Monday, April 1, 2024

Best River Cruises: Viking, Avalon, Tauck, UniWorld

best river cruise company

American Cruise Line sails all the waterways mentioned above, while Viking offers itineraries solely on the Mississippi. Additionally, Lindblad Expeditions has introduced a food-and-wine-centric river cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers. The entry-level cabin, the Petit Suite, is about 188 square feet is larger than most standard rooms, while the Deluxe Suite has French balconies, and opulent Explorer Suites boast large windows. All are butler-serviced river ships with a high, almost one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. Solo travelers will appreciate that there are dedicated Solo Traveler Suites with no surcharge for a non-double occupancy booking, which is unheard of with cruising. Programming and excursions are geared toward kids, To that end, expect a focus on storytelling rather than straight history lessons.

Best Value European River Cruise: Emerald Cruises, Emerald Luna

best river cruise company

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. I am a freelance journalist who has covered travel for over a decade and the cruise industry for several of those years. I've written about destinations ranging from the South China Sea to the Arctic and Norway.

Best European River Cruise Line for Unique Destinations: CroisiEurope

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. In addition to the main dining room, ships have smaller venues where every passenger can have a meal. There's also the exclusive Table La Rive fine dining experience for Diamond Deck suite guests. Daily activities feature a wide choice of included shore tours so you can personalize your cruise experience. Everyone goes to the cocktail parties, and getting to know your fellow passengers is a big part of the experience.

Pharaohs Nile Cruise Adventure - Return Flights Included

There are a fair amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the itineraries, which are almost always awe-inspiring. But if you think this a Disney river cruise would be all about the kids, you're wrong. Grownups may enjoy adult-only dinners and wine tastings, and there is actually a nice variety of adult-exclusive sailings (generally when school is in session), which offer more sophisticated offerings.

River Cruises for Young Adults: Are They Worth It? Just Back From Avalon Waterways' River Cruise on the Moselle - Cruise Critic

River Cruises for Young Adults: Are They Worth It? Just Back From Avalon Waterways' River Cruise on the Moselle.

Posted: Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

As for the bed itself, guests can choose their own mattress and pillow firmness from Avalon's Comfort Collection. It lacks the grandeur of the suites, and is small at about 172 square feet, and has small windows peaking above the waterline. European Waterways isn't the most widely known European river cruise line, but for travelers craving something truly intimate and unlike any other sailing, it's the best. AmaWaterways' partnership with Adventures by Disney means families are on board select chartered sailings on the Seine, Rhine and Danube. In addition to a big presence on all the main rivers of Europe, the line sails the Mekong and Nile, as well as the Chobe River of Botswana.

Best European River Cruise For Foodies: Riverside Luxury Cruises, Riverside Ravel

The eight-day "Sensations of Lyon & Provence" cruise begins in Lyon and heads to a quaint village and then south again towards Tournon, with its 16th-century castle. Along the way, guests can choose a hike through vineyards, canoe trip, village walking tours, or wine tasting onboard. For true indulgence, book a table at the fleetwide reservation-only Vintage Room, set up for private dining, with an extravagant seven-course wine-pairing menu. The experience is worth the $295 fee, especially for true oenophiles who will get to savor coveted Bordeaux Grand Crus. Other highlights include visiting a truffle farm near Viviers and savoring a selection of wines at Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard.

VIKING NAMED #1 RIVER AND OCEAN LINE IN LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR'S 2023 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE - PR Newswire

VIKING NAMED #1 RIVER AND OCEAN LINE IN LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR'S 2023 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE.

Posted: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Similar vessels sail France's lesser-known Elbe River and CroisiEurope is also the only line to sail on Spain's Guadalquivir River and the Vltava River in the Czech Republic. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The hand-held, everything-taken-care-of luxury experience that Tauck provides is hard to beat. For those seeking consistency and value, Viking is the best of the mainstream river companies. For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor.

Travel + Leisure Readers' 10 Favorite River Cruise Lines of 2023

Vicksburg, Mississippi, is home to one of the Civil War's most famous battlefields. Baton Rouge, Louisiana's capital, has something to satisfy every interest, from Cajun cuisine to tours of the restored World War II-era USS Kidd. Adventures by Disney is the best option for families since they curate their onboard and onshore activities with kids and teens in mind. Due to the size of the boats, the cabins are small, ranging from 80 square feet to about 300 square feet.

best US river cruises

Established in 1976, Croisi offers cruises on rivers, canals, and seas with a fleet of oceangoing ships, canal barges, and river cruise ships. The company's innovative approach allowed them to be pioneers on several rivers in Europe including the Gironde, Loire, Po, and Elbe, basing their ships' design on the characteristics of the waterways. Avalon features wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows with beds facing the views for ultimate enjoyment from their suites and staterooms. Their deluxe beds and luxurious linens provide comfort in spacious, quiet quarters with ample closet space. Avalon offers "Active & Discovery" river cruises with activities for a variety of energy and fitness levels, from traditional sightseeing to action-packed experiences. 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.

If exploring the central U.S. — Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri — without driving is appealing, consider the 15-night Grand Ohio River Cruise offered by American Cruise Lines. You'll enjoy regionally inspired dining and eclectic landmarks along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers as you sail. American Cruise Line offers this itinerary on five ships from April to October 2024, 2025 and 2026. Three of the ships (American Song, American Jazz and American Harmony) are 180-passenger modern river ships launched from 2018 to 2020. American Pride is a 150-passenger paddlewheeler launched in 2012, and American West is a 110-passenger veteran paddlewheeler launched in 1995. In Tennessee's two famous music cities, you'll have a chance to visit Elvis Presley's Graceland, stroll blues club-lined Beale Street and check out the Grand Ole Opry.

A naturalist, historian and geologist will be on hand to guide you on excursions by foot, kayak, Zodiac and jet boat. These excursions are all included in the price of the cruise and are considered part of the river experience, although they aren't included for the sole domestic option on our list, the American Queen Steamboat Company. The suites, which are about 300 square feet, have floor-to-ceiling windows, King-sized beds, and a lounge area with a daybed. There is a price difference between the first deck and the second deck, with the former being more affordable.

Activities include educational lectures from visiting professors, and well as local entertainment, and even Broadway-level performances. The ship's "Design Your Time" concierge service will help personalize your onboard and onshore experiences. The cuisine served onboard AmaWaterways ships is inspired by regional dishes and made with locally sourced ingredients. Throughout the voyages, they feature special drinking and dining events for guests along with entertainment themed to the country you're visiting such as a string quartet or folk dancing. Adventures by Disney is, unsurprisingly, one of the best river cruise lines for families in Europe. The line charters AmaWaterways and, while you shouldn't expect a bevy of Disney branding on the ship, Disney's Adventure Guides are trained to bring kids into the river cruise experience.

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.

European Waterways has 17 barges sailing along the less-visited waterways in the U.K., France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy. Most European Waterways ships are old working barges, though the casual houseboat atmosphere includes beautiful modern interiors. Each all-inclusive cruise holds just eight to 20 passengers and can also be chartered by families and groups. Perks include a roommate matching service for solo cruisers, competitively priced single supplements and group discounts, plus price match guarantees.

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