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Considering the number of river cruise lines out there, it can be a little overwhelming to shortlist your options. The UK’s biggest provider has landed one of the top spots in our past five surveys. Riviera charters a dozen ships in Europe, carrying 120 to 169 passengers, and it uses local companies for its Egyptian and Vietnamese cruises. Despite being one of the more reasonably priced brands in our survey, it scored full marks for its elegant cabins and meals, buffet-style lunches and four-course dinners. If you've never visited New Orleans, or it's been a while, take a Mississippi River cruise that sails round-trip from the Big Easy.
Popular River Cruises Along the Danube
There's eagle spotting in Red Wing and agricultural innovation in Quad Cities, Iowa. You'll enjoy Mark Twain lore in Hannibal, Missouri, and architectural landmarks, such as the soaring Gateway Arch, in St. Louis. Tauck recently renovated many of their ships, most of which carry just 84 or 98 guests, while a few larger boats accommodate a max of 130 guests.
India’s Golden Triangle aboard Uniworld
In Lyon, guests can visit foodie heaven at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, the city’s outstanding indoor food market filled with a vast array of produce. The stellar 2022-built Viking Egdir, carrying 190 passengers, offers a ringside seat of bucolic vineyards and medieval castles on the Rhine, Main and Danube. It also takes passengers to some of Europe's blockbuster cities, including Budapest, Vienna, Cologne and Amsterdam.
Adventures by Disney River Cruises
Specially designed itineraries and Adventure Guides create experiences for parents, children, and teens, from active excursions to unique onboard activities. Adults-only dinners and wine tasting experiences along with teen programming, Disney movie nights, karaoke, trivia nights, and Junior Adventurer dinners provide entertainment for guests of all ages. Scenic offers both ocean and river cruises, all with emphasis on its fleet of "Space-Ships" and their meticulous design and spacious quarters. Ships offer a wellness area, massage services, gym, e-bikes, and onboard entertainment.
Aqua Expeditions Mekong River cruise
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Much of the appeal of European river cruises, especially as we emerge from the pandemic with pent-up travel demand, is the small size of the ships, casual atmosphere, and accessibility. Unlike oceangoing ships that carry as many as 5,000 passengers, most river cruise ships accommodate around 150 guests, for a more intimate experience. Balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and open-air viewing are features of most river cruise ships, and some offer pools, spas, fitness areas, and jogging tracks. The doyen of Europe's waterways is the adults-only Viking Cruises, a multifaceted cruise line that also boasts a fleet of ocean and expedition vessels.
To help you out, we've taken a look at 10 lines, from the familiar to the lesser-known, so you can decide the best river cruise line in Europe for you. Grand Circle is a top choice company for solo travelers because the ships feature a good number of small cabins designed and priced for one, plus reduced single-supplement pricing for solos who want larger rooms. Find the full list of the best river cruise lines — and more on what sets Viking apart — below. Top-ranked Viking does all the major riverways of Europe, with ships also on the Nile and the Mekong, and, new in 2022, on the Mississippi.
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Some of my favorite cruise experiences include sailing the Rhine during fall or a transatlantic voyage on the Queen Mary 2 during summer. I adore my home city, London, the west coast of Ireland and New York, where I once spent a summer living in Brooklyn Heights on a work abroad program. Outside of travel, my passions are my veggie patch, my record collection and spending time with friends and family. Over two weeks, you'll visit Native American burial grounds and archeological sites in West Virginia and learn about the underground railroad in Ohio.
Best European River Cruise Line for Unique Destinations: CroisiEurope
In addition to regular itineraries, Avalon offers Active & Discovery sailings on the Rhine, Danube, Rhone, Moselle, Seine and Dutch waterways. Work up an appetite with action-packed kayaking, hiking and cycling tours before returning to a well-earned meal. Onboard cuisine features a variety of menus including Avalon Fresh which showcases mainly vegetarian dishes.
The best river cruise ships are floating hotels with views galore, such as the castles and vineyards of the Rhine or the rice paddies and villages on stilts along the Mekong. The best river cruises blend refined onboard accommodations with exciting itineraries along some of the world’s most memorable waterways. On the Belmond Napoleon, guests cruise the River Saône past châteaux, rural river towns, and expansive vineyards. Stops at Montmerle, Mâcon, and Tournus offer opportunities for wine tasting and exploring a Benedictine abbey. There's a walking tour of Chalon-Sur-Sâone and time to browse through St. Jean de Losne. This German cruise company's distinctive ships are easy to recognize by the large red lips and rose on the bow.
Upscale river line Tauck is the best for solo river cruises in Europe, even though Grand Circle gives the line a run for its money. Tauck waives single supplement charges on all of its Category 1 lower-deck cabins on every ship in its European fleet. When it comes to a river cruise line in Europe, Scenic's all-inclusive fares are hard to top. They cover all premium drinks, including a minibar in every cabin, plus specialty dining, butler service and gratuities.
Like most cruises, the food served is reflective of your destination's local cuisine and there is also a light menu and options for vegetarians, vegans, and kids. In 2023, they will launch Seven River Journeys which will cover seven rivers and 14 countries over the course of 45 nights (starting at $24,999 per person, double occupancy). While there are plenty of places to curl up with a book or play a game in the public spaces, a bevy of activities will lure you onshore. AmaWaterways has a diverse selection of excursions, from low key to active experiences. This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions.
Airport transfers to and from the ship, drinks (non-alcoholic, beer and wine) with lunch and dinner, gratuities, Wi-Fi and a plethora of shore excursions are included. There are often excellent deals to be had, too, such as free flight credit when booking early, buy-one-get-one-free offers and reduced-single supplement for solo travelers. Emerald’s ships are unquestionably elegant, including the 180-guest Emerald Luna, which sails Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle rivers. Guests on board can enjoy a heated pool that transforms into a cinema, spacious suites and a dedicated wellness area. Tauck’s all-inclusive European river cruises are a boon for travelers with a thirst for history. The cruise line sails all of Europe’s major rivers, offering thoughtfully crafted shore experiences that dig deep into each destination’s past.
A river cruise is kind of like a floating hotel, except you'll visit a variety of places but only have to unpack once. In addition to food and drink — with carefully curated cuisine reflective of the areas being visited — many river cruises include land excursions, which is a huge advantage that adds tremendous value. Leading luxury tour operator Tauck has its own fleet of award-winning 84- to 130-passenger river ships cruising the Danube, Douro, Rhine, Rhone and Seine. The big selling point here is that a Tauck tour director and three Tauck cruise directors are on board all departures, assuring that guests are catered to.
Started as a New England motor coach tour company, Tauck is a family-owned global travel firm offering tours and cruises to a wide range of destinations around the world. Their award-winning European river cruises are praised for their personalized service, exclusive destination experiences, luxurious cabins and suites, fine dining, and professional, caring staff. American Cruise Lines offers cruises on more U.S. waterways than any other river line. Of course, the company's fleet of U.S.-flagged 100- to 190-passenger river ships (including authentic paddlewheelers) travels the popular Mississippi and Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Multi-state trips via the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers round out the offerings. Part of tour company Grand Circle Travel, this line is a popular affordable choice for travelers age 55-plus in Europe.
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