Every river cruise line’s website makes it sound like the best choice. That’s their job, after all. So if you’re trying to figure out how to choose a river cruise line, the good news is you don’t need to compare every line side-by-side on every single detail. After sailing with several river cruise lines, I’ve found it comes down to four things. Get clear on those, and the choice gets easier!
The 4 Questions to Ask Before Booking a River Cruise
Before we get into the four questions, I want to give you a little reassurance. At the premium level, the differences between the major river cruise lines aren’t dramatic. Whichever one you choose, you can expect a comfortable ship, good food, knowledgeable guides, and a thoughtfully planned itinerary.
When it comes to how to choose a river cruise line, the differences that matter are smaller and more personal. They come down to what you value most, and these four questions will help you figure that out.
1. What’s Included in the Price
The first thing to look at when you’re figuring out how to choose a river cruise line is what’s included. Not the advertised cruise price, but the all-in cost.
Some lines build almost everything into the fare. Others advertise a lower starting price and then charge separately for things you’ll probably want anyway. When you add it all up, the gap between a “budget” fare and a more inclusive one is often much smaller than the sticker prices make it look.
When you’re comparing fares, check each of these:
- Excursions: Some lines include at least one guided tour in every port. Others sell excursions individually, and some offer them as a package. Amadeus, for example, sells optional excursion packages at a few different levels, from a handful of highlights up to every excursion on the itinerary. And keep in mind that you don’t need to book a tour in every port. Sometimes the best afternoon is the one where you walk off the ship and explore the town on your own, and that’s a great way to spend a port day too.
- Drinks: Most lines include wine and beer with dinner. If you like cocktails or something more premium, check whether the line offers an upgraded drinks package or charges per drink (sometimes they even offer both options!).
- Gratuities: Some river cruise lines include tips in the fare, like Scenic and, on river cruises of seven nights or longer, Uniworld. Most others treat gratuities as discretionary and suggest an amount per person, per day. For European river cruises, suggested gratuities for the crew generally run from about €12 to €20 per person, per day, plus a smaller amount for the cruise director and local guides. AmaWaterways, for example, currently suggests €125 per person for the crew on a seven-night European sailing. For two people on a week-long cruise, that can add roughly €170 to €280 to your total before tipping the cruise director and guides, so build it into your budget when you compare fares.
- Transfers: If you’re coming off an overnight transatlantic flight, having someone meet you at the airport and get you to the ship can make a big difference. If you’re arriving a few days early to explore on your own, it may matter less, but it’s still worth knowing what’s covered.
Even the most inclusive lines don’t always include everything. When I sailed the Douro with Avalon, excursions were built into the fare, with several options to choose from in every port. Gratuities weren’t included, though. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s the kind of detail you want to know before you compare two cruises side by side.
So before you decide, look at the all-in the total. The fare, the gratuities, and the excursions you’d realistically book. That’s the only number worth comparing.
2. The Ship and How It Feels to Live On
River ships are all roughly the same size, because the rivers, locks, and bridges they pass through set the limits. Step inside, though, and they can feel completely different.
Cabin size varies a lot from line to line, and even from ship to ship within the same line. So does the outdoor space. On some ships, the sun deck feels like a natural place to gather and watch the river go by. On other ships, there’s less room to spread out.
I’ve seen both ends of that. On Avalon’s Suite Ships, the bed faces a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, so you wake up looking straight at the river. It’s one of my favorite cabin designs on any river. On my CroisiEurope sailing on the Loire, the cabin was tight, and there wasn’t much ship to explore beyond it. Both were fun river cruises, but they felt very different to live on for a week.
A few ways to get a real sense of the ship before you book:
- Look at real photos: The cruise line’s renderings only tell part of the story. Search social media for guest photos and videos, especially Instagram and YouTube, where people share what their cabin and the public spaces looked like on their sailing. You’ll also find photos and honest takes in our river cruise reviews here on Active Voyager.
- Check the cabin size: Compare the square footage across the categories you’re considering, especially if you’re traveling with a partner. Pay attention to the balcony type too, since a “balcony” can mean very different things on a river ship.
- Read reviews about the space: Look for reviews that describe the cabins and sun deck, not only the service.
- Confirm the specific ship: Some lines keep the same look and standard across their fleet. Viking is a good example, so once you’ve seen one of its river ships, you have a pretty good idea of what the others are like. Other lines take the opposite approach. Uniworld designs each ship with its own decor and personality, so two Uniworld sailings can look and feel very different. If you’re comparing ships within a line like that, look at the specific ship you’d be sailing on, not just the line.
How much the ship matters depends on how you like to travel. If you plan to be off the boat as much as possible, joining every excursion or borrowing a bike to ride along the river, you might only be on board to eat and sleep, and a smaller cabin won’t bother you much. But if the sailing itself is part of the appeal for you, sipping a glass of wine or a cup of coffee on deck while castles drift by, then the cabin, the views, and the sun deck deserve a lot more weight in your decision.
3. Excursions: Are They Curated or Basic?
This is where the best river cruise lines earn their price, and it’s one of the biggest factors in how to choose a river cruise line that fits the way you travel.
On one Rhine cruise, that meant a visit to a truffle farm in the French countryside. On my Douro cruise with Avalon, it meant hiking through the vineyards and then sitting down to lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant with an amazing view of the river. Those aren’t the kinds of experiences you can easily piece together on your own.
And not every excursion lives up to that, even on a great line. On Viking’s Tulips & Windmills cruise, the optional tulips excursion of the same name cost $119 per person. It turned out to be bare fields with no blooms, a PowerPoint presentation about tulips in a farm warehouse, and a replica windmill with a banner draped across it. But on that same cruise, Keukenhof Gardens and the Kinderdijk windmills were two of the most memorable days I’ve had on any river cruise. Same line, same week, very different experiences. The difference was in the details of what each excursion promised.
When you read excursion descriptions, look for specifics. A vague description like “city walking tour” tells you very little. A description that names the specific vineyard, market, or family you’ll be visiting is a much better sign. And if an optional excursion is expensive and the description is vague, ask questions before you pay for it.
4. Who You’ll Be Sailing With
Some of my favorite river cruise memories happened around the dinner table, swapping stories with people I’d met just days before. That’s why who’s on board matters so much. Every river cruise line draws its own kind of crowd, and it’s worth knowing yours before you book.
Some lines and itineraries are built for active travelers. Avalon’s Active & Discovery cruises, for example, add options like hiking and biking alongside the usual port tours. Amadeus even offers golf cruises on the Rhine and the Seine, with a golf expert on board. Others are defined by who can come along. Viking’s river cruises are adults only, so every guest is 18 or older. Celebrity River Cruises, which launches in 2027, will welcome children as young as four, though without the kids’ programs you’d find on its ocean ships.
Many sailings are also built around a theme. Some lean into history or literature, with talks and excursions focused on the stories behind each port. Others are all about food and wine, with tastings, winery visits, and regional menus on board..
And because river ships are small, you’ll get to know your fellow passengers no matter how dinner works on your line. Some lines have a more restaurant-style setup, where you can grab a table for two or share one with the couple you’re traveling with. Others have more traditional seating, where you might end up next to new faces each night. Either way, you’ll see the same people on excursions, at breakfast, and out on the sun deck, and by the third day, you’ve made a few friends. So picture who you’d love to be clinking glasses with over the course of a week. Find the line that attracts those people, and you’re halfway to a great trip.
What About New River Cruise Lines?
If you’re considering a line that hasn’t sailed yet, like Celebrity River Cruises, which plans to launch on the Rhine and Danube in 2027, keep in mind that a brand-new line can’t offer what an established one can: guest reviews about the ship, a crew that knows the route, and excursion relationships built over many seasons. A new line can still be a great choice, especially if you already love the brand. Just know you’re booking without a track record to lean on.
How to Choose a River Cruise Line in Four Steps
Once you’ve worked through those four questions, here’s how to turn them into a decision.
- Set your real budget. Start with the all-in number, not the advertised fare. Add the gratuities, any drinks package you’d want, and the excursions you’d realistically book, then compare those totals side by side. A cruise that looks pricier at first glance can come out about even once everything is added up. And it’s a lot easier to relax on your trip when there are no surprises waiting on your final bill.
- Pick your top two priorities. Not all four. Just the two that matter most to you. If you’re planning to be off the ship every day, the excursions might top your list. If you can’t wait to sip your morning coffee on deck while the scenery drifts by, the ship and your cabin might matter more. Narrowing it down to two keeps you from getting lost comparing every line on every detail.
- Compare lines on those two. Now look at which river cruise lines are strongest on your priorities, and let the rest go. Read reviews from travelers who care about the same things you do, look closely at the ship photos and excursion descriptions, and notice which line keeps rising to the top. Most of the time, you’ll end up with a short list of two or three.
- Check the river and dates you want. Sometimes only one or two lines sail the itinerary you have in mind, and that makes the decision for you. If you’re still choosing a river, start there, because the river shapes your trip as much as the line does. And once you know what you want, don’t wait too long to book. The best cabins tend to sell first, especially in the most popular seasons.
Once you’ve gone through these four questions and have it narrowed down, book it! Knowing how to choose a river cruise line really comes down to knowing what matters most to you. Once you’re clear on that, the right line gets a lot easier to spot. And the best river cruise is the one you take.
More River Cruise Tips on YouTube
Prefer to watch a video? I walk through how to choose a river cruise line, along with lots more river cruise planning tips, over on the Active Voyager YouTube channel. Come say hi, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.
Which river cruise line are you considering? Tell me in the comments. I’m always happy to share my take.
Want help choosing? If you’re still not sure how to choose a river cruise line, I’d love to help. I’m a Fora Travel Advisor specializing in river cruises and culinary travel, and matching travelers with the right line and ship is one of my favorite parts of the job.
