River Cruise in Europe
A European river cruise sails aboard a ship carrying 100 to 190 passengers along the Rhine, the Danube, the Rhône, the Seine or the Douro, docking each morning in the heart of a city, often a ten-minute walk from the cathedral. AquaTerra Travels books more than 24,000 European river departures across 288 ships, including those of CroisiEurope, the only river line operating entirely in French.
How is it different from an ocean cruise?
The difference fits in one sentence: on a river, the port is the city. No shuttle, no terminal thirty minutes from the centre. The ship ties up at a quay in Budapest or Vienna, you walk down the gangway and you are in town.
Everything else follows from that. A river ship measures about 135 metres and carries 100 to 190 passengers, against 2,000 to 7,000 at sea. There is no casino, no ice rink, no large-scale show. There is a sun deck, a dining room, a lounge, and the landscape passing at eye level. Seasickness is practically unknown, because the water is flat.
The pace differs too. An ocean cruise alternates sea days and port calls; a river cruise docks almost every day, sometimes twice. Travellers looking for complete rest often prefer the ocean. Those who want to see many cities without repacking choose the river.
Which river should you choose for a first river cruise?
The Danube is the most common starting point, and for good reason. The Budapest, Vienna and Passau stretch packs three capitals and two listed valleys into eight days, with close port calls and little sailing time. It is also the best-documented route, so the easiest to compare.
The Rhine comes next, between Basel and Amsterdam. It crosses four countries and the Middle Rhine valley with its castles, and suits a first trip through Central Europe. The Rhône, between Lyon and Arles, is shorter and more food-driven. The Seine links Paris to Honfleur and suits travellers who want Normandy without driving. The Douro, in Portugal, is the slowest and greenest of the five, with vine terraces falling into the water.
Where do river cruises depart from?
The main embarkation ports in our inventory, by number of available departures:
- Budapest, Hungary, for the Danube
- Basel, Switzerland, for the Rhine
- Porto, Portugal, for the Douro
- Amsterdam, Netherlands, for the Rhine and the spring tulips
- Paris, France, for the Seine
- Regensburg and Nuremberg, Germany, for the Danube and the Main-Danube canal
- Lyon, France, for the Rhône and the Saône
How long is a river cruise?
Eight days is the standard format, meaning seven nights aboard. Eleven- to fifteen-day itineraries exist mainly on the full Danube, from Passau to the Black Sea, and on Rhine-Danube combinations through the Main-Danube canal. Below five days, you mostly find short loops on the Seine or the Rhône.
Departing from Quebec, add two travel days and plan a night on site before embarkation. A bag delayed on departure day, on a ship sailing at 4 p.m., cannot be recovered.
What is a river ship cabin like?
Between 14 and 22 square metres for a standard cabin, comparable to an ocean cabin. The real difference is the window. On the lower deck it sits high, small and fixed, sometimes at water level. On upper decks you find sliding glass walls or so-called French balconies, meaning a pane that lowers rather than a terrace.
True balconies are rare on European rivers: the clearance under old stone bridges limits the superstructure. A traveller who insists on an outdoor balcony will be better served at sea, and it is better to know that before booking than on boarding day.
What is included, and what is not?
The river format is generous compared with the ocean: full meals, tea and coffee, and on most lines wine and beer with meals. Guided walking tours in port cities are often included, with audio guides.
What almost never is: flights from Montreal, travel insurance, gratuities to crew and guides, optional full-day excursions and drinks outside mealtimes. The gap between two lines often shows up there rather than in the listed fare, and that is exactly the comparison an advisor makes in a few minutes.
Which river lines do we book?
Eleven lines, one of which deserves first mention for Quebec travellers. CroisiEurope is French, its crews and guides work in French, and its packages include drinks. For a traveller who would rather not spend eight days translating, that changes the trip.
- Viking River Cruises: the most standardised fleet, the Longships. Understated atmosphere, no children aboard.
- CroisiEurope: French, service in French, drinks included. Also sails the Mekong and the Nile.
- AmaWaterways: bicycles aboard and active excursions, with two touring paces per port.
- Avalon Waterways: Panorama cabins with the bed facing a full-width window.
- Riviera Travel: British, strong value, English-speaking groups.
- Uniworld: richly decorated, highly inclusive, luxury positioning.
- Scenic: fully all-inclusive, down to gratuities and excursions.
- Tauck: ships filled below capacity, closely managed service.
- Emerald Cruises: indoor aft pool on several ships.
Which ships sail these rivers?
Our 288 river ship profiles detail the decks, cabin categories and facilities of each. A few of the most requested:
Which ports do you call at?
Every port call has its own guide on our site. On the Danube: Vienna, Bratislava, Melk, Dürnstein, Passau, Regensburg, Vidin. On the Rhine and Main: Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Würzburg, Bamberg, Strasbourg. On the Rhône and Seine: Avignon, Arles, Rouen, Honfleur.
When is the best time to go?
April to October for the most part, with two peaks. May and June bring the longest days and gardens in bloom; September offers the grape harvest on the Rhône and the Douro with fewer people. July and August are hot and full: Central European cities can pass 35 degrees, and a river ship has no pool to escape to.
Christmas markets fill late November and December on the Rhine and the Danube. These are short cruises, four to seven days, with brief cold days, but the quays sit a hundred metres from the markets.
What you are not always told
Three things are worth knowing before you book.
Locks are transited at night
The Main-Danube canal has sixteen of them, and ships pass through mostly between midnight and six in the morning to keep the days free. The noise stays moderate, but cabins near the engine room vibrate. Light sleepers should plan for it when choosing a cabin.
Water levels decide
A summer drought or a spring flood can make a stretch impassable. Lines then transfer passengers by coach to a sister ship, or replace a section with land excursions. It happens a few times each season, mostly on the Rhine and the Danube, and no line is immune.
Evenings are quiet
A pianist, a lecture, sometimes a local folk group. Anyone looking for shows and nightlife will be disappointed, while the same traveller would be well served on a large ocean ship.
How do you get there from Montreal?
Seasonal non-stop flights serve Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Lisbon, followed by a land transfer or a short flight to the embarkation port. Budapest and Basel almost always require a connection in Europe.
The advisor rule is simple: arrive the day before. A hotel night before embarkation costs less than a missed cruise, and it settles the jet lag before the first excursion day. Several lines sell that pre-cruise package with the quay transfer included.
To compare rivers, lines and what is genuinely included, speak with an AquaTerra Travels advisor at 1 866 628-6241. See also our cruise lines and ships and our port of call guides.
