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Uniworld's ships are each distinctly designed and outfitted, and the all-inclusive itineraries include tours, meals, liquor and wine, fitness classes and more. 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. You'll also find a high number of inclusions, such as all drinks from the bar and with meals, to create a stress-free sailing with no hidden extras. Viking includes one excursion in each port with your fare, and offers a wider variety of river cruises in Europe than others. That gives new-to-river-cruise passengers plenty of options to try their hand at a cruise length that fits their style and a wide array destinations from which to choose.
Why Viking
River ships dock near key attractions and feature mostly-inclusive pricing; fares include such perks as basic daily walking tours and wine and beer at meals. One person's idea of a great vacation may be extraordinary excursions such as an exclusive dinner in a chateau, while others may want spacious cabins or as much foie gras and French cheese as you can possibly eat. And some river cruises are much more active than others with, for instance, biking and hiking tours.
Jules Verne: the best for small ships
Destinations include the Danube, Rhine, Main, Rhone, and Douro, as well as the Mekong. Its ships are designed as floating palace hotels, employing marble, Murano glass and expensive fabrics in its over-the-top decor. Don't be surprised if you find yourself lounging in a room decked out in animal prints.
Book a cruise on Avalon Waterways
The beds in the Panorama Suites are also cleverly placed against the opposite wall so guests may view the scenery from bed. I've always been a fan of traditional cruise line journeys, but a river cruise is much more intimate and in many cases, luxurious. These sleek ships generally host less than 200 passengers and go where giant cruise liners cannot, such as the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Mekong, Mississippi, and Nile Rivers. 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.
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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). This Australian-owned organization is the country's largest family-owned tour and cruise company, offering a variety of travel styles. Their Concerto River Ships, AmaVenita, AmaStella, and AmaReina, cruise on the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Douro Rivers with luxury accommodations and excursions. Apt charters the ships from AmaWaterways, but their itineraries and onboard programs are unique to Apt River Cruises. Apt's offerings include rail journeys, as well as small boat, yacht, and ocean cruises.
Danube Dreams with 2 Nights in Prague (Eastbound) 2024
American Queen Voyages Shuts Down Due to Pandemic Woes - Travel + Leisure
American Queen Voyages Shuts Down Due to Pandemic Woes.
Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Recommended Providers also scored at least four out of five stars for both customer service and value for money. You won’t find the range of on-board facilities of the vast ocean liners, but then you won’t be spending whole days at sea either. Otherwise, most welcome children but don't offer extra programming for them, and Viking doesn't allow children at all. CroisiEurope is the only line to sail on the Loire River in France, with a specially designed modern paddlewheeler to navigate low water levels.
CroisiEurope Cruises
They offer time before or after the cruise to enjoy the city's food, music and iconic architecture — plus the ease of a round-trip flight booking. Viking's seven-night New Orleans & Southern Charms itinerary focuses solely on ports in Louisiana and Mississippi, with an emphasis on historic architecture, Cajun culture and Civil War landmarks. While cruising, you'll enjoy nightly entertainment that celebrates the region's musical heritage. American Cruise Lines offers this itinerary on four ships from April to October 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The 4 Best Luxury River Cruises
It was also the only operator to clinch the full five stars for its vast array of itineraries – it has 14 Rhine trips alone. Off-ship experiences include sampling local beer and oysters in Astoria, Oregon; visiting Multnomah Falls or hiking Beacon Rock; and having a private vineyard visit and downtown wine walk in Walla Walla, Washington. Complementing the itinerary will be gourmet Pacific Northwest cuisine and more than 40 regional wines curated by an onboard culinary team.
Best European River Cruise For Families: A-Rosa, A-Rosa Sena
But since there is so much to do, odds are that the cabin will be only used for sleeping and downtime. However, Crystal Cruises has some excursions that incur an added cost, and all of the American Queen Steamboat Company excursions are additional (although they do offer hop-on hop-off bus tours). The Tauck Suites are large, at over 300 square feet and have a large bed as well as a fold-out sofa. Most cabins have floor-to-ceiling windows to save space in the cabin, and the most affordable is Category 1, which is about 150 square feet and has small windows and a little bathroom with a shower.
Catherine on the Rhone and Saone, for instance, boasts a $1 million art collection. This ship truly embodies the decadence of Renaissance Venice, with a playful interior featuring hand-painted Venetian masks and flamboyant custom-made fabrics by Venice-design house Fortuny. Passengers can dine on fresh wood-fired pizza at Cielo's and sip Bellinis at Hari's Bar, all while taking in views of Venice's sparkling lagoon. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Don’t be tempted by the relatively low headline price – you’ll have a better time with any other cruise line.
Family departures add active excursions, arts and crafts, and visits to amusement parks. Here's a rundown of the best river cruise lines traversing inland waterways around the world. For the cruise category, respondents were asked to rate individual ships; the results were separated by ocean cruises and river cruises. Belmond has another way to cruise some of Europe's rivers — on luxury barges with private chefs and excursions like truffle hunting, hot air ballooning, canoeing, and wine tasting. The elegant barges cruise the waterways of Burgundy, Provence, Alsace, Champagne, Languedoc, and Franche-Comté from April to October. The 10-day itinerary features visits to the Taj Mahal, Rajbari temple complex, and Mother Teresea’s home.
All ships are stocked with age-appropriate games and books, and family shore excursions to zoos and theme parks feature on itineraries. Amawaterways is now accepting reservations for its highly anticipated cruises on Colombia's Magdalena River departing from both Cartagena and Barranquilla in 2024. Both seven-day itineraries explore Colombia's rich musical and cultural history, along with a chance to experience the country's natural wonders and local cuisine. Amawaterways is the first major river cruise line to highlight Colombia’s beauty with these types of voyages. Ship amenities are plentiful, as both vessels feature staterooms with balconies, a main restaurant, a fitness center with three spa treatment rooms, and a sun deck with a relaxing whirlpool. 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.
The ship's ample deck space also offers passengers the chance to unwind in the heated pool and indulge in a nap-inducing massage in one of two treatment rooms. 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. Couples can dress up for glitzy cocktail receptions and choose from romantic dining venues, including Portobellos or L'Amour, for candlelit meals for two. Diamond Deck and Junior Suite guests can also dine at Table d'Or, where a six-course degustation menu is paired with local wines. A jaunty kids' club with a climbing wall and secret nooks is positioned next to 12 family cabins, each sleeping up to five, featuring nautical-themed bunk beds.
At the top end are large well-appointed suites with two full-sized rooms and great views, measuring about 445 square feet. 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. When it comes to an active, contemporary, luxury experience, Scenic is at the top. Sail the storied Seine from Paris to Normandy aboard Tauck’s 98-passenger MS Sapphire. The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages.
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. Uniworld's one-of-a-kind vessels are inspired by the locales they visit, making their luxurious ships a destination in themselves. Billed as "the world's only authentic boutique cruise line," Uniworld offers in-suite butler service, world-class cuisine, and all-inclusive rates that cover premium spirits and wines as well as gratuities.
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