European River Cruise Specialist

Walking the streets in Koblenz

Planning a European river cruise often starts with a place you want to see. Maybe you've always wanted to sail the Rhine, visit the Christmas markets along the Danube, or spend time in the villages and vineyards of France. Then you start looking at the options and realize just how many there are.

At first glance, a lot of European river cruises can look very similar. The ships are smaller, the itineraries may visit many of the same places, and nearly everyone promises an immersive way to experience Europe. But once you start looking closer, the differences can be pretty significant.

The first big difference is the river itself. A Rhine River cruise through Germany, France and the Netherlands feels very different from sailing the Danube through Austria, Hungary and Central Europe. France offers another experience entirely, whether you're traveling through Normandy on the Seine or through wine country along the Rhône. Then there's Portugal's Douro River, where the scenery, vineyards and slower pace become a big part of the experience.

But choosing the itinerary is really only the beginning.

Choosing between European river cruise lines can be harder than it first appears. One of the things I encourage my clients to look closely at is how they want to spend their days once they get there. Some river cruise lines offer several excursion choices in each port, with options ranging from active bike rides and hikes to food and wine experiences or more traditional sightseeing. Others take a more structured approach. Neither is necessarily better, but it can make a big difference in how the trip feels.

The experience onboard varies, too. I've worked with a variety of river cruise lines, including AmaWaterways, Emerald, Scenic and Tauck, and I don't believe there's one that's right for everyone. What's included, the style of the ship, dining, excursions and overall atmosphere can be quite different. Sometimes paying more upfront includes things you would otherwise pay for separately. Other times, those extras may not matter to you at all. This is where comparing river cruises by price alone can get a little misleading.

One of the things I love about planning a European river cruise is looking beyond the cruise itself. If you're already flying to Europe, adding a few days before or after your sailing can give you time to experience a city that your river cruise may only touch briefly—or somewhere the itinerary doesn't visit at all. Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague and Lisbon are all great examples. It can also make the beginning of the trip feel much less rushed than landing in Europe and heading straight to the ship. 

And then there are European river cruises that are really about a particular experience. Christmas market river cruises, wine-focused sailings and tulip season can offer a completely different way to experience a destination. Even then, the river, itinerary and cruise line you choose matter.

That's probably what I enjoy most about planning European river cruises. Two trips can look almost identical when you're comparing them online and turn out to be very different vacations. The goal isn't to find the river cruise everyone says is the "best." It's to understand those differences well enough to find the one that's best for you.