Updated January 5, 2004 -- Cruising on Europe's rivers, canals, and lakes is a wonderful alternative to the standard car trek or bus tour, allowing you to see a countries' cities, towns, and rural landscapes while avoiding road rage. Whether aboard small river ships or tiny luxurious barges, the pace is leisurely, the waters calm, the ambience generally informal, and, just like on an oceangoing cruise ship, you only have to unpack once and then let someone else do the work.
River Ships
European river ships are especially popular with European travelers, although for the past few years the river lines and booking companies have been targeting trips to Americans, adding more English-speaking guides and crewmembers.
On these long, low (usually no more than three- or four-deck) vessels, you and between 50 to 200 fellow passengers will cruise along famous waterway like the Seine, Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Neckar and Elbe, comfortably enjoying the passing scenery and visiting ports such as Budapest, Vienna, Amsterdam, Avignon and Nuremberg. The vessels typically make between one and four stops per day, and some spend the night in key cities so you can enjoy the local nightlife.
These floating hotels typically offer small, comfortable cabins and occasionally suites, usually with a window or (less commonly) with a private balcony. As aboard the range of larger cruise ships, meals and accommodations (and sometimes even shore excursions) are included in the cruise fare, with cuisine running the gamut from standard up to gourmet, as aboard the Peter Deilmann ships. Public rooms are limited since these are small vessels, but there's usually a nice lounge and dining room plus large outside viewing decks. Some ships also have a separate bar, and sometimes a small splash pool, spa, and gym. Light entertainment may be provided by a solo instrumentalist, a singer or a small group. Many ships offer special sailings themed around history, food and wine, art, etc.
- Region/Countries: France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.
- Season: Mar-Nov.
- Typical Itinerary Length: 7 to 14 nights.
- Typical Age Range: Adults, ages 55 and up.
- Rates: Rates start around $999 for a six-night cruise, with discounts typically offered at the beginning and end of the season.
- Add-Ons: Some companies offer pre- and post-cruise land options.
Barges
Barges are tiny vessels-most carry fewer than 12 passengers, and few carry more than 20 -- and are the floating equivalent of a B&B, even to the extent that some are crewed by the families that own them. They're one of the most relaxing and intimate cruise experiences you can find, and the small size of the vessels means they can be chartered whole by families or groups of friends.
Navigating through the locks of historic canals, the barges move very slowly through the countryside -- so slowly, in fact that you can grab one of the bikes they carry aboard and pedal alongside. When you stop at a town or city, you have the option of taking a private tour (usually by van) or just enjoying the town on your own. The barges dock at night, allowing you additional opportunity to explore.
Passenger mix on board is all-important, as you'll get to know everyone very well during the course of a week, dining together, touring together, and relaxing together. Meals are a big part of the barge experience and are worth lingering over. Lunch and dinner usually includes complimentary wine, often from the region you are visiting.
Most barges began life as commercial freight vessels before being rebuilt to accommodate passengers. Public rooms typically include a dining room/lounge with a bar area, and outside there's usually a good amount of deck space, sometimes with a tiny swimming pool. Cabins will be on the small side but comfortable, and some barges have larger suites available. Most but not all cabins have private bathrooms and either windows or portholes.
For something a little different, you can choose to pilot your own self-skippered barge, available from owner Crown Blue Line (see below) and also bookable through Abercrombie & Kent and Le Boat.
- Region/Countries: Barges are most popular in France, but you can also cruise in England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland.
- Season: April-Oct/Nov. Reduced rates are offered in Apr and Oct/Nov.
- Typical Itinerary Length: Most itineraries are 6 nights.
- Typical Age Range: Adults, although a few barge companies (such as Abercrombie & Kent) offer special family sailings.
- Rates: Rates start around $1,100 for a 6-night cruise, with self-skippered barges starting around $800.
- Add-Ons: Excursions are usually included in the cruise fare, with the exception of the popular option of hot air ballooning, available for an extra charge.
Booking a River Cruise
Both river ships and barges are typically represented in the U.S. by brokers who market a number of different independent or commercially owned vessels. Sometimes the same vessel may be booked by several different companies. A few companies also operate their own vessels, as noted below. All rates listed represent the approximate lowest and highest prices offered during the season, are per person based on double occupancy, and vary by itinerary. You can book through a travel agent or by contacting the companies directly.
Abercrombie & Kent: Upscale tour operator A&K offers barge cruises on a fleet of 32 vessels in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland, including Continental Waterways' vessels l'Abercrombie and Lafayette. The company also offers the Crown Blue Line self-skippered product (see below), river cruises on Continental Waterways ships in France, and river cruises in other countries sold as part of cruisetour packages (such as the "Waterways of the Czars" Moscow to St. Petersburg tour in Russia). Barge cruises are 6-night, with rates ranging from $1,690 to $6,125. Rates for 6-night river-ship cruises in France are $1,690 to $2,690. Contact: 1520 Kensington Rd., Suite 212, Oak Brook, IL 60523-2156; 800/323-7308, www.abercrombiekent.com.
Amadeus Waterways: Founded by former Viking River Cruises president Rudi Schreiner, Amadeus offers a series of cruises aboard the sleek new 146-passenger Amadeus Symphony, a non-smoking vessel dedicated exclusively to the English-speaking market, with sixty-nine 180-square-foot cabins and four suites, a lounge and fitness center, and a pool on its extremely spacious deck. The company offers 7-night Belgium/Holland, Rhine/Moselle, and Danube cruises, plus a 14-night "Magnificent Europe" cruise. Prices for 7-night itineraries run from $1,500 to $1,700; 14-night starts at $2,700. Contact: 21625 Prairie St., Chatsworth, California 91311; 800/380-3865, www.amadeuswaterways.com.
The Barge Lady: The Barge Lady represents more than fifty 6- to 22-passenger barges that cruise throughout France (including some departing from Paris), Belgium, Holland, Germany, England, Ireland, and Scotland. Barge cruises are 6-night, and rates range from $1,190 to $4,995. Contact: 101 West Grand Ave., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60610; 800/880-0071, www.bargelady.com.
Continental Waterways: This firm, which owns its own vessels and is also bookable through Abercrombie & Kent, the Barge Lady, EWaterways.com (Continental's online reservation center), Maupin Waterways, and other tour companies, helped pioneer the concept of hotel barges in Europe. Its dozen barges (including l'Abercrombie, chartered principally by Abercrombie & Kent) carry 20 to 24 passengers each, while its four Europe-based river ships average 50 passengers apiece. Cruising areas include the Alsace-Lorraine, Burgundy, Champagne, Franche-Comte, Ile de France, and eastern and upper Loire, plus Belgium and Holland. Rates run from $1,690 for the barges, from $1,490 for the river ships. Contact: 53 E. 34th, Suite 500, New York, NY 10016; 800/676-6613, www.continentalwaterways.com.
Crown Blue Line: Crown Blue offers over three dozen different types of self-skippered barges (about a thousand vessels total) to allow you ultimate freedom on the waterways of France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland, letting you go where you want, when you want. The barges are easy to handle and require no previous boating experience. Boats accommodate 2 to 12 passengers, with prices starting around $800 per week. Contact: Annapolis Landing Marina, 980 Awald Road, Suite 302, Annapolis, MD 21403; 888/355-9491, www.crownblueline.com.
EWaterways.com: EWaterways.com (formerly B&V Waterways) books cruises aboard more than two dozen 6- to 12-passenger barges sailing in Ireland, Holland, Belgium, England, and France (Burgundy, Franche Comte, Canal du Midi, Upper Loire, Burgundy/Chablis, the Middle Loire, Alsace-Lorraine, the Rhone Valley, and Provence). Special theme cruises include golf, gardens, bicycling, walking, wine, architecture, bird-watching, and photography. The company also offers cruises in Germany, France, and Holland aboard Continental Waterways' 20- to 50-passenger river ships and barges and a number of larger river ships, such as Peter Deilmann's 200-passenger Danube Prince. Rates for 6-night barge cruises are $1,115 to $5,000. Contact: 53 E. 34th, Suite 500, New York, NY 10016; 800/546-4777, www.ewaterways.com.
French Country Waterways: This firm owns and operates the luxury barges Espirit, Horizon II, Liberte, Nenuphar, and Princess, accommodating 8 to 18 passengers. The company's six French itineraries include Burgundy, the Upper Loire Valley, the Champagne region, and Alsace-Lorraine. Cruises are 6-night, and rates range from $3,195 to $4,795. Contact: P.O. Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331; 800/222-1236, www.fcwl.com.
Global Quest: Global Quest operates the 199-passenger Kirov and the 270-passenger Peter the Great on the waterways of Russia, between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and also has six 88- to 150-passenger river ships sailing through Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, France, and Italy. Russian itineraries are 10 and 14 nights, with 10-night prices ranging from $1,699 to $2,099. Western/Central European cruises are 7 to 12 nights, with 7-night prices ranging from $1,010 to $1,960. Contact: 185 Willis Ave., 2nd Floor, Mineola, New York 11501; 800/221-3254, www.globalquesttravel.com.
Grand Circle Travel: GCT offers seven different itineraries covering rivers and canals in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania, Serbia and Switzerland. These trips are highly affordable ranging from $1,495 per person for a 12-day cruise in northern Europe to $2,195 for a 16-day journey along the great rivers; these prices include roundtrip airfare out of the east coast. Contact: 800/959-0405, www.gct.com
Intrav: Intrav, parent company of Clipper Cruise Line, offers trips on seven river ships, ranging in size from the 32-passenger Vincent Van Gogh to the 240-passenger Novikov Priboy, sailing rivers in Russia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Intrav travel directors and local experts on history and culture accompany the sailings, which range from 10 to 15 nights. Some itineraries also have optional extensions on land. Ten-night rates run from $2,895 to $5,195. Contact: 11969 Westline Industrial Dr., St. Louis, MO 63146; 800/456-8100, www.intrav.com.
Le Boat: Le Boat offers cruises aboard 45 independent barges and river ships carrying 4 to 51 passengers, sailing in France, Holland, Belgium, Scotland, England, Ireland, and Germany. They also offer self-skipped barges in France, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and Italy. All crewed trips are 6 nights; self-skippered trips are 7 nights. Rates for crewed barges are $1,690 to $43,950 per person; self-skippered barges start around $900 per boat per week. Contact: 45 Whitney Rd., Suite C5, Mahwah, NJ 07430; 800/992-0291, www.leboat.com.
MaupinWaterways: Operated by tour operator Maupintour, this firm offers cruises on 27 barges and river ships carrying 6 to 232 passengers and sailing in France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Russia, Central Europe, and Italy. Most cruises are 6 nights, and rates range from $1,400 to $2,900. An 11-night Russia cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg runs $1,550 to $1,750. Contact: 10650 W. Charleston Blvd., Summerlin, NV 89135-1421; 800/255-4266, www.maupintour.com.
Peter Deilmann Cruises: This German firm, which also operates the oceangoing cruise ship Deutschland and the sailing ship Lili Marleen, has nine deluxe river ships carrying between 58 and 200 passengers: the Mozart, Cezanne, Dresden, Danube Princess, Princess de Provence, Konigstein, Katharina, Casanova, and new Frederic Chopin on the Danube, Elbe, Rhine, Rhone, Saone, Maine, Moselle, and Po rivers, as well as on Belgian and Dutch canals. The company markets extensively in the U.S., and typically 40% to 50% of passengers are American. Some of the ships have exclusively outside cabins, while others have inside cabins at the low end of the spectrum and suites at the high end. Itineraries for the river cruises are 7 to 14 nights, with rates for 7-night cruises ranging from $1,020 to $4,550. Contact: 1800 Diagonal Rd., Suite 170, Alexandria, VA 22314; 800/348-8287, www.deilmann-cruises.com.
Uniworld: Uniworld is a California-based firm that offers 26 river cruise itineraries in Western Europe and Russia aboard a fleet of thirteen river ships carrying 48 to 145 passengers (with the Litvinov, sailing Russian waterways, able to accommodate 220 guests). The company designs itineraries for American tastes, and the crew is English-speaking. Sailing areas include the Douro River in Portugal; the Po River in Italy; the Rhone, Saone, and Seine in France; assorted Dutch waterways; the Rhine and Moselle (Amsterdam to Basel); the Danube; and assorted waterways in Russia. Cruises range from 9 to 24 nights (the latter an "Ultimate Grand Cruise" that goes from Amsterdam to Istanbul). Rates for 9-night sailings are $1,598 to $1,898. Contact: Uniworld Plaza, 17323 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91316; 800/733-7820, www.uniworld.com.
Value World Tours: Value World operates eight Europe- and Russia-based river ships: In Western and Central Europe, four nearly identical Viking-class ships carrying 124-150 passengers, plus the smaller Balkan Beauty I and Balkan Beauty II, carrying 86; in Russia and the Ukraine the large, 310-passenger Mayakovsky and the tiny, 30-passenger Vampilov. European cruises visit France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, with itineraries from 7 to 14 nights (the latter a Grand Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam). Prices for 7-night cruises run from $1,299 to $1,749. Contact: 17220 Newhope St., Suite 203, Fountain Valley, CA 92708; 800/795-1633, www.vwtours.com.
Viking River Cruises: In 2000, this firm bought KD River Cruises, the oldest and largest river cruise line in Europe, which had been offering cruises on the Rhine in 1857. Today, it operates 24 river ships, including the 150-passenger sister ships Viking Neptune, Viking Spirit, Viking Pride, and Viking Europe, all introduced since 2001. These hotel-like ships were designed with U.S. passengers in mind, and offer cabin TVs, phones, hair dryers, and safes, plus some unusual river ship amenities, such as picture windows that open. The vessels cruise on the Rhine, Main, Danube, and Elbe rivers in Germany, as well as in waterways in Russia, France, Italy, Holland, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Cruises run from 5 to 17 nights, with 7-night fares between $999 and $2,229. A 14-night from Amsterdam to Budapest runs between $2,499 and $3,639. Contact: 21820 Burbank Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 91367; 877/66-VIKING (877/66-845460), www.vikingrivercruises.com.
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