What Is a River Cruise?
Unpack once, wake up somewhere new — the short answer and the long one.
Ask Mister CruiseWhat Is a River Cruise? The Short Answer
A river cruise is a trip on a small passenger ship that sails a river, or a chain of connected rivers and canals, stopping at towns and cities along the banks. You unpack once, sleep in the same cabin each night, and wake up in a different place most mornings. Meals, guided tours ashore and many drinks are usually part of the fare.
The Longer Answer: What Makes It Different
The ship is small
European river ships are long and low to fit through locks and under bridges. Most carry about 100 to 200 guests, so there are no crowds at the gangway.
You dock in town
Ships tie up at riverside quays, often a short walk from the old center, so no tender boats and little time in transit.
The scenery never stops
Banks are close on both sides, so castles, vineyards and villages slide past your window.
The touring is built in
Most lines include at least one guided tour in each port, with headsets so you can hear the guide.
The pace is gentle
Days are organized around sightseeing, meals and conversation rather than shows and nightlife.
The routes are inland
You see the heart of a region — Austria’s Wachau, Portugal’s Douro, the Mekong delta — rather than its coastline.
Where River Cruises Go
- Europe: the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Seine, Rhône, Douro, Elbe and the Dutch and Belgian waterways.
- The U.S.: the Mississippi and its tributaries, the Columbia and Snake, and some East Coast rivers.
- Asia: the Mekong, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Yangtze.
- Africa and South America: the Nile, the Chobe and the Amazon.
What a River Cruise Is Not
It is not a smaller ocean cruise. Most river ships have no casino, no big theater, few or no pools and no kids’ club, and days at sea do not exist. It is also not a barge holiday, though barges are a cousin: hotel barges carry a handful of guests on canals, and move more slowly still. For the full side-by-side, read our river cruise vs ocean cruise answer.
What Is a River Cruise Like?
What is the difference between a river cruise and a riverboat cruise?
In everyday use they mean the same thing. “Riverboat” is more common in the U.S., especially for paddlewheel-style boats on the Mississippi; “river ship” or “longship” is used in Europe.
Do river cruise ships sail at night?
Often, yes. Many itineraries cruise overnight or in the early morning so that you arrive in a new town after breakfast; scenic stretches are timed for daylight where possible.
What is a river cruise like day to day?
Breakfast while docked, a guided walk or coach tour in the morning, lunch on board, free time or an optional tour, then sailing in the afternoon and dinner as the scenery passes.
Find Out If a River Cruise Fits You
Tell us what you enjoy on vacation. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will tell you honestly whether a river cruise suits you and send free quotes.
Ask Mister Cruise