Rhine River Cruises
Embark on a river cruise along the Rhine - stretching from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea you'll cruise through France, Germany and the Netherlands. Choose from 6,122 river cruises along the Rhine travelling with the world's leading river cruise lines.
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Search 6,122 river cruise departures along the Rhine
Popular Rhine River Cruises
8 Days Amsterdam to Basel
Operator: Avalon River Cruises
From
2,459pp
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1,624pp
8 Days Basel to Amsterdam
Operator: Avalon River Cruises
From
2,651pp
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1,624pp
8 Days Amsterdam to Basel
Operator: Uniworld River Cruises
From
3,541pp
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2,483pp
The Rhine River
Where does the Rhine start & finish?
The Rhine River originates in the Swiss Alps and flows through six countries including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The river ultimately empties into the North Sea at Rotterdam after covering a distance of approximately 1,230 kms (760 miles), making it one of Europe's major rivers.
Castle-Studded Journey
The Rhine boasts the highest concentration of castles in the world along its Middle Rhine section, particularly between Koblenz and Bingen. This stretch is known as the "Romantic Rhine" and offers a fairy-tale backdrop.
The Lorelei Rock
This steep rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, has inspired myths and legends for centuries. According to folklore, a siren named Lorelei bewitches sailors from atop the rock, causing them to crash — adding a dash of intrigue to your journey.
Culinary Cruising
The Rhine valley is not just rich in scenic beauty but also in gastronomy. It's a wine lover's paradise, with regions like Alsace in France and the Rheingau in Germany producing some of the world's finest Rieslings.
Rhine in Flames
If you time it right, you could experience the "Rhine in Flames," an annual event where spectacular firework displays are set off from castles and boats, illuminating the river. It's a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that adds magic to your river cruise.
Featured River Cruise Operators Featured Operators
One of our favourite sayings that describes Avalon Waterways is ‘the possibilities are as wide open as the views’. From Europe to the Galapagos and Asia, more you can cruise in relaxed luxury with Avalon Waterways, with choices as unique as you. Avalon offers you a range of choices from excursions, dining options, activities that help you tailor your experience.
Just imagine gliding away down the world’s most spectacular rivers, all while enjoying a unique vantage point from your own private oasis. Our floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in our suites blur the line between where the world ends, and your suite begins; allowing you to experience the world less seen from the comfort of your bed. This is river cruising from a unique point of view.
Just imagine gliding away down the world’s most spectacular rivers, all while enjoying a unique vantage point from your own private oasis. Our floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in our suites blur the line between where the world ends, and your suite begins; allowing you to experience the world less seen from the comfort of your bed. This is river cruising from a unique point of view.
Trafalgar's river cruises combine decades of expertise with local connections, iconic sights and expert hosts to deliver effortless, unforgettable journeys. more From scenic sailing to biking along the riverbanks or relaxing onboard, our itineraries let you explore each destination at your own pace - both onboard and ashore.
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.
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Must Do Experiences and Highlights Along The Rhine
Amsterdam 
Cologne 
Rüdesheim 
Strasbourg 
Freiburg Latest Reviews
What our clients are saying about their journeys along the Rhine
Christmas Markets galore
Christmas on the Rhine
K and J, NSW, Australia, Dec 2025
We saw a lot of Christmas markets on the cruise and they were a highlight when not crowded, which they mostly were unfortunately. If we were the only ship at the port then it wouldn't be so bad but often there were upwards of a dozen ships concurrently, making the Christmas markets quite a slog to get through.
The ship itself was good but facilities read more and entertainment were limited (no pool or gym and entertainment was mostly a pianist and on the last night a local easy listening band) and the rooms are smaller than on larger ships. The ship staff were all very good so kudos to Viking for having excellent crew. The food was mostly great also but meal times are less flexible than on larger ocean cruises so you have to eat at the times they dictate (mainly 7pm and later which did not really suit the mostly older passengers); if you wanted food at any other time it was only pastry items like muffins and cookies (but hot drinks from a machine were available 24/7). The ports were mostly right by the main part of town which was very handy, and with the exception of Dordrecht every port stop had a Christmas market (or three) so that was great. Overall it was a good trip but we wouldn't do another river cruise.
The ship itself was good but facilities read more and entertainment were limited (no pool or gym and entertainment was mostly a pianist and on the last night a local easy listening band) and the rooms are smaller than on larger ships. The ship staff were all very good so kudos to Viking for having excellent crew. The food was mostly great also but meal times are less flexible than on larger ocean cruises so you have to eat at the times they dictate (mainly 7pm and later which did not really suit the mostly older passengers); if you wanted food at any other time it was only pastry items like muffins and cookies (but hot drinks from a machine were available 24/7). The ports were mostly right by the main part of town which was very handy, and with the exception of Dordrecht every port stop had a Christmas market (or three) so that was great. Overall it was a good trip but we wouldn't do another river cruise.
European Gems
European Gems
Keith & Cheryl, NSW, Australia, Dec 2025
Have travelled with several other cruises lines and whilst Travelmarvel was very nice, we found it at the lower end of the scale. But it was very well priced in comparison so I guess you get what you pay for. We felt the cruise director was was hard to understand whenever she held a microphone and at times tried to give out too much information at once read more which had the guest bored and not listening. The meals were excellent but the tours only basic.
Advent on the Rhine River Cruise
Magic of Advent on the Rhine
Beverly, MI, United States, Dec 2025
This Advent on the Rhine cruise was a wonderful and relaxing way to experience the holiday season. The itinerary was well planned, the scenery along the Rhine was beautiful, and the Christmas markets were charming and festive. The accommodations were comfortable, the food was consistently good, and the crew was friendly and attentive throughout the read more journey. Everything felt well organized and truly worry-free, allowing us to simply enjoy the experience. I would absolutely travel this way again and would recommend it to anyone looking for an easy, enriching European holiday adventure.
Lasting memories
European Gems
Sue and Trevor, QLD, Australia, Dec 2025
We cruised from Amsterdam to Budapest during the Christmas season. The cruise and the included guided tours were great. We learned so much about the history of these lovely cities, towns and areas that we visited. The standard and quantity of meals provided was amazing and the onboard service faultless. The only change I would make is to not go to read more as many Christmas markets as they all became a bit same same and most had food and drinks that we just didn't need. Next time we would spend more time exploring more than just the old town and market squares.
Amazing experience
Christmas Markets of Europe
Terri and Lyell, SA, Australia, Dec 2025
We have just finished the Budapest to Amsterdam Christmas Market Cruise. Wow!! What an unforgettable experience. The whole crew were amazing - from our cabin Steward, Rendi, to the Cruise director, Armin, and the Entertainment director, James, the serving staff and bar staff..... I cannot fault one of them. The food was delicious. The markets and tours read more were fun, informative and memorable. We will definitely be doing another cruise with Emerald.
Cruised with Amadeus from Strasbourg to Nuremberg. My cabin was great and all of the crew were friendly and took the time to get to know me. The food was wonderful. The itinerary could use some tweaking as we often got to a town either before or after the Christmas markets had closed. Sometimes we only had an hour in a town before we had to get back read more to the ship. Nina at Global Journeys was very good to deal with.
