Home > River Cruises

River Cruises

Choose from 1,132 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 charm of the Irrawaddy in Myanmar or take to the waterways of Europe on a river cruise of a lifetime.

Quick Search Search 19,355 River Cruises

World's Leading River Cruise Lines View All

Top Selling River Cruises View all

10 Days Nuremberg to Budapest

Operator: Scenic

From 5,306
Save 1,375

15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest

Operator: Travelmarvel

From 4,960
Save 3,345

15 Days Budapest to Amsterdam

Operator: Travelmarvel

From 4,960
Save 3,543

8 Days Amsterdam to Basel

Operator: Avalon River Cruises

From 4,089
Save 2,338

Latest River Cruise Deals View all

travel in 2026 at 2025 prices
travel in 2026 at 2025 prices

Experience the ultimate 2026 adventure with Travelmarvel’s popular cruises and land tours across Europe and Save.

Travelmarvel Europe 2025 offers end soon
Travelmarvel Europe 2025 offers end soon

The final weeks to lock in Travelmarvel's current Europe 2025 offers are upon us. Save up to $2,800 pp. Offers end 30 Nov 2024.

APT Europe 2026 - Early Release!
APT Europe 2026 - Early Release!

Travel the wonders of Europe in 2026 with APT - with early release itineraries offering river cruises, yacht cruises, and land journeys.

All River Cruises View all

Europe River Cruises River Cruises)
Europe River Cruises
Nile River Cruises River Cruises)
Nile River Cruises
Asia River Cruises River Cruises)
Asia River Cruises

Featured River Cruise CompaniesFeatured Operators View all

Scenic
With Scenic, it’s more than a 5-star river cruise...it’s a seamless journey from start to finish that places you, our guest, at the heart of everything...more we do. It’s taking you to extraordinary regions and immersing you in meaningful and enriching experiences. It’s exquisite cuisine, indulgent wellness, and a world-class team who will anticipate your every need. You'll find the difference is in the details with Scenic: the innovative ship design, expertly trained crew, immersive journey, and an unrivalled focus on health and safety protocols.
Rivers1,865
Budget:Premium & Luxury
Known For:Luxury Cruising
Fleet Size:14
Travelmarvel
Make the most of Europe’s waterways on Travelmarvel’s three new European river ships: Polaris, Capella and Vega. Combining state-of-the-art design with...more more dining options and social spaces, the contemporary-class ships will offer a relaxed new standard of cruise. Or perhaps a river cruise on the life-giving Ganges or Mekong to get to the heart of these colourful and spiritual nations. Experience life in their small villages, whose communities have much to teach us about their local culture and customs.
Rivers720
Budget:Premium
Known For:Contemporary Cruises
Fleet Size:9
Emerald Cruises
From culture-rich cities to world-famous wine regions, Emerald Cruises represents a new chapter in the world of river cruising. Our deluxe fleet of revolutionary...more Star-Ships promise contemporary comfort and unique on-board innovations, while our generous offering combines affordability with great dining, exceptional service and immersive itineraries across Europe and Asia. With return flights, transfers, all on-board meals, complimentary drinks, tips and much more included in the price of an Emerald Cruises river cruise, we’ve taken care of everything. Our attentive team of crew, sommeliers and personal butlers are available day and night to ensure every minute on-board the Emerald Cruises fleet is as enriching, enjoyable and relaxing as possible.
Rivers1,568
Budget:Premium
Known For:Affordable Luxury
Fleet Size:9

Discover 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.

Three Gorges of the Yangtze

Three Gorges of the Yangtze

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

Fantastic Mekong Cruise     , NSW, Australia, Oct 2024
This was a wonderful 12 night trip from Saigon along the Mekong and ending with the marvels of Siem Reap. Travelmarvel were highly organised and the tour leader and individual guides were exceptional. Accommodations and meals were of the highest standard. Highlights included the Cu Chi tunnels, village and market visits (especially the wet market in ...read more Sa Dec) and of cause the splendour of Angkor Wat. Highlights on every day. Good mix of fellow passengers from Australia, NZ and UK. Could not recommend Travelmarvel more highly.
Excellent tour of Vietnam, Cambodia and cruise along the Mekong River     , NSW, Australia, Oct 2024
Our holiday cruising the Mekong River for a week and staying in Ho Chi Minh and Cambodia was excellent. Global Journeys were so easy to work with and arranged everything for us prior to the trip and APT ensured the trip was seamless. The ship was exceptional with only 81 people on board and staff could not do enough for you. Food and all drinks were ...read more included and were plentiful and delicious. The hotel in Vietnam and Cambodia were outstanding and close at all attractions. We met some lovely fellow travellers and fell in love with Cambodia. We would recommend this trip, Global Journeys and APT as this was a trip of a lifetime which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Fantastic     , NSW, Australia, Sep 2024
Very friendly thoughtful professional and welcoming crew from the tour director to the cabin staff. Our room was perfect. The food was amazing (the soup could be improved) and the dining room and bar excellent. All tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful although the audio did not always work. An unforgettable experience. Loved it!
Wonderful Mekong River cruise   , WA, Australia, Sep 2024
We had a great trip. The tour was very well organised. Great food, staff and tour guides were excellent. Cruising the Mekong was amazing would recommend to anyone. Stayed 3 nights in Hotel Ho Chi Minh city before cruise and 3 nights after in Siem reap. Both hotels were excellent and in great locations.

Explore More Explore more Your guide to the river cruising through Europe and Asia.

Travel Advice Regarding Europe Floods

01 September, 2024

Travel Advice Regarding Europe Floods

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 several cruise itineraries on the Danube and Rhine rivers. Here's a summary of the situation and how it might affect your...

Celebrate France! Lyon: Gastronomic Capital of the World

09 July, 2024

Celebrate France! Lyon: Gastronomic Capital of the World

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 culture of each region, they focus on the gastronomic excellence just waiting to be experienced by guests, onboard and ashore....

Visit Portugal: Highlights of Douro River Cruising

20 February, 2024

Visit Portugal: Highlights of Douro River Cruising

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 cruise. These stays often include time in either Lisbon, Madrid and even Barcelona. For guests embarking on a river cruise,...

APT's 2025 River Cruising Revolution: Introducing Solara and Ostara

24 January, 2024

APT's 2025 River Cruising Revolution: Introducing Solara and Ostara

Welcome to the future of luxury river cruising, where elegance and environmental consciousness sail hand in hand. APT, a name synonymous with unparalleled travel experiences, is set to elevate your river cruising dreams to new heights in 2025. As Australia's most outstanding global tour...

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...read more 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...read more 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...read more 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...read more 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.