When we first started river cruising, it was a whole new world to us. Though we were experienced ocean cruisers, we were nonetheless baffled by the sheer number of river cruise ships and itineraries available – and that was just on one river alone.

A river cruise is a major purchase, and we wanted to compare prices between multiple lines – a task that required extensive research in the hopes of cobbling together a better understanding of the price differences and inclusions between companies and their ships.

Mindful of that, we’ve spent a lot of time during the past year coming up with a plethora of price comparison charts that will hopefully aid you in better determining which river cruise is right for you – at a price point that is comfortable for you.

Comprehensive Tables

In each post, we’ve developed a comprehensive table outlining the cruise line, the name of the itinerary, the duration, embarkation/disembarkation ports and the voyage’s average per diem (price per day). We’ve also outlined whether things like port charges are included.

We’ve made sure to list inclusivity; after all, a cruise that is initially more expensive may come out to be the more affordable option if it includes gratuities, transfers and beverages. These kinds of incidentals can really add up on a longer voyage.

Notes on Pricing

All of our data was collected from actual cruises based on fares found on each cruise line’s website during the summer and fall of 2015 (and all are noted within each article). While it’s obviously not September anymore, these prices can still be used as a rough guide to illustrate the average price differential between one or more cruise itineraries. Our intent is to update the tables annually.

A Travel Agent Can Still Get You A Deal

Note that the prices we rely on aren’t special one-time offers or anything like that; a good travel agent may still be able to get you a deal depending on the special offers they’ve managed to extract from their river cruise line partners.

Limited-time specials won’t dramatically reduce the cost of a given river cruise, but quite often they can incentivize to the point where you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck.

We’re Concentrating On Europe – For Now

Right now, our price comparison charts focus heavily on Europe, for one simple reason: The vast majority of the world’s river cruising is currently focused on rivers like the Danube, Main, Rhine, and other more off-the-beaten-path waterways like Portugal’s Douro River and Italy’s Po. But we hope to expand these comparisons to destinations in Russia, China and Southeast Asia.

Don’t see a price comparison here that you’re interested in? Let us know using the comment form at the bottom of the page. In the meantime, have a peek at some of the pricing differences between European river cruises; what you find may very well surprise you.

Price Comparisons For River Cruises In Europe