Rhine River Tours & Trips

107 Rhine River trips. Tours from 12 tour companies. 13 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.

107 Trips match your criteria (101 - 107 shown)

Remarkable Rhine & Historic Holland (2022)
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Themes

Cultural, 50 Plus, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and professional. Most remembered your preferences and were prepared to assist."

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Magnificent Moselle & Rhine
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Themes

Cultural, 50 Plus, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and professional. Most remembered your preferences and were prepared to assist."

Trip dates & details
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Jewels of the Rhine
4.8/5 Excellent
24 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore 8 different cities, towns and villages with a guide during our included tours and shore excursions
  • Visit the Black Forest region and visit the open air Vogtsbauernhof Museum which showcases life in medieval times
  • Visit Mannheim one of Germany's oldest cities largely destroyed during WWII
  • Explore the medieval town of Rüdesheim and take a cable car to the Germania Monument
  • Cruise the majestic Rhine Gorge including the Lorelei Statue and 21 medieval castles
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Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"We booked an Emerald Waterways river cruise a year ago and paid in full to get a discount. A river cruise was on our bucket list and our travel agent raved on and on about Emerald Waterways. Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic hit the world hard. We fully expected the cruise to be cancelled and just yesterday it was. I knew that per the terms and conditions that if Emerald cancelled the cruise we were to be offered an alternate sailing date or a FULL refund. BUT, the letter I received said they were "suspending" (not cancelling) all sailings and if I didn't want the future cruise credit I could cancel under their standard terms and conditions. If I cancelled then I would lose a $1,000 deposit! This is a bad faith offer in my opinion. I am so upset with the way this was handled. I understand we are all suffering from the pandemic but Emerald Waterways needs to step up and do the right thing. Rest assured I will not be a future customer of Emerald Waterways."

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Rhine-Main Discovery
4.8/5 Excellent
24 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Enjoy the Cruise of luxury Emerald Star-Ship
  • Discover Cologne which is famous for its magnificent World–Heritage listed Gothic Cathedral
  • Enjoy cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge
  • Visit the Bishops’ Residenz
  • Explore this UNESCO World Heritage city Bamberg

Themes

Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"We booked an Emerald Waterways river cruise a year ago and paid in full to get a discount. A river cruise was on our bucket list and our travel agent raved on and on about Emerald Waterways. Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic hit the world hard. We fully expected the cruise to be cancelled and just yesterday it was. I knew that per the terms and conditions that if Emerald cancelled the cruise we were to be offered an alternate sailing date or a FULL refund. BUT, the letter I received said they were "suspending" (not cancelling) all sailings and if I didn't want the future cruise credit I could cancel under their standard terms and conditions. If I cancelled then I would lose a $1,000 deposit! This is a bad faith offer in my opinion. I am so upset with the way this was handled. I understand we are all suffering from the pandemic but Emerald Waterways needs to step up and do the right thing. Rest assured I will not be a future customer of Emerald Waterways."

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Prague to Paris & Legends of Moselle, Rhine and Main
4.8/5 Excellent
24 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore the sights of the Old Town Square
  • Explore Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage city
  • Visit to Miltenberg, a picturesque village on the Main River
  • Cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge
  • Explore the ruins of the old city, Trier
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Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks

What travelers are saying

"We booked an Emerald Waterways river cruise a year ago and paid in full to get a discount. A river cruise was on our bucket list and our travel agent raved on and on about Emerald Waterways. Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic hit the world hard. We fully expected the cruise to be cancelled and just yesterday it was. I knew that per the terms and conditions that if Emerald cancelled the cruise we were to be offered an alternate sailing date or a FULL refund. BUT, the letter I received said they were "suspending" (not cancelling) all sailings and if I didn't want the future cruise credit I could cancel under their standard terms and conditions. If I cancelled then I would lose a $1,000 deposit! This is a bad faith offer in my opinion. I am so upset with the way this was handled. I understand we are all suffering from the pandemic but Emerald Waterways needs to step up and do the right thing. Rest assured I will not be a future customer of Emerald Waterways."

Trip dates & details
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Jewels of the Rhine
4.8/5 Excellent
24 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore 8 different cities, towns and villages with a guide during our included tours and shore excursions
  • Take an orientation walk through Amsterdam
  • Tour of Cologne’s Old Town
  • Visit the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz
  • Cruise the majestic Rhine Gorge
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Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks

What travelers are saying

"We booked an Emerald Waterways river cruise a year ago and paid in full to get a discount. A river cruise was on our bucket list and our travel agent raved on and on about Emerald Waterways. Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic hit the world hard. We fully expected the cruise to be cancelled and just yesterday it was. I knew that per the terms and conditions that if Emerald cancelled the cruise we were to be offered an alternate sailing date or a FULL refund. BUT, the letter I received said they were "suspending" (not cancelling) all sailings and if I didn't want the future cruise credit I could cancel under their standard terms and conditions. If I cancelled then I would lose a $1,000 deposit! This is a bad faith offer in my opinion. I am so upset with the way this was handled. I understand we are all suffering from the pandemic but Emerald Waterways needs to step up and do the right thing. Rest assured I will not be a future customer of Emerald Waterways."

Trip dates & details
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Legends of Moselle, Rhine and Main
4.8/5 Excellent
24 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

  • Explore beautiful old city Trier
  • Opportunity to Cruise along the beautiful Moselle River to Bernkastel
  • Visit Miltenberg
  • Cruise through the Main–Danube Canal, to Bamberg and explore UNESCO world heritage site

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, 50 Plus, National Parks

What travelers are saying

"We booked an Emerald Waterways river cruise a year ago and paid in full to get a discount. A river cruise was on our bucket list and our travel agent raved on and on about Emerald Waterways. Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic hit the world hard. We fully expected the cruise to be cancelled and just yesterday it was. I knew that per the terms and conditions that if Emerald cancelled the cruise we were to be offered an alternate sailing date or a FULL refund. BUT, the letter I received said they were "suspending" (not cancelling) all sailings and if I didn't want the future cruise credit I could cancel under their standard terms and conditions. If I cancelled then I would lose a $1,000 deposit! This is a bad faith offer in my opinion. I am so upset with the way this was handled. I understand we are all suffering from the pandemic but Emerald Waterways needs to step up and do the right thing. Rest assured I will not be a future customer of Emerald Waterways."

Trip dates & details
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Christmas Markets along the Rhine
4.5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Strasbourg

Highlights

  • Cruise highlights An exciting cruise on the Rhine River bringing on the holiday cheer
  • THE MUST-SEE SITES: Heidelberg and one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany
  • Koblenz and the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Themes

Family Friendly, 50 Plus, Small Ship Cruise, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel

What travelers are saying

"Summary over a cruise on the Haute Seine and Yonne on a barge. As seasoned cruisers, knowing well all aspects of cruising on seas and rivers, we had no experience about traveling on a barge in a canal. It was also time to overcome this lack. A number of companies offer this kind of cruising on barge with 8 to 16 passengers, however very often at exorbitant prices. Luckily, we discovered that the company CroisiEurope offers one week cruise on various canals in Europe, at very decent price, especially considering that all is inclusive (full board, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and all excursions) on modern barges with a maximum of 22 passengers. We opted for the barge Ms Deborah, which cruises on the canal de la Loire, with the Briare to Nevers’ route. We were looking forward to this itinerary because the proposed excursions particularly suited us. Unfortunately, only a few days before departure, we were informed that due of a lack of water in the Loire canal the Ms Deborah was switched over to the Haute Seine and Yonne for a new itinerary from Paris to Sens. Despites the fact that this new itinerary didn’t really meet our desires, especially the excursions, we decided to accept the change. Our group of 6 persons from Switzerland was very warmly greeted by all members of the crew when arriving on the quai de Grenelle in Paris where we see the MS DEBORAH for the first time, our floating home for the week. With its two dominating colours blue and white, it is difficult not to fall in love with this beautiful small ship. We were invited immediately for the welcome cocktail during which we met officially the crew and the other six individual passengers originating from New Zealand, England and the USA. With less time than it needs to tell, the relation between us was created, so that everyone felt part of a bunch of friends knowing each other for long time. There is no need to present here the MS Deborah itself, as this is already thoroughly done on the Cruise Critic page. The crew of 6 persons is composed of a captain, a sailor, a cruise director, a chef, a waitress and a cabin hostess who put all their efforts to satisfy the passengers and offer them the best possible service. The captain as well as the sailor are always trying to make passengers at ease, answer questions or even bring a drink. The lady cruise director is omnipresent, taking care of the passengers better than a mother hen would do. The talented young French chef aims to produce dishes which please everybody. His outstanding sauces and excellent desserts should be particularly praised. However, referring to comments we made during a cruise on the Seine Princess two years ago, we cannot understand that why today it is not possible to offer the choice of a light buffet at lunch instead a three or even four course menu! The always smiling and friendly Hungarian waitress was very caring and attentive, without forgetting the cabin hostess doing a great job in the cabins, the public spaces and even the kitchen. It wouldn’t be fair to name a single person as all members of the crew, without any exception, do all they can to make the cruise unforgettable. Our one-week cruise on the barge Ms Deborah enables us today to make the following comments: ~ a cruise on a barge cannot be compared to any other kind of cruise ~ despite all the comfort offered on modern barge, one must be very aware that life on board happens at a restraint space, requiring therefore much flexibility and understanding in all aspects from all passengers ~ in our case, being only 12 passengers, we had the opportunity to take our meals on the terrace. We also never had the feeling that the boat was overcrowded. This can be different when the ship is full, especially by bad weather ~ the state of mind between the passengers who are mostly of foreign nationalities, who don’t know each other and don’t speak French, must function well right from the beginning ~ if the interrelation works, it is difficult to find a more relaxing and enjoyable way of travelling ~ the success on a barge is mainly due on the quality of its crew. Ms Deborah’s crew members have quickly created a family spirit on board, showing also that they genuinely like what they do ~ excursions can play a major role in choosing an itinerary. Not speaking French or English can be a handicap Do we recommend to do a cruise on a barge? Yes, definitively! It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting. In our case, this second try with CroisiEurope gives them a better note."

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Rhine River Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
13  Reviews
See all Rhine River tour reviews
Excellent
6
Great
0
Average
1
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
W

Wayne H

Jan 2017

Written on

The most amazing river trip in Europe

Traveling from Belgium through 6 countries to Switzerland is one of the most amazing travel experiences in Europe, especially if traveling with Grand Circle Travel. ...

L

Larry

Oct 2018

Misleading and often just plain dishonest.

We paid for a 3 week luxury river cruise but received a large group bus trip across Europe with many days of packing and unpacking. I called our Viking representativ...

C

Charles

Oct 2022

Good and no so goog

Recently returned from a Viking Rhine trip on 10/14. The good: Rhine water levels were good, no issues. Service on the vessel was A+, excluding one attendant with...

T

Tonya

Aug 2015

Incredible experience

Incredible experience sailing on the Grand European tour from Amsterdam to Budapest! Just wonderful! The tours were interesting, and most allowed for adequate free t...

R

RIP off report

May 2020

Written on

Do not use Great Value Vacations

We spent $11, 630.20 for a 12 day trip to Europe, from 6/11/2020 to 6/23/2020. THEY cancelled our trip, and refuse to refund our money, even after we purchased the t...

Write a Review

Rhine River Tour Selection Trips

Embarking on a Rhine River tour promises a journey filled with stunning scenery, historic landmarks, and cultural experiences. To make the most of your adventure, consider these practical travel tips:

  • Book early, as popular cruises fill up quickly.
  • Pack layers for varying weather conditions.
  • Bring comfortable shoes for walking tours and excursions.
  • Have some euros on hand for small purchases.
  • Bring electrical adapters for charging devices.
  • Remember to try regional specialties.
  • Pack any necessary medications and a basic first-aid kit.
  • Learn a few German phrases to enhance your experience.
  • Keep a water bottle handy during excursions.
  • Research and book guided tours in advance for popular sites.
  • Check if your cruise offers Wi-Fi or consider an international data plan.
  • Be mindful of local etiquette and traditions.
  • Consider travel insurance for peace of mind during your trip.



Additional details

River cruises along the Rhine are perfect for those travelers seeking a less crowded European river cruise than the Danube, but are eager to see many similar sights.

Rather than traveling in and east-west direction, Rhine river cruises travel north-south through the Netherlands, western Germany, and some far eastern parts of France.

Unlike many other river cruises through Europe, the Rhine touches on some views of a more industrial side of Europe. You will absolutely see a smattering of castles, and gorgeous countryside, but expect a few industrial plants and factories along the way as well. The Rhine, like all important rivers, has gone through many iterations of importance to the countries it services.

How long are Rhine River Cruises?

Rhine river cruises are usually between 8 and 15 days. This gives you a nice balance of port calls and time out on the water.

However, be sure to check the itinerary and route carefully. Many Rhine River cruises travel in smaller areas, rather than the full expanse of the river. These cruises may be similar amounts of time but hitting a different number of countries.

So when searching for a Rhine River cruise, consider whether you’d prefer to visit more sites within 1 country - meaning some smaller villages and towns, or forgo some sights in the interest of checking off more countries and larger cities.

Christmas Cruises Along the Rhine

The Rhine is an extremely popular river for people wanting to visit some of Europe’s famous Christmas markets. These delightful markets have deep roots in Germany where they are called “Christkindlesmarkt”. Because the Rhine flows through much of Germany’s western regions, it is one of the top rivers that hosts Christmas cruises.

Snow is common, so be ready for some cold weather! But it adds everything to the ambiance, as you stroll through the streets listening to carols, sipping mulled wine, and browsing stalls of crafts and food.

Rhine Christmas cruises fill up fast! Be sure to book early to secure a spot. And book extra early if you or someone you traveling with requires special assistance, such as a wheelchair accessible room. These are first come first serve on river cruise vessels.

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