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Find the full list of the best river cruise lines — and more on what sets Viking apart — below. Sure, you can catch sight of the Eiffel Tower when boarding a river ship in Paris, but you can do that while staying in a hotel, too. The real attractions of a Seine River cruise are sailing on the river outside the city toward the English Channel and a visit to the beaches in Normandy for a perspective on World War II. The six-day "Highlights of the Rhine" cruise begins in Cologne and cruises on to Rotterdam and then Amsterdam the following day. Options include a bus tour, canal tour, pedal boats, or private auto tour, each at an additional cost. The "Active & Discovery on the Rhone" cruise begins in Lyon and heads south through the French countryside of Provence and ends in Port-Saint-Louis.
Uncover history along the Eastern Danube
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection stands as a paragon of opulence and sophistication in the realm of river cruising, epitomizing a commitment to redefining luxury on the water. Renowned for its fleet of lavishly decorated boutique-style ships, Uniworld provides an intimate and personalized experience for discerning travelers seeking a heightened level of refinement. Each ship is a floating masterpiece, adorned with unique themes, exquisite artwork, and sumptuous furnishings that evoke the ambiance of a luxury boutique hotel. Uniworld’s commitment to culinary excellence is evident in its farm-to-table dining experiences, showcasing locally sourced ingredients and gourmet cuisine prepared by world-class chefs. Beyond elegant accommodations and gourmet indulgences, Uniworld goes above and beyond with exclusive shore excursions, ensuring guests experience cultural enrichment and historical immersion at every port of call.
Christmas on the Rhine
Enjoy the medieval architecture and bountiful local tastes of Porto’s wine regions, before heading west, into the peaceful Iberian countryside. Shore inclusions allow you to discover the most beautiful towns and monasteries in Portugal along the way, including the ceramic-laden Lamego and the 12th-century walled village of Castelo Rodrigo. After crossing the border into Spain, you’ll try a flamenco show and tour of Salamanca — a historic beauty with a fascinating past. This Australian-owned organization is the country's largest family-owned tour and cruise company, offering a variety of travel styles. Their Concerto River Ships, AmaVenita, AmaStella, and AmaReina, cruise on the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Douro Rivers with luxury accommodations and excursions. Apt charters the ships from AmaWaterways, but their itineraries and onboard programs are unique to Apt River Cruises.
Viking Ocean Cruises
The fields in spring are dazzling with stripes of scarlet, orange and yellow tulips, while a day at the award-winning Keukenhof Gardens, brilliant with blooms, is a winner of an excursion. Cruises may start in Amsterdam, where you’ll need a couple of days to take in the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank’s House and the canals. Stops on the voyage might include the medieval harbour town of Veere, and the Unesco World Heritage Site of Kinderdijk, its canals lined with 18th-century windmills. Across the border in Belgium, you can shop for diamonds in Antwerp and handmade chocolate in Bruges, or join a beer tasting tour in Brussels. The eight-day "Traveling on the Elbe and Havel" cruise covers Germany's north on rivers and canals aboard the Frederick Chopin. A guided tour takes guests through Autostadt Wolfsburg, a park dedicated to the history of the automobile.
Why You Should Cruise Europe's Moselle River - Travel + Leisure
Why You Should Cruise Europe's Moselle River.
Posted: Tue, 10 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Sailing one of Europe’s finest rivers will take you to the vineyards of Burgundy and charming Avignon, showcasing some of the country’s finest landscapes on the way. Highlights include winding through Burgundy and the sun-soaked countryside of Provence. You’ll explore Lyons, with its grand boulevards and quaint old town; the medieval streets of Avignon and its opulent papal palace; the stupendous Roman amphitheatre in Arles — and much more. Best for oenophilesSailing through the rolling countryside of one of the world’s greatest wine-growing areas, a cruise from Bordeaux is, naturally, all about wine.
The ship passes through the Main-Danube Canal that connects the Black Sea and the North Sea. In Vienna, there's a cocktail party and private orchestra recital or city tour before heading to Budapest for two days. Wine lovers will want to experience the seven-night "Taste of Bordeaux," with visits to iconic chateaux, timeless vineyards, and delicious wine tastings while cruising the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers.
How much does it cost to cruise the Danube?
Best for countrysideThere are many reasons to cruise the Seine, not least the glorious countryside of Normandy, with apple orchards, weeping willows and thatched cottages lining the banks. You’ll call at historic Rouen, and have a chance to visit the poignant D-Day landing beaches and cemeteries. Cruises also take in the Palace of Versailles and, in season, Monet’s house and garden at Giverny. For those looking for a longer experience, Uniworld cleverly combines a Po cruise with luxury rail journeys to places like Istanbul, Switzerland and beyond. You'll also be able to take in the lavender fields, haystacks and other scenes that inspired painters like Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh.
Most of the France-exclusive itineraries here run for a week between Lyon and Arles or Avignon. Some continue north on the Saône River, the chief tributary of the Rhône (the two merge in Lyon), and into the heart of Burgundy; it’s a gateway to stops like Burgundy’s wine capital at Beaune. But, like with any cruise line, schedule adjustments or trip cancellations may be necessary if water levels are unusually high or low.
Viking River Cruises: Exploring the Waterways
On the way, Avalon Choice excursions include a culinary walk, cooking class, painting workshop, wine tastings, guided bike rides, and more, with Active, Classic, and Discovery level activities. A stop in Vienna includes a Mozart and Strauss concert at a Viennese palace, a city tour, and a taste of local delicacies. The cruise ends in Passau with a choice of bicycling, walking, or hiking to explore the city and a special captain's farewell reception and dinner. While Scenic isn't strictly adults-only, this elegant Australian-owned cruise line doesn't tend to draw many families, making it ideal for couples.
Many cruises traverse the stretch between the capital cities of Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary, starting or ending at either location. With longer port calls and our destination-focused approach, Viking maximizes your discoveries in Europe. From the fairytale castles of the Middle Rhine to the natural beauty of Norwegian fjords, you will gain deep insight into the continent’s cultural and historic riches.
Even if your cruise is only a week, don't underestimate the allure of relaxing for seven days on a river in France or on the dreamy Douro in Portugal. This ship truly embodies the decadence of Renaissance Venice, with a playful interior featuring hand-painted Venetian masks and flamboyant custom-made fabrics by Venice-design house Fortuny. Passengers can dine on fresh wood-fired pizza at Cielo's and sip Bellinis at Hari's Bar, all while taking in views of Venice's sparkling lagoon. VANCOUVER — Hot off the press is Emerald Cruises’ 2025 Europe River Cruises brochure, featuring fleet updates, new EmeraldPLUS experiences and early booking offers. If you love dazzling landscapes, magnificent architecture and fabulous food, a Danube river cruise is hard to beat. Exploring Europe by water requires no internal flights and train rides and eliminates schlepping around with your luggage in tow.
After sampling champagne on your Rhône River cruise, you may crave something else to quench your thirst. Cruising down the Garrone River can be combined with a wine-tasting excursion you can arrange in advance. Having spent time exploring the Moselle, I can tell you that the stretch of river around Cochem in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, is particularly lovely.
Uniworld's European fleet of 12 boutique vessels are decorated with original artwork, antiques, posh Asprey toiletries, opulent hand-finished details in gold leaf and lavish suites, including some with four-poster beds and brocade drapes. The storied Seine—revered as one of the world’s most romantic rivers, thanks to its deep ties to Paris—extends beyond the City of Lights for fascinating river voyages into northern France. The 485-mile-long waterway flows northwest from France’s Burgundy area near Dijon, through Paris, and into the Normandy region, before emptying into the English Channel (at Le Havre). Here, you’ll see one of the most well-known bridges in Europe, The Loschwitz Bridge, popularly known as the “Blue Wonder.” This famous crossing attracts visitors from all over the world.
This German cruise company's distinctive ships are easy to recognize by the large red lips and rose on the bow. Their fleet of 12 ships was joined by the new A-Rosa Sena, a hybrid powered ship expected to cruise the northern Rhine almost silently and emission-free. Family-friendly amenities include a kids club, heated outdoor pools, and free passage for children ages 15 and under. The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages. This 505-mile stretch between the Swiss Alps and southern France lets out in the Mediterranean Sea (near Marseille), affording a lovely ride along the way, marked by Alpine scenery filled in with gorges and valleys.
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