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River Cruises

Choose from 1,479 river cruises around the world and enjoy exclusive savings on every departure. Journey from Amsterdam to Budapest or through the wine regions of Bordeaux and Portugal’s Douro Valley. Uncover the spirit of the Ganges in India and the mighty Mekong or take to the waterways of Europe on a river cruise of a lifetime.

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World's Leading River Cruise Lines

Top Selling River Cruises

8 Days Budapest to Passau

Operator: Trafalgar

From 3,100pp
Save 1,449pp

15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 5,581pp
Save 5,974pp

18 Days Budapest to Basel

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 10,579pp
Save 2,716pp

18 Days Basel to Budapest

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 10,966pp
Save 2,818pp

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Featured River Cruise Companies Featured Operators

Emerald Cruises
Scenic
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Must Do Experiences and Highlights
Floating Life on the Mekong Floating Life on the Mekong
Get to know life on the delta, from the floating villages where the locals go about their everyday lives to the buoyant markets brimming with colourful produce.
Fairy Tale Rhine Gorge Fairy Tale Rhine Gorge
River cruise along the 65km (40mi) dreamy stretch of Germany’s Rhine Gorge flanked by tiered vineyards and a charming collection of roughly 40 hilltop castles and fortresses.
Home to natural and manmade masterpieces, here you’ll find dramatic cliff faces decorated with garlands of foliage and the engineering marvel of the Three Gorges Dam.
Temples on the Nile Temples on the Nile
Cruise the Nile to take in some of Egypt’s incredible monuments flanking its banks, from the Temples of Karnak and Luxor, to the Temple of Horus in Edfu and the riverside Temple of Kom Ombo.
The Pearl of the Danube The Pearl of the Danube
Stunning from every angle, particularly from the water, Budapest has earnt its nickname. A charismatic city clings to its banks, with its illuminated Parliament a shining beacon marking the start of an incredible river cruise from Budapest.

Recent River Cruise Reviews

What our clients are saying about their journeys
Eastern Block and River cruise   Eastern Bloc with Magnificent Europe , QLD, Australia, Jun 2026
APT is definitely a luxury company - accommodation, meals, staff were all exceptional. Mostly Australians and New Zealanders on our 2 tours which made it easy for us to assimilate and find discussion topics with like-minded people. Our tour guides were also exceptional - very helpful, tolerant and accommodating. This was our first journey with APT and read more we would go with this travel company again.

Global Journeys provided timely updates and information and Mandy was also quick with responses to questions and provided the tactful “prod” we needed to get organized for our trip. It’s too easy to let things slide when you are flat strap with daily business but Mandy was diligent in reminding us of things that needed to be done. Loved the “check list” provided.

Name badges: I could have sworn I packed them but they weren’t in the bag when we opened them in Prague. Some travellers didn’t receive them before they left Australia. I would have preferred that APT gave us the name badges at the welcoming event in Prague. The staff on the cruise ship did prove us with one when we asked.
Fantastic River Cruise Jewels of Europe , AB, Canada, Jun 2026
The trip was everything the advertised and more. Staff was excellent, room as advertised and food and beverage service was excellent. Rita is Celiac and they took great care of her. Absolutely no complaints.
River cruise Lisbon with Douro Discovery , NSW, Australia, Jun 2026
Our river cruise was incident-free, well organised, and attention to detail could not be faulted. For our age group, it was paced, and every request was attended to with professionalism. The ship was clean and comfortable, and the meals were well presented with a good choice. We did enjoy the friendly atmosphere created by the ship's crew.
A great holiday Romantic Rhine & Moselle with Switzerland , SA, Australia, May 2026
We really enjoyed this cruise and also the land leg in Switzerland. We went to some beautiful places and were totally spoilt by the cruise staff. The available options for sightseeing were really good. The meals and all accommodation was first class. Thanks also to Grace for handling our booking so efficiently.
Great experience Spectacular South of France , QLD, Australia, May 2026
The highlight of the tour was Viviers where our tour guide took us to her hour which wad used as a Resistance house during WW2.
Danube Delights River Cruise   Danube Delights , ON, Canada, May 2026
Thanks for setting up the Emerald Danube Delights River Cruise. We are used to setting up our own travel arrangements and it was the first time we went on an organized tour, it was fantastic and hassle free, from the guide meeting us at the airport on arrival till the return shuttle everything went smoothly and far exceeded our expectations. Everything read more was perfect, the travel arrangements, ship, room, staff, activities, food, people, excursions not one thing we can complain about. All the countries visited were so interesting and the tour guides were exceptionally knowledgeable, so much history. Bratislava, Slovakia was a highlight for us, the tour guide was very enthusiastic and authentic. making it very memorable. May was a great time to travel, weather was good for touring and we beat the tourist crowds. Looking forward to cruising the Rhine for our next adventure.

Explore More

Your guide to the river cruising through Europe and Asia.
Dining lies at the heart of life aboard APT’s new-generation river ships, Solara and Ostara. Across six distinctive venues – plus indulgent in-suite service – every menu
High Water Levels Impact European River Cruises: What You Need to Know Planning a river cruise through Europe or about to embark on one? Recent flooding has affected
To celebrate France Month, Scenic is shining a spotlight on their collection of luxury France river cruises. Not only do these itineraries explore the rich history and
The Douro River runs through northern Portugal and into Spain, with river cruises typically sailing to and from Porto, with the option of city stays either side of the

Common Questions

Common questions about river cruising
How big is a river cruise ship?

River cruise ships are much smaller than their seafaring counterparts due to the need to navigate rivers, locks and canals. Travelling under bridges also keeps them at only 3 to 4 decks high which means that passenger numbers are quite small. There may only be one main dining restaurant (some ships offer an alternative eatery as well) but cuisine is well known to be exceptional featuring regional produce and specialties. Most ships have a a fitness centre, observation lounge and large sun deck for taking in the river views. 

What is the best room on a river cruise ship?

Every cabin on a river cruise ship has a window, meaning that unlike ocean cruise ships there are no inside cabins. Cabins fall into three main categories with the entry level choice being a standard river view cabin or stateroom. These have fixed windows that let in natural light but may not offer a view. These cabins are often good value for money as they offer the same level of comfort and amenities at a more competitive price. A balcony room would be the next step up with rooms offering either a dual balcony, full balcony or a French balcony. For the ultimate indulgence a suite could include extra room space, a private balcony, a separate sitting area as well as other perks such as butler service and regularly stocked mini-bar.

What is the difference between a balcony and French balcony?

A French balcony usually features a large glass sliding door which fully opens but there is a railing directly behind the glass meaning that you get all the feeling and fresh air of a balcony but you can't actually step outside. A balcony or veranda will enable you to step outside and usually have a small table and two chairs. Rooms with French Balconies are bigger internally as floor space is not taken up with an outside balcony.

Will I get seasick on a river cruise?

It is highly unlikely that you will get motion sickness on a river cruise. River cruise ships are wide and stable and move slowly and because there is virtually no swell or ocean currents to contend with, the chances of feeling unwell are very low. In fact you'll often not even know the ship is moving! River cruise ships always have great outdoor areas to make the most of the stunning scenery along the river banks, so getting plenty of fresh air is easy.