To the uninitiated, choosing a river cruise can be daunting. In Europe alone, more than two dozen companies offer extended river cruises. The first thing you want to know is what differentiates each company from another?
Complicating matters is that all river cruisers operated by all companies, with few notable exceptions, are built on the same platforms. That means they all look pretty much alike, with the same number of decks and measuring the same dimensions. The exceptions are Crystal Mozart and the coming this spring, AmaMagna, both of which are double the width of the traditional river cruiser.
Aside from those two exceptions, river cruises can’t be differentiated by size, or for the most part, features. Nearly all offer similar-sized staterooms, lounges, restaurants and sun decks, and that’s about it. Some, and certainly not all, offer alternative dining venues, gyms, mini-spas and salons.
The next thing you should ask is, what’s important to you? Bikes, hikes, booze 24/7, fine dining, alternative dining venues, step-out balconies, French balconies, dual balconies, king-sized beds, butler service – and the list goes on.
To those of you looking out on the vast armada of river cruises, the picture is fuzzy and confounding. With a little help, it doesn’t have to be so hard. I found that the process of matching the right personality to the right ship can be broken down into five steps. It’s not a perfect formula, but going through the process can help you choose the perfect river cruise for you.
1. Where Do You Want To River Cruise?
Is Italy’s Po River on your list? Then you’re in luck. There are only a couple of river cruise companies that do the Po, CroisiEurope and Uniworld. Want to cruise the Rhine or Danube? That’s where things become complex. Nearly every major river cruise company has ships operating on those rivers. So let’s make this simple.
Danube
The Danube is our number one choice for people new to river cruising. Why? The Danube features a list of marquee cities – Nuremberg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava (as well as Bucharest and Belgrade on some itineraries) and it offers something for everyone.
What we’ve found that most people appreciate most about the Danube:
- Scenic beauty as you cruise through gorgeous landscapes and past fairy-tale villages
- Visits to iconic cities such as those mentioned
- Excursions to UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Cesky Krumlov
- Evening concerts and waltzes (both on the ships and during evening visits to Viennese palaces)
- Opportunities to bicycle, particularly on the gorgeous stretch between Melk and Durnstein through the Wachau Valley
Rhine
After the Danube, the Rhine is Europe’s next most-popular river cruise destination. Most departures sail between Amsterdam and Basel.
What we’ve found that most people appreciate about the Rhine:
- Castles. You’ll see lots of them along the Rhine river, especially between Rudesheim and Koblenz, Germany.
- Culture. With cities like Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Cologne, Amsterdam and more, you’ll get a good dollop of city life and culture on your Rhine River cruises.
- Bicycling. In many places along the Rhine river, there are good bicycling paths and dedicated bike roads.
- Beer and wine. Have a Cologne Kolsch before or after checking out the impressive Cologne Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), or stroll the “world’s merriest street,” known as the Drosselgasse, to find a Weingarten in Rudesheim, Germany.
Rhône/Saône Rivers
Rhône River cruises typically are between Lyon and Avignon or Arles in France. Many packages also include the Saône River, which joins the Rhône in Lyon.
Here’s a few things that people enjoy about Rhone river cruises.
- Provencal and Bourgogne Beauty. Rhône River cruises typically sail between Lyon and Avignon or Arles, taking in the gorgeous landscapes of Burgundy and Provence.
- Pont du Gard. The iconic bridge crossing the Gardon River is one of the best-preserved legacies of ancient Roman architecture in France.
- Bicycling. I’ve enjoyed cycling along the Rhône and Saône rivers though the wine-producing region of Beaujolais and across from the city of Avignon.
- Arles. Perhaps best-known for its incredible Roman monuments and the fact that the impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh lived here from 1888 to 1889.
- Wonderful Wines. Rhône River cruises typically visit the wine-producing regions of Beaujolais and Chateauneuf du Pape.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Pope’s Palace in Avignon and Pont du Gard.
Seine
On a Seine River cruise, you most always begin and end your trip in Paris, where ships dock within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower. Cruises are usually roundtrip to Rouen, Caudebec-en-Caux or Honfleur. To my knowledge, only CroisiEurope and a single Scenic ship can dock in the center of Honfleur. The rest of the river cruisers bus their guests from Rouen or Caudebec-en-Caux.
Bordeaux
Once overlooked by river cruise companies, the wine-producing region of Bordeaux, attracts river cruisers who are wine aficionados as well as history lovers, thanks to the region’s intoxicating mix of culinary delights and old-world charm.
The vast majority of river cruises through this region will operate roundtrip from the city of Bordeaux, and most (but not all) are a week in duration. Those looking for longer voyages have the option to purchase pre-and-post land excursions to Paris or the Loire Valley. A handful of river cruise lines combine multiple river cruises together on back-to-back itineraries that are connected either by direct TGV high-speed train or by overland motorcoach travel. For those who prefer longer river cruises, Scenic offer 12-day Bordeaux voyages.
Douro
Douro River cruises are from Porto, Portugal to Vega de Terron, Spain. Most trips are roundtrip from Porto.
What many people appreciate about Douro River cruises:
- The Douro River Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. It’s not only gorgeous but also culturally significant.
- Friendly people. The Portuguese are among Europe’s friendliest people.
- Port wine and paella. You get a mix of Portugal and Spain on Douro River Cruises. That means good Port wines from Portugal and paella from Spain, along with Flamenco dancers and Portuguese pingo (like espresso).
Elbe & Loire
Both of these rivers are exceptionally shallow, and the only company that does them well is CroisiEurope. It does so by operating three paddlewheelers, one on the Loire and two on the Elbe, that can navigate the shallow rivers.
On the Elbe, CroisiEurope’s paddlewheelers can cruise right into the center of Prague from Berlin. On the Loire, CroisiEurope’s cruises are roundtrip from Nantes, a lovely city that merits a day or two pre/post.
Sweden? Spain?
Yes, you can cruise across Sweden on the Gota Canal. We’ve done it, and it was wonderful. You can also river cruise in Spain and you can do canal cruises in the United Kingdom, but we’ll stay focused on the rivers that most of you are selling.
2. What’s Your Budget
Next, decide how much you are willing to budget for your river cruise. I’ll give some general guidelines here, but remember that pricing is a moving target.
Sky’s The Limit
If you can budget more than $400 a day, then take a look at …
All are the most inclusive of among the river cruise companies, including the all-important (to some) prepaid gratuities. You should be prepared to spend between $400 and $600 per day.
Down To Earth
If you would like to stay under $400 a day, these companies deserve a look …
- AmaWaterways
- Avalon Waterways
- CroisiEurope
- Emerald Cruises
- Riviera River Cruises
- Viking River Cruises
None of these offer 24/7 booze or prepaid gratuities (except as add-on packages or for some suite guests), but all are exceptionally good choices that rank high in pleasing their guests.
Give Me Value
A budget of up to $200 per person per day often, but not always, limits you to either older or international ships.
Excursions may not be included (but can be purchased as a package). Wine and beer with lunch and dinner, which nearly all cruise companies include at no additional cost, may not be included on the low-cost river cruise operators.
3. How Many Are Cruising With You?
If the answer is no one, then you have to deal with the dreaded single supplement. That means you could end up paying the same price as two people in a cabin. Always look at ways to avoid the single supplement. Some ships have staterooms just for singles. Other cruise companies have specials where they reduce or waive single supplements.
On the flip side, if you are bringing a group, well, lucky you. There are all sorts of perks for groups, including free cabins.
4. What’s Important To You?
This is where you’ll really have to do your homework to determine what’s important to you. We’re happy to help. Simply complete our Get My Recommendations form and we’ll get back to you, usually with a few hours.
5. When Do You Want To Go?
Finally, when do you want to cruise? Do you want to see tulips in bloom? Christmas Markets? Grape harvest? Fall foliage? Avoid the crowds? Avoid the heat?
One last thought is about water levels. Will your cruise be affected by high or low water levels? There is no way to know for sure. We hope that 2018 was anomaly and that 2019 will usher in a season of smooth sailing.
Hopefully, these five steps will help you come closer to matching you to the perfect destination on a ship that suits your style.
Paul Bartell says
Two things you didn’t address in this article. 1.) Liklihood of re-routing(taking buses between cities and not cruising, or canceling city visits altogether) due to adverse water conditions… how can you choose the best times to be on the various rivers? Rerouting (by bus) would ruin things for me. 2.) Typically, are ships moved from location to location during the daytime or overnight? Is the emphasis on being in towns during the day or during the evening? I can find very little info on timing like this. If I’m looking for scenic views and the ship is underway at night, I would be disappointed. If I’m looking for nighttime local entertainment but the ship is underway at night, I would be disappointed. How does anyone analyze and plan their visits? Maybe they don’t bother with that and just let the cruise companies shuffle them around, sort of roll the dice and see what happens.
How can one make the most intelligent decision as to when and where to go. Financial resources are not a problem for us but wasting money is.
Paulette says
Hello Paul,
We’ve been on two, soon to be three, river cruises. Our first one was the Danube in Nov. of 2017 and our second to the Mekong in January 2019. We’re headed to Bordeaux in May for our third. In our experience, there is more to do than we can accomplish, so when the ship sails, day or night, makes little difference to us. We focus on having fun by interacting with other guests and seeing what there is to see on the excursions, eating great food and drinking great wines. In our experience, the cruise itinerary tends to maximize what there is to see and do, and when–whether that be day or night.
I think this article is very good because it helps one think through what matters most to you. There are always trade offs and the unexpected–things beyond our control, like weather and water levels. I would select one particular cruise line over another based on how they respond to things within their control. We have yet to get our river cruise interrupted and turned into a coach cruise but if it did happen, we would likely fly out of the nearest airport and go elsewhere rather than endure multiple days of 6-8 hour bus rides.
The Danube had great scenery–like this article mentions. We docked in Vienna one night and had a great time exploring the local spots while others preferred to go to the Opera. Other nights the ship cruised and there were illuminated sights along the way. The Mekong river wasn’t much to see , but we came away with so many cultural experiences in the small villages made accessible only from the river, the scenery didn’t matter.
There’s always a trade off and there’s always some risk, but if you know what you are looking for and are willing to research, research, research, you improve your chances of having a great experience. I hope this is helpful.
Angie says
Wow, very informative, as a travel specialist I knew a lot of this, booked many river cruises, but to hear them laid out in steps, it made perfect sense. I am going to share these with my next group for 2020. I will have many newbies on board, I am in planning stages, and using these steps I think will help me find the right cruise for all of them. Thanks.
Elsa Nystrom says
Well. I do enjoy the wine and sometimes the local beer, while my husband doesn’t drink…at all. We like the all inclusive cruises for many reasons and, you know someone is always going to take advantage no matter what is handed out. As to terrorists, we were in France for a double cruise after the terror attack, in Paris and Rouen on the first half and Provence on the second. Never felt afraid, but both cruises were half full due to folks who had cancelled. Although I will say that there seems to be absolutely no security on the TGV except for some police presence. Suitcases and bags not scanned. So you might not want to take the train if this bothers you.
Ralph Grizzle says
I agree Elsa. That said, the trains have given me some of my most pleasant travel experiences, as I am sure they have for you. Love the Thalys between Brussels and Paris. Especially the reasonably priced first class cabin.
Elsa Nystrom says
That said, we will end up in Basel this summer and I am considering taking the train back to Amsterdam for our flight out. Any suggestions. I see there are several ways to do this. We could hop a connector but scenery on the train would be more fun.
terri7 says
One thing that I’d like to avoid is a cruise which includes a lot of alcohol choices throughout the day. We don’t want to pay extra for the consumption of it by others. We are very light drinkers. I know it’s hard to avoid totally but some are more limited.
Ralph Grizzle says
That’s a good point. Our Comparing River Cruise Companies chart indicates which cruise lines include 24/7 booze and which don’t. That should be helpful with your decision on which to choose.
terri7 says
Thanks Ralph. We are doing our second Canada/Alaska tour in a few months, and have pencilled in a European river cruise some time later. However we are very concerned about the various types of civil unrest in Europe and just don’t feel it is safe at the moment.
Ralph Grizzle says
I understand your concern. Let me put a hypothetical to you. If you wanted to go to Europe to see incidents of civil unrest, do you think you could do it? Where would you go? What time would you be there? Even if you tried your best to witness an incident, you could not do it. You wouldn’t know where to go. Vienna? Passau? Budapest? Paris? I spend a lot of time in Europe and have seen nothing to indicate unrest. Of course, it’s there. But it’s a big place with a lot of people. I don’t give it a second thought. What’s unsafe now? America. That’s unsafe. But even here, you don’t feel it. Get out there and enjoy. No one knows when it will end – for all of us or for you or me.
terri7 says
http://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/753542/safe-holiday-destinations-summer-2017-europe
ENystrom says
Thanks Ralph, I am giving a talk on river cruising at hour local library, and you have done some of my work for me. Very nice, although I will make it my own to be sure.
Ralph Grizzle says
Thank you Elsa. And please share your tips. Group effort!
ENystrom says
One conclusion I’ve come to while putting together my presentation is that choosing your first cruise(company and to a lesser extent, your destination) is perhaps your most important decision. Whether you realize it or not, It will determine how much you enjoy your experience and the choices you will make later on. In the Ramblers case we loved the company, my husband didn’t enjoy the Christmas Markets, but because he loved everything else (ship, service, food,etc) he was willing to try another with the same company and loved it.