13 European Rivers And Waterways For Travel

Cruising the Danube River in Germany on a European river ship. Michael Runkel / robert harding / Getty Images

 

The number of river cruise ships sailing in Europe has been rapidly growing for most of this century, and river cruises continue to be a very popular way to see cities and towns inaccessible to ocean-going ships. 

 

Today, travelers can cruise over a dozen different rivers in Europe. Most river cruise lines sail similar itineraries and include shore excursions in each port of call. The price differential between the river cruise lines is usually due to the level of service, cabin size, and onboard amenities.

This article explains some of the differences in the 13 primary cruise ship rivers and their itineraries. Although each river is discussed individually, note that many river cruise itineraries cover more than one river. For example, if someone has about 3 to 4 weeks of vacation time and enough money, they can sail all the way between Amsterdam and the Black Sea on the same ship. River cruise lines offer other combinations, but they involve moving on land from one river to another.