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Rhine River Cruises

Rhine River Cruises

Our recommended Rhine river cruises are the best way to explore the mighty Rhine. Sail from the clear lakes and towering mountains of Switzerland to the fairytale castles and terraced vineyards of the Rhine Valley. Journey from Amsterdam to Basel through the scenic Middle Rhine and past the famous Lorelei Rock, or choose an itinerary that explores the pretty meandering River Moselle.

Moor in the heart of picturesque riverside towns like lively Rudesheim, and visit historic cities such as Cologne and Strasbourg, as you voyage through Switzerland, Germany, France and Holland to the North Sea. See the highlights of each port on guided excursions accompanied by local guides, or simply step ashore to explore on your own.

Cruise Collection 2023/ 2024/ 2025

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  • Classical Rhine

    Amadeus River Cruises
    Choice of Ships
    Rudesheim 7 Nights Cruise Only from £1298pp Exclusive 3-night pre-cruise extension in Lake Como with flights included! 10-night holiday from just £2595pp! UK - Amsterdam (Holland), Amsterdam - Utrecht (Netherlands), Cologne (Germany), Cochem, Koblenz - Rudesheim, Mannheim - Speyer, Strasbourg (France), Basel (Switzerland) - UK

    Take in the spectacular scenery along the Rhine and Moselle rivers from Amsterdam to Switzerland in luxury and style, exploring the cultural cities of Cologne and Strasbourg and the quaint village of Cochem

  • Reflections of the Rhine and Main

    APT Essential Cruises
    Choice of Ships
    Cologne 7 Nights Fly Cruise from £1395pp UK - Amsterdam (Holland), Amsterdam - Utrecht, Cologne (Germany) - Bruhl, Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg - UK

    A superb full-board essential cruise along the beautiful Rhine River from Amsterdam to Nuremburg, travelling through Rüdesheim, Wertheim and Würzburg

  • Rhine Getaway

    Viking River Cruises
    Choice of Ships
    Castle on the Rhine 7 Nights Fly Cruise from £1595pp Save £750pp on 2024 river cruises! UK - Amsterdam (Netherlands), Kinderdijk, Cologne (Germany), Koblenz - Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg (France), Breisach (Germany), Basel (Switzerland) - UK

    Enjoy this 7-night cruise along the legendary River Rhine visiting the windmills of Kinderdijk, historic Cologne and the wine towns of Koblenz and Rudesheim. Includes excursions and travel package from the UK

  • River Rhine to Switzerland

    Riviera Travel
    Choice of Ships
    Alpine Scenery 7 Nights Fly Cruise from £1699pp Free 3-night post-cruise extension in Cologne! UK - Cologne (Germany), Koblenz, Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach (Germany) - Titisee, Lucerne (Switzerland) - Bernese Oberland, Basel - UK

    Join your floating hotel in Cologne cruising through the Rhine Valley to charming riverside towns and the scenic Black Forest, home to some of the most picturesque Alpine scenery. Prices include excursions and return flights from the UK

  • Jewels of the Rhine

    Emerald Waterways
    Choice of Ships
    River Rhine 7 Nights Cruise Only from £1795pp Save up to 50% PLUS Free Flight Credit! Fly-Cruise now from just £1875pp! Amsterdam, Cologne, Koblenz, Ludwigshafen – Heidelberg, Kehl – Strasbourg, Breisach - Freiburg, Basel

    See spectacular scenery, fairytale castles and ornate architecture as you journey along the picturesque River Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. Includes shore excursions and complimentary drinks with lunch and dinner

  • Heart of Europe

    Riviera Travel
    Choice of Ships
    Nuremberg 14 Nights Fly Cruise from £2469pp Save up to £2000 per cabin! UK - Cologne (Germany), Koblenz - Boppard, Rudesheim, Mainz, Miltenberg - Wertheim, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Melk (Austria) - Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest (Hungary), Budapest - UK

    Tour through the heart of Europe along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers from Cologne to Budapest visiting well-preserved historic towns in Germany and the impressive city of Vienna in Austria. Includes excursions and Eurostar from London St Pancras or return flights

  • Magnificent Europe

    APT Luxury Cruises
    Choice of Ships
    Amsterdam 14 Nights Fly Cruise from £2495pp Save £1500pp PLUS Free Upgrade to Business Class Flights! UK - Amsterdam (Holland), Andernach - Koblenz, Rudesheim, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau - Linz (Austria), Melk - Durnstein, Vienna, Budapest (Hungary), Budapest - UK

    An all-inclusive, luxury cruise through five magnificent countries along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, with exclusive signature experiences, guided excursions, home pick-up service and travel from the UK

  • Majestic Rhine

    Emerald Waterways
    Emerald Sun
    Lorelei Rock, River Rhine 7 Nights Cruise Only from £2495pp Frankfurt – Mainz, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, Ludwigshafen – Heidelberg, Rastatt – Baden-Baden, Kehl – Strasbourg, Breisach – Colmar, Basel

    Cruise along the stunning River Rhine past picturesque riverside towns and the scenic Black Forest, home to breathtaking Alpine scenery. Includes shore excursions and complimentary drinks with lunch and dinner

  • Castles along the Rhine

    Uniworld
    SS Antoinette
    Koblenz 7 Nights Fly Cruise from £3299pp Basel, Breisach, Strasbourg, Speyer, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, Cologne, Amsterdam

    Journey from Amsterdam to the highlights of Germany including designated UNESCO World Heritage towns and scenic villages, ending Basel in the Switzerland. Includes guided excursions, unlimited complimentary drinks and gratuities

  • Rhine and Moselle Fairytales

    AmaWaterways
    Choice of Ships
    Rhine Valley 11 Nights Cruise Only from £3540pp Amsterdam (Holland), Cologne (Germany), Lahnstein, Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg (France), Breisach (Germany), Basel (Switzerland)

    Explore the history and culture of the traditional towns and villages along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, with visits to Cologne, Rudesheim and Strasbourg on this luxury cruise. Includes guided excursions and drinks with meals


About Rhine River Cruises

From Amsterdam, voyage upstream through colourful Dutch waterways and rich farmland to Cologne with its Old Town and great Gothic Cathedral. Continue to Koblenz where the Rhine meets the Moselle, and on to the ancient fortress town of Boppard.

Pass the famous Lorelei Rock on the way to the wine country town of Rudesheim with its lively Drosselgrasse street of restaurants and taverns. At Mainz the River Main leaves the Rhine which continues south, allowing a tour to romantic Heidelberg, the oldest university town in Germany.

Sail on up the upper Rhine to Strasbourg, a cosmopolitan city on the French-German border with a soaring cathedral and colourful half-timbered buildings, and Basel, Switzerland's second largest city. Some itineraries spend a couple of days in Switzerland with visits to Lucerne and the dramatic Bernese Oberland.

The River Moselle is smaller and more intimate, meandering from Koblenz through woods and vineyards for over 160 miles. Travel past hills dotted with romantic castles, and through wine villages such as Cochem, Bernkastel and Piesport to Trier, founded by the Romans 2000 years ago.

Cologne CathedralCologne Cathedral Lorelei RockLorelei Rock

Highlights of the Rhine River

Here are a few highlights of a cruise along the Rhine:

  • Amsterdam’s elegant architecture and famous canals
  • Bamberg’s brightly-coloured fishermen’s houses in Little Venice
  • The timber-framed houses of Bernkastel surrounding the medieval square
  • Cologne’s Old Town, dominated by the impressive cathedral
  • Heidelberg, a favourite of writers and philosophers
  • German Corner in Koblenz, where the River Moselle flows into the Rhine
  • The Printing Museum in Mainz, birthplace of Johann Gutenberg
  • Rüdesheim’s wine-growing region
  • See the fairytale Petite France district of Strasbourg
  • The spectacular Rhine Gorge with the legendary Lorelei Rock

River Rhine Ports

Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Bamberg

Bamberg

Basel

Basel

Bernkastel

Bernkastel

Breisach

Breisach

Cochem

Cochem

Cologne

Cologne

Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf

Frankfurt

Frankfurt

Heidelberg

Heidelberg

Koblenz

Koblenz

Mainz

Mainz

Mannheim

Mannheim

Miltenberg

Miltenberg

Nuremberg

Nuremberg

Regensburg

Regensburg

Redesheim

Rudesheim

Speyer

Speyer

Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Trier

Trier

Wurzburg

Wurzburg

Rhine Cruise Reviews

We would like to thank every one of you most sincerely for our wonderful cruise down the Rhine. it was, and is an unforgettable experience for George and me, which we will undoubtedly remember forever. I am so glad that I suggested that this was the sort of holiday, at our age we could sit back and just enjoy, After booking we had a couple of friends round and were extolling the services of Blue Water, our agents, they promptly went home and booked for the cruise for themselves ...two weeks before us just checking you out !!! they loved it and assured us that we would enjoy every minute. We did ...Door to door without a hitch! You are to be congratulated on all the members of the crew, from Captain Igor to our cabin boy, a smile and a hand and then another smile, a special mention must be made of Patrik the on board tour manager, and our favourite matre de at the Portobello. Food, wine, entertainment, trips ashore, how could we possibly find fault, Well done Scenic Jewel ..... With our thanks for an Exceptional holiday.

We had an unforgettable cruise seeing the Rivers and Castles of Europe on the AMADOLCE, the cruise exceeded our expectations and thankyou to the team at Blue Water for making this happen for us with no problems encountered especially seeing we travelled from Australia to experience it. They were very efficient in keeping us informed along the way. Truly a trip to remember and the sun even appeared when we started the Rhine Gorge section with all the castles, so we all scrambled up to the fantastic sundeck to take in the picture postcard views

The Christmas cruise on board Amacello visiting Christmas markets along the Rhine was my first river cruise and I could not fault it. The standard was incredibly high compared to ocean cruises I have done and I will certainly travel with Ama again. Why Ama?

It is an English speaking ship. Travelling single I did not want to find myself unable to communicate easily with everyone or it might have been a lonely Christmas, and I wanted to get the most from my excursions. Michelle at Bluewater had travelled with Ama, she highly recommended the company and she was right. Itinerary

Very well planned, we sailed through the more industrial stretches of the Rhine during the night and the scenic parts with their steep banks and beautiful castles in daylight. Every day we stopped at a different port of call with a choice of excursions and the option of taking a bike or just doing your own thing.The Christmas markets were in full swing, enhancing the already beautiful towns and villages. The local guides were very knowledgeable and we had headsets and earpieces so it wasnt necessary to hang onto their coat tails walking around. We were small groups of under 20 giving time to ask questions and advice, and always with free time before we had to return to the ship.

On Board Cabin: Luxurious, modern with sliding doors to a french balcony giving great views and making it very light. Plenty of storage, the case fitted under the bed, flat screen tv with free internet. Compact modern bathroom and shower with body jets etc and quality toiletries. Robes, slippers and even umbrellas provided. Excellent unobtrusive cabin service. Very quiet, I dont know if I had quiet neighbours or the insulation was great but whatever, it worked. Dining Where to start! I could not praise the food highly enough, it was top quality, beautifully presented and the open seating meant you could join friends on tables seating from 2 to 8. Breakfast offered the full buffet experience with the best variety I have ever seen. From champagne, smoked salmon and bagels to a full English and a vast array of breads, rolls and pastries all cooked freshly on board. Not to mention cereals, fruit, cheese etc. Lunch and dinner were waiter service multi course affairs with a wide choice of menu reflecting the food of the area you were passing through. However, there were always alternatives of grilled salmon, chicken or entrecote steak. At dinner decent quality wine was included and your glass was constantly topped up, they were generous. At lunch, an alternative was to eat in the lounge where a selection of soup, salads, pasta, cheese and biscuits and a dessert were available for self service. Fruit and biscuits were always available in baskets in the lounge beside the tea and coffee station which was always open. Then there was mid morning snacks, afternoon tea with delicious gateaux and an evening buffet at 10.30! One person I met was coeliac and they always brought her a menu indicating gluten free items. Its a blessing I went on shore to walk some of it off. Ambience Customer service is paramount, nothing fazes them. My cruise itinerary had to be amended at the last minute because the Rhine was flooding and we were not allowed to sail as planned and had to divert half way through. This meant that on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Rolf, our cruise manager, was faced with having to find a fleet of coaches and local guides to take us on our excursions instead of us sailing there. He had very little notice so it must have been really challenging, but he did it and they were excellent. On top of which some passengers, faced with an hours coach trip, changed their minds about which excursions they wanted to do. Reception staff handled all of this with smiles, no tension or irritation visible at all. That can do attitude was prevalent throughout the ship, nothing was too much trouble and it made for very relaxed and happy passengers. We were even given 20 euros each to buy our lunch as well as a picnic bag because it was too long a journey to bring us back to the ship for lunch. Oh, and following every shore excursion we were welcomed back to the ship with glasses of gluhwein and it was much better quality than at the markets! General 122 passengers were onboard, a small enough number to make it really friendly. There is a quiet lounge at the back but it was rarely used, most people gathered in the forward loinge and there was plenty of comfortable seating. Entertainment was provided by a resident pianist who played in the afternoon and evening until about 10 when he livened things up and people danced. A classical trio came on board one afternoon, they were very good. Apart from that we helped decorate the Christmas trees, there was a 60s night and an 80s night, Santa bought us all presents, but it was quite informal and low key. A world away from the floor shows of some ocean cruises and all the better for it. I travelled solo and it suited me ideally. There were 10-12 of us and we usually ate together in the evenings. I made some good friends and we plan to meet up and maybe do another trip together. Because of the small number of passengers and everyone getting together in the lounge it is really friendly and I would certainly recommend it. Except for the thorny issue of single supplements (which were waived because I booked very late when there was an offer on). Dress is informal and casual though most of us brought something a bit smarter for the gala dinner and Christmas. Whilst it wasnt a cheap holiday the value for money was tremendous with 5 star dining including quality wines, teas, coffees and bottled water,my choice of shore excursions, all included. I found I didnt actually need much money on holiday as it was all paid up front. I had a few drinks from the bar in the evenings and their prices were ok and measures generous. I think Bellinis were 4.20 and cuba libre 5.50 euros. One great thing about river cruises is the lack of movement in the ship, no fear of seasickness here! And always something to look at on one bank or the other. Take binoculars, plenty of memory cards for the camera and a guide book to identify the castles and other landmarks coming up on the river.

Total Reviews: 43 Read More Reviews...