River Cruises

A Different Kind of Cruise

Sailing along rivers is another option when it comes to cruises. In fact, this formula is increasingly popular among the French: in 2015, 165,000 of them tried a river cruise. The experience is generally less expensive, on smaller boats with fewer passengers, often shorter stays, and a different purpose.

Here, the main goal is no longer to enjoy onboard entertainment and life first (though that’s still part of it), but rather to discover a different side of the regions you pass through along rivers and coasts. In short, it’s a way to travel.

Boats, Cabins, Entertainment, and Prices

For cruises in cabins lasting at least a few days.

Features

While you might occasionally find larger vessels carrying over a thousand people (in the Amazon or Norwegian fjords, for example), the size limits imposed by rivers mean these boats rarely carry more than 200 people—often far fewer for luxury cruises or small rivers. So, these are human-scale boats, no longer than 100–120 metres, with a maximum of 5 or 6 decks and a top speed of 30 km/h.

Advantages: often charming boats (though some are less appealing) and the feeling of being closer to the water in every sense. Also, in theory, the possibility of more stops along the way.

The downside for fans of the genre: far fewer onboard leisure facilities and services, with standard cabins on some boats resembling those on sailboats.

Prices

River cruise prices are generally lower than those for ocean cruises, though there are some nuances.

You’ll often find offers between 45 and 120 € per day, excluding transport to the departure point. This range includes cruises on French and European rivers or on "basic" boats worldwide, as well as cruises like those on the Nile, where competition is high.

Around 150 €/day, you’ll find the same routes but with more luxurious conditions, less crowded ships, or limited "exotic" offers like China’s rivers or the Amazon, or even the US Great Lakes.

Beyond that, you’re usually looking at ultra-luxury or occasionally large ocean liners sailing up the mouths of the Amazon or Orinoco.

Of course, prices can rise in high season. Like ocean cruises, there are also themed river cruises.

Where, When, and How Much?

Most river cruise offers are found in Europe, the Americas, and along the Nile in Egypt. Here’s a closer look...

Europe

Close by and affordable, whether for a weekend or a week between April and October, most French and European canals and rivers offer cruise possibilities.

France

The Rhône, Seine, and Canal du Midi have plenty of options for pleasant trips on small boats or barges at very reasonable prices (from 40 €/day).

Germany

Germany is the country for river cruises. Beyond the Elbe, the Rhine and its valley have become a must-do, usually over 4 or 8 days on comfortable boats carrying 100 to 200 people. Budget around 75 to 120 €/day on average.

Note that from the Rhine, you can reach the Danube via the Main-Danube Canal, making for an interesting 3-week river journey from Rotterdam (Netherlands) to the Black Sea.

Eastern Europe

Two routes dominate the French market for river cruises in Eastern Europe: the Danube and the Neva-Volga combo. Best done between April and September for around 90 to 120 €/day for the most comfortable options.

At 2,860 km, the Danube is Europe’s longest river. Starting in Germany, it flows into the Black Sea after crossing or bordering 5 countries. Various cruises are offered, from weekend trips (Vienna-Budapest) to 8- or 10-day journeys—though rarely all the way to the Black Sea—on classic or luxury boats. From the Danube, you can also reach the Rhine.

Another interesting cruise connects St. Petersburg to Moscow in 8 or 12 days via Russia’s rivers, lakes, and canals.

Elsewhere

Other countries offer possibilities on their canals and rivers, like Italy’s Po or Sweden’s Göta Canal. However, these rarely appear in French agencies’ programmes, so you’ll need to check on-site.

The Fjords and the Coastal Express (Norway)

Beyond the many ocean cruises along Norway’s coast, you can also explore and easily enter the Norwegian fjords in summer on smaller boats. Many agencies offer these, often combined with traditional land tours, though they rarely last more than 2 or 3 days.

You can also easily organise similar cruises yourself using the various ferries in the fjord region.

The Coastal Express

While the Coastal Express sails at sea, its coastal route is somewhat akin to a river cruise. For over a century, it has connected Bergen (south) to Kirkenes (far north) year-round in an 11-day round trip with 35 stops, on boats carrying 200 to 500 people. Widely offered by agencies in full or in segments, prices range from 100 to 150 €/day (including flights) for "organised" trips. You can also easily plan the journey yourself.

The Nile

"The" classic river cruise, featured by most travel agencies.

With 250 tourist boats operating, there’s a wide choice in terms of boat size, comfort, passenger numbers, duration (usually 5 to 7 days), and, of course, prices. Some operators offer discounts, and you can sometimes find deals for around 35 €/day. Note that for the Nile, you can also wait until you’re on-site to choose your cruise.

North America

The main summer river cruise in North America is the journey up the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes (Chicago), often on large liners coming from the Caribbean or Florida. Prices reflect this, with trips lasting one or two weeks. However, locally, you can find smaller boats at lower costs.

Very different are the Mississippi cruises sometimes offered by travel agencies, departing notably from Louisiana. Here, paddle steamers—more or less historic—replace ocean liners, carrying 200 to 450 passengers for a weekend or up to two weeks.

Finally, coastal cruises allow trips to Alaska and occasionally Hudson Bay in Canada or Greenland’s coasts, usually for one to two weeks. Prices hover around 150 €/day.

The Amazon and Orinoco

The Amazon, and to a lesser extent the Orinoco, host cruise boats—and given the size of their mouths, not always small ones! Most depart from the Caribbean, with ocean liners sailing up these rivers on select dates. Not all the way to their sources, of course, but at least to Manaus for the Amazon.

Prices naturally fall into the ocean cruise range (from 150 €/day) due to the ships’ size and the "exotic-adventure" aspect of the trip.

With smaller boats, some operators offer further upstream trips on the Amazon, mainly Manaus-Iquitos (Peru). Here, too, expect at least 150 to 230 €/day due to limited availability and the quality of the vessels.

Note that in a completely different context—and with far less comfort—a single day of these cruises between Belém and Manaus or Manaus and Iquitos costs roughly the same as the entire trip in a cabin on one of the small local boats that ply the river... a ratio of about 1 to 10.

Elsewhere...

By definition, almost any river can host a cruise. Many local agencies in various countries organise these trips with varying means. Rarely sold outside the country, these cruises are usually best discovered on-site.

You might, for example, sail the Ganges in India, the Mekong in Laos, the Irrawaddy in Myanmar, the Ubangi and Niger in Africa, Amazonian rivers, or even Papua New Guinea. But don’t expect a classic cruise. Here, it’s always small, often local-style boats, designed for a maximum of ten people. Beyond sailing, the main goal is to discover the natural and human environment along the rivers, which may include extended stays ashore and sometimes other modes of transport for exploration.