And I am just going to say it at the risk of offending some rivers. These are in my order of preference. But of course, we love them all.
2) Compare cruise companies. River cruise operators come in all flavors, but it’s safe to say that each will offer an exceptional and satisfying experience no matter where you choose to cruise. The differences are largely a matter of each companies personal imprint on its ships and onboard services.
Viking River Cruises, for example, is chaired by Norwegian Torstein Hagen. Hence, you can expect a Nordic ambience on board. AmaWaterways’ founders are Austrian, German and Irish, and thus, you’ll find a European ambience on board, including on the double-width AmaMagna.
Uniworld’s South African owners focus on hospitality, which they’ve perfected, while Tauck, an American tour operator, excels at destination experiences, before, during and after each cruise. Scenic’s Australian owners imbue their ships with Down Under elegance, while Crystal River Cruises follows in the wake of its ocean cruise sisters and their dozens of years of annual accolades from readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure. Operating solely in the United States, American Cruise Lines and the American Queen Steamboat Company seek to recreate the nostalgia of cruising on America’s great rivers.
Choosing a river cruise requires giving consideration to the many rivers (and varying itineraries on those rivers), the differences in the river cruise companies and the ships operated by those companies. Even for someone who has done multiple river cruises, the choice is not an easy one. For instance, I mentioned that the Moselle was my favorite river, but if I had to pick, Budapest would be my favorite city in Central Europe. From its ancient history (think Attila and his Huns) to the tragedies of World War II (be sure to visit the city’s Jewish Quarter) to modern-day life and cuisine, Budapest fascinates and intrigues visitors. I would be hard-pressed to choose between the Moselle and the Danube in this case.
One area where the choices are easy is when it comes to deciding what to do ashore. Nearly all river cruise companies include shore tours, ranging from bicycling and walking tours (at a range of paces to accommodate all types of travelers), to hands-on experiences to cultural immersions to far-flung excursions, such as visiting Salzburg from Linz, Austria, a 1.5-hour journey each way with tours to and in Salzburg included.
To help you choose between the different companies, you may find our Comparisons page helpful.
3) Go Big, if you can. Cruise for a single week and you’ll learn a hard lesson: The hardest part of any river cruise is disembarking. Of course, not everyone has unlimited time, but increasingly river cruise companies are recognizing that travelers want to leverage the expense and energy of getting overseas. At least two companies now offer river cruises spanning more than six weeks. “Go long or go home” takes on a literal meaning for those planning river cruises. In six weeks, those lucky travelers will no doubt fly home fully satiated with their European experiences – not having had to go through the process of having to choose which river to cruise. You could also cruise across Europe in two weeks between Amsterdam and Budapest. See our Across Europe Guide
If you’re anything like me (which is to say, a curious traveler who loves exploring by river), you’ll find that it is the ability to immerse yourself in destinations that makes river cruising such a hands-down winner. The comfort of seeing a landscape or a city from the perspective of a river cruise is a hard experience to top. The only hard part? That’s easy. Choosing.
Also see our additional tips on how to choose a river cruise.
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