^{Our advice is priceless...Our service is free!}

Travel Europe on European River Cruises with Viking River Cruises

River cruises...a better way to travel Europe
European cruises are quite simply the best way to travel through Europe.  It gives you the opportunity to travel Europe at a slower pace and see things from a different perspective. Comfortable and convenient, it puts you at the center of each destination and exposes you to the culture and history of each region.



A European river cruise allows for a more intimate view and experience. A Europe vacation without taking a European river cruise is passing up a chance to see Europe as it was meant to be seen. With congested roads ever more the norm in Europe, a European river cruise is more attractive than ever. 

The great cities in Europe were built oriented towards the rivers and canals and not towards the land. Roads and automobiles came hundreds of years later. The rivers were the high speed thoroughfares, roads were for push carts and horse carriages. That's why driving on European vacation can be time consuming and very difficult.  The rivers are the express lane. A Europe river cruise is the answer.



On European river cruises your introduction to each new city is from the river, the place from where the city developed over time.  Most of the important things to see are just steps away from where your ship docks.

Hassle-Free Travel
Both experienced and first-time travelers have discovered the joys of European river cruising, making river cruising the fastest -growing segment of the travel industry.  A Europe vacation on the waterways of the country offers a unique experience totally different from land based travel. Traffic, confusing roads and congestion are completely eliminated and substituted with the relaxed lifestyle aboard a luxury, state of the art river cruise ship.

After boarding the ship, unpack just once in your spacious river-view stateroom. Relax there in comfort for the duration of the cruise. No need to worry about the hassles of traveling by bus or train. You don't spend precious hours stuck on the highway or unpacking and repacking each day as you check in and out of hotels each time you move to a different city.  River cruises is a stress-free, hassle-free way to see the best that Europe has to offer.

European river cruises allow for a more intimate view and experience. You view the constantly changing scenery from your ship's spacious sun deck, the comfort of the observation lounges, dining rooms, or even the privacy of your cabin. How better to view a French chateau, a German castle or the tulips of Holland than from the luxury of your river cruise ship as you sit on the sun deck and watch the countryside glide by and peek around the next turn in the river for what comes next. A European river cruise offers unparalleled scenery around every bend, and the most convenient, comfortable, and relaxing way to experience Europe.

Which Cruise Line is Best?
Peter Deilmann Cruises, Uniworld, Amadaeus Waterways, Avalon, Grand Circle Tours, Grand Circle Cruises, AMA Waterways, Tauck, even Apple Vacations are all strong players in the European River Cruise market.  All have their similarities, pluses and minuses.  Like you before I took my first cruise I studied all the brochures, spent hours on-line, talked to everyone I could and got more and more confused.  Finally I looked at which cruise line was winning the awards and getting mentioned by the most prestigious publications.  When I did this the choice for me was clear.  Viking River Cruises.

National Geographic's 10 Best Award Conde Nast Gold List   World Travel Award Winner Travel & Leisure World's Best

Typically Viking's passengers rated their overall Viking experience as having met or far exceeded their expectations. Viking has consistently placed high on competitive rankings like Condéé Nast Traveler's Gold List, Reader's Choice and Best Small Ships awards; and Travel + Leisure's World's Best. Their honors include being named #1 River Cruise Line. And Viking is featured in National Geographic's The 10 Best of Everything.

People quickly discover this isn't a barge or a riverboat in that sense of things but cruising at it's best.  I took my first cruise with them in the Fall of 2007 on the Seine.  We agreed with what everyone was saying.  We loved it so much we took our second in the Spring of 2008 on the Rhine and our third is planned for October 2010.

The Viking experience - scenery, history and cultural enrichment
Life onboard one of Viking Cruise Line's modern river cruise ship is luxurious and relaxing.  Because Viking's ships are designed to accommodate between 150 and 200 guests, it is easy to make new friends, have a drink with the couple you just met or dine with interesting people in the open-seating restaurant. And you can forget about waiting in long lines. You get the elegant dinners and lunch buffets that you associate with an ocean cruise but with ever changing scenery. There's something wonderfully decadent about drinking your morning coffee on deck as you watch the countryside unfold before your eyes.

Enjoy the guided walks, in-depth tours and excursions planned for you in each destination or sight-see on your own, with time allocated for independent activities.  When traveling with Viking, you enjoy at least one shore excursion every day. These guided tours bring you closer to the culture, people and history of your destinations and since virtually all excursions are included in the cruise fare, providing great value and an incredibly rich experience. In most ports, you will also have some leisure time for shopping or whatever suits your fancy. The crew, your guides and your fellow passengers are English speaking and English is the official language for all aspects of your cruise.  Best yet, Viking uses the Quietvox tour audio system.  You are provided a personal headset which allows you to hear your guide's comments without having to squeeze all together to be within earshot.

Viking Accommodations & Cuisine

Enjoy the comfort of hotel-style beds with European comforters and duvets. Every stateroom is an "outside" stateroom with a river view through a picture window. Many staterooms have windows that open, and some are full-sized sliding doors known as French balconies. Stateroom TVs offer CNN and other English-language programing.

Dining is a very important highlight of any travel experience, but especially with Viking. Viking's  chefs create a variety of delicious offerings adapted for American tastes, with fresh seasonal vegetables and soups prepared throughout your cruise. While meals are casual, open-seating affairs, the atmosphere is always elegant and a great way to meet new friends.

For breakfast, choose from a delectable array of healthful and tasty options from the buffet or order pancakes or an omelet made just the way you like it.  At lunch, select from the soup and sandwich bar, or choose an entree and dessert from the day's luncheon menu. For dinner, a five-course gourmet menu awaits with regional specialties as well as Western-style favorites like roast beef or poached salmon. As an option, grilled steak, chicken and Caesar salad are always available.

Viking ships in Europe have free ship-wide wireless internet access.   Bring your laptop or rent one from Viking so you can check your email and stay in touch with friends and family.

With so much to see... Where do you start?

There are many rivers in Europe but the most popular and the 3 we like best are the Seine River, the Rhine River the Danube.  Each offers a different experience and are a good place to start.  Check them out below.

Click below for more pictures, information, prices and availability:

Need Help? CLICK HERE TO SEND AN

or call 1-800-298-9229

HOME PAGE

There are cruises ocean and cruises Europe and cruise river but river crusies Europe are the best.