Europe
River cruises, capitals and coastlines
Photo: Hallstatt Picture.jpg by Yasiruae, CC BY 3.0. All photo credits
Europe is where a river cruise earns its keep — you unpack once and a new town appears outside the window most mornings. It is also the easiest region for adding a few days on land at either end of a sailing.
What it's known for
- River cruising The Danube, Rhine, Douro and Seine, typically seven to fourteen nights with a town or city most days
- The Mediterranean Barcelona, Rome and Athens are the usual turnaround ports for a week or two at sea
- The classic capitals Paris, Rome, Vienna and London, often linked by rail rather than by flights
- Norway and the fjords The coastal route north, and the aurora season between late September and March
When to go
June to August is warmest, busiest and most expensive. May, September and October are quieter and usually better value. River cruise season generally runs March to December, with Christmas market sailings through late November and December.
Getting there
Non-stop from San Francisco to London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Most other European cities connect through one of those.
This page is a starting point, not a packaged trip. Larry builds each itinerary around what you want and quotes it once he has confirmed availability and current pricing.