If you are culturally curious and love to explore new destinations, then a European River Cruise could be for you. On my cruises on the Rhine, Rhone and Danube I’ve visited vibrant capitals like Vienna and Amsterdam and explored charming riverside towns and villages, each with their stories to tell. For the richness and variety of the destination experience, combined with the convenience of staying on board a small floating hotel, I think a river cruise wins over an ocean cruise.
Read on to discover whether you’ll enjoy a European River Cruise, as well as some ‘watch out’ reasons why this type of holiday may not be for everyone.
1. Get to the heart of the destination
River cruises are all about showcasing the destinations you visit. Where an ocean cruise often places more emphasis on the entertainment and activities on board, on a river cruise the destination is the star.
Due to their small size, river cruise ships offer limited facilities, but this is more than made up for by the places you visit each day.
These smaller ships can get you into the heart of some of the most beautiful cities in Europe, such as Budapest, Amsterdam and Vienna – the ones that an ocean cruise would have to bus you to.
Read about all the sights we explored in Amsterdam at the start of our river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium – by taking a local ferry we found some gems of street art and trendy waterside cafes.
You’ll also moor up within a short walk of charming riverside towns that you can easily explore on your own.
On this Rhine river cruise we visited a succession of small towns, such as Speyer, Cochem and Koblenz, each with their unique things to see, such as a medieval Jewish baths, a music museum and a romantic castle on the hill.
2. The convenience of only unpacking once
On a river cruise in Europe, you’ll enjoy the variety of a touring holiday, but the convenience of unpacking once.
No more stuffing creased clothes back into your case as you get ready to move to the next place. Instead, everything hangs neatly in your wardrobe, ready for you to look your best at the end of a day’s sightseeing.
Personally I prefer to travel light, even on a cruise holiday. But if you are the sort of person that packs an outfit for every eventuality, you won’t have to worry about lifting your luggage until the end of the trip.
Read all my tips on what to pack on a river cruise.
3. All the comforts of a floating hotel
Think of your river cruise ship as a floating boutique hotel. There may not be all the facilities of a larger ocean cruise ship, but you’ll have every comfort you need. And I didn’t miss those casinos, mini shopping malls, art galleries and waterslides that some of the larger cruise ships offer!
Instead, what you’ll typically experience on board is a comfortable and modern en-suite bedroom, with views of the passing scenery. On the river cruises I’ve tried I invariably found a cabin equipped with plenty of plugs, a dressing table/desk space, wardrobe storage and everything else you’d normally find in a hotel room.
Add to this a spacious lounge for relaxing in the daytime and a dining room for lunch and evening meals. The sun deck on the top deck is perfect for relaxing and admiring the scenery, and there’s sometimes a small plunge pool, gym or area for deck games.
River cruise ships normally offer some low key evening entertainment, where local musicians or singers come on board, or there’s an event of cultural interest.
In other words you’ll have everything you need for a comfortable stay, but the experience is similar to staying in a smaller hotel, rather than a large scale resort.
4. Slow down and relax
River cruise ships move at a slower pace, allowing you to unwind as the scenery drifts by. Because most aspects of the holiday are taken care of once you step on board, the stressful elements of travel are removed.
You won’t need to worry about which bus to catch, which restaurant to choose or which tour to book, since they are all part of the package. And because you are normally accompanied by a tour guide or cruise representative, there’s always someone on hand to ask for information, so you can make the most of your free time on shore.
For those worried about sea sickness on board ocean cruises, there’s less to be concerned about, since the inland waterways and rivers of Europe are so much calmer than being at sea.
5. It’s on a small and friendly scale
Most river cruise ships have 100-200 guests in 80-100 cabins – that’s similar to a small to medium size hotel. It’s a far cry from the larger ocean cruise ships that sail with thousands of passengers on board, so makes for an intimate and cosy experience.
Staff will get to know you and your preferences, there’s always a friendly and familiar face around, and you’ll get to know your fellow guests more quickly. On one memorable occasion, we even got to meet the captain and go onto the bridge to chat about how he navigated the ship.
Since you will likely see the same guests on daily excursions, in the lounge or at dinner, it’s easy to make friends or find people to chat to. For this reason, I think river cruises are ideal for solo travellers, as well as couples and groups of friends.
The smaller size of ship also has it’s advantages when you check in and disembark, since there won’t be the long queues that you can find on larger ocean cruise ships.
5. River cruises to suit all budgets
While a river cruise is not the cheapest holiday option, there are a range of different providers, so that you can scale up or down according to your budget. Since the size of river cruise ship is limited by the river it travels on, the overall cost of your river cruise is determined mainly by the level of luxury on board and by the cost of the excursions.
I’ve sailed on river cruise ships that had the luxurious decor of a 5 star hotel, with gorgeous artworks and excellent wines included at dinner. There were others that put a big emphasis on the type of excursion, offering culinary experiences such as cookery classes, wine tasting or adventure activities such as river kayaking.
On other cruise lines, the emphasis is on value for money, with a quality experience but at an all inclusive price. When deciding between different cruise lines, you can check all these things to decide which approach suits your budget and book accordingly.
6. A lot is included in your cruise
While river cruises are not the cheapest form of travel, you generally get excellent value for money. The package may vary depending which river cruise line you choose, but accommodation, meals, certain beverages, transport and some excursions are normally included.
That means you have peace of mind knowing that once you’ve paid for the holiday there shouldn’t be too many extras. There are a few things that vary by cruise line, so it’s worth making a comparison in these before you book.
- Gratuities for the hard working staff are often an extra to budget for, although some cruise lines will include these. Optional tips for local tour guides are rarely included.
- Drinks such as table wine, beer, coffees and soft drinks are normally included at meal times but may be an extra if you order from the bar in between meals. Premium brands or fine wines normally come at an extra charge.
- Costs for excursions vary by cruise line. Often a walking tour or other excursion is included in the cost, but other premium excursions may be extra.
- Flights to get you to the departure destination are not always included, since the cost of these will vary for different guests.
7. Immerse yourself in the local culture
On a river cruise, you can immerse yourself in the local culture much more fully than you do on most ocean cruises. The towns and cities of Europe are rich in beautiful and historic buildings as well as breathtaking scenery.
Most cruise lines arrange excursions with local tour guides, who are the experts in their location’s culture. They are the ones who will explain in depth the history and context of the places you’ll visit, as well as bringing them to life with entertaining stories and nuggets of local insights.
As a lover of art, I remember visiting the Van Gough Museum in Arles on a Rhone river cruise, then seeing the exact streets and buildings that featured in the pictures. Or exploring the wonderful riverside town of Heidelberg on a Rhine cruise, with its imposing castle and historic bridge.
Each river cruise may take you through multiple countries or regions of a country, each with their different landscapes, cultures and stories to tell. Sometimes the cultural flavour also comes on board, with talks, wine tastings or musical performances.
8. Enjoy the culinary highlights
While you don’t get the multiple themed restaurants of an ocean cruise ship or resort, we found the standard of food on board our river cruises was very high. Breakfast and lunch are often served buffet style, with a selection of hot and cold dishes, while dinner offers a menu with choice of a la carte dishes.
Daily menus manage to pack in a lot of variety, with themed menus on some evening. Most cruise lines also make an effort to reflect local flavours in their menus. So you may find the seasonal vegetable you saw in the market or local pastry you spotted in a shop window, on your menu at dinner that evening.
This tasting of local specialities was a big highlight when we went on shore, and I remember the glistening olives in Les Halles at Avignon, or trying the famous Rüdesheimer coffee (a concoction of brandy and cream) on a Rhine cruise.
Another highlight of river cruises are the excursions with a culinary theme, such as wine tasting in the local vineyards, or cookery classes that highlight local dishes.
If you take a river cruise on the Rhine, you will probably spot the vineyards on the river banks and have the opportunity to taste some of the delicious Riesling wines, as we did on an Alsace Wine Route excursion.
I also have fond memories of our bakery class in Vienna, as we plaited the dough and scattered poppy seeds over our rolls, before taking them back to the ship, where they were served for lunch.
9. Get active on a river cruise
While European river cruises are heaven for those who enjoy culture and history, there’s plenty of opportunity to stay active if you like. The riverside towns and cities you’ll visit lend themselves to walking tours, so you’ll find that your step count rises effortlessly as you explore each new destination.
More and more river cruise lines have bikes on board that they lend to their guests, so that you can explore the riverside paths as an alternative to a walking excursion. Others go further and offer activities such as kayaking or cycle tours as an alternative to the more cultural excursions.
Read about this Rhine cruise when we borrowed bikes and went for a cycle by the river.
On a river cruise in Austria, we took an excursion to paddle Canadian canoes down a section of the Danube. It gave me a different perspective as we drifted past the banks clothed in neat rows of vines, overlooked by romantic castles perched on rocky outcrops overlooking the river.
10. A relaxed dress code
Some ocean cruise lines have a more formal dress code, with the opportunity to dress up at black tie events, with tuxedos, glamorous gowns and sparkly cocktail dresses. But if the idea of having to pack lots of extra evening outfits fills you with dread, you can rest assured that the dress code on a river cruise is generally a lot more relaxed.
This style of cruising suits those who like to keep things casual, and understand that cobbled streets and walking tours call for comfortable footwear. On board you can keep things informal too, and while most guests do dress up a bit for dinner, a smart shirt or pretty top is all that’s really required.
Personally as I like to pack light, I welcome this kind of relaxed dressing where my clothes multi-task, being dressed up with a pretty scarf or some interesting jewellery. Read all my tips on what to pack on a river cruise.
If a river cruise sounds like your kind of holiday, check out some of the best river cruises in Europe on rivers such as the Rhine, Rhone or Danube.
Who may not love a European River Cruise
While we think that river cruising is a great way to experience Europe, there are some travellers who may not enjoy it.
Family Travellers
If you are travelling with a young family, this is probably not the holiday for you. River cruises traditionally attract an older and culturally curious traveller and many ships will not accept children under a certain age.
It’s true that there are river cruises aimed specifically at families. But personally I think families would be better to choose a larger ocean cruise or resort style holiday, where the wide range of facilities and space to run around is more suited to entertaining young children.
Adventure Travellers
River cruises in Europe offer a relaxed style of travel combined with some gentle outdoor activities. I’ve certainly enjoyed activities such as cycling and kayaking on river cruises, and have notched up some miles on the walking tours and sightseeing activities.
But if you’re into extreme sports or adventure activities, then you’d be better choosing a different kind of land based holiday, to suit your interests.
You want to explore a destination in depth
By its nature, river cruising means that you’re moving on to a different location each day. This kind of holiday is great to give you a taste of many different places, rather than a detailed exploration of each one. That’s not to say that the expert tour guides don’t give you a great deal of insight into the places you visit.
However, those who want to stay longer in a particular place can easily tack on some extra days at the beginning or end of the cruise. This is a great idea if you want to explore some of the great cities of Europe, that you may have passed through on your river cruise.
Read Next
Read our tips for What to pack on a river cruise
More stories from our river cruises
6 reasons to fall in love with Vienna on a river cruise
The foods of Burgundy and Provence on a River Cruise
Our River Cruise from Amsterdam through Holland and Belgium
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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com
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