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Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, a Favorite of U.S. Tourists

As the continent faces a severe drought, companies have had to use buses to transport passengers along parts of the Rhine and the Danube, where water levels have become too low for riverboats.

By Jenny Gross

• Aug. 29, 2022

Mark Farmer’s two-week river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest got off to a bad start. For the first four days, there were no luxurious dinners overlooking the Rhine River or views from the top-deck balcony room that he and his wife had booked.

In fact, there was no boat at all. He and the other 150 or so passengers were shuttled around the Netherlands and Germany on buses, queuing up in long lines for bathrooms at highway rest stops and cramming into small restaurants.

“We were not happy,” said Mr. Farmer, a sales manager for a waste and recycling company. He and his wife, who live in Arizona, had booked the August trip, which had cost $18,000 including business-class flights, to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.

One of Europe’s worst droughts in decades has left the water level of parts of the Rhine and the Danube Rivers too low for ships to pass, paralyzing commerce and causing disruptions for companies that transport goods and commodities like oil and coal. The drought has also affected river cruises, forcing passengers to cope with last-minute changes to their itineraries, long bus rides and missed excursions.

River cruising is a multibillion-dollar industry, with 1.6 million travelers, many of whom were over the age of 55, cruising European rivers in 2018, a number that had nearly doubled from 2013, according to Statista , a provider of market and consumer data. Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, said the largest group of passengers come from North America.

Nearly 65 percent of European Union territory is currently under some degree of drought warning, according to the European Drought Observatory , which aims to improve drought resilience. Droughts are likely to become more frequent, researchers say, even as hurricanes and other large storms bring flooding to other places around the globe. Climate change from the burning of fossil fuels and other human behavior can play out differently, according to scientists, but the common theme is that extreme weather is becoming more frequent and intense.

Rudi Schreiner, the president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, a river cruise company with a fleet of 26 ships, said that when water levels in the Lower Rhine are too low, cruise passengers are taken on an excursion to a nearby town by bus and then brought back to a spot on the river where water levels are higher. For each day that the cruise itinerary differs from what was scheduled, a passenger receives a voucher for 15 percent off the next seven-night cruise, he said.

Rainfall in Germany last week has provided relief, but the reprieve may be temporary. “The question is how long it will last,” Mr. Schreiner said. AmaWaterways is looking for new technologies to lower the draft of its ships so they can pass through shallower waters. “I don’t see any death of river cruising ,” he said. “I see adjustments.”

Even ships that are able to pass through the Rhine have had to reduce the capacity of their loads, since heavy cargo weighs down ships and causes difficulties in shallow waters.

For Mr. Farmer, the last straw came on day three of his trip, when Viking, the operator, arranged for the guests to stay in a hotel that Mr. Farmer described as subpar, with a man in a building next to the hotel staring into their room when he and his wife walked in.

“That night, my wife and I had had enough. I wanted to go home,” he said. But after two hours on hold with customer service, it became apparent that Viking wouldn’t be giving him a refund. So, he said, he and his wife decided they would change their attitudes. They boarded the ship the next day, and the trip improved significantly.

Viking, which offers trips in Europe, said the circumstances that affected that trip were “highly unusual,” with the Rhine and the Danube Rivers experiencing historically low levels. “We recognized that this was not the experience that our guests expected, which is why we provided all guests with a 15 percent credit toward their next Viking voyage, in the form of a voucher good for one year,” a spokesman said. Customer ratings during the dry period have been “highly satisfactory,” he added.

The company also said in a statement last week that the vast majority of its trips faced no interruptions, even though water levels on the Danube remained unusually low. “Our nautical team is continually monitoring the situation,” the company said. “Guests and their travel advisers will continue to be notified directly by Viking customer relations if we think that their itinerary might be impacted.”

Another passenger on a different Viking cruise this month, Scott Myers, said he and his wife loved their trip, despite viewing one of the most picturesque stretches of the Rhine from a bus.

“It wasn’t as good as if you were sitting on top of the boat as you were floating through, but we were still able to see all the castles,” said Mr. Myers, the director of a county park district in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife were able to spend all but one day of their trip on the cruise they had originally booked. That one day on land involved six or seven hours on a bus, traveling from Cologne, Germany, to Strasbourg, France, with stops, he said.

The pace of climate change has affected other aspects of summer tourism in Europe. With heat waves expected to intensify because of global warming, it is expected that travelers will shift their summer itineraries to destinations further north or on the coasts from destinations like Rome or Tuscany, according to travel agents.

Ellen Bettridge, the president and chief executive of Uniworld, a river cruise company, said that in response to the changing weather in Europe, the company last year expanded into luxury train travel, with itineraries that include both cruise and rail components.

“While we cannot predict future weather changes, we are preparing for it,” she said in a statement. “Our longstanding history and unparalleled relationships within the travel industry have allowed us to be flexible in creating alternate itineraries.” She said most trips had been unaffected, and that the company has had to cancel 7 percent of its cruises.

Lisa Wheeler-Pollington, who had booked a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest with her husband, said low water levels in the Rhine caused Uniworld to cancel their trip nine days before they were scheduled to depart for Europe.

“My heart just fell,” said Ms. Wheeler-Pollington, a retired real estate worker, who lives in Sarasota, Fla. She and her husband could not reschedule because they had already arranged care for their two Labradors, Cruiser and Scooby-Doo, and contractors were scheduled to do repair work at the house. So Ms. Wheeler-Pollington and her husband accepted a refund and made their way from Amsterdam to Budapest by rail.

It ended up being the best trip of their lives. “Sometimes the unexpected is a lot more fun than things you’ve planned for a year,” she said.

Mr. Farmer, the sales manager from Arizona, said he wished that he and his wife had been offered a refund. On the second-to-last day of their trip, the cruise had to dock in a town far outside Budapest because of shallow waters in the Danube. Passengers then were back on the bus for a 90-minute drive to the city, he said.

The group toured the city by bus and then drove back to the boat for their final night, before waking up at 3 a.m. to get back on the bus to the Budapest airport for their departing flights.

Mr. Farmer and his wife received a $500 voucher each toward their next Viking cruise, but he said he was not rushing back for another river cruise any time soon. “I literally saw Budapest through a bus window.”

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for the The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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Seriously Low Water Levels Are Disrupting European River Cruises

As rivers dry up during one of the worst droughts in recent european history, river cruise passengers should be prepared for last-minute itinerary changes..

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Europe is in the midst of one of its worst droughts in recent history—how will that affect summer cruising?

Photo by Shutterstock/Travelpixs

Earlier this month, I sailed on my first-ever river cruise along the Rhine, with an itinerary that had stops in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Switzerland. I was looking forward to exploring the many museums of Amsterdam and wandering through the vineyard villages of Alsace. But as we embarked on our journey in the Netherlands one thing became a constant during the cruise: a thick white waterline along the embankment that followed the river all the way from Germany to Switzerland. It served as a grim reminder of where the water once was, and where it is now—depressingly low.

To ensure that we could continue without running aground, our ship sailed along slowly and carefully, since parts of the Rhine are notoriously challenging to navigate because of treacherous hidden rocks, especially with so little water. While I was still able to do and see the things I had hoped to along the way, ultimately, the entire cruise itinerary ended up being affected, and we had much less time than usual in ports due to the slower pace. My Rhine River sailing with AmaWaterways was one among many river cruises this summer feeling the effects of climate change that have led to extreme drought conditions and shockingly low water levels this summer in Europe.

Across the continent, a historic heat wave and an increasingly unstable Gulf stream —which usually brings wet weather and rain to Europe—have meant that many inland waterways have effectively been drying up, affecting both cruising and trade vessels. Serbian, Romanian, and Bulgarian authorities overseeing the Danube, one of the largest and most important cruising arteries in Europe, have already started conducting emergency dredging (the removal of sediments and debris) of that river to keep vessels moving. Italy’s longest river, the Po, is also struggling and has completely disappeared in some areas as northern Italy experiences one of the worst dry spells it’s seen in 70 years.

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is famous for its scenic vineyard views and villages. It’s also known for being treacherous to navigate.

Photo by Shutterstock/Kanuman

The Rhine, which regularly sees cargo ships carrying wheat, petrol, steel, and coal traveling up and down the river, has also been seriously affected, with water levels dipping below 16 inches in some key navigational areas. Experts warn that the river could reach critically low levels that might affect trade and cruising in mere days, potentially halting it completely. And the European Commission’s Joint Research Center warned this week that drought conditions will worsen over the coming days. During normal weather conditions on the Rhine, about 2,100 gallons of water flow through any one point per second—the flow rate is now down to zero gallons in some places, according to the Associated Press .

Though European river cruising remains in full swing this season, passengers with upcoming sailings should be prepared for possible last-minute changes to itineraries and bookings—as well as cancellations if the situation continues to worsen and ships simply cannot sail for a time—since ships rely on real-time river conditions. During times of drought, being bused between ports in trouble spots is not uncommon, nor is doing what is referred to as a “ship swap,” when passengers on two separate vessels that cannot sail any further due to low water levels will disembark, get bused to another ship, and swap ships owned by the same river cruise line so that they can continue with their itinerary.

During my trip, passengers aboard the new AmaLucia still had a wonderful time and we managed to hit all the stops on our itinerary, but at a slower pace. However, be prepared for shorter excursion times and potential ship swaps. Since low water levels are a greater concern during late summer, consider booking a cruise in the spring or early summer months to be safe.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

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What to Expect On Europe's Rivers

Although there's no better way to explore Europe's great cities, castle-dotted countryside and vineyards by riverboat, situations may arise that are beyond our control. In the event we need to modify your journey for any reason, you can trust that we will make every effort to communicate with you and to preserve your experience.   Water Levels Unpredictable weather can result in both low and high water conditions that can impact your planned itinerary. These changes may include swapping riverboats or arranging for ground transportation to circumvent a bridge (high water) or water levels that are too low to be passible. Rest assured, we have many years of experience with these potential events and our team – and network of trusted partners – are well-prepared to make any necessary adjustments to preserve your experience.  Water levels are explained further in the video above.

Double-Docking "Rafting" All riverboat companies have dock assignments and sometimes due to increased traffic, docks can get double- or even triple-booked. As riverboats may also have specific docking needs, yours might be "rafted" to the boat next to the pier, requiring you to walk through or over (via staircase), a different riverboat. It is likely that you will experience this on your trip at some point, only adding to the overall flavor of cruising on the rivers of Europe.

Docks and Locks Most docks are centrally located, however, some may be further away from city centers. Assignments are determined by factors such as riverboat traffic, river current, water levels and city layout. Passing through locks along the river is a fascinating part of your upcoming journey. Again, depending on traffic, water levels and potential mechanical issues, lock transit may take longer than expected. Don't miss this unique opportunity… when possible, head up to the top deck and enjoy this engineering experience!

Mobility Onboard and Ashore Ashore – Guests with restricted mobility may have difficulty managing the pedestrian-only city centers, cobblestone streets and uneven surfaces that exist throughout Old World Europe.

Onboard – Guests may need to walk across narrow gangways and ascend or descend stairs when embarking or disembarking the riverboat due to "double-docking" or the docking location. An able traveling companion who can help guests who require assistance must accompany them throughout their journey.

Learn More From an Expert While river cruising is one of the best ways to explore the heart of Europe, situations may arise that are beyond our control. Go with the flow of a Tauck river cruise as Michelle Molnar, Senior Product Manager for River Cruising, shares insights about what to expect on Europe's rivers. You'll hear personal anecdotes about Michelle's recent riverboat travels, learn about the twists and turns she encountered along the way, and how Tauck handled them in the best interests of our guests.

View Our River Cruises

What to Expect on Europe's Rivers

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Live information about european river cruise ports., port see is a joint venture of ddcp, acp, port of amsterdam and must see, why port see, in these times of covid-19 we need to join forces and collaborate to make the river cruise sector strong again., with the system port see you will find live information about all the river ports in europe. data that you can find in the system: actual mooring places, facilities, actual covid measures, contact details of ports and much more., covid-19 measures.

Each port has it’s own measures, found which ones here.

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A port could be open, but if the city/museums etc are mostly closed it is not a attractive city to go with a river cruise.

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Europe's Drought Will Happen Again: Here's How River Cruises Are Preparing

Adaptability is the name of the game

You've likely heard the news: extreme drought in Europe this summer has drained rivers, and the low water levels have been causing some river cruises to alter their itineraries. Sometimes, passengers rode buses between specific ports of call rather than sail the river on the ships.

While such disruptions are a significant frustration for travelers, they are, unfortunately, a fact of life for river cruising. Ship traffic, including cargo traffic, is continually impacted by rivers' water levels. And while droughts like this one come and go, there is an overall trend toward droughts becoming more common—and more severe—as time goes on. Fortunately, river cruise lines are doing everything possible to prepare for ever-changing weather conditions.

"During the summer, droughts are common in Europe and many other places. Recent significant droughts in Europe occurred in 2003, 2015, 2018, and 2019," said Stephen Bennett, chief climate officer of climate impact consultancy Demex . He also serves as the American Meteorological Society's Financial Weather and Climate Risk Management Committee chairman.

But Bennett notes that this drought was particularly severe because it was so widespread. "According to the European Drought Observatory, 64 percent of the E.U. territory is under drought conditions," he said. "This is qualified as a one in 500-year drought, which means that it is so severe that it has only a 0.2 percent chance of happening in any given year. Scientists in France have declared this the worst drought since records began in 1958."

This is certainly not the last time Europe will face such conditions. "The frequency of droughts has substantially increased over the last half-century, and there are strong links between these droughts and climate change. Climate change is making droughts more frequent, severe, and pervasive," said Marty Bell, chief science officer at WeatherFlow , which provides weather data and AI-driven modeling for consumers and businesses.

To make matters worse, it's not just droughts that affect river cruises—the opposite conditions can impact them, too. "On the flip side, if there is heavy spring rain or unusually high temperatures that cause a drastic snowmelt—many rivers originate high in the mountains—or if there is torrential rain for a prolonged period of time at any time of year, the rivers may swell or flood, which could also cause problems by preventing ships from passing under the bridges," said Ming Tappin, a freelance cruise writer and founder of Your Cruise Coach .

Because river cruising is so dependent on water levels, whether in drought or flood conditions, cruise lines have come up with solutions to minimize interruptions. "River cruise lines always have multiple ships sailing on the same river from opposite directions. So in the event that a part of the river becomes impassable, a 'ship swap' is performed," added Tappin. In that case, both ships approach the troublesome point on the river, and the passengers transfer from one vessel to the other. Then the ships return to their point of origin, so the passengers get to sail the complete itinerary.

River cruise ships are also specifically designed to have shallow drafts, which means their keels, or the lowest points of the vessel, are not that far beneath the water's surface. That allows the ships to sail in shallow rivers. Some ships can adjust their ballast, making their drafts even shallower.

There are, of course, times when rivers become entirely impassable. "In extreme circumstances where the water levels prevent ships from sailing, and a ship swap is not possible, the river cruise will become a land-based holiday," said Tappin. "Guests will continue their tour on motorcoaches and stay in hotels along the way. Everything that would have been included on the river ship—meals, tours—would still be included on the land trip."

So, what if you're a passenger on an affected river cruise sailing? Are you entitled to a refund? "In all cruise contracts, it is written that the cruise line has a right to alter itineraries if necessary," said Nancy Yale, a travel advisor with Cruise and World Travel , a Virtuoso Agency. There's an argument to be made here for purchasing cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) travel insurance, which would get you your money back if you decide to back out of the trip before departure. (Bennet's company Demex has even started offering extreme weather insurance , though it's primarily for homeowners and business owners.)

But despite what's in the fine print, river cruise passengers are not necessarily out of luck for some form of compensation from the cruise lines. "I have seen them offer their guests a pro-rated refund or a credit towards booking a future cruise," said Tappin. "Some cruise lines may even offer a full refund of their current cruise in addition to a booking incentive for a future cruise."

If your trip is affected by water levels, remember that it's out of your cruise line's control—no one wants to change the itinerary. Your best bet is to take the trip in stride, as you'll likely still be visiting the same ports advertised when you booked the sailing. "They make every effort to fulfill the itinerary either by land or river," said Yale.

The New York Times. " Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, A Favorite of U.S. Tourists. " August 29, 2022.

Global Drought Observatory. " Drought in Europe ." August 2022, Page 1.

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Could Low Water Levels Ruin Your European River Cruise?

When Julia Slater signed up for an AmaWaterways cruise on the Danube last year, she was expecting a voyage from the historic German city of Nuremberg through southern Germany, Slovakia and Austria to Budapest, Hungary. But just days before the seven-night trip was set to begin, in late October, she got some troubling news. Low water on the river was forcing a change of plan.

"We were notified they were switching our embarkation from Nuremberg to Vilshofen, Germany," said the 50-year-old purchasing and compliance manager from Moorestown, New Jersey, who had booked the sailing with her husband and two other couples. "And we were told at that point that there was a really good chance the ship wouldn't be able to make it all the way to Budapest."

The Slaters and their friends weren't the only ones getting such notices. Historically low water levels on the Danube and the Rhine last year, caused by unusually warm and dry weather conditions across central Europe, disrupted hundreds of river cruise departures operated by AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways , Viking River Cruises and other lines.

In most cases, the disruptions were relatively minor, affecting just a day or two of the itinerary. But as frustrated passengers have recounted in great detail at online sites such as River Cruise Advisor , some voyages were significantly altered. Some cruisers found themselves being bused long distances to destinations on their itinerary that had suddenly become unreachable by ship. In some extreme cases, passengers were moved to hotels for part of their trips when their vessels could go no farther. A few voyages were canceled outright.

"It was extreme last year," said David Porter, president and CEO of Roaming Boomers Travel Services , a Scottsdale, Arizona-based travel agency that caters heavily to river cruisers. "It was just a long, ugly mess."

It's also the sort of thing that happens very infrequently.

Should you worry about low-water levels affecting your river cruise this year and beyond? Probably not as much as you think. Years like 2018 are extremely rare.

"The last time there was anything even close to this was 2003, and the last time before that was 100 years ago," said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways.

In a typical year, just a handful of sailings in Europe are affected by low (or high) water, Hoffee told TPG . In some years, such as 2017, pretty much every voyage goes off without a hitch.

"The reality of river cruising is that it does rely on the right level of water, but in general the water levels are fine," she said.

Even during years marked by drastically low water on Europe's rivers, such as 2018, disruptions to itineraries aren't across the board. Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways, estimates only about 80 of the line's 600 departures in Europe in 2018 were impacted. As Schreiner noted, only the Danube and the Rhine were affected by the warm and dry weather across central Europe, and not until the second half of the summer into the fall. Water levels on France's Seine and Rhone rivers, and on the Douro in Portugal, were generally fine.

As the Slaters experienced, the typical disruption didn't have a huge impact on the vacation experience. Instead of boarding their ship, the 162-passenger AmaSonata, in Nuremberg, the couple met it about 140 miles to the southeast in Vilshofen, an area just below a known choke point on the Danube that often becomes impassable during periods of low water. The change meant they missed touring Nuremberg completely. They also had to be bused more than an hour to what was supposed to have been their first port stop, the medieval city of Regensburg, Germany.

On the flipside, AmaWaterways replaced the lost day at Nuremberg with a stop at the cozy Danube town of Grein, Austria, where passengers were treated to a tour and Champagne reception at the town's perfectly preserved 15th-century castle.

"It was an awesome excursion that we wouldn't have experienced if we had done the regular trip," said Slater, who gives AmaWaterways high marks for rearranging the schedule on the fly. "It actually was one of my favorite stops of the entire trip."

Slater said AmaWaterways also gave everyone on board a free excursion to Salzburg, Austria, something that normally comes with an extra charge. And when she got home, she received a credit for about $750 off a future cruise as an apology for the changes.

"I really didn't expect that," she said, noting that, despite the initial warnings, her ship was able to travel all the way downriver to Budapest, as planned. "The credit was very generous."

Compensation of some sort is typical when river cruises are significantly disrupted. Schreiner said AmaWaterways gave passengers on seven-night sailings a 15 percent credit toward a future cruise for each day they experienced a disruption on a voyage.

Hoffee said Avalon in most cases refunded a portion of the cruise fare to passengers who had to spend a night or more in a hotel instead of on a ship — something that happened on about 10 percent of the line's voyages. When Avalon knew in advance that passengers would have to spend time in a hotel, it also offered passengers the chance to cancel without penalty.

One of the places where river cruisers last year sometimes found themselves in a hotel instead of on board a ship, as expected, was Budapest. Toward the end of the year, the Danube got so low on the short stretch between Vienna, Austria and the city that lines had to stop ships in Vienna and bus passengers onward to Budapest — a journey of about two-and-a-half hours. They then put them up in hotels for the final day of touring.

Another strategy that river cruise operators employed in 2018 was what is known as "the ship swap." Passengers on a ship on one side of an impassable section of river change places with passengers on a sister ship on the other side of the impasse before continuing with the itinerary. Lines such as Avalon and AmaWaterways operate fleets of identical vessels, meaning that ship-swapping passengers end up in the exact same cabin they had occupied before. In some cases in 2018, passengers had to do more than one ship swap during a single voyage, which is extremely rare.

If the possibility of having to endure that sort of disruption is something you just can't tolerate, it doesn't mean you have to swear off booking a river cruise. Travel agents such as Porter point out there are travel insurance policies that will let you cancel a voyage at the very last minute without penalty if it looks like it might be disrupted by low-water conditions. They're known as "cancel-for-any-reason" policies, and they're offered by many river cruise lines as well as independent travel insurance companies. Some policies offer a full refund. Others give you a credit toward a future trip.

Avalon, for instance, offers a cancel-for-any-reason policy that will allow a customer to cancel a voyage up to 24 hours before departure for a credit that can be used on a later trip. The insurance costs from $249 to $379 per person, depending on the cost of the cruise.

One upscale river cruise operator, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours , has also offered a "river cruise guarantee" since 2017 that promises at least partial refunds for voyages marred by high or low water. Included in the cost of the cruise, the guarantee kicks in when a ship is unable to proceed, and passengers must be bused three or more hours to destinations on the itinerary. It also applies in the case of a ship swap that results in a delay of more than 24 hours.

Such policies could become more important if, as some people are predicting, unusual weather events like the extended dryness in central Europe in 2018 become more common due to climate change.

Still, river cruise industry leaders say they haven't seen a pattern yet that gives them pause.

"It's hard to say that [what happened in 2018] had to do with global warming," said AmaWaterways' Schreiner, who has followed river water levels in Europe closely for nearly three decades. "My feeling is this was a unique year. You will have these unique years maybe every 10 or 15 years."

Schreiner noted that river lines are building 19 new vessels for Europe's rivers this year. If there was serious concern in the industry about future water levels, you wouldn't be seeing this, he suggested. "It seems like demand is still growing, and the cruise lines are not too concerned."

Also not too concerned? The Slaters and their friends. Despite the disruption to their October cruise on the Danube, the three couples have already booked another Europe river trip with AmaWaterways. It'll be on the Douro in 2020. Even if there were to be a disruption due to water issues, Slater doesn't see it as a dealbreaker.

"You're still on vacation," she said. "There's still great food and drink, great people and you're going to beautiful places. Can the trip really be ruined?"

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Best time of year for a european river cruise.

Posted by David Porter on Monday, June 1, 2015 · 19 Comments  

River Cruise Climatologist

What is the best time of year for a European river cruise?

This can be a very tricky question to answer.  And to be frank, even the most experienced travelers are going to be disappointed from time to time.

Sure, there are “experts” out there (like this guy pictured to the right), but the truth of the matter is: specific weather patterns are very difficult to predict six to twelve months out.

Our Sad Story

Carol and I tend to like to travel to Europe in the shoulder seasons (April, May, Sept, Oct).  The weather is generally cooler, the massive summer crowds gone, and you can often get more bang for your buck.

A while back, Carol and I flew off to the south of France for a long-awaited river cruise with our friends at Viking River Cruises. As we landed in London to swap planes and head to Marseilles, we got an email from Viking telling us that our river cruise was going to be disrupted by high water levels.  You can read the whole story by clicking here .

When we got to our starting point in Avignon, Viking offered their clients the option of leaving the sailing with a refund of the unused portion of their cruise, or continue on with the hopes of lower water levels in the coming days.  We opted to stay, and as it turned out, we never got to sail and wound up using our cruise ship as a hotel with luxury coach excursions to and from our ship each day.  But, at the end of this experience, even though we did get to see nearly all of our desired locations, Viking still offered their guests a 50% discount off of a future sailing.  Very generous, indeed.  You can read about that by clicking here .

So, if we got foiled, what’s a person to do?  When is the best time of year for a river cruise?

Well, before I make an attempt to offer a few tips on this subject, let’s take a peek at a helpful video from our friends at Tauck River Cruises:

Click for larger view.

So, as you can see in this video, high water, low water, and broken locks can disrupt a river cruise.  While these things are definitely not the norm, what can we do to stack the odds in our favor so that these river gods and nixes don’t disrupt our vacation?

While not all high water occurs in the spring, spring rains and snowmelt are generally the culprits for most springtime high water events.  If you look at the map I’ve included, you can see which areas of Europe are most prone to flooding.

And, oh look, there’s our Rhône river in France!  It’s highly prone to high waters as the French Alps are nearby and shedding snowmelt into the river.

Now to make this even more difficult, we don’t know when this spring snowmelt is going to occur.  We interacted with a couple on our Facebook Page who had taken our same exact cruise a week prior and had absolutely no difficulty.  And, I suspect that the group behind us enjoyed smooth sailing as well.

Travel Tips: Best Time of the Year for European River Cruises

• If you’re river cruising Europe in April, May and even early June, the rivers flowing through the darkest regions in the map above provide the greatest opportunity for high water levels.  These include the Rhône and certain portions of the Rhine.  We had clients sailing the Rhine while we were sailing the Rhône.  They had to swap river cruise ships one afternoon, but other than that, the rest of their journey was just fine.
• Alternatively, if you’re river cruising in the spring, the Bordeaux region of France, the Seine around Paris, and the Douro River in Spain might make good options for less high water probabilities. It looks like the Rhône is best in the late spring, summer and fall.
• Predicting low water levels?  No can do.  It totally depends on the summer weather and each individual country’s management of the water levels.
• Predicting broken locks?  No can do.  When we sailed the Danube, we sailed through 11 different locks.  We encountered no problems, but it must happen on occasion and back up the river traffic for a bit.
• European summers are a very busy time for travel and river cruises.  Most of the river cruise lines completely sell out in the summer months, requiring that you book at least a year in advance.
• European summers can be hot and posses very large crowds in popular cities.  But, this is also the time of year when you find many fun festivals to visit.  So, maybe hot weather and fun festivals are more your cup of tea.
• Fall can bring beautiful foliage, lower temps, and again, the large crowds will be gone.
• Christmas cruises on the Rhine and Danube can be wonderful times.  The temps will be towards the cold side (layer your clothing), but the cities are absolutely beautiful all dressed up for Christmas.  We did the Danube in very early December and completely loved the experience.

I know that this wasn’t a very definitive answer to my initial question.  But the truth is, I don’t have one of those goofy hats (pictured at the top of our article), and therefore, I’m not a river cruise climatologist and don’t have a definitive answer.

Your best course of action?   Be certain to include water level probabilities in your discussions and be aware of the possible risks.  No one can ever promise you absolute perfection with every travel experience.  Airline strikes, volcanoes, floods, and stifling hot weather are just a few of the things that can pop up to make a mess of your vacation.  Do your best to contemplate the things that can go wrong, and then be flexible.  You can’t predict all things, but you can decide to make lemonade out of lemons.  Right?  🙂

How to Book a River Cruise?

Are you thinking about a fun European river cruise?  Give us a call at (480) 550-1235 and we can help you sort through the options, discuss potential obstacles, and book a wonderful sailing.  When you book with us, the price is never higher than doing it yourself, and many, many times we have special pricing options available that are not widely known to the general public. 

If you prefer, you can also use our online information request by clicking here .

Category: Blog , Travel News & Tips · Tags: European River Cruise , Viking River Cruises

19 Comments on “ Best Time of Year for a European River Cruise ”

Interested in cruising September, October. My partner and I are looking for upper and a 2for 1 would be great. The route would be from Basel to Amsterdam. Wondering about weather and water levels, from your experience.

September is a very popular month for river cruising, and if you look, you’ll also notice that because of the demand, prices are generally the highest in September. Folks like September because the weather is still lovely and the crowds are gone.

Generally speaking, high water issues come with the spring snow melt in mountainous regions, and further high/low water issues are weather driven. For example, a few years ago, there was a drought in the Danube region which produced low water issues for the ships. Water levels are difficult to predict, but “generally” not an issue in September, October.

I will pop you an email, and if you like, we can take this conversation offline. Thanks for reaching out.

we have cruised with Viking river 7 times and have only run into one minor problem with high or low water. that was near lyon in the summer when a bunch of thunder storms dumped plenty of rain and guess where it went. to the river. by the way that is the only summer cruise we have taken. most of our cruises are around Thanksgiving time. tulip time in Holland we have found is the hardest cruise to time to predict.

We’ve been stuck in Lyon on a river cruise as well. With the French and Swiss Alps feeding The Rhône, it can be tricky in that area.

Leaving on Uniworls River Cruise Nov. 30 to Dec 7.. Austria and Germany.. Vienna to Nuremberg…. What do you wear on the ship and what coat should I bring? Can you give me an idea of the weather ? Thank you..

This will help you with your what to wear question: https://www.uniworld.com/en/faq/ And this should help you understand the weather: https://www.accuweather.com/en/at/vienna/31868/november-weather/31868

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I saw and appreciate your answer to Brenda, above. We are cruising the Rhine with Uniworld, from Amsterdam to Basel, on November 5 of this year (the last sailing for that itinerary of the season). Given all the water level issues right now, I was wondering if you have any info or experience with Rhine water levels in November on the Rhine?

Boy, I’d hesitate to give you an answer. River levels are difficult to predict. From our experience, we don’t generally see any issues at that time of year. But, the moment I say that they’ll have a colossal draught and you will be disappointed.

I just came off that river trip and the water was very low. We had to bus three hours to another ship waiting for us upstream. Beautiful trip even with that switch of boats!

Hi Claire, we’re glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip, in spite of the water issues. 🙂

We are planning on doing our first river cruise in 2019….Would June or Sept be the best for the Rhine or Danube? We prefer Viking and air fare included.

First of all, thanks for stopping by our website. While the Rhine and the Danube are two completely different experiences, we tend to prefer to do our river cruises in the less busy shoulder seasons. While all months are lovely, June will likely find large crowds in the cities and while September is a wonderful month from a weather perspective, it is also the most expensive month of the year for a river cruise.

I would recommend that you consider April, May, or early October.

Lastly, we’ve often got perks for you above and beyond Viking’s best offers. We’re the #2 booking agents for Viking in the world. When you book with us, you’ll get good advice, benefits from our backchannel access, and perks. If you like, give us a call at (480) 550-1235. Thanks! 🙂

We are thinking of a river cruise next May. We will be going to visit our son in Berlin and plan to travel for a few weeks while there. Possibly start a cruise in Budapest and ending in Berlin or the other way around..any suggestions? We’d love to visit Prague and Vienna as well.

There are quite a number of options depending on your preferred style of travel. Perhaps it’s best to give me a call and we can discuss. 480-550-1235. Thanks! 🙂

Great article thanks. Other issues to consider is rain potential and also whether you have seasonal allergies. I had a minor issue with cottonwood in the late spring during our river cruise.

Hi Chuck, Thanks for stopping by and sharing. 🙂

Can you recommend the best European River cruise line for me to take my 87 year young mom on? Limited bus tours, we prefer short shore excursions and /or a more ambitious walking excursion for me while she enjoys the amenities of the ship in port. Open to all European Rivers, but leaning towards Paris-Normandy or?

The Rhine is a great first-time river cruise. Lots of castles and very little time on a bus. We like the Paris to Normandy itinerary. Just know that when you visit the Normandy region, that day is a lot of time on the bus. 🙂 Please feel free to give me a call to discuss. We’re the #2 booking agents in the world with Viking and we can bring you a lot of expertise in the booking process. Plus, right now, we have some additional perks to share.

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10 Things You Should Know Before Your First European River Cruise

T wenty-fifth wedding anniversary! Where did the time go? And most importantly, what should we do to celebrate? A few days later, with suspiciously perfect timing, a Viking river cruise advertisement dropped into our mailbox.  

Two decades ago, we tried a Caribbean ocean cruise — big ship, lots of people, so much food and drink — and never did a second one. But a European river cruise sounded appealing: smooth water, a new city every morning on a small ship with less than 200 passengers, top-notch food and a customizable mix of culture, lectures and activities.  

Ten months later, we were flying to Budapest, Hungary to begin our 11-day Passage to Eastern Europe on Viking Cruises. Here are 10 things we learned from our first river cruise: 

1. You’ll Wind Up Feeling Young Again

If you are in your 50s and miss that young and spry feeling, you could do worse than go on a river cruise. We knew the average age would likely skew into the 60s, but we did not anticipate being the youngest couple on our ship. Nor did we mind. Being surrounded by seniors in their 70s and 80s having a great time seeing new places was an inspiration for our own future.   

2.  You Won’t Find Too Many First-Time Cruisers

Those folks a generation ahead of us have been busy. We didn’t stand out just because of our relative youth, but also because this was our first river cruise. Nearly everybody we met had cruised before — not just with Viking, but other lines around the world as well. Ron, a former Army master sergeant, was on his seventh Viking cruise and even admitted to doing the 15-day Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest twice. 

“I’d do it a third time if they let me do it for free,” he told us.

3. Water Levels May Cause Unexpected Detours

A huge river cruise appeal for my wife was the absence of ocean waves. No waves = no seasickness. But, unlike the ocean, river levels rise and fall. Too high, and the river ships can’t pass under certain bridges. Too low and, like us, the ship may have to stop short of some destinations and passengers will spend extra time on the bus. For us, low water levels triggered shore excursion substitutions in an unexpected Bulgarian city as well as a longer bus ride to Bucharest. Disappointing, but manageable. In other cases, passengers might have to abandon their river ship and bus transfer to an identical one upriver to continue the journey. Be prepared.        

4. Every Day Is Casual Day

We were going to be in Europe, cruising on an upscale boat, and our fellow passengers would be older than us; accordingly, my wife and I planned to dress nicely: collared, button-down shirts and sleek sweaters and blouses. Viking emphasizes no formal dinners and a relaxed vibe, but I still almost brought a jacket for the evenings. 

I’m glad I didn’t. Our fellow passengers overwhelmingly embraced comfortable casual — bright, plush sneakers; jeans; shorts and even a few Harley T-shirts — it was all okay.  There were definitely people like us, avoiding the jeans and sneakers look, and if you want to dress nicer, go for it, but it’s not necessary.

5.  Embrace Conversation

If you fear initiating new conversations with new people several times a day, a river cruise might intimidate you. Fear not. Most of our experienced river cruiser passengers seemed to crave meeting new people and were easy to chat with.      

In our first 24 hours on the ship, I listened to a tale about an encounters with Perth Australia gold miners gone wrong, met a guy who got a Purple Heart when his helicopter crashed in Vietnam, admired the mangled fingers of a 75-year-old New England hockey player and listened to our dinner companion say, “I would not have married my husband if I had to do it again.” With him right there. 

How Expedition Cruising Appeals to the Adventurous Traveler

6.  i’ll have both entrees, please. .

Yes, river cruise food is delicious. Nearly every meal featured regional specialties of the neighboring country. A few minutes before dinner seating began, the chief chef would describe his culinary creations to select from that evening. It was like a halftime speech. He’d finish up and we’d all race (or, in some cases, shuffle) out of the lounge to the dining room, pumped up for the coming delicacies.  

Yet, as good as the shipboard food may be, take some time to…

7. Eat Locally

Don’t confine yourself to only the refined ship meals. A few steps away from your docked ship you’ll probably find flavorful local food well worth nibbling on. Some of my favorite meals of our trip were a platter of cevapcici eaten under a portrait of Uncle Tito (the Cold War era Yugoslav leader) in Belgrade and some meltingly lovely pumpkin phyllo pastry in Croatia.  

8. Pace Yourself

With a new city each day and limited time, you can exhaust yourself trying to do too much. At one point, our new friends, Victor and Leslie, admitted that they signed up for too many excursions. There is only so much anyone can sample in a few hours or even a day, and we accepted that. A travel memoir I found in the ship’s library, Far and Away , gave a satisfying response to that dilemma: “Always leave something for next time, something to tempt you back.”  You’re on a cruise; make some time to simply relax on the sundeck or terrace, admiring the views. 

9.  Find a Less-Traveled River

Ever heard of the Iron Gates of the Danube? I hadn’t either. Every passenger was out taking photos as our ship slipped into this dramatic gorge between Serbia and Romania. At one point, the giant face of an ancient Dacian king carved into the rock wall stared back at us.   

Other European rivers plying well-traveled countries like Germany, the Netherlands and France host most river cruise traffic, but we delighted in discovering more unfamiliar East European countries. Every day gave us new stories and perspectives, often containing history that we’d never heard of. Nor was all of this history ancient. On successive days we got thoughtful perspectives from a local Croatian tour guide and then her Serbian counterpart on the 1990s Balkan War. When choosing your cruise itinerary, consider the lesser-known places. 

10. Cabin Class Choices Matter

After choosing a cruise date and itinerary, you pick your cabin class. I agonized over that. Budget limitations dictated the cheapest, er, “most affordable” cabin for us, down on the lower deck and featuring only a narrow window just above the waterline. My online research emphasized that most of our cabin time would be at night when it was dark anyway.  Moreover, even during daylight hours, the ship would often be parked next to a dock or sandwiched between other cruise ships with someone else’s window inches away.  

All of that was indeed true. And once on board, it was obvious that even the most spacious cabins could not compare to the nearly 360-degree views from the outdoor terrace and top sundeck where passengers gathered in the sunny afternoons. Still, I would have enjoyed more window space in our stateroom. Next cruise maybe I’ll spring for the fancy veranda cabin.

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The best river cruises for boutique European cruising

From wine tasting along the Douro to Italian feasts with top chefs in Venice, browse the most amazing river cruise itineraries

From the Douro to the Rhine , Europe has some of the world's most scenic rivers that are best experienced on a small ship, where you can sail from little towns to historic cities via relaxing long stretches of countryside.

We've rounded up the best river cruises for boutique sailing, selecting those that combine the most carefully put-together itineraries aboard the loveliest ships, including a super-luxe option to explore the Venetian Lagoon in autumn 2024.

River cruises are also the perfect introduction to cruise holidays for first-timers, while those who already know and love the joy of discovering destinations by small ship will enjoy exploring new itineraries accompanied by famous faces, such as chef James Martin and historian Lucy Worsley .

Here are Good Housekeeping's pick of the best river cruises for exploring Europe's wonderful rivers, plus a few options for those who want to travel further afield.

Sail the magical Venetian Lagoon and hear Russell Watson sing

Venice is a captivating city, almost frozen in time, where astoundingly beautiful buildings line a maze of canals — it's no wonder the sheer decadence of this place captures the hearts of so many. Part of the thrill of visiting Venice is getting swept up in its narrow streets, peering into windows displaying intricately painted masks and feasting on plates of risotto in piazzas. Join Good Housekeeping's fantastic music-themed Venice cruise with world-renowned tenor Russell Watson, which includes an exclusive intimate concert in this stunning and historic city and seven nights on board a luxury ship. You'll explore the lagoon's elegant waterways aboard S.S La Venezia. It's an incredible eight-day itinerary that takes you around the Venetian Lagoon to visit places such as Chioggia, Torcello, Mazzorbo and Burano.

S.S. La Venezia matches Venice's splendour in its opulent fittings, filled with accents that honour its location, including exquisite Venetian masks and Murano glass. Everything's included on this five-star cruise, from delicious food and wines to a choice of excursions around the islands.

When? October 2024

FIND OUT MORE

Taste Portuguese wines on a Douro River cruise

The gorgeous Douro Valley is an enchanting and peaceful pocket of Portugal, famed for its port wine and loved for its storybook-style beauty. Terraced vineyards rise steeply from the winding river and are dotted with whitewashed Quintas - the region's terracotta-roofed wine estates - making it a particularly scenic area for a relaxing river cruise.

Sit on the sundeck of a ship to watch the scenery pass by, and delight your palate with some of Portugal’s most sensational wines on an eight-day round-trip cruise on the Douro River. You'll be able to explore the area and learn more about its port production — with plenty of opportunities to sample it yourself on visits to rustic Quintas

After arriving in Porto to board the A-ROSA ALVA, you’ll sail to Régua, a pretty riverfront town that’s produced port since the 18th century. You'll follow the Douro, hopping from place to place to where Portugal borders Spain before turning back. A highlight is visiting a Quinta in Pinhão where, depending on the season, you might get to take part in the traditional grape harvest, picking and crushing the grapes underfoot .

When? June and September 2024

Visit Germany's famous Christmas markets along the Rhine

There are so many enchanting cities and villages along the banks of the Rhine, and they really come into their own in December. Germany is famed for its atmospheric Christmas markets, and many of the best in the country can be found along the Rhine, making a Christmassy cruise a fabulous way to explore them.

There's Mainz, one of the oldest cities in Germany, where you can visit a historic Christmas market on the Domplatz, set against a backdrop of the illuminated Mainz Cathedral. You'll want to visit Koblenz too, a city considered to have one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany, and one of the largest in the Rhineland.

Join Good Housekeeping for a festive voyage along the Rhine on the the beautiful ship A-ROSA Aqua and you'll visit Mainz and Koblenz as well as Frankfurt and Cologne, where the market takes place right in front of the famous Cologne Cathedral.

On board your ship you'll find a sauna, fitness area, and whirlpool to enjoy between your market trips, and ample breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets in the ship's lovely dining venues.

When? December 2024 FIND OUT MORE

Glide along the Danube and see the Lipizzaner horses in Vienna

The banks of the Danube have seen the rise and fall of empires and provided inspiration to some of Europe's greatest artists and composers. This grand river winds its way past mysterious hillside castles and ancient medieval towns and meanders through a range of culture-rich cities, including four European capitals . A river cruise is an unbeatable way to explore some of the cities straddling the Danube, allowing you to visit several towns, villages and cities on one trip, without having to organise local transport yourself.

One of the finest cities that the Danube flows through is Vienna, once the home of Mozart, where manicured gardens, chic coffee houses and baroque palaces will have you feeling like you've stepped back in time. It's also the home of the Royal Lipizzaner Stables at the Spanish Riding School, where grand Lipizzan horses perform a mesmerising type of equine ballet. On Good Housekeeping's Danube River cruise you can visit the Royal Lipizzaner Stables with historian Lucy Worsley. You'll enjoy an aperitif and a talk before watching the training of the young stallions in the imperial atmosphere of the Baroque winter riding school, as classical Viennese music plays.

When? September 2024

Sail further afield with a cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia

While Europe has more than its fair share of enchanting rivers, you're also spoilt for choice if you fancy a river cruise further afield.

Asia has several waterways which provide ideal routes for discovering new countries and cultures. Flowing through Myanmar, China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, the Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world and home to an incredible range of wildlife.

It makes the ideal destination for a river cruise that combines culture, delicious cuisine and wildlife-spotting. You might spot species like the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, giant freshwater stingray and giant catfish swimming alongside you.

Good Housekeeping is offering an immersive adventure along the Mekong through Cambodia and Vietnam. You'll sail in a Luxury Balcony suite aboard the Mekong Jewel, a luxurious and beautifully decorated ship, to visit unforgettable sights like the UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat temples and incredible cities like Phnom Penh and Hanoi.

There'll be ample opportunities to learn about the turbulent history of the region too, with visits to the infamous Killing Fields and a glimpse of the Viet Cong's network of tunnels dating back to the Vietnam War.

When? December 2024

Enjoy an Italian feast with James Martin in Venice

One thing that's synonymous with Italy is good food, and that's exactly what you can enjoy on this eight-day sailing around Venice and the Veneto region.

Tick off Venice's spectacular sights, including the Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Basilica, which you'll visit after dark on our Good Housekeeping cruise . As part of our GH trip, you'll also get VIP access to the Doge's Palace, the stunning Venetian Gothic palace that dates back to 1340.

Sailing on the luxurious S.S. La Venezia , which accommodates only 126 guests and has a wonderfully intimate feel, you'll also visit the colourful, charming islands of Burano (pictured above), Mazzorbo and Torcello, all situated in the Lagoon of Venice.

If all of that wasn't exciting enough, the cherry on top will be meeting acclaimed chef James Martin, who will join you on board for the day to give a talk and partake in a Q&A and book-signing session. In addition, the much-loved Saturday Morning host will cook a delectable gala dinner one evening, too.

Discover local traditions as you sail the Ganges in a luxury ship

Another Asian adventure awaits on the Ganges, India's most sacred river. Sailing along this important body of water allows you a unique insight into life along its banks. It meanders 2,500km through the country from its starting point high in the Himalayas down through sprawling cities, tiny villages, and spectacular nature.

A Ganges cruise is a wonderful way to see some of India's best attractions, with highlights including the Rajbari temple complex in Kalna, the artisan village of Matiari, and the neoclassical Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad.

Join Good Houskeeping's once-in-a-lifetime tour of India , which includes seven-night cruising in luxury down the Ganges. After exploring India's Golden Triangle – including a trip to witness both sunset and sunrise over the iconic Taj Mahal – you'll board the opulent Ganges Voyager II, a spectacular ship adorned with hand-painted murals, to explore the culture and history on the river banks. Of course, another highlight of India holiday is the cuisine, and you'll be joined on board by Michelin-starred British-Indian chef Atul Kochhar, who will share his passion for Indian cooking in a live demonstration.

When? November 2024

Discover the wonders of Egypt and sail the Nile

A brilliant option if you're itching to explore another continent is Egypt, where the Nile holds awe-inspiring archaeological treasures along its banks.

A cruise along this fabled river allows you to easily visit magnificent temples like Kom Ombo, Philae, and Edfu and to see the Valley of the Kings, the ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty. There are several more fascinating monuments to see along the way, including the towering twin statues known as the Colossi of Memnon. Join a cruise along the Nile with Good Housekeeping and you'll see all this and more while sailing on board the exceptional luxury ship, River Tosca. Making this river cruise even more special is the company of historian and author Lucy Worsley.

Lucy is an expert in Agatha Christie, who took inspiration from this region for one of her most famous works, Death on the Nile. You'll have afternoon tea at the hotel which features in the novel and Lucy will share her knowledge of the famous author's work during several Q&As and talks.

More cruise ideas:

- The best cruises for couples

- A guide to Northern Lights cruises

- The most beautiful Danube cities and towns

- A guide to Japan cruise holidays

- The most beautiful rivers in Europe

- The best small ship cruises

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Europe has no shortage of marquee tourist hot spots , but Diamond Meadows’ first river cruise there didn’t include them.

The 28-year-old graduate student took a cruise along the Rhine and Moselle rivers that took her to cities like Koblenz and Trier in Germany (she supplemented the sailing with train travel around Austria, Switzerland and elsewhere).

Meadows was traveling with her mom and her mom’s boss, who uses a wheelchair. The group chose the CroisiEurope Cruises sailing for the ease of sailing with a mobility device . But she discovered other upsides.

“It takes you exactly into the heart of the city,” said Meadows, who is based in Tennessee. Their roughly 160-guest vessel offered convenient drop-offs in smaller destinations, allowing them “to access so much more.”

Many European destinations were packed with tourists last summer . But river cruises in the continent can offer a more laid-back way to travel with small ships visiting a mix of popular and less-crowded ports.

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Jen Campbell Boles, founder of the travel agency Explore More Family Travel, said that while cruising in general is a “great value for seeing Europe,” river sailings are particularly immersive. “One quote we always use in the travel industry is, ‘Ocean cruise liners take you to the destination, river cruises take us through the destination,’” she said.

Passengers visit not only major cities but also quaint villages and often disembark within walking distance of attractions. When they are done exploring, they return to a ship with an average of 150 guests.

“It's more intimate, it's cozier,” said Campbell Boles. “You're not fighting the crowds, obviously.”

That was part of the draw for Jim Jones, 57, who took Avalon Waterways river cruises with his wife in 2011 and 2014.

“The smaller cities were an attraction,” said Jones, who is based in Phoenix and works for a software company. He enjoyed visiting Avignon in the south of France, for example, which was once the seat of the papacy . “I’m a total history geek,” he said. On their first cruise, he recalled, “just about every town” they visited had a farmers’ market, allowing them to sample local food.

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Unlike ocean cruise ships, with their large casinos and plentiful bars, onboard “it was very relaxed and a much slower pace.”

River cruise vessels tend to have “less bells and whistles,” Campbell Boles said (though she added that guests get a more personalized experience as a result of their small size).

Adam Duckworth, president and founder of Travelmation, echoed that. He said the cruises are less about the ship than where it’s going. “This is truly an experience about itineraries.”

Are European river cruises cheaper than land-based trips?

While travelers can find land-based accommodations that are less expensive than river cruises, there are other factors to consider.

River cruises tend to bundle more costs, such as alcohol in the fare, than a mainstream ocean cruise line, Duckworth said (though exact policies vary by line). At least one excursion per day is typically included, as well, Campbell Boles added.

She said demand for Europe is still “through the roof” and land-based pricing is particularly high. “Even if you're staying in the highest category stateroom or suite, you're spending less than an equivalent hotel,” she said.

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Transportation from one destination to another is also built into a river cruise, whereas travelers might have to take a train or make other arrangements to visit a mix of places. “I mean that really adds up in Europe, so this is a great way to see a lot more variety,” Campbell Boles said.

Passengers can also add pre- and post-cruise stays, allowing them to “get the best of both worlds.”

“What we say is that a river cruise oftentimes can be a premium product,” added Duckworth. “But for what you're experiencing – the comfort, the (lower) stress, the luxurious experience on board – we find it to be actually the best value through Europe from our experience.”

Are European river cruises kid-friendly?

Since river cruises require a certain amount of free time – most are at least seven days long – they have tended to be popular with older guests, according to Duckworth.

But in the past couple of years, he has noticed more multigenerational travel in the sector. “We're seeing grandparents bring their grandkids, we're seeing young professionals go on a river in Europe for the first time,” Duckworth said.

Some operators have offerings that are particularly well-suited to younger guests. Adventures by Disney offers river cruises with AmaWaterways, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has a Generations Collection .

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Even if programming is curated with kids in mind, though, Duckworth cautioned that river cruise vessels don’t offer the same breadth of amenities as large ocean ships. “If your kids want to go to a waterpark and they want to go on a FlowRider and they want to play putt-putt all day, there are great lines for you, but a European river cruise is probably not one of them currently,” he said.

Some lines also don’t allow kids or have varying age requirements, so it’s important to do some research beforehand.

For those going for the first time, Campbell Boles suggested starting with a cruise on the Danube or Rhine since they are “kind of the most iconic.”

“I mean, it’s Europe,” she added. “It’s going to be great no matter what river you go on.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].