European riverboat cruises provide an easy, stress-free way to experience Europe’s best sights, with unique destination experiences, luxurious cabins and suites, and attentive service.
An itinerary along the Seine would typically include stops at places such as the farmhouse that inspired Claude Monet, Joan of Arc’s village and Normandy’s American Military Cemetery. Other popular rivers are the Danube and the Rhine; but there are many more to choose from.
Croisi
Croisi is a family-owned river cruise line with four decades of experience, offering fantastic value with all meals, drinks (including wine and beer at dinner) and shore excursions included in its fares. Their fleet consists of 50 vessels including some impressive paddle-wheelers that can navigate shallow waters of Loire and Elbe rivers.
French roots shine through in its onboard cuisine, where many chefs boast Michelin stars. A great option for culture vultures looking to gain fluency with French, or anyone wishing to hone their language skills!
Onboard you’ll find comfortable cabins located above water level and offering stunning panoramic views. Each features private bathrooms with shower, toilet and washbasin as well as hairdryer for your use. European 2-prong electrical outlets may require adaptors; other nationalities may need converters or converters. Some boats even offer cabins tailored towards passengers with reduced mobility.
Tauck
Tauck offers travel experiences designed to give travelers a deeper connection with the cultures they explore, with strong references in Travel + Leisure and AFAR as industry partners. Tauck has built up an outstanding reputation among tour operators competitors as one of the leading tour operators.
This company provides a range of experiences including river cruises, small ship cruising, land journeys and specialty cruises such as culinary and classical music cruises. Travelers immerse themselves in local culture during trips with tastings and demonstrations as well as costume parties, folkloric shows, musicians and dancers performing. Their all-inclusive approach ensures everything up front including meals and beverages on board.
Tauck River Cruises offer luxury cabins and suites with outside-facing staterooms and suites featuring in-room movies, elegant amenities, room service, walk-in closets and marble bathrooms. Family-friendly options provide plenty of space for everyone to unwind together; all cruises and tours include professional Tauck Directors; plus the company provides travel protection plans.
Uniworld
Uniworld’s river vessels resemble elegant floating boutique hotels, featuring decor tailored specifically for each destination and accented with antique art. Travelers onboard enjoy an exceptional staff-to-guest ratio; each ship also boasts elegant river-view staterooms and suites equipped with flat-screen TVs as well as bathrooms equipped with L’Occitane en Provence bath products, luxurious towels and slippers for their comfort.
Dining aboard Uniworld is second-to-none, featuring top-of-the-line, locally sourced cuisine and offering plenty of healthy alternatives for guests onboard their cruise. Uniworld’s all-inclusive fares cover meals at both main and alternative restaurants as well as unlimited choice beverages and select excursions; onboard fitness classes; gratuities for ship-related services and gratuities to staff who help out throughout their voyage, according to Teet.
Suite guests of Uniworld enjoy complimentary one-per-person in-suite well-being treatments and special amenities, such as receiving a bottle of wine upon arrival and daily fruit and cookie platters. Uniworld sails throughout Europe including Douro River in Portugal and Volga River in Russia. It also operates cruises to Asia as well as distant locales.
Viking
Long-ships from this company sail to destinations throughout Europe and Asia, featuring luxurious river ship accommodations with river view staterooms and excursions that focus on certain locations as well as staterooms with river access and stateroom-focused excursions for exploring each place of interest, destination-based excursions, as well as onboard activities that include language lessons, destination lectures, music and dance performances, etc.
Viking offers active excursions for travelers looking to get out and discover on their own. Choose between cycling through Cologne on the Grand European Tour itinerary or hiking up to Neuschwanstein Castle which inspired Walt Disney on the Danube Waltz itinerary.
Viking River Cruises is an ideal way for travelers to experience Europe’s rivers. Their most acclaimed itinerary is known as the Grand European Tour and includes stops in iconic European cities like Vienna and Budapest as well as tours through Holland’s windmills and tulip fields as well as Germany’s Wachau Valley castles and more. Viking also provides itineraries that explore Rhine, Main, and Douro Rivers – perfect for sightseeing!
