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Budapest Parliament lit up at dusk across the Danube

Unpack once, explore more

Unpack once, explore more

River cruises, chosen with care

Honest, independent advice on river cruising from a small travel team in South Wales, starting with Viking River Cruises across Europe.

Explore the riversViking River Cruises

A river cruise takes you right into the middle of old towns and wine country, with your cabin travelling along behind you. Unpack once, explore more. That is the whole idea, and it is why so many of our travellers come back for a second river after their first.

River Cruise World is a new home for river cruise holidays, run by Westgate Travel, an independent travel agency in Talbot Green, South Wales. We set it up because we kept being asked the same questions about river cruising, and it made sense to put the answers, the itineraries and the ships in one place, written in plain English by people who actually book these holidays.

Our first featured line is Viking River Cruises, whose ships sail the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Douro and several other European rivers. More cruise lines will join the site over time, so you will be able to compare different styles of river cruise side by side. For now, every itinerary you see here is a Viking sailing, with the ports, day order and inclusions taken from the cruise line and checked by us.

Browse the itineraries, read about the ships and staterooms, and when something catches your eye, send us an email. We will come back to you with availability, prices for your dates and our honest view on whether that cruise suits what you have in mind. There is no call centre and no pressure, just a reply from someone who knows the product.

Why a river cruise

The easy way to see more

Unpack once

Your stateroom moves with you, so there is no packing up every morning or dragging cases between hotels. You wake up somewhere new and simply walk ashore after breakfast.

Moor close to town

River ships are small enough to tie up near the centre of most towns and cities. Old quarters, cathedrals and markets are often a short stroll from the gangway.

Scenery all day long

Vineyards, castles, villages and river traffic slide past the window while you sail. Some of the best moments of a river cruise happen with a coffee in hand on the sun deck.

A smaller, quieter ship

European river ships carry a fraction of the guests found on an ocean liner. It feels relaxed, faces become familiar quickly and you are never queuing for long.

Calm water

Rivers are sheltered and gentle, so seasickness is rarely a concern. If open sea has put you off cruising before, a river is a very different experience.

Food and wine of the region

Menus on board often reflect the countries you pass through, and many routes follow famous wine rivers. Riesling on the Rhine and port on the Douro are part of the pleasure.

Where to go

Europe's great rivers

From the Danube's imperial capitals to the port wine terraces of the Douro, every river has its own story.

Dürnstein Abbey above the Danube in the Wachau Valley
River guide

The Danube

Europe's second-longest river links four capital cities, the vineyards of the Wachau and the wild gorge of the Iron Gates. Here is what to expect when you cruise it.

Read the guide
Aerial view of Marksburg Castle above the Rhine with a Viking Longship
River guide

The Rhine

From the Swiss border at Basel to the windmills of the Netherlands, the Rhine fits castles, cathedrals and vineyards into a single week on the water.

Read the guide
Bamberg Old Town Hall on the River Regnitz
River guide

The Main and Moselle

Two of the Rhine's prettiest tributaries, one winding through the Franconian heartland of Bavaria, the other looping between steep Riesling vineyards on its way from France.

Read the guide
Viking Longship moored at Les Andelys on the Seine
River guide

The Seine

Start in Paris, then follow the Seine through the orchards and chalk cliffs of Normandy, past Monet's garden and Rouen's great cathedral towards the sea.

Read the guide
Saint-Georges church and footbridge on the Saône in Lyon
River guide

The Rhône and Saône

Sail south from Burgundy and Lyon into the sunshine of Provence, past Roman temples, papal palaces and some of the most famous vineyards in France.

Read the guide
Pont de Pierre over the Garonne in Bordeaux
River guide

Bordeaux Rivers

Three waterways, one great wine region. Cruise the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde estuary to the châteaux of the Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Sauternes.

Read the guide
Rabelo boats on the Douro at Porto
River guide

The Douro

Follow Portugal's river of gold inland from Porto, through a deep valley of terraced vineyards to the quintas where port wine is born.

Read the guide
Dresden Cathedral and Augustus Bridge on the Elbe
River guide

The Elbe

Sail through the heart of Saxony and into Bohemia, from Luther's Wittenberg and baroque Dresden to the sandstone towers of Saxon Switzerland and the spires of Prague.

Read the guide
Bicycles on a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
River guide

Holland and Belgium

Windmills, tulip fields, Golden Age harbours and Flemish art cities, all linked by the rivers, canals and estuaries of the Low Countries.

Read the guide

Cruise lines

Featured: Viking River Cruises

Viking is the first cruise line on River Cruise World, with 25 European itineraries. More lines are on the way.

Hungarian Parliament Building on the Danube in Budapest
Cruise line

Viking River Cruises

Adults-only river cruising on sleek Scandinavian-designed Longships, with flights, a guided tour in every port, wine and beer with meals and Wi-Fi included.

About Viking
Explorer Suite on a Viking Longship
The ships

Viking Longships

Staterooms, suites, the Aquavit Terrace and the purpose-built ships for the Seine, Douro and Elbe.

Meet the fleet

Popular cruises

Six favourite itineraries

Horse-drawn fiaker outside the Hofburg in Vienna
Viking River Cruises

Grand European Tour

Fifteen days across the continent by water, from the bridges of Budapest to the canals of Amsterdam, linking the Danube, the Main and the Rhine.

15 days · 4 countriesfrom £3,995
Viking Longship passing Katz Castle in the Middle Rhine Valley
Viking River Cruises

Rhine Getaway

Eight days down the Rhine from the Swiss border to the canals of Amsterdam, with Alsace, the castle country of the Middle Rhine and Cologne along the way.

8 days · 4 countriesfrom £1,695
Vineyards above the Danube in the Wachau Valley
Viking River Cruises

Danube Waltz

A week on the Danube from Budapest to Passau, taking in four countries, two capitals that rarely get the attention they deserve and the vineyards of the Wachau.

8 days · 4 countriesfrom £1,795
Viking Seine Longship near the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty replica in Paris
Viking River Cruises

Paris & the Heart of Normandy

Eight days on the Seine, starting and finishing in Paris, with Monet's garden, medieval Rouen and the Normandy beaches along the way.

8 days · 1 countryfrom £2,295
Vineyards above the Douro River in the Douro Valley
Viking River Cruises

Portugal's River of Gold

Ten days from Lisbon to Porto, with a round-trip Douro cruise through terraced port wine country and a day across the border in Salamanca.

10 days · 2 countriesfrom £3,295
Pont d'Avignon and the Palace of the Popes across the Rhône
Viking River Cruises

Lyon & Provence

Eight days on the Rhône from the papal city of Avignon to Lyon, the capital of French gastronomy, through Roman Provence and terraced wine country.

8 days · 1 countryfrom £2,295

See all Viking cruises

Booking with us

How River Cruise World helps

River Cruise World is part of Westgate Travel, an independent agency in Talbot Green, South Wales. We act as an agent for the cruise lines we feature, which means your booking is made with the cruise line itself and we look after you from the first question to the day you fly.

Because we are independent, our job is to find the cruise that fits you rather than push whatever needs filling. We can talk through which river suits a first trip, which month gives the best weather or the Christmas markets, and whether a French balcony or a full veranda is worth the extra for the way you like to travel.

We work by email, which gives you a written record of every price and detail and lets you reply in your own time. Write to enquiries@rivercruiseworld.co.uk with the cruise you are interested in, roughly when you would like to go and how many are travelling, and we will come back to you with options.

River cruise questions

It is a holiday on a small ship that sails between towns and cities along a river, usually stopping somewhere new each day. You sleep on board, eat most meals on board and go ashore to explore, often on a guided tour. It combines the ease of a cruise with the feel of a touring holiday.

Most European river cruises run from spring through to December. Spring brings blossom and fewer crowds, summer is warmest, and autumn means harvest time in the vineyards. Late November and December sailings are built around the Christmas markets in Germany, Austria and France. We are happy to suggest the right month for a particular river.

It is very unlikely. Rivers are sheltered, there are no ocean swells and the ships move smoothly. Many people who would never book an ocean cruise find river cruising perfectly comfortable, and the only real movement you notice is the occasional gentle bump as the ship enters a lock.

In Europe the most popular cruises last around a week to ten days, and there are longer journeys that link two or more rivers. A shorter cruise is a good way to try river travel, while a longer one lets you see how landscapes and cultures change along the way.

The Rhine and the Danube are the classic first choices. The Rhine offers castles, vineyards and the Dutch waterways, while the Danube links Vienna, Budapest and the Wachau Valley. The Seine suits anyone keen on Paris and Normandy, and the Douro is ideal for wine lovers. Tell us what you enjoy and we will point you in the right direction.

That depends on the cruise line. Viking, the line currently featured on our site, includes one shore excursion in every port of call on its European cruises, with optional extra tours available to buy. As we add other lines, we will set out what each one includes.

No, but you should be comfortable walking at a gentle pace, sometimes on cobbles or uneven ground in old towns. Some excursions involve hills or steps, and gangways can be steep when water levels change. If you have mobility concerns, email us before you book and we will look at the ship and the itinerary with you.

Occasionally heavy rain or a long dry spell affects water levels, and a ship cannot pass under a bridge or through a shallow stretch. When that happens the cruise line may adjust the route, use coaches between ports or swap guests onto another ship. It is not common, and the line will keep you informed.

Ready to plan your river cruise?

Call us, or email us where you would like to go and roughly when, and we will come back to you with dates, stateroom options and current prices.

0333 405 0191
enquiries@rivercruiseworld.co.uk
Email an enquiry