Rhine 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 Rhine river cruise going to cost me?
- How does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhine 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 Rhine River cruise?
- What Rhine 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 Rhine?
After the Danube, the Rhine is Europe’s next most-popular river for those looking to take a river cruise. With most departures sailing between Amsterdam, Netherlands and Basel, Switzerland in the south, Rhine river cruises can visit numerous countries in a single week, including the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Switzerland, with inland excursions that reach as far as Belgium, Luxembourg and The Hague.
What I’ve found that most people appreciate most about the Rhine:
- A Foodie’s Paradise: From Rudesheim‘s namesake coffee to traditional Kolsch beer in Cologne, the Rhine is filled with cultural delights that will keep river cruisers coming back for more.
- Castles: The banks of the Rhine are lined with them. Many can still be visited on complimentary shore excursions offered by the cruise companies. The castles provide dramatic views across the river and surrounding countryside. While you can see some fairly impressive castles on the Danube, they can’t hold a candle to the sheer number of castles that dot the length of the Rhine. Most of these are clustered around Rüdesheim and Koblenz – ports included on nearly every Rhine river cruise.
- Kinderdijk. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the picture-perfect postcard view of the Netherlands, with 19 mills from the 18th century and three pumping stations.
- Amsterdam. We can’t get enough of this canal-lined Dutch city, which is where many Rhine river cruises either start or end. Be sure to plan a few extra days here pre-or-post cruise to enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer, from the moving Anne Frank House to the striking Rijksmuseum.
- The Perfect Mix of Ports and Scenic Cruising. Rhine river cruises seem to be well-balanced, with a great mix of scenic cruising time and ports of call. It tends to be less rushed and hurried than the Danube, thanks to the relatively small number of locks.
Understanding The Pricing Charts
The prices in this chart are based on double occupancy. The upgrade costs for a cabin with a 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.
