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I've written about destinations ranging from the South China Sea to the Arctic and Norway. 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. There are also four different dining venues (more than most river ships), and that choice has proven popular with previous passengers.
Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2024
However, there are also other lesser-known cruise lines to choose from that are contenders for the best river cruise line in Europe, depending on your travel style. 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. Highlights include a visit to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s home in Frankfurt, and the town of Bamberg, a UNESCO site, which dates from 902 A.D., making it one the most impressive river cruises in Europe. On a typical seven-night cruise from Amsterdam, ports and excursions include Basel, Cologne, Koblenz, the Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Mannheim and Strasbourg.
Night Tulips & The RhineDetails
The 280-passenger ship—the largest on the Rhine—has a kids’ splash pool next to a larger pool, with some sailings offering kids swimming lessons for an extra fee. Mealtimes are peachy, too, with dishes such as dressed salmon and pork goulash, plus a children's buffet luring kids to the table. After a long day of exploring, parents and grandparents can relax at the spa or in the lounge. Programming and excursions are geared toward kids, To that end, expect a focus on storytelling rather than straight history lessons.
Best Overall European River Cruise: Viking Cruises, Viking Egdir
They cover all premium drinks, including a minibar in every cabin, plus specialty dining, butler service and gratuities. Here, however, it’s less about any blockbuster sights than the pastoral landscapes, pocked by plenty of quintas (Portuguese for wineries) and verdant vineyards—many of which fall within the UNESCO-recognized Douro River Valley. It’s a natural fit for oenophiles, who will have ample opportunity to tipple the local bounty en route, including, naturally, aromatic port aplenty. Sail the Rhine in style aboard one of Crystal Cruises’s plush riverboats, with offerings like personal butlers, an indoor pool, and in-room iPads.
Avalon offers "Active & Discovery" river cruises with activities for a variety of energy and fitness levels, from traditional sightseeing to action-packed experiences. Selecting the right river cruise for you depends on the kind of experience you’re after. There’s a European river cruise for every type of traveler, from families and couples to the budget-conscious and luxury seekers. For a true luxury experience, we recommend a sail aboard Uniworld’s S.S. La Venezia, while for active travelers we love the holistic wellness offerings found on AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna. No matter what you’re searching for, these are the best European river cruises to book for 2024 and beyond.
Scenic
AmaWaterways is the only cruise line on Europe's rivers to be a member of the prestigious international gastronomy organization Chaine des Rotisseurs. Additionally, the line's culinary director is a member of the French association Tables et Auberges de France. France’s Rhône River is a haven for epicures and history buffs, with riverboats, from companies like Avalon Waterways, that bring guests through Provence (and, sometimes, Burgundy).
Excursions include the EmeraldPLUS program of special experiences to connect with their destinations, and EmeraldACTIVE offers faster-paced guided tours, bike rides, hikes, and activities. 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. AmaWaterways' holistic wellness program encompasses a variety of fitness classes and wellness-themed excursions, making it the leading European river cruise line for active travelers. Each ship has an onboard wellness director who hosts daily fitness classes as well as meditation and yoga.
Rhine River
The 776-mile Rhine River, which runs through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands, is known for being one of the best European cruises, famous for its castles and stunning scenery. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The one-week route doesn't take you far but does include the walled city of Padua, the charming fishing village of Chioggia, and the culinary mecca of Bologna. That's even before you get to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Having traveled on seven Viking longships that are virtually indistinguishable from one another, I believe it's the consistency that makes Viking one of our favorite ways to travel," said one reader. The longships are light-filled floating boutique hotels with a Scandinavian-design aesthetic, indoor and outdoor dining, and herb gardens up on top. Viking's carefully crafted itineraries and "good value" also received praise from readers.
While people from North America aren't regular passengers on the line's European river cruises, the line is bilingual so English-speaking passengers won't be left out. The line also offers reduced solo-traveler surcharges on higher-grade cabins on select sailings. Tauck's ships carry fewer passengers than riverboats of a similar size, so it's easy for solo travelers to make new friends.
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]
Ships offer traditional-style cruising and Exclusive Discovery Series, which provides first-person accounts from locals or expert talks about the destinations you'll be visiting. 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. Readers praised the line's value proposition and shore experiences that go beyond the norm. The "Thinking Man's vacation" is the way one reader who sailed on a Viking ship on the Rhine river put it. 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 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. In Hamburg, there's a city tour and harbor cruise before the cruise continues to the Baltic resort, Laboe, and ends in Kiel. This Austrian family business dates back more than 40 years and offers European river cruises on its fleet of 16 AMADEUS ships. Five-star service, facilities, and cuisine are their hallmarks, and their ships feature wide panoramic windows and a spacious sun deck. From Portugal's dazzling Douro to the mighty Danube, a river cruise is a fantastic way of exploring Europe’s magical cities and sensational countryside.
River Cruises Plan a River Cruise - Cruise Critic
River Cruises Plan a River Cruise.
Posted: Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:36:09 GMT [source]
The cruise line’s soothing Scandinavian aesthetic combines a chic design with spacious accommodations that include river views or private verandas, and sails also include drinks during mealtimes, shore excursions and Wi-Fi. Their 15-day "Magnificent Europe" cruise begins in Amsterdam with a canal tour and cruises the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers before arriving in Budapest. The ship docks in Koblenz and takes a daytime cruise through the Rhine Gorge before landing in Miltenberg for a guided tour of the city. On day six, guests can choose a trip to Rothenburg or visit a family-owned farm for a home-cooked morning tea. The ship passes through the Main-Danube Canal that connects the Black Sea and the North Sea.
Stops along the picturesque river include Metz, France; Remich, Luxembourg; and several places in Germany, including Trier, the oldest settlement in Germany. Highlights include visits to Avignon; Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy; Vienne, home to the remains of a 14,000-seat amphitheater and a temple built in 25 B.C.; and an excursion to Arles, where Vincent van Gogh lived and painted. 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. The French city of Strasbourg, with its famous Gothic cathedral and robust Alsatian culinary scene, is often a favorite stop on Rhine itineraries, with other highlights including Heidelberg, Germany, and its imposing castle.
Bikes and walking tours are available in most ports, or guests can choose a leisurely day in a comfortable lounge enjoying the passing scenery. With balmy summertime temperatures, Portugal's sublime Douro is an idyllic river cruise destination for couples. The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing (and UNESCO-listed) Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages. The itinerary sees Scenic whisk passengers to historic vineyards and cellars in Regua, Vinhateiro and the Côa Valley to sip on local wines and Port. An unmissable outing for couples is a private classical concert at the beguiling Sao Francisco Church in Porto, offered as one of the cruise line’s “Scenic Enrich” experiences. The eight-day "Saar and Moselle Fairytales" cruise boards in Cologne and cruises down the Rhine to the Moselle and its tributary, the Saar River.
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. 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. There are 12 Scenic all-suite vessels on Europe's waterways, each one featuring nifty innovations such as in-suite windows that slide down at the touch of a button—perfect for languid mornings gazing at picture-perfect scenery.
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