Rhone River Cruise Prices is part of a continuing series of comparison charts and articles featuring European River Cruises offered by world class river cruise lines. Our goal is to provide a True Per Diem for each cruise, or the daily cost breakdown of the trip once all extra fees are added to the cruise fare.
Comparison charts serve as a guide and attempt to answer the most frequently asked questions from our readers:
- What is a Rhone river cruise going to cost me?
- How does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhone river cruises offered by other companies?
- What is the price for an entry-level cabin?
- What’s the price for an upgrade?
- What’s included in a 2025 Rhone River cruise?
- What Rhone river cruise incentives are there for 2025?
- Our goal is to provide a True Per Diem for each cruise, or the daily cost breakdown of the trip once all extra fees are added to the cruise fare.
Why Cruise The Rhone?
Most of the cruises on the Rhone operate between Lyon, France and Arles or Avignon. Some river cruises embark or disembark in Port Saint Louis, on the Mediterranean Sea. Others begin or stop in Tarascon, between Avignon and Arles.
Rhone river cruises travel through the historic and romantic wine region with guided shore excursions to Roman Ruins, castles, and cathedrals. The itineraries include opportunities to enjoy local cuisine, wines and cheeses. If you need to convince your spouse to cruise this region of France, see the movie “At Eternity’s Gate” about Vincent van Gogh, who lived in Arles for 14 months. In addition, you can read Ralph Grizzle’s article on River Cruise Advisor, In Search Of Van Gogh: Ashore In Arles
Here are a few things that we enjoy about Rhone river cruises.
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- 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. We’ve enjoyed cycling along the Rhône and Saône rivers though the wine-producing region of Beaujolais and along the Île de la Barthelasse 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.
A Rhone river cruise serves up the very best of France, mixing heritage and history with the country’s ever-present charm and beauty. Check out our videos Riverside Chat Episode 2: Rhone River Cruises | Video: A Cruise On France’s Rhone River With AmaWaterways
Most of the cruise lines offer an included shore excursion each day. Some cruise lines offer differing levels of activity or an extra excursion for an extra fee. One example, Emerald waterways offers three levels of excursions:
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- Active, which includes guided walking/hiking and biking tours;
- Plus, which is centered around food and wine tastings, chef hosted dining experiences and the like.
- DiscoverMore, are excursions that cost extra. For example, on the Rhone, Avalon offers guided tours to Pont du Gard or to Cannes.
The prices in the chart are based on double occupancy. The upgrade costs for a cabin with a balcony or french balcony are per person. The value of the incentive is broken down per day, per person. True per diem will include the savings of incentives/discounts offered at the time of research as well as the imputed value of items that are not included.
Prices and details reflect information available at the time of research. Cruise lines offer varying incentives with differing time limits or deadlines, and it is best to check with a travel agent or the cruise company’s website. The incentives that are included in the charts were current at the time they were compiled and may no longer apply or there may be a new special offer.
Rhone River 2025 Summer Pricing
AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Emerald | Riviera | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
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Ship | AmaKristina | Avalon Poetry II | MS Camargue | Emerald Liberte | MS Lord Byron | MS Emerald | SS Catherine | Buri |
Rate | $4,599 | $4,299 | $2,743 | $9,190 | $3,099 | $7,290 | $4,799 | $3,499 |
Sailing Date | June 5, 2025 | June 3, 2025 | June 12, 2025 | June 7, 2025 | June 9, 2025 | June 27, 2025 | June 8, 2025 | June 8, 2025 |
Nights | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Itinerary | Colors Of Provence | Burgundy & Provence | Lyon To The Tip of Provence | Sensations Of Lyon & Provence | Burgundy, The River Rhône & Provence | Savoring France | Burgundy & Provence | Lyon & Provence |
Embark/disembark | Arles – Lyon | Chalon-Sur-Saône – Arles | Lyon-Martigues | Lyon-Marseille | Avignon-Lyon | Paris-Lyon | Arles-Lyon | Avignon-Lyon |
Cabin Category | Category E | Category D,E | Category C | Stateroom E | Lower Deck | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
Square Footage | 160 | 172 | 150 | 170 | 161 | 150 | 162 | 150 |
Room With A View? | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window |
Per diem | $657 | $614 | $457 | $1,313 | $443 | $810 | $686 | $500 |
Port Charges | $33 | $30 | Included | Included | Included | Included | $33 | Included |
Gratuities (on ship) | $18 | $18 | $18 | Included | $18 | Included | Included | $18 |
Gratuities (on shore) | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 | Included | $2.50 | Included | Included | $2.50 |
Beverages | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
Current Incentive | N/A | $750 | N/A | $5,595 | N/A | N/A | $480 | $200 |
Value of Incentive | N/A | $107 | N/A | $799 | N/A | N/A | $69 | $29 |
True Per Diem | $711 | $558 | $478 | $514 | $463 | $810 | $650 | $492 |
Per Diem/Square Foot | $4.44 | $3.24 | $3.18 | $3.02 | $2.88 | $5.40 | $4.01 | $3.28 |
Balcony Upgrade | $999 | $1,449 | $370 | $1,600 | $950 | $400 | $1,300 | $1,800 |
Balcony Per Diem | $853 | $765 | $539 | $742 | $599 | $854 | $836 | $749 |
updated 3/20/2024 |
* Nights – A 7-night river cruise spans 8 days, but one of those days is the disembarkation day. For that reason, the “per diems” are calculated based on the number of “nights” on board. The result is a fairer assessment than calculating the cost per “day.”
* Per Diem – The rate divided by the number of nights on board, indicated per person but based on double occupancy. Solo travelers will, in most cases, pay single supplements.
* Gratuities (on ship) – Some companies include gratuities for crew, others leave it to their guests to take care of gratuities.
* Gratuities (on shore) – Just as with crew gratuities, some companies take care of on-shore gratuities for guides and drivers; other companies leave it to their guests.
* Beverages – Nearly all river cruise companies offer complimentary soft drinks, speciality coffees, beer and wine during lunch and dinner. In between mealtimes, though, you’ll pay for most beverages when traveling with Emerald, Riviera and Viking. Beverages are included on CroisiEurope, Crystal, Scenic, Tauck and Uniworld. AmaWaterways and Avalon both have onboard Happy Hours, which include complimentary cocktails before dinner.
* Optional Shore Excursions – All river cruise companies include complimentary excursions in most, if not all, ports of call. However, some companies offer optional shore excursions for a fee.
* Current Incentive (per person) – Incentives range from early-booking savings to two-for-ones and reduced or free air. The incentives are always changing so be sure to check with your travel seller or the cruise company about current offers.
* Value of Incentive (per day/pp) – We’ve divided the amount of the incentive by the number of nights to arrive at a per-diem value.
* Balcony Upgrade – Nearly all of the entry-level staterooms feature fixed windows.
Rhone River 2025 Autumn Pricing
AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Emerald | Riviera | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ship | AmaKristina | Avalon Poetry II | MS Van Gogh | Emerald Liberte | MS Lord Byron | MS Emerald | SS Catherine | Delling |
Rate | $4,399 | $4,199 | $3,093 | $8,590 | $2,349 | $7,290 | $3,399 | $3,599 |
Sailing Date | October 16, 2025 | October 7, 2025 | October 10, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | October 17, 2025 | October 18, 2025 | October 19, 2025 | October 8, 2025 |
Nights | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Itinerary | Essence of Burgundy & Provence | Burgundy & Provence | Lyon To The Tip of Provence | Sensations Of Lyon & Provence | Burgundy, The River Rhône & Provence | Savoring France | Burgundy & Provence | Lyon & Provence |
Embark/disembark | Arles – Lyon | Chalon-Sur-Saône – Arles | Lyon-Martigues | Lyon-Marseille | Avignon-Lyon | Paris-Lyon | Arles-Lyon | Avignon-Lyon |
Cabin Category | Category E | Category D,E | Main Deck | Stateroom E | Lower Deck | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
Square Footage | 160 | 172 | 183 | 170 | 161 | 150 | 162 | 150 |
Room With A View? | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window |
Per diem | $628 | $600 | $516 | $1,227 | $336 | $810 | $486 | $514 |
Port Charges | $33 | $30 | Included | Included | Included | Included | $33 | Included |
Gratuities (on ship) | $18 | $18 | $18 | Included | $18 | Included | Included | $18 |
Gratuities (on shore) | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 | Included | $2.50 | Included | Included | $2.50 |
Beverages | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
Current Incentive | $750 | $1,250 | N/A | $5,295 | N/A | N/A | $480 | $300 |
Value of Incentive | $107 | $179 | N/A | $756 | N/A | N/A | $69 | $43 |
True Per Diem | $575 | $472 | $536 | $471 | $356 | $810 | $450 | $492 |
Per Diem/Square Foot | $3.59 | $2.74 | $2.93 | $2.77 | $2.21 | $5.40 | $2.78 | $3.28 |
Balcony Upgrade | $999 | $1,499 | $508 | $1,600 | $950 | SOLD OUT | $1,300 | $2,200 |
Balcony Per Diem | $718 | $686 | $621 | $699 | $492 | SOLD OUT | $636 | $806 |
updated 3/20/2024 |
Bon Voyage!
Also see …
Rhone River Cruise Price Comparisons 2025
What is a Rhone river cruise going to cost me and how does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhone river cruises offered by other companies?
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younge kwon says
Hi
We have to plan Rhone river cruise at 1-15 April 2024(Duration 6-7 days),embark city; Arles or Avignon or port saint Louis and disembark; Lyon. Our group 10 numbers with companion wife.
most of all in case of both (the group and the early birds)
how we can get incentives, looking forward to your advice with recommandation of cost effective cruise company.
best regards
Dr. kwon
Sharon says
Interested in river cruising. Have looked at Avalon. We would like to do a river cruise in 2022 I. France- our insurance company says that insurance is fluid and although the6 are covering covid 19 they are not yet covering g variants….he said we are likely waiting our money booking at this time due to the travel ban from Canadian to France and the uncertainty of the variants. However, we will keep looking. Recommendations are welcome. We have not done a river cruise before. Have not been to Europe.
Julia A Castles says
My DNA home tests reveal 2000 yrs ago ancestors came from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Scotland, British Isles, Lyon France, Normandy, Romania, Budapest, Austria, & Faulkland Islands!! Germatic Tribes Pushed is Up & Out: Away!! I am Cold-natured.