A cruise holiday isn’t always about setting sail across vast oceans.
For an alternative type of break on the water, winding your way inland might sound similar but it’s a vastly different experience on a river cruise ship.
From crossing deep into the untouched areas of the Amazon rainforest to exploring some of Europe’s finest cities, the river cruise experience is one that allows tourists to get to grips with the history, culture and tradition of a destination in a slow, immersive fashion.
This could be in the form of sampling Creole cuisine in Mississippi or discovering historic sites in Vietnam, but whatever it is, there’s plenty of choice across Europe, Asia, South America and North America.
Read on for a selection of the best cruises, from the Mississippi to the Mekong.
Best river cruises
1. The Danube
Europe’s second longest river – and arguably its most famous – river takes you through amazing capital cities and a host of charming towns, as well as plenty of scenic countryside in Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. Cruises along the Danube can vary from a handful of days to almost three weeks, giving you time to explore the elegance of cities like Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava or Belgrade.
Emerald Cruises lets you see the best of the Danube with the addition of a hefty dose of traditional German culture in Munich. Leaving the Bavarian capital on a seven-night sailing, you’ll travel to Passau before a quick cross-border trip to the Unesco-listed Czech city of Cesky Krumlov. Vienna is the next city, replete with opulent architecture, before a quick overnight stay in Bratislava on the sixth night. Guided tours and hikes around the castle are included, before you get three nights to explore Budapest, the Hungarian capital that is blessed with picturesque buildings, relaxed thermal baths and a buzzing nightlife scene.
From £1,925pp, flights and airport transfers included. Departing regularly between 17 April and 25 October 2025.
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2. The Amazon
This famous river runs for over 4,000 miles throughout South America and is a major part of the eponymous rainforest, one of the most biodiverse and important natural areas on the planet. A river cruise remains the best way to reach deeper into the jungle, with many cruises beginning in the northern Brazilian city of Manaus or in the Peruvian city of Lima.
Start in Peru’s enchanting capital with the Peruvian Rivers and Rainforest Discovery 11-day cruise from Uniworld. You’ll fly to Iquitos, the largest city in the Amazon as your next stop, before delving into some of the most remote areas in the world as you take to the waters. From here, nature takes centre stage, with a variety of experiences – including jungle walks and kayaking on a lake – added to the enjoyment of natural features such as giant lilies, towering barrigona trees and around 10 per cent of the world’s known animal species.
From £12,699pp, flights and transfers included. Departing regularly from 19 February until 5 November 2025.
3. The Nile
For a relaxing way to take in riverside scenery and some of Egypt’s most important historical sites, a river cruise is the ideal choice.
Start in Cairo and make your way down to Aswan over a few days (though many shorter routes operate between Aswan and Luxor only).
Viking’s 12-day Pharaohs and Pyramids sailing starts in Cairo, where you can visit sites such as the landmark Pyramids of Giza. You then fly to the temples of Luxor where the river cruise will take you for an overnight stay in Aswan to explore the historic Abu Simbel before sailing back to the Egyptian capital. En route, you will stop in ancient sites such as Kom Ombo and Edfu. The scenery along the route is exceptional, too, with palm trees, green spaces and mini oases dotted in between the yellow-hued rock.
From £7,495pp, flights and transfers included. Departing regularly from January to December 2025.
4. The Rhine
Exploring this land of castles and fairytales is a worthwhile European trip, with tours often starting in the pretty Dutch capital of Amsterdam and weaving across the German and French countryside, with the route broken up by cities such as Cologne, Dusseldorf and Strasbourg. Many of the towns located on the banks of the Rhine, such as Koblenz, are incredibly picturesque, with a range of medieval castles and natural sites like the Black Forest also featuring.
Ama Waterways provides a seven-night cruise that runs from Basel to Amsterdam. Get your cultural fix at either end of your trip in either of these two cities, before admiring the vistas around the Rhine Valley, the medieval castles that loom over towns like Heidelberg and the timber-framed buildings that line the streets of Riquewihr and Strasbourg. Stops in both Freiburg and Dusseldorf are also included, as well as an optional excursion to Cologne.
From £2,366pp, flights and transfers included. Departing regularly from 18 February to 27 December 2025.
5. The Douro
The views around the Douro Valley are some of the best in Portugal, whether you’re sitting by the banks in Porto or admiring the verdant hills and vineyards around Pinhao. This region, well-known for its port production, has cruises lasting roughly one week that usually begin and end in Porto – where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean – with a brief crossing over into Spain and Salamanca.
The Riviera Travel package offers an affordable eight-day Douro option starting and ending in Porto, with two nights to explore Portugal’s magnificent second city (and to go on a guided tour of a well-known port producer). Days three and four take you to sleepy Castelo de Rodrigo and the historic Spanish city of Salamanca (with guided tours and time to explore at your leisure) before traversing the cascading vineyards of the valley on your way back to Porto via the beautiful Peso de Regua (with a local wine tasting).
From £1,999pp, flights and transfers included. Departing regularly from 3 April 2025.
6. The Mississippi
Discovering the Deep South is often done by car, but with new routes recently from Viking Cruises, exploring Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota and Tennessee has never been more idyllic. The famed cities of New Orleans and Memphis can bookend your tour, with lesser-known locations such as Baton Rouge, Natchez and Darrow making up the other stops.
Opt for American Cruise Lines’ seven-night Historic Mississippi River Cruise if you really want to immerse yourself in the Deep South. The roundtrip begins in New Orleans, where you can experience the city’s French influences and Creole cuisine before embarking on the legendary waterway towards Baton Rouge – a haven of Creole and Cajun culture – and then onto Natchez, the oldest city on the river. You’ll travel through other towns on the Mississippi and some sailings are even on its American Heritage paddlewheeler, giving you a more genuine experience on the water.
From £3,000pp, flights not included. Departs regularly from 10 March to 28 December 2025.
7. The Mekong
The Mekong flows through a host of Asia’s most fascinating countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, China and Cambodia. Most cruises only take in parts of Vietnam and Cambodia, though this mix of floating fishing villages, traditional markets and the two capitals of Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh will be enough for most travellers. With Avalon Waterways, you’ll combine energetic, modern cities with some of the most vibrant culture in Asia and a history that is equal parts sobering and fascinating.
It starts in Siem Reap, site of the Angkor Wat temple, before moving on to the Cambodian capital, where you can learn about the dictatorship of Pol Pot and visit several must-see landmarks. After this, Vietnam beckons, with a visit to the dizzying Ho Chi Minh City to see its admirable architecture. Visits to markets, old Vietnam War tunnels, temples and cooking classes are dotted in between these city trips for good measure, with stops at characterful towns like Vinh Long, too.
From £3,812pp, flights not included. Departing regularly between 13 January and 1 December 2025.
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