10 Stunning River Cruises to Try in Your Lifetime
May 30, 2025
New itineraries, ships and experiences blend the relaxation of river cruising with exploration and adventure. Below, keep reading for our round-up of the best river cruises in the world.
Image credit: Achim Thomae
Extend your Douro discovery
1/11Cruising through the picturesque valleys and terraced vineyards along Portugal’s Douro River often feels like a dream. On Scenic’s 16-day Unforgettable Douro with Lisbon & Porto route aboard the sumptuous 96-guest Scenic Space-Ship, Azure, that dream becomes reality as you’re immersed in the ancient trades and traditions of the region, from an azulejo tile-painting workshop in Porto to a joyful amount of port tasting.
Why you'll love it
There are excursions to a historic fortress town by the Spanish border or a traditional bakery in the Douro Valley but seeing how Portugal’s famous sardines get tucked into their tins is a unique treat. Seafood has long been the lifeblood of Matosinhos, a coastal city just 10 minutes’ drive north of Porto, and Conservas Pinhais has been canning the small, silvery fish for more than 100 years. On day nine, a tour of the factory lets you watch as staff sort, pack and wrap the delicacy by hand. You’ll get the chance to taste the wares – in oil, tomato sauce or spiked with chilli – and, yes, there is a gift shop.
Image credit: APT
Find tranquility on the Murray
2/11Magnificent red gum forests alive with birdsong and charming historic towns reveal the rich tapestry of classic Australiana on APT’s Retreat to the Murray itinerary. The all-new PS Australian Star – with its 19 luxury staterooms – meanders along the country’s longest river for eight days with regular shoreside barbecues and stops to see the heritage grandeur of Perricoota Station in NSW and the contemporary silo art in Colbinabbin, Victoria.
Why you’ll love it
Cruising the mighty Murray for the first time this year, APT’s range of signature experiences include a tour and lunch at St Anne’s Winery in Echuca. You’ll try its award-winning fortifieds before indulging in a grazing board with more of the winery’s finest drops.
Image credit: Tauck
Embrace the romance of four rivers
3/11Tauck’s Romantic Capitals: Paris to Prague could easily sell itself on title alone. Sailing the Main, Rhine, Danube and Moselle rivers, the 14-day journey aboard the 130-guest MS Joy is bookended by stays at L’Hotel du Collectionneur Paris and the Fairmont Golden Prague Hotel. Highlights of the all-inclusive itinerary include learning the Roman history of Trier, Germany, and stopping by the former Bayreuth home of composer Richard Wagner.
Why you’ll love it
A reception, dinner and musical performance at Germany’s grand Schlosshotel Kronberg is one of the itinerary’s signature experiences but there are equal thrills for adrenaline-seekers: a day at Nürburgring, a 20-kilometre racing track that’s often referred to as “The Green Hell”.
Image credit: Avalon Waterways
Tick five countries off your must-visit list
4/11Can’t decide if you’d prefer the romance of the Seine, the dramatic peaks surrounding the Rhine, the olive groves and farmhouses along the Garonne or the medieval charm of the Dordogne? On the 26-day, five-country Vineyards, Chateaux & Bordeaux with Swiss Alps, 3 Nights in Lake Como & 1 Night in Lucerne itinerary with Avalon Waterways, you can have it all. Choose between Active, Classic and Discovery tours to find yourself perusing the boutiques of Bellagio after a boat ride on Lake Como or hiking through the vineyards of Rüdesheim, Germany.
Why you’ll love it
Come northern spring, tiptoeing through seven million or so tulips is possible on an optional outing to Keukenhof gardens in the Netherlands, where you can also take an electric whisper boat along bloom-lined canals or climb Keukenhof windmill for an aerial view.
Image credit: Justin Weiler
Explore the Peruvian Amazon
5/11Be a part of Abercrombie & Kent’s small-group journey Peru: Machu Picchu & the Amazon to follow the Inca Trail over 13 action-packed days – four spent on one of the world’s most iconic rivers. You’ll explore the Sacred Valley (above) and take a culinary bike tour in search of the finest ceviche. The 18-guest Lima-return trip covers almost every Peruvian bucket-list adventure, whether it be riding the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu or cruising the Amazon Basin aboard the operator’s new Adriana Granato-designed cruiser, Pure Amazon.
Why you’ll love it
Bringing its experiential travel expertise to South American waters for the first time, A&K doesn’t disappoint. Balance daily birdwatching excursions (look out for rainbow macaws) and night safaris with downtime in your Pure Amazon suite, where you can try to spot pink dolphins and watch the ever-changing riverscape through wall-to-wall windows.
Image credit: Justin Weiler
Go solo on the Mekong
6/11Sailing the mighty Mekong, an ecological wonder more than 4000 kilometres long, allows plenty of time for reflection. Ideal for a slow, solo journey, Aqua Expeditions’ luxurious 40-guest vessel Aqua Mekong is designed for relaxation. On the seven-night Aqua Mekong Expedition cruise between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, expect twice-daily excursions to floating villages, palaces and the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary (mid-August to November), as well as onboard menus by acclaimed chef David Thompson.
Why you’ll love it
Aqua Expeditions will waive the single supplement fee (usually an additional 25 per cent) on selected August and September departures aboard the Aqua Mekong. A river-facing suite for one? Magic.
Image credit: Getty Images
Travel through time in Egypt
7/11From your private balcony on Uniworld’s Splendors of Egypt & The Nile voyage (uniworld.com), watch life unfold along one of the world’s most storied waterways. Across 12 days, you and no more than 83 fellow guests will sail from Dendera to Luxor, Aswan, Esna and more, stepping ashore to discover Egypt’s ancient and contemporary culture. Days spent in Cairo, pre- and post-cruise, include a bucket-list trip to the Giza Necropolis to marvel at the pyramids and the Great Sphinx.
Why you'll love it
Spend any time on the River Nile and you’ll spot traditional felucca sailing boats crisscrossing the water. Day seven in Aswan includes a Uniworld exclusive experience, which begins on one of these vessels with the warm North African breeze at your back, travelling the watery highway like the locals do. Then, time-travel at the Victorian-era Old Cataract Aswan Hotel, where Agatha Christie stayed in 1937 and wrote part of her classic whodunnit, Death on the Nile. While other groups only tour the lobby, you can channel your inner Poirot over finger sandwiches, macarons and a cup of Earl Grey during afternoon tea on the terrace, boats bobbing on the palm-fringed river below.
Enjoy family fun in France
8/11Following in the footsteps of post-Impressionist artists as you soak up the atmosphere of French wine country sounds like a uniquely adult proposition. Until you consider Uniworld’s eight-day Burgundy & Provence sailing between Arles and Lyon, the latest addition to the brand’s family-centric Generations Collection. As you cruise the Rhône and Saône rivers aboard the 158-guest S.S. Catherine, the little ones will love the indoor pool while the whole family will enjoy visits to the storied village of Viviers and the charming wine-country town of Beaune in Burgundy.
Why you’ll love it
Two words: multigenerational holiday. While you’re meeting with silk weavers and tasting wine, kids over the age of four might enjoy Van Gogh-style painting classes in Arles, a trip to the Valrhona chocolate factory or regional craft workshops.
Image credit: Getty Images
Step inside a European fairytale
9/11In just the first four days of the Emerald Cruises Rhine Castles & Moselle Vineyards journey, you’ll see four unique castles, from canal-side Oudaen in Utrecht to the grand Paleis Het Loo in Nijmegen. Travelling from Amsterdam to Zurich along the Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube rivers, the 11-day itinerary balances engaging onshore activities with the comfort and indulgence onboard your 180-guest Europe Star-Ship (where the swimming pool converts into a cinema after dark).
Why you'll love it
While gliding along the river is peaceful and picturesque on the ship (especially from bed in a Panorama Balcony Suite), don’t miss the chance to get even closer to the water. On day 10, after docking at the pretty town of Breisach in south-west Germany, join the EmeraldActive canoeing excursion that traces the banks of the Rhine. Not just a fun way to get moving, it’s an opportunity to slow down and focus on the warmth of the northern summer sun (the cruise runs from June to August in 2025), listen for the sounds of birds and take an occasional break from paddling to trail your fingers through the cool water.
Be enchanted by Eastern Europe
10/11It flows through 10 countries and inspired Johann Strauss’s most famous waltz, yet many of the 2850-kilometre Danube River’s gems remain under the radar. On Tauck’s 12-day The Blue Danube itinerary from Budapest to Prague, 130 guests will discover the region’s lesser-known towns, such as Engelhartszell in Austria, and be treated to exclusive experiences, including a private dinner at 16th-century Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle.
Why you'll love it
On day eight, you might head to Salzburg to pay a visit to the Mozart museum, located in the composer’s birthplace, Hagenauer Haus. But while the Austrian city may be better known (it appears throughout The Sound of Music), the alternative excursion to a medieval town in the Czech Republic feels like stepping into the pages of a children’s storybook. Tucked within the folds of the Vltava River, Český Krumlov’s cobbled streets, namesake castle and colourful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings have earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Your included tour takes in the castle complex, where you can scale the 162 steps to the top of the tower. The climb is optional but the chance to gaze out at the magical town and the countryside beyond makes it unmissable.
