Home > River Cruises

River Cruises

Choose from 1,292 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.

Quick Search

Search 19,353 river cruises

World's Leading River Cruise Lines

Top Selling River Cruises

15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 5,299pp
Save 1,700pp

18 Days Budapest to Basel

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 5,899pp
Save 2,500pp

18 Days Basel to Budapest

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 5,899pp
Save 300pp

8 Days Basel to Amsterdam

Operator: AmaWaterways

From 3,129pp
Save 1,250pp

All River Cruises

Featured River Cruise Companies Featured Operators

Tauck
Whether you're experiencing the Rhine or the Danube, the Douro, the Rhône, Seine, Maas or Moselle... the magic of Tauck's award-winning European river more cruises goes far beyond the riverboat you're aboard or the landmarks you'll visit. It's in the intimate ambiance and personalized service... the places you'll discover off the beaten path... and in the uncommon access to local culture and exclusive destination driven experiences you can't get on your own, as you experience a true slice of European life and return home transformed.
Rivers425
Budget:Luxury
Known For:Luxury Cruising
Fleet Size:14
APT
APT
Life-enriching, relaxing and unique – an APT river cruise is the ultimate holiday experience. Discover unforgettable destinations as you travel in total more comfort and style. From Europe to Africa and the mighty Mekong River, APT has a diverse range of river cruises, and you’ll wake up most mornings in a new location, ready to explore fresh and exciting sights. Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
Rivers42
Budget:Premium & Luxury
Known For:Aussie Specialist
Fleet Size:8
Celebrity Cruises
Set sail on the vacation of a lifetime aboard one of Celebrity's award-winning cruise ships. The luxurious fleet merges cutting-edge technology with welcoming more interiors and revolutionary venues. Discover the unrivaled luxury of The Retreat®. Experience visionary spaces, like the Magic Carpet®, that are like nothing you’ve seen before. On Celebrity's cruise ships, you’ll travel the world while enjoying the height of style, comfort, and service throughout your journey.
Rivers175
Budget:Premium & Luxury
Known For:Ultra-Chic Ships
Fleet Size:21

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.
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
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.
Romantic Rhine and Moselle Romantic Rhine & Moselle , New Zealand, May 2026
Scenic provided excellent service and made you feel like a big family. This itinerary was excellent beautiful views along the Moselle River and the best of the Rhine. Included excursions were top notch.
Jewels of Europe Jewels of Europe , AB, Canada, May 2026
Scenic Jade. Amsterdam to Budapest amazing , spectacular, 5 star service. For our very first ever cruise this five cruise was exceptional. Our tour host Richard was fantastic from organizing tours to entertaining guests answering questions. Fantastic. Everyone was friendly and accommodating with all our needs and want through our whole journey. read more Food was top notch with a different dinner selection every night. Worth every dollar spent. Highly recommend this all inclusive river cruise.
Uniworld Brilliant Bordeaux , CA, United States, May 2026
This was my second river cruise and 10th actual small ship cruise. I was very impressed with Uniworld as contrasted to a prior river cruise line. The food was quite good, not exceptional, but certainly of quality and well prepared. Chef outdid himself at a special paid dinner with beef wellington and other fabulous French dishes. Service couldn't read more have been better- in both the dining room and cabins. Our hotel manager just won the hotel manager of the year for the cruise line, and it shows.

On a bit of a negative side, the cabins are well laid out and thought through but very small. I am glad my friend and I had separate cabins otherwise there wouldn't have been enough room. The elevator was broken, which was a HUGE inconvenience for us as we have mobility issues. Apparently, a guest ran into the glass with a suitcase and broke it. It was down for the entirety of the trip. Some of the excursions weren't very good and not worth the time of leaving the boat. There was a huge downpour one day and the busses were parked quite away from the ship. It would have been considerate of them to send out some people with umbrellas; all of us were completely soaked (to the skin). Would I sail on Uniworld again, yes but in a larger cabin! Good experience!
Tracey Standing Legends of the Balkans with Transylvania , WA, Australia, Apr 2026
Tracey was outstanding, always available, answered our many detailed questions and worries, promptly and really cared about us. TM was terrific, we would like to have had a detailed dynamic map on the screen in the cabin, so we knew exactly where we were at any moment. We missed the Iron Gates which we were disappointed about due to water level issues. read more Yes would book again, but never a 'non definite departure 'again.

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.