The New Year is upon us, and what better way is there to manifest smooth sailing next year than by looking at the top five river cruise itineraries for 2023?
River cruising trends have changed tremendously over the past few years. We’ve seen growth from most river cruise companies, with Viking starting on the Mississippi to more itineraries on the Nile and Mekong than ever before. Luxury river cruising has even reached the Magdalena River in Columbia, where AmaWaterways will begin sailing at the end of 2023. With so many options, it can be hard to narrow down where to go next or, for some, where to start. Though I’ve shied away from some of those more exotic destinations, I hope this list will inspire you to travel somewhere new in 2023.
Top Five River Cruise Itineraries For 2023
AmaWaterways – Captivating Rhine / Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry Experience
AmaWaterways offers two Ancestry Experiences on the Rhine or Danube River. The Rhine itinerary tops the list for me because Rhineland is close to the land of my ancestors, though these itineraries welcome passengers of many different cultures and backgrounds. Before the journey, guests will take will receive an AncestryDNA Kit and begin researching their family tree with an expert genealogist. Once on board, guests will enjoy activities with their genealogist, like shore excursions, meals, presentations, and more. In addition to those activities, they will have a private consultation with the genealogist to review their family tree.
What we like about this itinerary: We always get to know more about ourselves as we travel, but AmaWaterways is giving guests a tool to research even deeper. In one anecdote, a passenger tells a story of visiting a church that his great grandfather helped craft. This is a unique concept to the line and the feedback from guests has been extremely positive.
Countries visited: France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland
Cities visited: Amsterdam, Cologne, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel
Overnights in: Amsterdam
Avalon Waterways – Active & Discovery On The Danube
Avalon Waterways offers a variety of special interest tours, including its Active & Discovery tours. These itineraries are specially curated for those who are bit more adventurous, with an emphasis on both active excursions and discovery, or more hands on, excursions. I took an Active & Discovery sailing with Avalon in 2021 and the choice of excursions was extensive to say the least, with activities ranging from spelunking (yes, in a real cave) to cooking classes.
What we like about this itinerary: The Danube is the most popular river cruise itinerary across the board. So popular that I’ve sailed it more times than I can count on one hand, but that never stops me from wanting to go back. An Active & Discovery itinerary is a great way to see the Danube like I’ve never seen it before. Also, this itinerary has two overnights in Vienna. Vienna is always the highlight of the trip for me, so the more time to explore the better. Avalon has a perfect balance of unique excursions and slightly uncommon ports of call to keep the itinerary engaging for those returning to the region or first timers alike.
Countries visited: Germany, Hungary, Austria
Cities visited: Deggendorf, Engelhartszell, Linz, Mauthausen, Grein, Spitz, Vienna, Visegrad, Budapest
CroisiEurope – The Loire Valley, A Royal Legacy
The Rhone is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite itineraries in Europe. However, that is nearly the extent of my exploration of France. CroisiEurope is a French owned company, so who better to show me around the country? The company has a fleet of vessels purposefully built for specific rivers, making it one of the only river cruise players to sail regions like the Elbe River, the French Canals, and the Loire Valley.
What we like about this itinerary: CroisiEurope’s French flair is the perfect complement to a sailing in the Loire Valley. The itinerary sails from Saint-Nazaire, a chic French town on the sea, to Ancenis, where guests can take a helicopter ride to see the Loire from above. This itinerary also provides a great opportunity for oenophiles to learn about wine growing in the Muscadet Region.
Countries visited: France
Cities visited: Nantes, Saint-Nazaire, Ancenis, Chalonnes-Sur-Loire
Overnights in: Nantes, Saint-Nazaire
Emerald Cruises – Secrets of the Douro
Portugal is yet another wonderful country that I’ve done far too little exploration of. Luckily, the Douro has gained popularity as a river cruising destination over the past few years. Emerald finds a perfect balance between enrichment onboard and ashore, with tile painting classes and cooking demonstrations on board, as well as included tours and wine tastings in port.
What we like about this itinerary: Though the Douro is a beautiful river, your sailing has to be done during the day. Scenic sailing can be interesting, but Emerald Cruises is going to make sure that that time is also fun. Emerald’s dedicated Activity Hosts make sure that you have plenty of things to do to fill your time throughout the day. Emerald Radiance also has a pool, which kinda seems like perfect place to sit out as you sail the Douro.
Countries visited: Portugal, Spain
Cities visited: Porto, Pinhao, Vega de Terron, Salamanca, Pocinho, Regua, Porto
Overnights in: Porto, Pinhao, Vega de Terron, Regua
Riviera River Cruises – Burgundy, The River Rhone & Provence for Solo Travelers
As I mentioned earlier, the Rhone is becoming my favorite river in Europe. Though Arles was home to Van Gogh for just a short period of time, there is so much to learn about him there. You can see how the south of France inspired his work as you travel the region. The Rhone is also home to the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman structure dating back 2,000 years. Plus, Riviera’s itinerary includes a visit to the Ardèche Gorges, locally known as the European Grand Canyon.
What we like about this itinerary: No single supplement! Solo passengers often have to pay single supplements, meaning that they usually must dole out what a couple would pay for the same stateroom. I could sit here and sell the Rhone to you all day, but the true sell here is that there is no single supplement on this journey. Riviera Rivera Cruises’ solo only departures are a great way for those traveling solo or with a group of friends to avoid paying double occupancy.
Countries visited: France
Cities visited: Lyon Chalon, Beaune, Vienne, Tournon, Arles, Avignon
Overnights in: Lyon, Avignon
