holland or flowers to put on the graves of veterans at Luxembourg's American Military Cemetery. And if any tour takes place over lunchtime, guests are given money to buy something to eat. On each sailing there will also be a special highlight event, such as a private dinner or concert in a castle or historic building. Their 15-day "Magnificent Europe" cruise begins in Amsterdam with a canal tour and cruises the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers before arriving in Budapest.
Find the full list of the best river cruise lines — and more on what sets Viking apart — below. La Venizia, completely decked out with a sense of place, from Fortuny fabrics and Murano glass to its gilded accents. Bordeaux river cruises are different from other water routes because you explore two short waterways — the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers — and the Gironde Estuary in Southwest France. 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.
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 196-passenger, Danube-based AmaMagna is a standout among the cruise line’s well-equipped offerings. Passengers can work out solo at the Zen Wellness Studio or join an open-air spin class, while drinking in scenic river views. The ship's ample deck space also offers passengers the chance to unwind in the heated pool and indulge in a nap-inducing massage in one of two treatment rooms.
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. 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. 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. Picking the best line for a European river cruise can be a challenge as more and more lines compete for attention on European waterways.
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