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They often feature DJs, silent discos, mixology classes, yoga, and rooftop camping (tents are supplied). These cruises offer 25% off the fare for travelers 4 to 17 years old when traveling with an adult (suites excluded). CroisiEurope is the largest company based in Europe and operates a fleet of riverboats and hotel barges. 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. There are also four different dining venues (more than most river ships), and that choice has proven popular with previous passengers.
India’s Golden Triangle aboard Uniworld
If your vacation preferences favor mountain landscapes, wine tasting and pioneer lore, consider American Cruise Lines' eight-night Columbia & Snake River Cruise. You'll explore the Pacific Northwest from Portland, Oregon, to Clarkstown, Washington (or vice versa). From Memphis blues and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes" to Kentucky bluegrass and New Orleans jazz, American Cruise Lines' eight-night Music Cities Cruise sails you through a chronology of the U.S. music scene. You'll traverse three rivers (the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland) en route from Memphis to Nashville, or vice versa. Take a look at the luxury river cruise landscape -- and find the line that's right for you. Adventures by Disney, the guided, family vacation arm of the Walt Disney Company, offers unique journeys sprinkled with signature Disney magic.
Lindblad Expeditions' 7-night Columbia & Snake Rivers: Food, Wine and History Cruise
French line CroisiEurope caters to travelers on a tight budget and does river cruising in a friendly European style. The passenger contingent is mostly bargain-seekers from France and Germany, and you'll hear onboard announcements in multiple languages. Some will love the idea of cruising like a European, while others may miss, for instance, a wide breadth of entree choices at dinner. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). The eight-day "Traveling on the Elbe and Havel" cruise covers Germany's north on rivers and canals aboard the Frederick Chopin.
Best European River Cruise for First-Timers: Viking River Cruises
For those that love the outdoors, river journeys are a way to experience the natural landscape of the dream destinations. This year, the river cruise market has been anticipating more travel, so consider booking these once-in-a-lifetime voyages as early as you can. Though many European countries have been off-limits for travelers, memories of recent trips to one of the world's iconic river cruising destinations helped inform voters' choices this year. Tauck moved up two places in T+L's 2021 rankings to grab the No. 2 spot with an eye-popping score above 96. The iconic river ships of No. 3 Viking Cruises also fared well this year, with readers giving the stalwart high marks, moving it up three places. Viking has river ships across Europe, of course, but also sails the Mekong and the Nile.
Imagine kayaking to floating villages, watching silk weavers at work, and biking to village markets. Beyond the beautiful sights in Cambodia and Vietnam, the ship, Aqua Mekong, is a marvel in itself. The vessel has 20 suites that feature full-length windows and onboard amenities include a cinema, top deck plunge pool, and sun deck with lounge chairs and cabanas. If you book a river cruise between now and 2025, you can receive 30 percent off your voyage. Some might argue that, with less than 200 passengers onboard, free wine at meals and included shore excursions, all river cruises are luxurious, compared to their mainstream ocean counterparts. If you like to stay fit and healthy on vacation, Avalon Waterways is the best line for get-up-and-go European river cruises.
The Best Cruises in the World: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards - Condé Nast Traveler
The Best Cruises in the World: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards.
Posted: Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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. Whether you're fascinated by American history, culture and cuisine, or you've enjoyed river cruising in Europe but are now looking to explore closer to home, U.S. river cruises are an easy and enjoyable vacation option.
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. Most luxury river cruise companies offer all-inclusive packages, with alcohol, shore excursions, airport transfers and gratuities factored into their fares. You can also expect superior service, magnificent ships, five-star amenities and exceptional cuisine. Although these cruises typically have fewer inclusions—you’ll spend extra on things such as shore excursions and alcohol—comfort river cruises are the best option for budget-minded travelers. Companies such as CroisiEurope and A-ROSA package their fares to include wine, beer and soft drinks, so finding a largely all-inclusive cruise at the price point is possible. Along with visits to bustling cities like Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City, Aqua Expeditions' Mekong River cruises also visits serene ports in the countryside.
With more itineraries than any other, Viking is the best cruise line in Europe for first-time river cruisers. The world's largest river cruise line offers a well-tested river cruise recipe on its fleet of identical Scandinavian-style longships. Insightful port talks provide information on the next day's program that cover all questions, such as how much walking is involved and difficulty levels. The ships deliver great food and wine and beyond-the-norm experiences on shore, such as the chance to sip local varietals in a wine cave.
Grand European Tour Amsterdam to Budapest
During a call on Richland, Washington, you can admire the scenic beauty around the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers at Sacajawea State Park. AmaWaterways, with over 25 ships, is known for having a smaller amount of passengers on board. Viking is the largest river cruise operator with over 50 Longships in their fleet.
Returning to Bordeaux, guests will explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and capital of the wine world. The 196-passenger, Danube-based AmaMagna is a standout among the cruise line’s well-equipped offerings. Limber up for a game of pickleball on the full-size court that was just added in 2023. Passengers can work out solo at the Zen Wellness Studio or join an open-air spin class, while drinking in scenic river views.
Some lines, however, offer excellent value—especially when you compare the price to the overall cost of a land-based vacation in Europe. One cruise line that consistently offers great value is Emerald Cruises, a river cruise operator that gets travelers more bang for their buck—without compromising on quality or service. As standard, Emerald’s eight Europe-based “Star-Ships” offer a generous number of inclusions built into the cost of the cruise, with typically lower entry level fares.
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. The six-day "Highlights of the Rhine" cruise begins in Cologne and cruises on to Rotterdam and then Amsterdam the following day. Options include a bus tour, canal tour, pedal boats, or private auto tour, each at an additional cost. It’s not the first time the company – best known for its escorted coach tours – has been at the bottom of our table. Shearings reserves blocks of cabins on European river boats, and it drives customers from across the UK to their embarkation point and back home from their final port of call.
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