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River Cruises

Choose from 1,054 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 16,823 River Cruises

World's Leading River Cruise Lines View All

Top Selling River Cruises View all

15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 4,999
Save 3,000

15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest

Operator: Avalon River Cruises

From 6,087
Save 1,674

8 Days Amsterdam to Basel

Operator: Avalon River Cruises

From 2,413
Save 1,317

16 or 15 Days Budapest to Amsterdam

Operator: Avalon River Cruises

From 6,087
Save 1,674

All River Cruises View all

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Asia River Cruises

Featured River Cruise CompaniesFeatured Operators View all

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.
Rivers3
Budget:Premium & Luxury
Known For:Aussie Specialist
Fleet Size:10
Trafalgar
We are the world’s leading and most awarded travel brand spanning all 7 continents of the globe. From the iconic to the unexpected our guests connect to...more the real depth of the places we go. They will break bread with the locals at our exclusive Be My Guest experiences and unlock local secrets of our Travel Directors and Local Specialists. Everything is taken care of, so they travel with true ease and get the real thing without worrying about a thing. We consider how we can positively impact the communities we engage with. Through our JoinTrafalgar initiatives powered by TreadRight, guests don’t just leave footprints on the ground, but leave a lasting legacy for the betterment of locals and the future of their communities. It’s 72 years of destination experience and feedback from over 5 million happy guests that fuels our innovation to continually delivery simply the best holidays.
Rivers362
Budget:Premium
Accommodation:4 Star
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.
Rivers1,202
Budget:Premium & Luxury
Known For:Luxury Cruising
Fleet Size:14

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

Wonderful cruise on the Douro with time in Lisbon     , TAS, Australia, May 2025
This is our fourth river cruise with Emerald and once again, we could not speak more highly of them. And while the others have been excellent, the Douro is definitely the most most beautiful. There were lots of activities and performances, with top food and staff. We were disappointed that the archeological excursion did not attract enough people for ...read more it to run. Fortunately the bike ride did run but it was expensive, which put people off. We love the casual atmosphere aboard the Emerald cruises, but that does not compromise the professional approach to everything- from the cabin to the table. Portugal is a great place to visit and Emerald made it very easy to do so.
2025 River Cruise   , VIC, Australia, May 2025
Travelmarvel’s Amsterdam to Budapest was excellent. The ships were very well presented, cabins had good facilities, staff were very friendly and provided great service, quality meals and the tour director on our cruise ( Roland) was excellent. He provided great communications on each days activities, suggestions on extra things to do and was exceptionally ...read more approachable for all passengers. Overall this cruise was great value for money. We couldn’t fault any aspect of the cruise, the staff or the service.
Beautiful and relaxing Cruise   , Vic, Australia, May 2025
We loved this Viking river cruise down the Seine. The ship was docked just near the Eiffel Tower making it easy to see the highlights of Paris. Monet’s Garden tour was amazing. We were truly spoilt on the cruise with beautiful food and lovely lounges to sit and meet other people. There was a variety of different music to enjoy. Staff were lovely.
Scenic South of France river cruise   , NSW, Australia, May 2025
We were very impressed with Scenic & would definitely travel with them again. All staff were excellent, professional as well as fun. The cabin was well designed with ample storage space. The meals were first class. It was fabulous to have great “freedom of choice” options & we really enjoyed the ones we chose. Entertainment was mostly good, bearing ...read more in mind we all have different tastes. Excellent coordination of disembarkation.

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

Seven Dining Experiences You'll Love

29 May, 2025

Seven Dining Experiences You'll Love

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 celebrates the seasons and the regions you sail through, ensuring each bite feels authentically European. “We created each...

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,...

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.