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European Cruise River Levels Are Falling To Critical Levels

Story Update (September 5, 2022)

Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur.  I explain ship swapping in the section: What Happens If Your Cruise Is Affected By Water Level?

The original story starts here:

The climate in Europe is changing and not for the better.  Europe is now seeing the same kind of climate change conditions that are affecting the Western United States.  These conditions include:

• Record high temperatures,
• Record low precipitation,
• Falling river levels and
• Numerous forest fires.

Lately, Europe has seen temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).  As a result, river levels are falling to critical levels.  One of the most popular rivers, the Rhine has river levels falling fast.

The Ups And Downs Of River Levels

Unlike ocean cruising, river cruising has a lot of fluctuations in water levels.  These levels can swing widely both up and down.  The problem with river cruises is that they are affected by both high and low water levels.  There are no uniform river flows and water levels are unpredictable.

If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles.  If the level is too low, the vessel may run aground or need an alternative docking arrangement.  

A river level that is too high or too low can affect an otherwise great cruising experience.  

Europe has many rivers where cruise lines operate.  The two most popular are the Rhine and the Danube.  

The Telling Signs Of Falling River Levels

The first example of river distress is the Po River in Northern Italy.  This river begins in the Alps near the Italy-French border and is fed by snowmelt.  The Po River flows 400 miles across the top of Italy from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea.  Italy is in the worst drought in over 70 years.  In June, there were places along the Po that completely dried up.  At the other end of the Po, ocean water has flooded the last 12 miles of the river damaging crops and contaminating drinking water.  

The next indicator of river flow problems is the Thames River in England.  The first five miles of headwaters have completely dried up.  The drought category in England has reached the most severe designation of “severe drought”.

How Riverboats Are Made

I was sailing aboard the Avalon Vista two months ago on a cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland along the Rhine River.  The first thing that I noticed when I boarded is that all river ships are built to similar dimensions.  It is the standard architecture that gives the river boat some leeway with rising and falling river levels.  

The typical characteristics of river boats regardless of cruise line are about the same.  The key dimensions of the Avalon Vista are:

• Length of 430 feet,
• Beam (width) of 40 feet,
• Draft (depth) of 6 1/2 feet and
• Maximum capacities of 164 passengers and 47 crew.

Navigating The Changing River Levels

River boats are built in such a way that for bridge clearance, the mast, pilot house, and sun shades can be lowered.  On the other end, river boats are built with a shallow draft of about six feet deep to avoid hitting the river bottom.   In times of high water, river boats can reduce their height by:

• Lowering the mast,
• Lowering  the pilot house and
• Disassembling the shades on the sun deck.

Another aspect of river cruising is how much water does the ship draft?  The draft is the amount of vessel that is below the water line.  River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water.  Ocean cruise ships usually have at least 25 feet or more or more of draft which would preclude them from river cruising.  

The Rhine vs The Danube

These two rivers are the most popular routes in European river cruising.  The Rhine River is more sensitive in terms of river flow because it lacks the dams that are on the Danube River.  For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube.  The Rhine River in general is not that deep.  I asked the captain how deep the ship would be if it sank.  It turns out that for the most part, if the ship sank, we would be high and dry standing on the sun deck.

When Should You Go On A River Cruise?

This was a question that I asked myself before booking my Rhine River cruise.  I took into account the following factors and then made an educated guess:

• Avoiding high river flows,
• Avoiding low river flows and
• Expected weather conditions during the cruise.

Taking all of these factors into account, we booked for mid-June.  It turns out that during the second half of the cruise, we were in a heat wave, experiencing very hot temperatures.

What Happens If Your Cruise Is Affected By Water Level?

River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems.  They may run multiple ships back-to-back where you would transfer to another ship where the river is having navigational issues.   Since the ships are nearly identical, if you do transfer to another ship, you should be in a similar stateroom as the original ship.    This is known as ship swapping.

 The other typical plan is to put the passengers on buses to get around the affected areas.  This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals.

What Should You Do?

If you are booked on a river cruise for later this year, do not make any snap decisions .  If you voluntarily cancel your cruise you may only get a partial or no refund depending on how close to departure you cancel your cruise.  Another factor that should be considered is trip insurance.  Having trip insurance may pay you in full depending on your coverage.  

Check with your cruise line on current cruising conditions and what you can expect from them.  Here is a message that appears on the Viking River Cruise webpage:

The cruise line may elect to cancel your cruise.  In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare.  My experience with Viking River Cruises is that if they cancel, they will either refund your money or give you a voucher in excess of the cruise value for you to rebook.  When Viking River Cruises canceled my cruise in 2021 for Covid, they gave me a cruise voucher for 125% and some optional packages as an incentive to rebook.

If you are concerned about the water level on your upcoming river cruise, do your due diligence before you take any action .  

Final Thoughts

Global warming is indeed having an effect on European rivers.  Europe is experiencing unprecedented drought and heat conditions.  The river flows are falling so if you are booked for a cruise this year, check with your cruise line and obtain their current assessment of operating conditions.  River flows are never static and are subject to fluctuations that are unpredictable.  Do your homework and always make informed decisions.

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About Steve Case

Steve is a life-long avgeek and a points and miles player. The photo is from my first premium, international award flight in 2012. That is all it took, I was hooked. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. I am truly an "out-of-the-box" traveler which has enriched my travel experiences.

Could Low Water Levels Ruin Your European River Cruise?

When Julia Slater signed up for an AmaWaterways cruise on the Danube last year, she was expecting a voyage from the historic German city of Nuremberg through southern Germany, Slovakia and Austria to Budapest, Hungary. But just days before the seven-night trip was set to begin, in late October, she got some troubling news. Low water on the river was forcing a change of plan.

"We were notified they were switching our embarkation from Nuremberg to Vilshofen, Germany," said the 50-year-old purchasing and compliance manager from Moorestown, New Jersey, who had booked the sailing with her husband and two other couples. "And we were told at that point that there was a really good chance the ship wouldn't be able to make it all the way to Budapest."

The Slaters and their friends weren't the only ones getting such notices. Historically low water levels on the Danube and the Rhine last year, caused by unusually warm and dry weather conditions across central Europe, disrupted hundreds of river cruise departures operated by AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways , Viking River Cruises and other lines.

In most cases, the disruptions were relatively minor, affecting just a day or two of the itinerary. But as frustrated passengers have recounted in great detail at online sites such as River Cruise Advisor , some voyages were significantly altered. Some cruisers found themselves being bused long distances to destinations on their itinerary that had suddenly become unreachable by ship. In some extreme cases, passengers were moved to hotels for part of their trips when their vessels could go no farther. A few voyages were canceled outright.

"It was extreme last year," said David Porter, president and CEO of Roaming Boomers Travel Services , a Scottsdale, Arizona-based travel agency that caters heavily to river cruisers. "It was just a long, ugly mess."

It's also the sort of thing that happens very infrequently.

Should you worry about low-water levels affecting your river cruise this year and beyond? Probably not as much as you think. Years like 2018 are extremely rare.

"The last time there was anything even close to this was 2003, and the last time before that was 100 years ago," said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways.

In a typical year, just a handful of sailings in Europe are affected by low (or high) water, Hoffee told TPG . In some years, such as 2017, pretty much every voyage goes off without a hitch.

"The reality of river cruising is that it does rely on the right level of water, but in general the water levels are fine," she said.

Even during years marked by drastically low water on Europe's rivers, such as 2018, disruptions to itineraries aren't across the board. Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder of AmaWaterways, estimates only about 80 of the line's 600 departures in Europe in 2018 were impacted. As Schreiner noted, only the Danube and the Rhine were affected by the warm and dry weather across central Europe, and not until the second half of the summer into the fall. Water levels on France's Seine and Rhone rivers, and on the Douro in Portugal, were generally fine.

As the Slaters experienced, the typical disruption didn't have a huge impact on the vacation experience. Instead of boarding their ship, the 162-passenger AmaSonata, in Nuremberg, the couple met it about 140 miles to the southeast in Vilshofen, an area just below a known choke point on the Danube that often becomes impassable during periods of low water. The change meant they missed touring Nuremberg completely. They also had to be bused more than an hour to what was supposed to have been their first port stop, the medieval city of Regensburg, Germany.

On the flipside, AmaWaterways replaced the lost day at Nuremberg with a stop at the cozy Danube town of Grein, Austria, where passengers were treated to a tour and Champagne reception at the town's perfectly preserved 15th-century castle.

"It was an awesome excursion that we wouldn't have experienced if we had done the regular trip," said Slater, who gives AmaWaterways high marks for rearranging the schedule on the fly. "It actually was one of my favorite stops of the entire trip."

Slater said AmaWaterways also gave everyone on board a free excursion to Salzburg, Austria, something that normally comes with an extra charge. And when she got home, she received a credit for about $750 off a future cruise as an apology for the changes.

"I really didn't expect that," she said, noting that, despite the initial warnings, her ship was able to travel all the way downriver to Budapest, as planned. "The credit was very generous."

Compensation of some sort is typical when river cruises are significantly disrupted. Schreiner said AmaWaterways gave passengers on seven-night sailings a 15 percent credit toward a future cruise for each day they experienced a disruption on a voyage.

Hoffee said Avalon in most cases refunded a portion of the cruise fare to passengers who had to spend a night or more in a hotel instead of on a ship — something that happened on about 10 percent of the line's voyages. When Avalon knew in advance that passengers would have to spend time in a hotel, it also offered passengers the chance to cancel without penalty.

One of the places where river cruisers last year sometimes found themselves in a hotel instead of on board a ship, as expected, was Budapest. Toward the end of the year, the Danube got so low on the short stretch between Vienna, Austria and the city that lines had to stop ships in Vienna and bus passengers onward to Budapest — a journey of about two-and-a-half hours. They then put them up in hotels for the final day of touring.

Another strategy that river cruise operators employed in 2018 was what is known as "the ship swap." Passengers on a ship on one side of an impassable section of river change places with passengers on a sister ship on the other side of the impasse before continuing with the itinerary. Lines such as Avalon and AmaWaterways operate fleets of identical vessels, meaning that ship-swapping passengers end up in the exact same cabin they had occupied before. In some cases in 2018, passengers had to do more than one ship swap during a single voyage, which is extremely rare.

If the possibility of having to endure that sort of disruption is something you just can't tolerate, it doesn't mean you have to swear off booking a river cruise. Travel agents such as Porter point out there are travel insurance policies that will let you cancel a voyage at the very last minute without penalty if it looks like it might be disrupted by low-water conditions. They're known as "cancel-for-any-reason" policies, and they're offered by many river cruise lines as well as independent travel insurance companies. Some policies offer a full refund. Others give you a credit toward a future trip.

Avalon, for instance, offers a cancel-for-any-reason policy that will allow a customer to cancel a voyage up to 24 hours before departure for a credit that can be used on a later trip. The insurance costs from $249 to $379 per person, depending on the cost of the cruise.

One upscale river cruise operator, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours , has also offered a "river cruise guarantee" since 2017 that promises at least partial refunds for voyages marred by high or low water. Included in the cost of the cruise, the guarantee kicks in when a ship is unable to proceed, and passengers must be bused three or more hours to destinations on the itinerary. It also applies in the case of a ship swap that results in a delay of more than 24 hours.

Such policies could become more important if, as some people are predicting, unusual weather events like the extended dryness in central Europe in 2018 become more common due to climate change.

Still, river cruise industry leaders say they haven't seen a pattern yet that gives them pause.

"It's hard to say that [what happened in 2018] had to do with global warming," said AmaWaterways' Schreiner, who has followed river water levels in Europe closely for nearly three decades. "My feeling is this was a unique year. You will have these unique years maybe every 10 or 15 years."

Schreiner noted that river lines are building 19 new vessels for Europe's rivers this year. If there was serious concern in the industry about future water levels, you wouldn't be seeing this, he suggested. "It seems like demand is still growing, and the cruise lines are not too concerned."

Also not too concerned? The Slaters and their friends. Despite the disruption to their October cruise on the Danube, the three couples have already booked another Europe river trip with AmaWaterways. It'll be on the Douro in 2020. Even if there were to be a disruption due to water issues, Slater doesn't see it as a dealbreaker.

"You're still on vacation," she said. "There's still great food and drink, great people and you're going to beautiful places. Can the trip really be ruined?"

Seriously Low Water Levels Are Disrupting European River Cruises

As rivers dry up during one of the worst droughts in recent european history, river cruise passengers should be prepared for last-minute itinerary changes..

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Europe is in the midst of one of its worst droughts in recent history—how will that affect summer cruising?

Photo by Shutterstock/Travelpixs

Earlier this month, I sailed on my first-ever river cruise along the Rhine, with an itinerary that had stops in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Switzerland. I was looking forward to exploring the many museums of Amsterdam and wandering through the vineyard villages of Alsace. But as we embarked on our journey in the Netherlands one thing became a constant during the cruise: a thick white waterline along the embankment that followed the river all the way from Germany to Switzerland. It served as a grim reminder of where the water once was, and where it is now—depressingly low.

To ensure that we could continue without running aground, our ship sailed along slowly and carefully, since parts of the Rhine are notoriously challenging to navigate because of treacherous hidden rocks, especially with so little water. While I was still able to do and see the things I had hoped to along the way, ultimately, the entire cruise itinerary ended up being affected, and we had much less time than usual in ports due to the slower pace. My Rhine River sailing with AmaWaterways was one among many river cruises this summer feeling the effects of climate change that have led to extreme drought conditions and shockingly low water levels this summer in Europe.

Across the continent, a historic heat wave and an increasingly unstable Gulf stream —which usually brings wet weather and rain to Europe—have meant that many inland waterways have effectively been drying up, affecting both cruising and trade vessels. Serbian, Romanian, and Bulgarian authorities overseeing the Danube, one of the largest and most important cruising arteries in Europe, have already started conducting emergency dredging (the removal of sediments and debris) of that river to keep vessels moving. Italy’s longest river, the Po, is also struggling and has completely disappeared in some areas as northern Italy experiences one of the worst dry spells it’s seen in 70 years.

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is famous for its scenic vineyard views and villages. It’s also known for being treacherous to navigate.

Photo by Shutterstock/Kanuman

The Rhine, which regularly sees cargo ships carrying wheat, petrol, steel, and coal traveling up and down the river, has also been seriously affected, with water levels dipping below 16 inches in some key navigational areas. Experts warn that the river could reach critically low levels that might affect trade and cruising in mere days, potentially halting it completely. And the European Commission’s Joint Research Center warned this week that drought conditions will worsen over the coming days. During normal weather conditions on the Rhine, about 2,100 gallons of water flow through any one point per second—the flow rate is now down to zero gallons in some places, according to the Associated Press .

Though European river cruising remains in full swing this season, passengers with upcoming sailings should be prepared for possible last-minute changes to itineraries and bookings—as well as cancellations if the situation continues to worsen and ships simply cannot sail for a time—since ships rely on real-time river conditions. During times of drought, being bused between ports in trouble spots is not uncommon, nor is doing what is referred to as a “ship swap,” when passengers on two separate vessels that cannot sail any further due to low water levels will disembark, get bused to another ship, and swap ships owned by the same river cruise line so that they can continue with their itinerary.

During my trip, passengers aboard the new AmaLucia still had a wonderful time and we managed to hit all the stops on our itinerary, but at a slower pace. However, be prepared for shorter excursion times and potential ship swaps. Since low water levels are a greater concern during late summer, consider booking a cruise in the spring or early summer months to be safe.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

Europe's Drought Will Happen Again: Here's How River Cruises Are Preparing

Adaptability is the name of the game

You've likely heard the news: extreme drought in Europe this summer has drained rivers, and the low water levels have been causing some river cruises to alter their itineraries. Sometimes, passengers rode buses between specific ports of call rather than sail the river on the ships.

While such disruptions are a significant frustration for travelers, they are, unfortunately, a fact of life for river cruising. Ship traffic, including cargo traffic, is continually impacted by rivers' water levels. And while droughts like this one come and go, there is an overall trend toward droughts becoming more common—and more severe—as time goes on. Fortunately, river cruise lines are doing everything possible to prepare for ever-changing weather conditions.

"During the summer, droughts are common in Europe and many other places. Recent significant droughts in Europe occurred in 2003, 2015, 2018, and 2019," said Stephen Bennett, chief climate officer of climate impact consultancy Demex . He also serves as the American Meteorological Society's Financial Weather and Climate Risk Management Committee chairman.

But Bennett notes that this drought was particularly severe because it was so widespread. "According to the European Drought Observatory, 64 percent of the E.U. territory is under drought conditions," he said. "This is qualified as a one in 500-year drought, which means that it is so severe that it has only a 0.2 percent chance of happening in any given year. Scientists in France have declared this the worst drought since records began in 1958."

This is certainly not the last time Europe will face such conditions. "The frequency of droughts has substantially increased over the last half-century, and there are strong links between these droughts and climate change. Climate change is making droughts more frequent, severe, and pervasive," said Marty Bell, chief science officer at WeatherFlow , which provides weather data and AI-driven modeling for consumers and businesses.

To make matters worse, it's not just droughts that affect river cruises—the opposite conditions can impact them, too. "On the flip side, if there is heavy spring rain or unusually high temperatures that cause a drastic snowmelt—many rivers originate high in the mountains—or if there is torrential rain for a prolonged period of time at any time of year, the rivers may swell or flood, which could also cause problems by preventing ships from passing under the bridges," said Ming Tappin, a freelance cruise writer and founder of Your Cruise Coach .

Because river cruising is so dependent on water levels, whether in drought or flood conditions, cruise lines have come up with solutions to minimize interruptions. "River cruise lines always have multiple ships sailing on the same river from opposite directions. So in the event that a part of the river becomes impassable, a 'ship swap' is performed," added Tappin. In that case, both ships approach the troublesome point on the river, and the passengers transfer from one vessel to the other. Then the ships return to their point of origin, so the passengers get to sail the complete itinerary.

River cruise ships are also specifically designed to have shallow drafts, which means their keels, or the lowest points of the vessel, are not that far beneath the water's surface. That allows the ships to sail in shallow rivers. Some ships can adjust their ballast, making their drafts even shallower.

There are, of course, times when rivers become entirely impassable. "In extreme circumstances where the water levels prevent ships from sailing, and a ship swap is not possible, the river cruise will become a land-based holiday," said Tappin. "Guests will continue their tour on motorcoaches and stay in hotels along the way. Everything that would have been included on the river ship—meals, tours—would still be included on the land trip."

So, what if you're a passenger on an affected river cruise sailing? Are you entitled to a refund? "In all cruise contracts, it is written that the cruise line has a right to alter itineraries if necessary," said Nancy Yale, a travel advisor with Cruise and World Travel , a Virtuoso Agency. There's an argument to be made here for purchasing cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) travel insurance, which would get you your money back if you decide to back out of the trip before departure. (Bennet's company Demex has even started offering extreme weather insurance , though it's primarily for homeowners and business owners.)

But despite what's in the fine print, river cruise passengers are not necessarily out of luck for some form of compensation from the cruise lines. "I have seen them offer their guests a pro-rated refund or a credit towards booking a future cruise," said Tappin. "Some cruise lines may even offer a full refund of their current cruise in addition to a booking incentive for a future cruise."

If your trip is affected by water levels, remember that it's out of your cruise line's control—no one wants to change the itinerary. Your best bet is to take the trip in stride, as you'll likely still be visiting the same ports advertised when you booked the sailing. "They make every effort to fulfill the itinerary either by land or river," said Yale.

The New York Times. " Low Water Levels Disrupt European River Cruises, A Favorite of U.S. Tourists. " August 29, 2022.

Global Drought Observatory. " Drought in Europe ." August 2022, Page 1.

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Europe's Drought: Will It End River Cruises?

(CNN) -- Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the pandemic-snarled water, Europe is having another cataclysmic summer. This time, it's not pandemic red tape, but what looks set to be the continent's worst drought in history. Around  63 percent of the land across the EU  and UK had either drought warnings or alerts, according to the EU's European Drought Observatory last week -- and that figure was issued before the  UK declared a drought  in eight out of 14 areas. New alerts are pouring in every day.

While the landscape is tinder-dry, water levels are plummeting. Rivers and lakes are drying up -- and as well that having devastating effects on trade and industry, it's also hitting a sector that was already on its knees thanks to the pandemic: tourism. Worse, experts say that this is a worrying sign of things to come.

Drama on the Rhine

The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends.

It's also a classic cruise itinerary. But now some of those waterway dreams seem set to run aground.

On Saturday, the water level at the German town of Kaub -- a critical juncture -- slipped to just 36 centimeters, or 14 inches, according to  official figures . That's devastatingly low -- at 40 centimeters, commercial shipping becomes unprofitable.

None of this is news, says Clare Weeden, principal lecturer in tourism and marketing at the University of Brighton.

"Anybody who operates river cruise boats would have had an understanding of this because of the way the climate has changed in the last 20 years," she says, adding that low levels on the Rhine and Danube have seen incidents of passengers being bussed from one destination to another for the past five or six years. But while the cruise companies may have foreseen this, clients haven't.

"River cruising is becoming much more popular, particularly for active people," she says.

"You dock early, spend all day enjoying a city, then go back to the boat at the end of the day and sail on. It's much quieter [than mass cruising]. But drought and climate change has coincided with the increase in river cruising."

But she warns that, with the climate crisis, Europe's traditional river cruising is "definitely going to suffer" and predicts "the industry is likely to reset as a result."

A booming business -- for now

Helen Prochilo of cruise specialist  Promal Vacations  calls European river cruising "the hottest thing we are selling this year."

A little too hot: Although none of her clients have been affected yet, she says that among her fellow agents, one had a client's cruise canceled this week, and another had their itinerary adjusted. River cruise alterations tend to be very last-minute, because they depend on water levels and rain.

Prochilo says that many river cruise boats are specifically built with flatter hulls to deal with low water levels. If in difficulty, those with swimming pools on board can empty them. Railings, furniture and even the captain's bridge are designed to be lowered, while passing under bridges in high water, adds Rob Clabbers, president of  Q Cruise + Travel , a Virtuoso member agency in Chicago.

Not that that prevents problems. In 2017, Prochilo booked a Rhine sailing herself with Emerald, only to find "very low levels" of water.

"The ship emptied the pool to lighten the load and we could actually feel the ship tapping the bottom of the river," she says.

"We never saw the captain after the first night. He stayed on the bridge to ensure the ship was carefully handled."

Others weren't so lucky. Prochilo says that they floated past another cruise line offloading their passengers onto buses.

"The ship build and experience of the captains is very important when the weather is like this," she says. And she's not taking any chances -- watching the water levels drop on the Rhine over the past month has made her advise would-be bookers to wait till next year.

"I'm also advising them to cruise earlier in the season as the river levels don't seem to be a problem if traveling in May or June versus July or August," she says.

For those who've already booked, she makes regular calls to the river cruise lines checking the conditions.

Those conditions are pretty devastating -- levels are "exceptionally low" in some areas, German officials  told CNN  on Friday.

In fact, Weeden believes that Rhine cruises "will be a thing of the past" before too long.

So what will happen this year? CLIA, which represents cruise operators, says:

"River cruise operators ... are monitoring the situation and responding appropriately in liaison with the relevant authorities.

"The safety of guests and crew will be central to any decisions relating to itineraries. Where any changes are planned, operators are working hard to minimize any disruption."

River cruise specialist  Riviera Travel  said in a statement: "We have seen minimal disruption so far as we have put measures in place, such as ship swaps and minor itinerary changes, to ensure guests can still make the most of their cruises." A ship might leave a destination a couple of hours early, for example.

Viking Cruises' website  states that "low water levels will affect select river itineraries." Impacted travelers will be contacted by the cruise line.

To mitigate issues, Viking runs sister ships sailing the same itinerary, but in opposite directions. If there's a problem on one side of the river, guests can transfer to the other ship.

Clabbers says that "many lines" do this. "If low (or high) water prevents passage at a certain point, the line simply moves the downstream sailing passengers (and their luggage) to the upstream ship and vice versa. The ships turn back to their point of origin with their 'new' passengers who simply continue their journey without too much interruption."

And if all else fails, they use the boat as a hotel, and bus travelers to their destinations each day. It may not be as romantic, but it's effective.

"The distances traveled by river cruise are not very long, so sometimes passengers will even get to see more as buses travel faster," says Clabbers, from personal experience.

"On a Uniworld cruise a few years ago, high water kept the ship in Vienna for three days, and the company did a fantastic job in setting up additional tours that showed us sights that were not included in our original schedule."

Got a Rhine cruise booked for this year? Don't cancel, he says -- you may be penalized. Just try to go with the flow. But if you haven't yet booked, and want to travel this year, he suggests looking at alternatives like the Seine or the Douro.

No river unscathed

Not that they're much better. The picture is bleak for all Europe's rivers.

In France, some parts of the famous Loire river have  dried up almost completely . Some  canals have also been closed . "I think canals are a no-go," says Weeden, about the future.

In the UK, the source of the Thames has  moved five miles downriver  for the first time in history.

And of course there's the Danube. The situation on Europe's other prime tourism river is looking blue, too.  Emergency dredging  is currently taking place on the lower river, in Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Although there are "no problems" on the Austrian stretch, authorities told CNN last Friday, the situation in Hungary -- perhaps the most famous part of the Danube -- is more concerning.

The drought is already devastating for trade -- an average 1,600-tonne vessel can now only navigate the river without any cargo, according to the Hungary Tourist Board. So far, the situation for tourist boats is holding out. The  Mahart Passnave Passenger Shipping Ltd. , which runs river cruises, is still operating all the way along the Danube, although some stations are closed north of Budapest. Between Szentendre and Visegràd, around 15 miles north of the capital, the river takes a major loop. "Some stations [there] have been closed for about a month, as ships cannot moor due to the low water level," says a representative of the Hungary Tourist Board.

But not all companies are managing to navigate the river -- and not all of those are having as good an experience of bussing as Clabbers did.

"I had travelers whose ship couldn't make it to Budapest -- they had to board their ship in Komarno" -- about an hour away in Slovakia -- says tour guide  Julia Kravianszky .

"Travelers flew to Budapest, from where they were taken to Komarno by bus, and they were bussed back to Budapest the next day for their city tour, only to return to the ship by bus after the tour."

Things are already looking different in Budapest, perhaps the most beautiful city along the river.

"The Danube is visibly lower at the moment, it's been really low for two or three weeks now," says Kravianszky.

"Margaret Island looks bigger, because all the rocks at the bottom of the river are visible now. Some parts of the old Margaret Bridge destroyed in World War II are visible now, too."

But don't cancel your trip just yet. The river still "looks large and majestic -- it doesn't really give the image of a dried-up river," she says. For now, it's the locals who can tell the difference.

In Italy, the Po is unnavigable in parts.

'If it's like this next year, I'll retire'

And then there's Italy, where the Po River is at historic lows, and has close to disappeared in places. It's disastrous news for the entire country -- and has also put an end to tourism on parts of the river this summer.

For the past 20 years,  Stefano Barborini  has rented boats and taken visitors out on his stretch of the Po, near Parma. This year, he hasn't been able to manage even a single outing.

"I've been on the Po for 40 years, and this has never happened before," he says. "We've had droughts before, but this low -- never. There's been erosion of the bottom so the river has actually got deeper. Usually it's navigable year-round."

This year, he says, "It started very early -- there was no rain and everything dried up."

His small boats usually dart all over the river, and up close to the beaches, to see things -- Barborini usually points out medieval remains, and has found things like buffalo bones and even mammoth teeth, he says, while out on excursions.

He normally rents boats to fishermen but, he asks, "Where would they go to fish?" Anyone using a boat in the Po needs to be extremely experienced right now -- even professional fishermen are not able to navigate, he says.

Barborini has 30-odd excursions lined up for September. By then, he hopes that the water levels will be higher. Even then, it could be difficult to load and unload passengers, as they'll have to navigate steep walks on and off the boat.

"If it's the same next year, I'll retire," he says.

Dried-up lakes

It's not just rivers. Italy's largest lake, Garda, is  nearing its lowest ever levels , adding a stretch of land around the peninsula of Sirmione, which famously ends with some impressive Roman ruins -- or did, until now.

And parts of Lake Tisza, Hungary's largest artificial lake, are no longer accessible by boat, according to Kravianszky. "In Abadki [a popular rental spot] the water level is 50 centimeters [20 inches] lower than the minimum required," she says.

"They stopped renting out boats, and many owners were forced to remove their boats from the water. The Tisza lake cross-swimming event scheduled for the 13th of August was canceled."

Tisza borders the Hortobágy National Park, a landscape of plains and wetlands, that has UNESCO World Heritage status. Animals have been brought here to graze for around 2,000 years.

"It's one of [Hungary's] defining characteristics... it's heartbreaking to see how it slowly dries up, how the birds have started avoiding the area or nesting less around the National Park," says Kravianszky.

From drought to flash floods

The other side of drought is flash flooding -- something that has hit the US in the past few weeks, with Yellowstone suffering a  once-in-500-years incident  in June, and  two people being killed  in Las Vegas last week.

Barborini says that he's worried for the Po this fall. "Two years ago the water levels were high in January and February, because when the snow fell on the Alps it immediately warmed and came down in levels that weren't normal," he says.

"The climate has changed a lot in the past five or six years."

An uncertain future

"Travel has a front row seat as climate change unfolds in the destinations we visit and, if this becomes a standard summer, it will massively impact our industry. Unless urgent action is taken on climate change, the reality is that extreme weather is going to have an impact on the destinations and communities we visit."

That's the opinion of Susanne Etti, environmental impact manager at  Intrepid Travel , who calls this summer "a wake-up call for the entire sector." She's not alone.

"The places where we can ski have shrunk -- the same will be true for river cruising in 20 years. There won't even be (environmentally damaging) snow cannons to help out," says Justin Francis, CEO of  Responsible Travel .

Weeden thinks that as Rhine tourism dries up, river cruising companies will look elsewhere. "Ships are mobile, companies are not loyal to destinations. They will move and find new areas for river cruises beyond the traditional European ones," she says. They'll also look beyond rivers. Market leader Viking, she says has been "heavily investing in ocean cruising these past few years."

This year, she says, has shown us that "climate change isn't just about heat, but also about water.

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• River Cruise Ship Evacuated, Danube Shut Down Amid Historic Flooding

Parts of the Danube River are already flooding, or expected to flood soon. Photo: Daniel Zsingor / Shutterstock.com 

Updated June 7: Updated to identify the ship that was evacuated as the Tui Isla, a Tui River Cruises vessel. 

Around 140 passenger were evacuated from the Tui Isla on the Danube River in Southern Germany early this week. Simultaneously, Austria has shut the river down to all traffic. This amidst historic flooding that led Germany to declare a state of emergency on Monday. 

According to reports passengers from the United States, the U.K., and Australia were removed from the ship, which had been stuck in place since Sunday.

Rain has been heavy for several days in southern Germany, with some regions – particularly Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg – experiencing heavy flooding. Several people have died, including a firefighter involved in rescuing a family, MSN reported .

According to DPA International , Austria shut down the entire 350 kilometer course of the Danube within its borders between the border cities of Passau in Germany and Bratislava in Slovakia. The closure, the report stated, forced "some cruise ships" to dock in Linz. The Danube burst the banks in Linz on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the state waterway company, Via Donau , said "Safety cannot be guaranteed above a certain water level."

Hungary is also expecting trouble, with the mayor of Budapest issuing a flood alert (first-degree, lowest level) on Tuesday. The lower embankment of the river in Budapest is expected to close to traffic from 8 p.m. on Thursday. 

TMR reached out to river cruise lines to find out how their sailings have been impacted. At least one -- Avalon Waterways -- has already made the decision to cancel two sailings. 

"The Danube is experiencing higher-than-average water levels, due to an unprecedented amount of rain in the last month. This week, we made the decision to cancel two cruises on the lower Danube, due to ship access and availability," Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways, told TMR. 

The canceled sailings are the June 7 Balkan Discovery sailing and the June 13 Active & Discovery on the Lower Danube departure. 

"For both, we provided cruisers – and their travel advisors – options, recognizing the inconvenience" Hoffee said. "Other cruises departing this week on the upper Danube are experiencing itinerary deviations. Our operations team is constantly monitoring the situation and making any necessary updates to accommodate the conditions while ensuring the best possible experience for our guests."

Viking directed TMR to its website and the following statement: "Currently, sections of the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers are experiencing high water levels. To varying degrees, these conditions may affect select itineraries. Our Switzerland-based nautical team is continually monitoring the situation and will make any necessary adjustments to accommodate the conditions. Guests and their Travel Advisors will continue to be notified directly if we think that their itinerary might be impacted."

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At least two sailings on the Danube River have been canceled due to unusually high waters.

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The 10 best places to go on a river cruise in Europe 

Jun 7, 2024 • 8 min read

Appreciate the beautiful architecture of Budapest from the Danube © Sanga Park / Shutterstock

Cruising down a quiet, traffic-free river, surrounded by scenic riverfront views is an ideal way to see Europe . You can sip your wine while watching picture-perfect scenery breeze past – taking in castles, medieval villages and fields of flowers. 

By necessity, European riverboats are small and passenger numbers are often fewer than 200, making these cruises a far more social and intimate experience. There’s also plenty to do and see onshore, and with more frequent stops you can enjoy more onshore activities. Cruise lines are now also offering more immersive learning experiences such as cooking classes and home visits, or activities like bicycle trips and long hikes.

The hardest part is choosing where to go — which is why we've rounded up the 10 best places to go on a European river cruise. 

1. Northern Rhine (Germany)

From gorgeous river meanders and noble German cities

The northern section of the Rhine features dramatic landscapes and a host of interesting towns. Cologne (Köln), Germany ’s fourth-largest city, offers numerous attractions starting with its famous cathedral, while Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, is a park- and flower-filled delight. Heading south, the Rhine meanders between hillside castles and steep fields of wine-producing grapes. Idyllic villages appear around each bend, their half-timbered houses and Gothic steeples seemingly plucked from a fairy tale. Scarcely damaged during WWII, handsome Speyer is crowned by a magnificent Romanesque cathedral. 

2. Southern Rhine (France, Germany & Switzerland)

Explore intriguing towns in this border land

The Southern Rhine forms the border between Germany and France before becoming Switzerland ’s northern frontier. Strasbourg is the perfect overture to all that is idiosyncratic about Alsace – walking a fine tightrope between France and Germany, between a medieval past and a progressive future. Further south, the Black Forest spills into Alsace in the German town of Breisach. Unsurprisingly, given its geographical and cultural proximity to France, the locals here have a passion for a good bottle of wine. Basel, at the juncture of the French, German and Swiss borders, is perhaps where Switzerland’s Franco-Germanic roots are most evident.

3. Rhône (France)

Indulge in gourmet experiences cruising the south of France

Commanding a strategic spot at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers, grand old Lyon is France’s gastronomic capital. Downstream, the Rhône forges past Vienne’s Roman ruins and the centuries-old Côtes du Rhône vineyards, opening to sunny vistas of fruit orchards, lavender fields and the distant Alps as it continues south. During the 14th century, the Provençal town of Avignon was the center of the Roman Catholic world. Its impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture most notably includes the soaring, World Heritage-listed Palais des Papes .

4. Western Danube (Austria & Germany)

Romantic landscapes in the heart of Europe

The baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces set the stage for Vienna ’s artistic and musical masterpieces alongside its coffee-house culture and vibrant epicurean and design scenes. Moving into Germany, the Danube gently winds its way to the Italianate city of Passau . Top billing in eastern Bavaria goes to Regensburg, a former capital and one of Germany’s prettiest and liveliest cities. Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Bavaria’s second-largest city and the unofficial capital of Franconia, is an energetic place with a history that ranges from undeclared capital of the Holy Roman Empire to the trials that judged Nazi war crimes.

5. Eastern Danube (Hungary & Serbia)

Travel a cross-section of Europe’s less-touristed east

The two great cities of this stretch of the Danube are the capitals of Hungary and Serbia respectively. Budapest has something for everyone – from dramatic history and flamboyant architecture to healing thermal waters. Outspoken, adventurous, proud and audacious: Belgrade ("White City") has a gritty exuberance and eclectic architecture making it one of Europe’s most happening cities today. While it hurtles towards a brighter future, its past unfolds before your eyes: socialist blocks are squeezed between art nouveau masterpieces and remnants of the Habsburg legacy contrast with Ottoman relics.

6. Douro (Portugal)

See spectacular terraced vineyards, the home of port wine

The Douro region, home to port wine, is simply one of the most glorious spots on earth. The Douro Valley showcases steep terraced vineyards carved into mountains, granite bluffs, whitewashed quintas (estates) and 18th-century wine cellars that draw visitors from around the world. Humble-yet-opulent Porto entices with its higgledy-piggledy medieval center, divine food and wine, and charismatic locals. Its charms are as subtle as the nuances of an aged tawny port, best savored slowly.

7. Elbe (Czech Republic & Germany)

A little-cruised but picturesque stretch of Central Europe

Covering the Czech Republic and a thick slice of eastern Germany, Elbe cruises are under-the-radar options. Prague , not on the Elbe but usually included on river cruises, contends with cities like Budapest and Paris in terms of beauty. Its maze of cobbled lanes and hidden courtyards is perfect for the aimless wanderer. The classic view of Dresden from the Elbe’s northern bank takes in spires, towers and domes belonging to palaces, churches and stately buildings: hard to believe that the city was all but wiped off the map by Allied bombings in 1945. While the city of Wittenberg is first and foremost about Martin Luther, the monk who triggered the German Reformation in 1517.

8. Seine (France)

Cruise out of Paris through northern France

Paris has a timeless familiarity, with instantly recognizable architectural icons, memorable cuisine and chic boutiques. Dining is a quintessential part of the Parisian experience, and its art repository is one of the best, showcasing priceless treasures in palatial museums. Don't miss Rouen is one of Normandy’s most engaging and historically rich destinations, with its soaring Gothic cathedral, beautifully restored medieval quarter, excellent museums and vibrant cultural life. At the mouth of the Seine, Le Havre is a love letter to modernism, evoking France’s postwar energy and optimism.

9. Main (Germany)

A seductive German river connecting to the Rhine and Danube

Rising in Franconia and joining the Rhine near Mainz, the Main (pronounced "mine") is the longest German-only river. From Bamberg to its confluence, it travels some 400km through locks and picturesque scenery, dotted with historic towns. Frankfurt ’s skyscrapers are quite a contrast to the picturesque towns that follow, though it too has a rather traditional and charming old town. Scenic Würzburg is renowned for its art, architecture and delicate wines. A disarmingly beautiful architectural masterpiece, Bamberg’s entire Altstadt is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

10. Moselle (Germany)

An intimate stretch of the wine-producing German region

Having traversed France and Luxembourg , the Moselle heads through Germany to meet its destiny with the Rhine at Koblenz. It’s a very pretty stretch of river flanked by vineyards, and makes for great leisurely cruising and exploration. With an astounding nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, gorgeous Trier shelters Germany’s finest ensemble of Roman monuments, and is enlivened by a characterful medieval center and large student population. Bernkastel-Kues are lovely twin settlements in the heart of wine country, while Cochem’s castle and pretty buildings make it a visual highlight of the Moselle .

How do I choose a route for a European river cruise?

The two major rivers for European cruises are the Rhine and the Danube. Together, they were once the northern boundary of the Roman Empire. Rhine cruises often run from Amsterdam to Basel, following the course of the river through Germany. Danube cruises start in southern Germany, wend their way through Bratislava, Slovakia; Linz and Vienna, Austria; and Belgrade, Serbia; then skirt the Bulgarian and Romanian border to reach the Black Sea.

While many first-time European river cruisers stick to these two rivers, there are many other options available. In Western Europe, you can cruise through the French countryside on the Rhône and Seine, or check out the vineyards of Portugal on the Douro. 

Even on the same river, distinct routes can be offered. One company might zip up the Rhine, allowing you to see the highlights in a few days; another might take longer, exploring smaller places along the way and offering more time for onshore experiences. You'll need to decide whether you’d like to get a look at more destinations, or more of a feel for fewer places.

When is the best time to go on a European river cruise?

Cruises on European rivers tend to begin in the spring, around March, and go through to October. Some cruises, operating in areas where Christmas markets are a feature, run right through December but inclement weather or river flooding could put a dampener on plans. Winter cruises tend to focus on places where Christmas experiences are on offer. Shorter daylight hours mean you’ll see less scenery, but the charm of the festive season has its own appeal. 

Choosing your season is very much a matter of personal preference, and there are pros and cons for each season. Summer cruises offer the most spectacular scenery, the longest daylight hours and the best weather, but the towns you visit will be far busier and you won’t be alone in port; in some smaller places, you may have to scramble across the decks of other boats to reach the shore.

Spring and autumn mean less time around the pool on the top deck, but quieter times ashore. Expect rains in spring, but also blooming flowers. Autumn is a great time to cruise the Douro, with grapes being picked and clement temperatures.

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The Best River Cruises In All Of Europe, According To Reviews

T ravelers looking to experience a destination usually keep away from ocean cruises, as these massive ships holding thousands of people make it difficult to see the best of a place, so most of what they see is the cruise's deck and buffet line. That's fine for relaxation, but not so great for true exploring. However, that's not the same for river cruises. River cruises offer the best parts of ocean cruises — like easy boarding, inclusive experiences, a crowd of people eager to meet others, and great food — combined with the benefits of a travel-ambitious trip. If you aren't sure  which type of cruise is best for you , it might be time to give the river a chance.

River cruises offer an array of excursions to choose from, so tourgoers can create their own customized trip. As the ship sails, you'll have the opportunity to experience small villages that otherwise wouldn't make it to your itinerary. That's what intrepid adventurers will find on these European adventures, which are undoubtedly some of the best river cruises in the world . Although the river cruise marketplace is a big one, these cruises offer interesting itineraries with one-of-a-kind experiences, excellent value, and high-end accommodations. Let's get started.

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AmaWaterway - Taste Of Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a beautiful epicenter of food, wine, and gastronomic excellence, and that's exactly what cruisers will see — and taste — if they embark on AmaWaterways' seven-day Taste of Bordeaux cruise that travels both the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. The trip heads through Bordeaux, Libourne, Blaye, Bourg, Cadillac, and Cussac Fort Médoc, and other cities (such as San Sebastián and Bilbao in neighboring Spain) can also be added. On the journey, travelers can expect to hike a vineyard in Libourne, take a tour of a 17th-century citadel recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visit a medieval castle that looks largely untouched despite its long history, and, of course, taste plenty of Bordeaux wine. Perhaps the best part of this cruise is its ability to customize, as travelers can choose which excursion they would like to do nearly every day.

The Taste of Bordeaux cruise, which starts at $3,700, earned 4.5 stars on Cruise Critic . One previous customer said, "The only way to describe it is 'marvelous.' The itinerary is filled with great moments. The chateaus, the wine tastings, the scenery." Visitors see the Bordeaux region from the AmaDolce ship, which is specifically tailored to the Taste of Bordeaux cruise with its red-colored lounge as a nod to red wine, a cozy, wood bar perfect for enjoying a glass after a long day, and a chef's table restaurant ideal for bringing French flavors to life.

APT - Magnificent Europe

There's no more efficient way to see the best that this European region has to offer than to take APT's Magnificent Europe cruise, which ventures to 14 destinations along the Rhine and Danube rivers. On this trip, you'll venture to world-famous locales such as Amsterdam, Salzburg, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and many more. The 15-day trip can even be extended further to Prague, making for a total of 19 cities and six countries. No matter which you choose, European charm and excitement await, as most of these cities offer a selection of several excursions such as a gondola ride in Rüdesheim, a visit to Namedy Castle in Andernach, an exploration of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, and a tour of Budapest's many iconic sights, making this cruise the perfect way to admire the beauty of Hungarian capital .

APT has secured several exclusive experiences that only river cruise guests get to enjoy, such as a special "Sound of Music" performance in Salzburg and a private classical concert in Vienna. With all that it has to offer, the trip netted 4.8 stars on Global Journeys , with reviews from nearly 60 customers. "So many wonderful things about this cruise," said one tourgoer. "Some fantastic sights that you stop and see along the way. Highly recommend this to anyone young or old."

A-Rosa Cruises - Seine Culinary Highlights

If you're a wine and food connoisseur, then there's no better way to taste and drink your way along the Seine River than with A-Rosa Cruises' Seine Culinary Highlights tour, an eight-day cruise that starts at 2,047 euros ($2,234) and ventures to Paris, Vernon, Rouen, Les Andelys, and Caudebec-en-Caux. Foodies will enjoy two wine tastings prepared by French winemakers, a cheese and oyster tasting paired with wines, a cider tasting, and more. Don't worry; you'll still get to explore the must-see sights of the area when you're not sitting down with a glass.

Tourists can add on excursions of their choice for additional costs, such as a visit to Claude Monet's Giverny home, an evening at a Parisian cabaret in Paradis Latin (which has a stage designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower), an exploration of the City of Light's famed art district Montmartre, and a bike ride through Normandy. No matter which excursions or packages you choose, you'll always have free access to e-bikes, Wi-Fi, the ship's sauna and gym, room service, and drinks and meal buffets. On TourRadar, the cruise earned 4.1 stars through more than 60 reviews.

Avalon Waterways - Active & Discovery On The Rhône

Avalon Waterways' Active & Discovery cruises are designed to take tourgoers off the beaten path and immerse them in travel experiences, and there is plenty of magic waiting on the company's eight-day Rhône cruise that travels to cities such as Lyon, Avignon, Arles, Port-Saint-Louis, and more, for as low as $4,400. Travelers can enjoy one-of-a-kind activities like a tour of public and private terraces of Lyon for amazing panoramic views, a wine tasting inside a cave in the Gorges de l'Ardèche, a demonstration on how essential oils are made inside a Provençal farmhouse, and a class on how to paint in the style of Vincent van Gogh. They can also choose from several excursions each day, creating an individually tailored itinerary for each guest.

The activities will take place in an intimately-sized group, as the ship — the Avalon Poetry II — has just 52 suites and 12 staterooms. Visitors can choose from luxury 200-square-foot suites with panoramic views, floor-to-ceiling windows, and delightful balconies, so you can breathe in the Rhône River air whenever you desire. One previous traveler shared that the Avalon Waterways' Active & Discovery on the Rhône cruise was the best river cruise she had ever done, writing on Solo Traveler that "The trip was well paced with excursions that were included in the price of the cruise every morning. I was impressed with the values demonstrated by Avalon Waterways and staff."

CroisiEurope - Hamburg To Berlin: Discover The Medieval Charms Of Hanseatic Cities

If value is what you're after, then you won't find a better river cruise than CroisiEurope's seven-day Hamburg to Berlin: Discover The Medieval Charms of Hanseatic Cities , which starts at just $1,776 per person. From the MS Elbe Princesse, which has an ambiance that mirrors that of Northern Europe, just 77 passengers can see all that the region has to offer through oversized windows, French balconies, panoramic views, and a sun deck. The view is just the beginning, as tourgoers will explore Berlin, Brandenberg, Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, and Hamburg (among others) up-close on the Elbe River, one of the most important waterways on the continent.

In these famous cities, patrons will enjoy activities like admiring Frederick the Great's former home and garden at Sanssouci Palace, exploring a German amusement park devoted to car innovation, touring Lüneburg, which looks much as it did in medieval times with its classic brick buildings, and taking a guided tour of Hamburg's market, stock exchange, and historic center. The tour has clearly impressed TourRadar  users, who give it 4.3 stars through more than 300 reviews. "A wonderful tour where the staff did all they could to make our experience memorable," said one tourgoer. "The food was amazing and the journey along the Rhine at Christmas something we shall never forget."

Emerald Cruises - Sensations Of Lyons & Provence

Emerald Cruises' Sensations of Lyons & Provence tour winds through Southern France's Rhône and Saône rivers, taking visitors to Lyon, Tournon, Viviers, Avignon, Arles, Nice, and more, stopping for cheese, wine, and olive oil tastings, along with bike tours, and hikes. The trip starts at $3,245 and takes place aboard the Emerald Liberté, which features a three-floor atrium, a heated pool that transforms i­­­­nto a theater at night, and a variety of suites and cabins to accommodate 180 people. It's also home to Reflections Restaurant, where guests will enjoy their meals, including one presented by French chef Fabien Morreale spotlighting authentic Provençal flavors.

Besides highlighting the fine wine and cuisine that Southern France is known for, the cruise also brings the area's history and culture to life through excursions such as a tour of one of the oldest churches in the country, visits to several UNESCO World Heritage sites (including Roman monuments and the Palais des Papes), an onboard wine tasting featuring local brews, and a bike ride through the gorgeous French countryside. The cruise finishes with a stroll through Arles down the same paths that Vincent van Gogh once walked. The tour has garnered 4 stars on Cruise Critic through over 150 reviews, with customers remarking, "There was an inclusive excursion at every stop, with local top notch tour guides provided. Every town/city was interesting."

Lüftner Cruises - Saar & Moselle Fairytales

If you love wine and chocolate, you can't miss the chance to cruise the region famous for the two along the Rhine, Moselle, and Saar rivers. Lüftner Cruises' eight-day Saar & Moselle Fairytales river cruise will introduce travelers to the German cities of Cologne, Cochem, Saarburg, Saarlouis, Trier, and one of the smallest states on the continent — Luxembourg — all while exploring age-old vineyards, medieval castles, and historic churches aboard the Amadeus Brilliant. The trip starts at just 1,689 euros ($1,846) per person, making for a luxury trip at a great value. Vacationers can then add on excursion packages starting at 152 euros ($165) per person, which include everything from walking tours to chocolate tastings. Plus, excursions can be added on a la carte, so you can completely customize your Lüftner Cruises trip and stick to whichever excursions are best for your desired activity level and budget.

Tourgoers can choose from staterooms with French balconies and floor-to-ceiling glass doors from which to enjoy the German scenery. Once docked, they'll select excursions such as visiting Reichsburg Castle in Cochem, exploring a medieval market and home in Bernkastel-Kues, seeing a 60-foot waterfall in the middle of Saarburg's town center, and tasting German chocolates in Saarlouis. The trip earned 4.5 stars on TourRadar through more than 130 reviews, with comments such as, "A lovely experience! Relaxed ambience, very good cruise directors, wonderful cabin, friendly staff, superb food."

Scenic Luxury Cruises And Tours - Delightful Douro With Madrid

The Douro River is the heartbeat that hums through the north of Portugal, and Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours' Delightful Douro with Madrid river cruise takes explorers through the region via the largest river in the Iberian Peninsula. An 11-day trip that stops in Porto, Régua, Pinhâo, Pocinho, Barca d'Alva, and the Spanish capital of Madrid, this cruise gives tourists the time they need to fall in love with each destination. It all takes place aboard the Scenic Azure, an upscale ship that offers everything from oversized staterooms to suites with private balconies. As the ship can only accommodate up to 96 guests, it offers an intimate and personalized experience that is sure to leave you with newfound friends. There is one staff member for every two guests onboard, so you're bound to have the best customer service that a river cruise can offer.

Starting at $5,360 per person, Delightful Douro offers a range of excursions that suit every activity level and interest. That includes a private concert for river cruise guests at São Francisco Church in Porto, a visit to the charming village of Provesende, the chance to explore the Royal Palace of Madrid, and wine tastings at some of the region's many vineyards. According to TourRadar  users, the trip warrants 4.3 stars thanks to more than 30 positive reviews. Portugal should be on everyone's bucket list , and this cruise is a fabulous excuse to visit.

Tauck - Impressions From The Seine: Paris To Normandy

From the historic beaches of Normandy to the cultural mecca of Paris, there is much to see along the Seine River — and Tauck's Impressions from the Seine: Paris to Normandy gives cruisers a taste of it all. The eight-day cruise, which starts at about $5,000 per person, brings travelers to Versailles, Paris, Normandy, Rouen, Giverny, and Caudebec-en-Caux upon the 98-person ms Sapphire, known for its spacious cabins and suites, some with French balconies opening up to views of the Seine. A whopping 85% of the ship's suites have floor-to-ceiling windows, and 70% of the ship's cabins are 225 square feet or bigger. They even have walk-in closets, so it's easy to look the part for your day in the city, an important part of experiencing Paris like a Parisian . At mealtime, patrons will dine at The Compass Rose, the ms Sapphire onboard restaurant, or Arthur's, a casual onboard eatery.

Patrons will enjoy offerings unique to Tauck, like dining at a private château in Normandy and exploring Monet's former home and garden while no other tourists are present. Customers can also look forward to taking a tour of Louis XIV's Versailles, seeing Joan of Arc Square, and tasting cider and Calvados at a Normandy farm. The trip received 4.2 stars on Travelstride , and a traveler who took the cruise during the pandemic took to Tripadvisor to say that "Their local guides were very informative and highly personable."

Uniworld River Cruises - Enchanting Danube

The modern nations of Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia don't just comprise part of Central Europe — they also mark the center of important international history, all culminating around the Danube River. On Uniworld River Cruises' Enchanting Danube cruise, cruisers will learn this history from a front-seat view and receive local insight and unprecedented access, as the trip offers exclusive experiences like a private viewing of the Kunstkammer Vienna museum artworks. That's likely part of the reason that the cruise has garnered acclaim from reviewers on sites such as TourRadar , on which the cruise earned 4.7 stars. "An amazing holiday," said one reviewer, "Organization, staff, food and excursions were all wonderful and we will definitely book another cruise with Uniworld."

The Enchanting Danube cruise, which starts at $3,000 and lasts eight days with an option to extend one more day to Prague, heads to Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Dürnstein, Melk, Linz, and Passau. It includes all meals, unlimited drinks (including alcohol), excursions every day, and accommodations inside the S.S. Maria Theresa or the S.S. Beatrice. No matter which ship you take, both offer rooms with 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and a menu of pillow options. When you're not enjoying the room's luxuries, expect activities like a visit to Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy, a hike to beautiful Bratislava Castle, a wine tasting at the oldest winery in Austria, and a hike along the banks of the Ilz River.

Viking River Cruises - Portugal's River Of Gold

Portugal is a mix of the old and the new, thanks to its happening restaurants and innovative art galleries that combine seamlessly with historic sites, traditional recipes, and unbeatable winemaking methods. On Viking River Cruises' 10-day Portugal's River of Gold cruise, which travels along the Douro River and also stops in Spain, patrons will see this Portuguese and Spanish culture in action from the view of a "baby longship." These ships are smaller than Viking's other ships because of Portuguese rules, but visitors can still enjoy features like Scandinavian-style décor and floor-to-ceiling views of the Douro River. The cruise garnered 4.4 stars on Cruise Critic with customers saying things like, "The only thing bad I can say was that it ended too soon." The cruise line is also one of the best for a romantic couples getaway, according to reviews . 

The $4,000 cruise takes patrons through Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal; Porto, the birthplace of Port wine and a spiritual epicenter; Pinhâo, a laid-back Portuguese village; Barca d'Alva, a river town near the Spanish border; and Salamanca, a Spanish city over the border that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Throughout the cruise's stops, visitors will head to Mateus Palace for a wine tasting, learn how Port wine is made, check out a medieval fortress, explore a sacred town and admire a Baroque-style chapel, and experience the "Golden Age of Discovery" at structures like the Jerónimos Monastery.

Methodology

With stunning rivers such as the Rhône, Seine, Danube, Douro, Elbe, and more, the European river cruise scene is a vast one, with countless companies and ships to choose from. We explored the market to determine the best of the best based on customer reviews (all of these cruises have more than 4 stars on river cruise review websites), itineraries (all offer busy itineraries with tons of options to suit any traveler), value, and luxury, as these all showcase high-end experiences to make your vacation memorable. Websites like Tripadvisor, Cruise Critic, TourRadar and more were used for further confirmation of quality.

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Floods Break Dams and Submerge Highways in Southern Germany

Several towns declared states of emergency and evacuated citizens as water submerged streets and highways and derailed a high-speed train.

By Christopher F. Schuetze

Reporting from Berlin

After a weekend of heavy rains, severe floods in regions of southern Germany led several towns to declare states of emergency and to evacuate their citizens from heavily affected areas. Water submerged streets and highways, broke dams and derailed a high-speed train. Even as rain let up on Monday, emergency crews rushed to fortify dams along rivers in anticipation of further flooding.

On Monday morning, a 43-year-old woman was found dead in her basement in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in Bavaria, according to the local authorities. She had been missing since Saturday night.

Several hours later, responders who were pumping water out of a basement in Schorndorf in Baden-Württemberg found the bodies of a man and a woman, according to the police. On Saturday, a firefighter died trying to save people, according to the district he served; another firefighter has been missing since Saturday.

Tens of thousands of emergency workers, both local and from other regions, are responding to the disaster, which affected Germany’s two southern states, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The responders, who include 800 soldiers, have rescued people stranded in their houses and cars, built emergency dams and set up crisis accommodations.

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, visited the small market town of Reichertshofen, roughly 35 miles north of Munich, on Monday and said that the flooding represented a new reality as the effects of climate change are being felt in Central Europe.

“What is also important to me is that we are very clear that this is not just an event that has been happening for centuries,” he told reporters, noting that he had visited four active flooding sites this year alone.

“We must not neglect the task of halting man-made climate change,” he told reporters on Monday. “This, too, is a lesson that we must learn from this event and this disaster.”

Between Friday at noon and Monday at noon, 120 to 160 liters of rain, or about 30 to 40 gallons, fell per square meter (about 11 square feet), which is more than usually falls in a month, according to Sebastian Altnau, a meteorologist with the German Weather Office.

The firefighter who became the first victim of the floods had set out with three colleagues on a boat late on Saturday to save a family stranded inside a building. Before they reached the house, the boat flipped. While three of the firefighters were able to save themselves, the body of the fourth was found early Sunday, a spokeswoman for the district confirmed.

In the small southwestern town of Ebersbach in Baden-Württemberg, the water pushed through a highway wall on Sunday night. A video published on the city’s Facebook feed shows how the water turned the road into an impassable river in seconds.

About 15 miles to the northeast, near Schwäbisch Gmünd, a sudden mudslide pushed a high-speed train off the rails and buried a car on Saturday night, according to the national rail service. Rescue workers were able to evacuate the train of its 185 passengers, and no one was hurt. After signaling with a flashlight, the driver, too, was picked up by rescue workers, he told the German newspaper Bild .

In both Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg over the weekend, several dams broke, in some cases leading to flooding of entire neighborhoods. On Saturday in Reichertshofen, where the chancellor visited Monday, two dams broke despite being fortified with sandbags, allowing the Baar River to flood neighborhoods. Around 5,000 emergency workers helped with rescue and evacuation operations.

Responders spent much of Monday safeguarding against flooding from bigger rivers, which have swelled since the downpour. In the medieval city of Regensburg in Bavaria, in the southeast, emergency workers built a dam on Monday along the Danube River as it continued to rise. On Monday afternoon, the Danube’s level measured at over six meters, or nearly 20 feet — twice as high as it was on Friday morning.

The flooding has brought up memories of the disastrous Ahr Valley floods in 2021, which killed 189 people. The heavy rains, which scientists said were driven by climate change , led the Ahr River to rise sharply, sweeping up buildings, bridges and roads. At the time, the authorities were criticized for not warning the local populations properly.

Nancy Faeser, who, as Germany’s interior minister, is responsible for disaster response, traveled with Mr. Scholz on Monday. She told local reporters that she could see “lessons had been learned” in the Ahr catastrophe. “Coordination and organization work much better,” she said.

Christopher F. Schuetze is a reporter for The Times based in Berlin, covering politics, society and culture in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More about Christopher F. Schuetze

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