About the Style
Europe River Cruises, when, where and what to expect?
Europe river cruises on the Rhone, Rhine or Danube are popular. But what time of year is best? How soon do you need to book? And what can you expect?
We have hand-picked some of the trips with companies we prefer. These provide best value for money and, in our experience, have been the most responsive and helpful when it comes to managing travel arrangements and looking after your money. Contact us for more information.
Where? The three main rivers
There are three main stretches of rivers that are popular for cruises:
- Rhone (Switzerland and France).
- Rhine (Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the Principality of Liechtenstein).
- Danube (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary).
When? The best time to book and go
River cruising is affected by river level. Snow melt happens around late spring or early summer and by then, some of the bridges are impassable, as water levels are too high. In recent years climate change has also seen rivers almost dry out.
For the best chance of avoiding any climatic problems we recommend the two best seasons: spring (late April / early May) and autumn (September / October).
For Australians, September can be a difficult time to book. Through-flights to Europe are often full of tourists visiting southeast Asia in the school holidays. Be aware, if you want to travel in that period, we strongly recommend booking 6-8 months in advance. Or else availability and price of air tickets can sky-rocket.
What? No hassles travel
The best thing about river-cruising is you only have to unpack your bag once and your hotel travels with you. It's a great way to affordably visit a range of countries.
Get in touch with us and ensure you get the best deal and pick the right trip, at the right time, for you.
BOOK: The World's Great River Journeys
50 scenic voyages along the waterways of five continents
Journeying by river provides the perfect opportunity to discover new places or see a new side of a familiar destination. Presented here are 50 remarkable and memorable trips chosen because of the stunning scenery they pass through as well as the historic and cultural sites that can be visited from side excursions. Some cover lengthy trips such as a cruise on the Danube that passes through ten countries from its source before emptying into the Black Sea; others are shorter but have a strong, unifying theme, such as Portugal’s Douro River that was built on viticulture. In Southeast Asia, the leisurely pace of a river trip along the Yangtze, Mekong or Ayeryawaddy Rivers allows time to take in the ancient cultures and exotic landscapes. Beautiful countryside, wine-rich valleys and dramatic gorges are the highlights of a river journey; the scenery is constant and ever changing. But as well as the natural wonders, there are also remarkable man-made engineering feats to experience as you pass through intricate lock systems or under state-of-the-art bridges. All the important landmarks and cities, scenery and architecture are described for each journey, and each one is illustrated with a route map.
Buy it here
Hand-picked for you
We have hand-picked a selection of the best departures at the best times of year for you to view (see below). Contact us for further information on finding the right trip at the right time and price for you.