Rhine River Tours: Top 5 Sightseeing Cruises & Reviews

Thinking about a trip on the Rhine? Well, a Rhine River cruise is that quintessential European experience, like your floating hotel drifting past fairytale castles, steep vineyards, and super charming little towns. Choosing the right cruise is very much key, so you’re likely going to want to get it just right. We took a look at some of the top options to help you plan your perfect trip. It’s pretty straightforward.

1. Viking River Cruises: The Classic Rhine Experience

Viking River Cruises pretty much sets that gold standard for Rhine cruises, just like your tried-and-true, reliable choice. The ships, called Longships, are specifically that way to handle those Rhine waters, and that design offers panoramic views. A Rhine cruise with Viking typically involves that Middle Rhine, very often that section packed with those castles, vineyards, and spots of historic interest. It can be special. Their “Rhine Getaway” cruise tends to be that popular one, taking you from Amsterdam to Basel, with stops in Cologne, Koblenz, and Strasbourg. They cover many interesting cities.

Food can be super delicious, that included regional wines with dinner and many options. Viking really shines with that culturally immersive experience, in some respects with many guided tours included at each port. Their guides are quite well informed, and there are often lectures or onboard presentations about the history and culture of that regions you are seeing. That crew is usually top-notch too, just very helpful and super attentive. I mean it is all very useful to know.

Of course, this level of very decent service and thoroughness comes at a certain price point. Viking isn’t usually that cheapest option, that you might want to consider that, yet that quality and ease it’s almost worth that cost, you may think. You often hear talk that ships tend to be mostly older couples, in that case if you’re searching for a more active crowd, it might not be that perfect fit. It really might not be.

2. Avalon Waterways: River Cruising with a View

Avalon Waterways might be that river cruise line very well-known for those “Suite Ships,” in that their special feature are those Open-Air Balconies. Their cruises usually offer an interesting spin. On the Rhine, that means bigger staterooms and way more space to chill and take in that views. Imagine doing some sightseeing just like your in the comfort of your own space. That makes sense. Their “Romantic Rhine” cruise , from Zurich to Amsterdam, sounds wonderful with a string of stops in places like Breisach, Heidelberg, and Rüdesheim. They take you to exciting places.

With Avalon, there appears to be that emphasis on personalization and flexibility. They often offer a few types of excursions at each stop, from those more active adventures like biking tours to some relaxed sightseeing trips. You often get to pick that fits just like your interests. The onboard experience is just that balanced, seemingly with decent dining choices and entertainment, that said to be less structured when compared with Viking. That dining options are wonderful too.

Avalon does seem a little bit cheaper than Viking, which could be appealing if your watching that budget, so bear that in mind. Reports from others sometimes state that it has more of a mixed crowd in terms of age groups than other cruises, might be perfect if like your travel party covers a range of ages. After all, that would work nicely, wouldn’t it?

3. AmaWaterways: The Foodie’s Choice on the Rhine

If food is that first thing on the mind, that AmaWaterways could be a great choice for you, so consider it if that’s you. Often named one of the very best when it comes to dining and wine experiences, they seem really determined to please even that choosiest of palates. These trips, so too that ships are a little smaller, offer up an exclusive feel. Now their “Enchanting Rhine” cruise sounds just really delightful, in a way, that travels between Basel and Amsterdam, making those stops at those various cultural spots.

AmaWaterways seemingly sets out a really high-end eating experience with some special touches like that Chef’s Table, where you can enjoy that multi-course meal prepared right in front of you, so you will find what you are looking for, pretty much. They also feature some inclusive beer and wine during dinner, along with unlimited drinks (both kinds). Their excursions often highlight local culinary traditions, it is said, with trips to local markets, breweries, and vineyards. It might sound exciting.

AmaWaterways usually sits right in that more high-end of that price spectrum, very nearly with fares similar to Viking, so consider what matters to you. Many have said to report that smaller size of that ships helps that onboard experience to feel more intimate and that crew members tend to provide a service that you like and that is very personalized.

4. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours: All-Inclusive Rhine River Bliss

Scenic likes to push a little hard with that whole “all-inclusive” label, just meaning everything, from very fancy drinks to shore trips, and even tips are all just that taken care of within that price. With Scenic on the Rhine, that pretty means some really stress-free experience. They really seem committed to looking after your interests. Their “Rhine Highlights” cruise generally travels from Amsterdam to Basel, covering pretty popular destinations along that route with many included excursions for you to enjoy.

Their cruises offer something interesting in that way of excursions like that “Scenic Freechoice” option, where passengers are apparently able to select from numerous tours or activities that cater that passions and interests. Onboard, you’ll often find various dining spots plus many lounges and sun decks for a lot of ways to kick back. This means choices on everything. You are quite well taken care of.

Now it is possible, and they are often up at that higher end regarding price points, they claim very clearly that all inclusive character can make that worth it for others, but not so much if not. These cruises aren’t that common among young groups or kids as well as more mature passengers which, if that matters for what you wish from other travelers on there with your trip may be right, so weigh everything to get what you want. Think everything through very thoroughly.

5. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: Luxury and Style on the Water

If you look a whole lot into some boutique hotels and design, so too Uniworld could actually very much be just up for what you desire. Uniworld’s ships tend to look uniquely styled , with custom furnishings and antiques, and can give someone a vibe that you are like at a floating work of very fine art. Uniworld’s “Castles Along the Rhine” so too makes a circuit going between Basel and Amsterdam which you should look up and give an experience that others say to have had a really exciting, yet special adventure and view around that destinations.

Experiences of Uniworld typically say that all meals are on board along with an awesome level of customer service for your stay there. Like with more luxury level cruises, you do seemingly get beverages like liquors, or tips added on for which everyone generally will have many to pick and choose and seemingly offer a high standard of tours just that are curated really carefully in most spots that anyone would seemingly enjoy. And, so too, a few also would have experiences or activities designed mainly for just very active guests who want to do or go about so, even.

Going by Uniworld does apparently get set in at what appears might be near top levels as is priced just generally by other tour lines, meaning you can possibly expect on paying quite a huge cost for this choice in many circles. What it goes by from any travelers who went, or are familiar would typically match with somebody needing those really top tier cruises where everything could definitely come by super fine or a one-on-one with other staffers for taking everything just so if anyone decides here.