Most ports are marvelous walking destinations, and river ships stop right in the heart of the town and include a walking tour and free time to explore. German river cruise line A-Rosa has carved a niche for multigenerational river voyages after pioneering its kids club in 2014. The line's European family program is available on at least one ship on each river the line sails during school breaks. Fun activities include a “meet the captain” event, pizza-making classes and treasure hunts. All ships are stocked with age-appropriate games and books, and family shore excursions to zoos and theme parks feature on itineraries.
Seine
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. Established in 1976, Croisi offers cruises on rivers, canals, and seas with a fleet of oceangoing ships, canal barges, and river cruise ships. The company's innovative approach allowed them to be pioneers on several rivers in Europe including the Gironde, Loire, Po, and Elbe, basing their ships' design on the characteristics of the waterways. 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.
Teeming River Cruises
Once ships leave Porto and sail upriver, the scenery changes rapidly as the river narrows and cliffs are steeper. The region is settled, but there is not much to be seen by just walking from the ship. Buses are needed to take guests sightseeing and to visit the historical and cultural sites. On board the ship, you’ll be able to participate in excursions like wine and food tastings or guided tours of the cities you’ll be visiting. The Sensations of Lyon and Provence and Paris river cruise is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the beauty and culture of France while cruising.
Passau to Budapest River Cruise
With spacious staterooms, scrumptious cuisine, and world-class service, European river cruises are perfect for anyone who loves to travel in style. 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. With 55 Nordic-inspired “Longships” sailing mainland Europe—including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Rhône and Elbe—plus four ships on Portugal's River Douro, Viking has an itinerary for every type of river cruiser.
The 8 Best European River Cruises For Every Type Of Traveler
When it comes to top cruising rivers in Europe, the Rhine wins for natural beauty and fairytale landscapes. The eight-day Danube River Cruise starts in Budapest where excursions include a horse show at an equestrian park and a goulash-making competition for Adventurers. In Bratislava, Junior Adventurers can visit a petting zoo, and in the evening, there's family karaoke. A tour of Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace, marionette show, concert, and strudel making are options the next day. After an Oktoberfest celebration and captain's farewell dinner, the cruise ends the next day. Uniworld's one-of-a-kind vessels are inspired by the locales they visit, making their luxurious ships a destination in themselves.
Some of the cruises are also on waterways such as the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal or Ijssel Lake. Some ocean ships can sail from the Atlantic Ocean up to the city of Bordeaux, but a bridge prevents them from going further. Bordeaux is a gorgeous French city and is fun to explore, even for those who don't like wine. Ports of call visited between Paris and the sea might include Vernon, Les Andelys, Conflans, and Mantes-la-Jolie.
Why Viking
Scenic Unveils 2025 European River Cruise Collection Brochure - Cruise Industry News
Scenic Unveils 2025 European River Cruise Collection Brochure.
Posted: Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Tauck's European river cruise guide will help you find the right Danube, Rhone, Rhine, Seine or Douro river cruise for you. Tauck shares the basic facts you need about Europe's rivers – plus the history, culture and more. The Danube either flows through or delineates part of the border of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine.
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. Most river cruise lines have combination tours that include Rhone River cruises along with one on the Saone, Seine, or Bordeaux region of France. Extensions to Paris, Nice, or other cities in Provence or the French Riviera are also easily done.
NEW! Rhine & Main Explorer
Emerald Cruises launches 2025 Europe River Cruises brochure - Travelweek - Travelweek
Emerald Cruises launches 2025 Europe River Cruises brochure - Travelweek.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:36:58 GMT [source]
Most European river cruises start in popular cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, Basel and Porto. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S.
Tauck waives single supplement charges on all of its Category 1 lower-deck cabins on every ship in its European fleet. Perks include a roommate matching service for solo cruisers, competitively priced single supplements and group discounts, plus price match guarantees. 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. 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.
Adventures by Disney is, unsurprisingly, one of the best river cruise lines for families in Europe. The line charters AmaWaterways and, while you shouldn't expect a bevy of Disney branding on the ship, Disney's Adventure Guides are trained to bring kids into the river cruise experience. Grand Circle generally draws travelers aged over 50 and is a popular line for Americans cruising the rivers of Europe. Grand Circle attracts a high number of repeat passengers, drawn by value-for-money fares that are often lower than other European river cruises.
From the Rhine to the Douro, from the Main to the Danube, we have cruises all through Europe, ranging from 1 days up to 31 days. The most popular month for these cruises is August, which has the most tour departures. AmaWaterways ups its dedication to active cruisers with a bevy of wellness spaces as well, including massage rooms, a fitness center, open-air spin classes on the sun deck and a pool. However, despite being twice as wide as most river ships in Europe, there are only about 30% more travelers onboard (just shy of 200 passengers).
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. Danube cruises can be great value, with our cruise through Austria, Hungary and Slovakia starting just over £2,000 per person for a week. All meals and drinks, including sparkling wines and cocktails, are included, as are snacks and afternoon tea. Our seven-night Danube river cruise with Lucy Worsley departs from the city of Engelhartszell in Austria before calling at Vienna (pictured below), the pretty town of Esztergom in Hungary and Budapest. You'll then loop back down the river, calling at Slovakia's capital Bratislava and the Wachau Valley in Austria before returning to Engelhartszell.
Ships explore the Bordeaux region on three rivers—the Dordogne, Garonne, and Gironde. The city of Bordeaux is the heart of the cruise, which primarily showcases the superb wines of the region. The locks of the Main-Danube Canal (and elsewhere on the Danube and Main Rivers) are important to cruise travelers because the size of the locks dictates the size of river ships. Anyone who wonders why a river ship is so narrow will understand when they see the size of the locks.
Onboard cuisine features a variety of menus including Avalon Fresh which showcases mainly vegetarian dishes. The Treasures of the Rhine itinerary perfectly blends history, culture, and natural beauty, and is one of the best river cruise lines in the world. Since river ships can only sail about 80 miles upstream from Lyon through Macon up to Chalon-sur-Saone, cruises usually include time on the Rhone River also. 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment