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Avalon offers "Active & Discovery" river cruises with activities for a variety of energy and fitness levels, from traditional sightseeing to action-packed experiences. With a number of cruise companies and rivers to choose from, planning a river cruise can take some time. Consulting with a travel advisor is always a good idea, and there's plenty of information available online as well.
Danube river cruises: an ultimate guide to cruising Budapest and beyond
Some of my favorite cruise experiences include sailing the Rhine during fall or a transatlantic voyage on the Queen Mary 2 during summer. I adore my home city, London, the west coast of Ireland and New York, where I once spent a summer living in Brooklyn Heights on a work abroad program. Outside of travel, my passions are my veggie patch, my record collection and spending time with friends and family. Among the companies offering cruises along the Danube are A-ROSA Cruises, with whom we have partnered to bring you our remarkable river cruise. A-ROSA has 20-plus years of experience in sailing couples, families, groups and solo travellers along some of Europe’s loveliest rivers in laidback style, giving you lots of freedom to explore port stops at your own pace. The Danube is a year-round destination with the exception of January and February, when few cruise lines operate here.
Cruises
Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The one-week route doesn't take you far but does include the walled city of Padua, the charming fishing village of Chioggia, and the culinary mecca of Bologna. You might also have the option of a side trip to Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Mozart — and also where several scenes for the movie "Sound of Music" were filmed. A surprise for many is Old Town Bratislava, Slovakia, which might not have been on your must-do list but which charms with its beer culture and castles.
Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
Year-Round European River Cruising: Is a 12-Month Season That Far Off? - Travel Weekly
Year-Round European River Cruising: Is a 12-Month Season That Far Off?.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Or you can choose to explore on your own, which is easy since your ship often will dock right in town. You’ll berth at towns that reverberate with the names found on sought after red wine labels, finally arriving at the culinary and architectural box of delights that is Lyon. Danube cruises can be great value, with our cruise through Austria, Hungary and Slovakia starting just over £2,000 per person for a week. All meals and drinks, including sparkling wines and cocktails, are included, as are snacks and afternoon tea.
For a lazy, dreamy, wonderful river cruise experience, nothing quite beats exploring the wine regions of Portugal on the Douro, one of the major rivers through the Iberian Peninsula. The home base for these river cruises is Porto, Portugal, with its historic city center, spectacular bridges and port houses. Exploring France by travelling on three of its rivers, with extended stays at ports of call to explore their hinterland, is a great way to truly discover the country.
The intimate 96-passenger Scenic Azure winds through the port-producing (and UNESCO-listed) Douro Valley, with its terraced vineyards, olive groves and tranquil towns and villages. The itinerary sees Scenic whisk passengers to historic vineyards and cellars in Regua, Vinhateiro and the Côa Valley to sip on local wines and Port. An unmissable outing for couples is a private classical concert at the beguiling Sao Francisco Church in Porto, offered as one of the cruise line’s “Scenic Enrich” experiences. Emerald offers both yacht and river cruises, with a range of cruises on the rivers in Europe. Founded in 2013, Emerald now features a fleet of nine "Star-Ships," with stylish suites, first-class amenities, and room for 180 guests.
A jaunty kids' club with a climbing wall and secret nooks is positioned next to 12 family cabins, each sleeping up to five, featuring nautical-themed bunk beds. The 280-passenger ship—the largest on the Rhine—has a kids’ splash pool next to a larger pool, with some sailings offering kids swimming lessons for an extra fee. Mealtimes are peachy, too, with dishes such as dressed salmon and pork goulash, plus a children's buffet luring kids to the table.
The ultimate destination for great wine & cuisine.
THE 25 BEST River Cruises to Europe (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST River Cruises to Europe (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:45:27 GMT [source]
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. Ships visit such cultural hubs as Vienna, with its opera and art museums and elaborate royal palaces, and Budapest, Hungary, with its magnificent architecture and modern vibe.
Founded in 2017 with the goal of making European river cruises more economical and personalized, family-owned American company Teeming River Cruises developed a different river cruise model. Instead of pre-programmed group activities, guests create their own unique experiences with a complimentary city tour app for each destination. This German company offers 30 years of experience on Europe's rivers, and has a fleet of 26 river ships in addition to the expedition ship World Voyager and oceangoing Vasco Da Gama. The company's "time to discover" philosophy focuses on intensive travel experiences, shore excursions, and varied culinary offerings. 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.
Plus offers come and go, so it’s always a good idea to look around before you book. The chance to experience and compare the Provençal lifestyle of Arles with the Franco-German culture of Strasbourg. Explore Avignon’s grand Palace of the Popes and Cologne’s majestic cathedral, both Unesco sites. The pink-sandstone facade of the Gothic-style Strasbourg Cathedral, with its cache of ancient murals and astronomical clock, looms large. Canals branch off from the main river course creating scenic walkways and bridges, adding to the allure of the ancient cityscape. Explore the red, half timbered houses of Bernkastel and play spot the castle as you sail further south along the Rhine Valley.
If your ship passes the Hungarian Parliament building at night, you're in for a treat; magnificently lit, it's one of the most photographed sights on the river. River cruising in Europe is one of those delightfully slow and easy modes of travel. You're in a small floating hotel, exploring calm inland waters, gliding past castles and vineyards and scenery that changes by the hour. VANCOUVER — Hot off the press is Emerald Cruises’ 2025 Europe River Cruises brochure, featuring fleet updates, new EmeraldPLUS experiences and early booking offers.
With a visit to the double walled city of Carcassonne and also Pézenas, Languedoc’s ancient capital, a truffle hunt, a private wine tasting and passing through Europe’s oldest canal tunnel, this cruise lets you get under the skin of Provence. Ultraluxury lines such as Seabourn and Silversea are in the mix for summer 2021, along with boutique lines such as France-based Ponant and Windstar, with its 148-passenger, four-masted Wind Star sailing ship. We’re honored to have been named the #1 luxury river cruise line in the world by the experts at Cruise Critic. 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.
For those looking for a longer experience, Uniworld cleverly combines a Po cruise with luxury rail journeys to places like Istanbul, Switzerland and beyond. A short ferry, train or plane ride lets you explore the châteaux of the Loire and the wonders of Paris on Seine, while a trip down the Rhône brings you Van Gogh’s favourite café and the opportunity to dance “sur le Pont d’Avignon”, for a small fee. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule provided with your final documents.
Explore Angers with its Terra Botanica, a plant-themed amusement park, the Château d’Angers and its Apocalypse Tapestry and the museum of St Nazaire. The 96-guest MS Loire Princess adds to the experience as a luxury paddle steamer designed specifically for the river. Perched on the banks of the Saône, Mâcon has a café-lined promenade, while an overnight stay in Lyon lets you enjoy the city’s best restaurants and watering holes.
The stellar 2022-built Viking Egdir, carrying 190 passengers, offers a ringside seat of bucolic vineyards and medieval castles on the Rhine, Main and Danube. It also takes passengers to some of Europe's blockbuster cities, including Budapest, Vienna, Cologne and Amsterdam. Passengers can sip on fine wines in the Wachau Valley, wander Regensburg's UNESCO-listed old town and marvel at Vienna's Habsburg-period architecture. Itineraries feature guided trips to revered museums, cathedrals, and palaces—complemented by slow days sailing these scenic waterways. The doyen of Europe's waterways is the adults-only Viking Cruises, a multifaceted cruise line that also boasts a fleet of ocean and expedition vessels.
