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Each all-inclusive cruise holds just eight to 20 passengers and can also be chartered by families and groups. Fancy associations aside, these credentials translate into some truly awesome dining experiences. European ships have the cozy Chef's Table restaurant where all guests get to dine for free once every cruise. Belmond has another way to cruise some of Europe's rivers — on luxury barges with private chefs and excursions like truffle hunting, hot air ballooning, canoeing, and wine tasting. The elegant barges cruise the waterways of Burgundy, Provence, Alsace, Champagne, Languedoc, and Franche-Comté from April to October. The eight-day Danube River Cruise starts in Budapest where excursions include a horse show at an equestrian park and a goulash-making competition for Adventurers.
Emerald Cruises
The line's European family program is available on at least one ship on each river the line sails during school breaks. Fun activities include a “meet the captain” event, pizza-making classes and treasure hunts. All ships are stocked with age-appropriate games and books, and family shore excursions to zoos and theme parks feature on itineraries.
Romantic Rhine & Moselle - Nijmegen (Start Amsterdam, End Zurich)
The cruise ends in Passau with a choice of bicycling, walking, or hiking to explore the city and a special captain's farewell reception and dinner. When it comes to Europe river cruises, a perfect seven-night starter sailing is the Upper Danube, which takes you through centuries of history as you explore Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. CroisiEurope is the largest company based in Europe and operates a fleet of riverboats and hotel barges. While people from North America aren't regular passengers on the line's European river cruises, the line is bilingual so English-speaking passengers won't be left out. Picking the best line for a European river cruise can be a challenge as more and more lines compete for attention on European waterways.
Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2024
As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages. Their cruise in northern Italy along the Po River, "From the Canals of Venice to Renaissance-infused Mantua," is a seven-day excursion starting in Venice where guests can discover St. Mark's Square and Doge's Palace. In partnership with CroisiEurope aboard the MS Michelangelo, the ship heads west to Vicenza and then on to Chioggia. The next days are spent in Cremona and Mantua with disembarkation and a coach trip back to Venice.
Excursions include the EmeraldPLUS program of special experiences to connect with their destinations, and EmeraldACTIVE offers faster-paced guided tours, bike rides, hikes, and activities. Tauck’s all-inclusive European river cruises are a boon for travelers with a thirst for history. The cruise line sails all of Europe’s major rivers, offering thoughtfully crafted shore experiences that dig deep into each destination’s past. Between off-hours tours at world-renowned museums and guided walks through medieval cities, guests are also invited to join enriching lectures aboard the ships. AmaWaterways' holistic wellness program encompasses a variety of fitness classes and wellness-themed excursions, making it the leading European river cruise line for active travelers. Each ship has an onboard wellness director who hosts daily fitness classes as well as meditation and yoga.
Romantic Rhine & Moselle - Nijmegen (Start Amsterdam, End Basel)
Review: AmaWaterways' Black Heritage France River Cruise - AFAR - AFAR Media
Review: AmaWaterways' Black Heritage France River Cruise - AFAR.
Posted: Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The French city of Strasbourg, with its famous Gothic cathedral and robust Alsatian culinary scene, is often a favorite stop on Rhine itineraries, with other highlights including Heidelberg, Germany, and its imposing castle. The seven-night river cruise takes you through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The most beautiful stretch of the river is a 62-mile passage through a gorge between the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains. Though some cruises operate on Italy’s longest river, the Po is largely unnavigable because of low water levels and sediment. This ship truly embodies the decadence of Renaissance Venice, with a playful interior featuring hand-painted Venetian masks and flamboyant custom-made fabrics by Venice-design house Fortuny.
Best Budget-Friendly European River Cruise: Grand Circle Travel
Their Concerto River Ships, AmaVenita, AmaStella, and AmaReina, cruise on the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Douro Rivers with luxury accommodations and excursions. Apt charters the ships from AmaWaterways, but their itineraries and onboard programs are unique to Apt River Cruises. Apt's offerings include rail journeys, as well as small boat, yacht, and ocean cruises.
Best Value European River Cruise: Emerald Cruises, Emerald Luna
AmaWaterways AmaPrima Cruise Reviews for Gourmet Food Cruises to Europe - River Cruise (2023 UPDATED ... - Cruise Critic
AmaWaterways AmaPrima Cruise Reviews for Gourmet Food Cruises to Europe - River Cruise (2023 UPDATED ....
Posted: Thu, 02 Nov 2023 13:13:00 GMT [source]
That's even before you get to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Europe has more navigable rivers than any other region in the world — and arguably more diverse cultures along its river banks than any place else.
If you plan your cruise for September or October, you'll be able to admire the grape harvest. They are, by far, the most popular, doable either on one-week segments or longer itineraries that combine areas and sometimes combine rivers. Even if your cruise is only a week, don't underestimate the allure of relaxing for seven days on a river in France or on the dreamy Douro in Portugal. When it comes to a river cruise line in Europe, Scenic's all-inclusive fares are hard to top.
The "Active & Discovery on the Rhone" cruise begins in Lyon and heads south through the French countryside of Provence and ends in Port-Saint-Louis. On the way, Avalon Choice excursions include a culinary walk, cooking class, painting workshop, wine tastings, guided bike rides, and more, with Active, Classic, and Discovery level activities. A stop in Vienna includes a Mozart and Strauss concert at a Viennese palace, a city tour, and a taste of local delicacies.
However, it affords the opportunity to combine a visit to Venice with a river cruise. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises does the Po in high style with its 126-passenger S.S. La Venizia, completely decked out with a sense of place, from Fortuny fabrics and Murano glass to its gilded accents. Bordeaux river cruises are different from other water routes because you explore two short waterways — the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers — and the Gironde Estuary in Southwest France. Along the route, between Melk and Krems in Austria, you cruise through the Wachau Valley, a key wine-growing region producing rieslings and gruner veltliners, with sipping opportunities available. It's also a great place to bike, which is why it's nice to sail with lines, such as AmaWaterways, that carry bikes on board for passengers to use.
Perks include a roommate matching service for solo cruisers, competitively priced single supplements and group discounts, plus price match guarantees. Ships offer traditional-style cruising and Exclusive Discovery Series, which provides first-person accounts from locals or expert talks about the destinations you'll be visiting. However, there are also other lesser-known cruise lines to choose from that are contenders for the best river cruise line in Europe, depending on your travel style.
The cruise line’s soothing Scandinavian aesthetic combines a chic design with spacious accommodations that include river views or private verandas, and sails also include drinks during mealtimes, shore excursions and Wi-Fi. Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2022, this family-owned and operated cruise company focuses on excellent food and wine, tasteful décor, stateroom views, and innovation in their luxurious fleet. Fares include fitness classes, shore excursions, and all dining on board, including The Chef's Table specialty restaurant. New ships debut each year, and the spacious AmaMagna, launched in 2019, is nearly twice the width of traditional European cruise ships. Guests are kept busy (if they wish to be) with daily shore excursions, and most cruises offer several options depending on interests and activity levels.
The ship passes through the Main-Danube Canal that connects the Black Sea and the North Sea. In Vienna, there's a cocktail party and private orchestra recital or city tour before heading to Budapest for two days. This Australian-owned organization is the country's largest family-owned tour and cruise company, offering a variety of travel styles.
Their 15-day "Magnificent Europe" cruise begins in Amsterdam with a canal tour and cruises the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers before arriving in Budapest. The ship docks in Koblenz and takes a daytime cruise through the Rhine Gorge before landing in Miltenberg for a guided tour of the city. On day six, guests can choose a trip to Rothenburg or visit a family-owned farm for a home-cooked morning tea.
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