Luxury River Cruises
You sit on deck, drink in hand, watching German gothic castles roll by. Or Portugal’s terraced vineyards, ripe with heavy bunches of grapes. Or Vietnam’s colorful floating markets with their boats piled high with lotus blossoms and sugarcane. No matter where you go, luxury river cruises are leisurely, with a relaxed take on exploration and a focus on comfort.
So whether you’re interested in seeing Europe’s waterways (such as the Seine, the Danube, or the Rhône) — or you want to travel further afield to the Amazon, Nile, Ganges, or Mekong — you can do it at an easy pace. European river cruises have a culinary focus, and you can learn how to blend cognac or make pasta in one unforgettable afternoon. A Nile River cruise serves up ancient history with tours of Egyptian temples and the Pyramids of Giza. And the Amazon delivers a heavy dose of wild nature, as you explore the biodiversity of the world’s largest rainforest. On these trips, there’s no denying it’s all about the unrushed journey and the destination.
Our Expert Says
“I challenge anyone to not like river cruising. I love sitting on the sun deck with a glass of wine in hand as the ship gently cruises past riverside towns, meandering between terraced hills covered in vineyards. River cruises provide a relaxed, social atmosphere, with fantastic ships docking in the heart of town, a great range of excursions in every port of call (often included) and with great standard food, featuring recipes from the locations the cruises visit.”
Simon
Cruise Specialist
Choose Your River Cruise Destination
Our Most Popular River Cruise Itineraries
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Explore This Trip
When to go: January - September
AmaWaterwaysThe Beautiful Blue Danube Cruise
Budapest, Bratislava, Wachau Valley, Melk, Linz, Vienna, Budapest
7 NightsFrom $3,699 PPA grand adventure on the beautiful Danube River, you'll discover many gems in the heart of Europe,... -
Explore This TripWhen to go: March - November
Uniworld
The Classical Rhine Cruise (Basel to Amsterdam)
Basel, Berisach, Kehl, Mannheim, Rüdesheim, Boppard, Cologne, Amsterdam
7 NightsFrom $5,269 PPSail the classic Rhine on a Uniworld "floating boutique hotel" with some of the largest suites on... -
Explore This TripWhen to go: April - October
Emerald River Cruises
Exploring Burgundy & Provence Cruise (Arles to Lyon)
Arles, Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Lyon, Beaune, Lyon
7 NightsFrom $3,946 PPEnjoy premium, modern comforts while sailing on an elegant Emerald Cruises river ship from Arles... -
Explore This TripWhen to go: March - November
Uniworld
Highlights of the Douro Cruise
Porto, Régua, Pinhão, Salamanca, Lamego, Braga, Porto
7 NightsFrom $5,149 PPOne of the best ways to explore the UNESCO-designated Douro River Valley, embark on an extraordinary... -
Explore This TripWhen to go: March - November
AmaWaterways
Sensational Seine Cruise
Paris, Les Andelys, Le Havre, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Vernon, Paris
7 NightsFrom $4,698 PPDiscover the best of Paris and Normandy with a cruise that sails round trip from the French capital.... -
Explore This TripWhen to go: April - November
Uniworld
Venice & The Veneto Discovery Cruise
Venice, Mazzorbo, Burano, Murano, Torcello, Chioggia, Venice
7 NightsFrom $4,393 PPThe ultimate discovery of Venice and the Veneto region, there's no better way to explore it than...
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River Articles
The Ultimate Guide To AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways is the complete package. It offers curated cruise experiences on luxurious contemporary ships, daily included excursions tailored to guests’ needs, fine dining, and enriching entertainment. Its ships have a relaxed atmosphere with more spacious staterooms than most other lines,...Read MoreThe Best River Cruises In Europe
Snaking through Paris, the Seine River flows alongside the imposing Eiffel Tower, past the majestic Arc de Triomphe, near the grand Champs Élysées Boulevard and the exceptional Louvre Museum. It glides under the Pont-Neuf bridge, which crosses to the Île...Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide To Danube River Cruises
Gliding along the River Danube is the most glorious way to explore the heart of Europe, watching anglers on the quiet riverbank and runners on the tree-lined towpath from your lavish suite. It’s life in the slow lane where early...Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide To Rhine River Cruises
What better way to get a taste of Europe, visiting several countries on one effortless trip, than by gliding down the Rhine, one of Europe’s most fabled rivers? You can see the sights in Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands...Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide To Douro River Cruises
Starting 60 miles inland from Porto (Portugal’s second-largest city), the Douro valley stretches east to the border with Spain as the river meanders through a chiefly agricultural landscape backed by the Marão mountain range. Vines have grown in this part...Read MoreThe 20 Best Things To Do in Vienna
Headquarters to the Hapsburg royal family for 600 years and once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire, Vienna’s vast, dazzling, green copper-domed Imperial Palace tops most visitor’s wish lists. Start with a self-guided tour of the staggeringly opulent imperial...Read More
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