A river cruise is a hotel-style holiday on a small ship that moors in or near a town most days. Most voyages spend seven nights on board, often with hotel stays added. Australians fly to Europe for the Rhine, Danube, Douro or Seine, to Vietnam for the Mekong, or to Egypt for the Nile.
A river cruise swaps the open sea for a slow passage through the middle of a country. The ships are small, the water is calm, and most mornings you wake up moored in a new town with a guided walk ready to go.
This guide covers six of the best-known cruising rivers: the Rhine, Danube, Douro and Seine in Europe, the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia, and the Nile in Egypt. Every AmaWaterways departure is listed with its live fare in Australian dollars; for the other lines, tell us your dates and the river you have in mind, and we will compare the lines that sail it.
| Rivers | Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Mekong, Nile |
|---|---|
| Typical length | 7 nights on board; 10 to 15 days with hotel stays |
| Season | Europe from about March to December; the Mekong and Nile are most comfortable from about October to April |
| Ship Size | About 36 to 200 guests |
| Highlights | Castles of the Rhine Gorge, Vienna and Budapest, Douro Valley vineyards, Giverny and the Normandy coast, Angkor and the Valley of the Kings |
Guide updated 26 October 2026.
Rhine river cruisesAmsterdam and Basel9 itineraries from A$2,407 pp
Danube river cruisesBudapest and Passau or Vilshofen13 itineraries from A$2,695 pp
Mekong river cruisesHo Chi Minh City or My Tho, and Phnom Penh or Kampong Cham2 itineraries from A$3,111 pp
Nile river cruisesLuxor and Aswan, with Cairo before and after1 itinerary from A$8,815 pp
Douro river cruisesRound trip from Porto2 itineraries from A$4,422 pp
Seine river cruisesRound trip from Paris3 itineraries from A$3,593 pp
A river cruise is a voyage on a long, low ship built to fit under bridges and through locks. The ships of the five river lines we book carry from 36 to about 200 guests.
The ship moors in or near the centre of a town most days, so you walk ashore rather than take a tender. A typical day has a guided excursion in the morning, free time or a second tour in the afternoon, and sailing over dinner or overnight. There are no sea days, and the water is calm.
The Rhine and the Danube are the classic European pairing. The Rhine runs from Amsterdam through Germany's castle country to Basel in Switzerland. The Danube links Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, with Vienna and Budapest as the highlights. The Main River and the Main-Danube Canal join the two, so longer voyages sail all the way from Amsterdam to Budapest.
The Douro and the Seine are shorter, more focused trips. A Douro cruise is a round trip from Porto through the terraced port vineyards of northern Portugal, with a day in Spain. A Seine cruise is a round trip from Paris to Normandy, for Rouen, Monet's garden at Giverny and the D-Day beaches.
In Asia, Mekong cruises sail between southern Vietnam and Cambodia, from the delta near Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh or Kampong Cham. Most packages add hotel nights in Siem Reap for the temples of Angkor.
In Egypt, Nile cruises sail between Luxor and Aswan, past temples and royal tombs. Most packages start with nights in Cairo for the Pyramids of Giza.
We book five river lines, and each has its own style. AmaWaterways is a family-founded line with twin-balcony staterooms on most ships and wine and beer included with lunch and dinner. APT is a family-owned Melbourne company whose fares include drinks, gratuities and transfers. Scenic is Australian owned and all-inclusive, with butler service for every suite. Uniworld sails boutique ships, each decorated differently, with drinks, gratuities and excursions in the fare. Avalon Waterways is known for its Panorama Suites, where a wall-wide window slides open to make an open-air balcony.
Not every line sails every river. Each river page lists the lines that sail it, and the line pages show the ships.
Every river fare we quote includes your cabin, meals on board and guided excursions in most ports. Drinks and gratuities depend on the line. AmaWaterways and Avalon include wine and beer with lunch and dinner in Europe. APT, Scenic and Uniworld describe their fares as all-inclusive, with drinks covered beyond mealtimes.
International travel to the ship is not part of a river cruise fare. Inclusions also change by ship and by river, so we confirm the exact list for your sailing before you book.
No ship sails these rivers from Australia, so travellers fly to join the cruise. For Europe the usual starting points are Amsterdam, Basel, Budapest, Porto and Paris. For the Mekong it is Ho Chi Minh City, and for the Nile it is Cairo.
Most travellers arrive a day or two before the ship sails to recover from the long trip. Check passport and visa rules on Smartraveller before you book: Australians need a visa for Vietnam, Cambodia and Egypt.
For Europe, May, June and September give a good mix of mild weather and long days, while late November and December are for Christmas markets. For the Mekong and the Nile, the cooler, drier months from about October to April are the most comfortable.
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| March to May | Spring in Europe: tulip season around Amsterdam and Keukenhof Gardens, and the start of the main river season. |
| June to August | European summer: long days and more evenings in port. In dry years, low water can force changes on parts of the Rhine, Main and Danube. |
| September to November | Autumn: the grape harvest on the Douro in September, and the cooler months begin on the Mekong and the Nile. |
| Late November to December | Christmas market sailings on the Rhine and Danube. Most markets close by 23 December, and daytime highs sit around 0 to 7°C. |
AmaWaterwaysA family-founded river cruise line with twin-balcony staterooms, wine included with lunch and dinner, and a Chef’s Table on board. Australians fly to Europe, Egypt, Vietnam or Colombia to join the ship.61 itineraries from A$2,407 pp
APTA family owned Australian touring company cruising brand-new river ships in Europe, Mekong Serenity in Vietnam and Cambodia, and the Kimberley coast, with drinks, gratuities and transfers included in every fare.Fares quoted on request
ScenicAustralian-owned and truly all-inclusive: butler service, all dining and drinks on every Space-Ship river cruise and Eclipse-class Discovery Yacht voyage, from Europe’s rivers to Antarctica.Jewels of Europe with Paris & Prague from A$14,640 pp
UniworldBoutique river cruising from The Travel Corporation: one-of-a-kind, antique-filled ships of 68 to 152 guests, drinks, dining, gratuities and excursions included. Australians fly to Europe, Egypt or Vietnam to join one.Enchanting Danube, Budapest to Passau from A$6,099 pp
Avalon WaterwaysThe Globus family’s river line, known for Suite Ships whose Panorama Suites slide open into an Open-Air Balcony, bed facing the view. Australians fly to Europe or Asia to join one.Fares quoted on request
Either works well for a first river cruise. The Rhine suits people who want castles, vineyards and four countries in a week between Amsterdam and Basel. The Danube suits people who want grand cities, with Vienna and Budapest in the same week. If you cannot choose, longer voyages sail both rivers between Amsterdam and Budapest.
Sometimes, but check carefully before you book. River ships often moor side by side, so you may need to climb stairs and cross another ship to get ashore. Some ships have no lift, including AmaWaterways' AmaDara on the Mekong and AmaDahlia on the Nile. AmaWaterways says its itineraries are not recommended for guests using wheelchairs or scooters because of cobblestones, stairs and narrow gangways.
Most river cruises spend seven nights on board. Packages that add hotel nights in cities such as Cairo, Siem Reap, Porto or Paris run about 10 to 15 days. Longer European voyages link several rivers in one trip.
Yes, in Europe late November and December is Christmas market season on the Rhine and Danube. Expect daytime highs of about 0 to 7°C and short days. Scenic now offers European river departures from February, and the Mekong and Nile are at their most comfortable in the southern summer.
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Sources: AmaWaterways: Captivating Rhine itinerary, AmaWaterways: preparing for your Europe cruise (mobility, docking), AmaWaterways: Christmas Markets on the Danube, APT: river cruises, Scenic: seasonal guide to Europe river cruising, Uniworld: Rhine Holiday Markets (Christmas market dates, low water notice), Avalon Waterways: what's included, Avalon Waterways: Avalon Saigon, Smartraveller: Vietnam, Smartraveller: Cambodia, Smartraveller: Egypt. River fares are quoted per sailing and date by the cruise lines.
