For decades, river cruising has largely been a pursuit for couples; families and solo cruisers need not apply. But that old way of thinking is quickly going out the door, as river cruise lines move to court multi-generational families and solo cruisers eager to try their hand at the rivers of Europe.

The problem is that river cruise vessels are restricted physically by height, length and width due to the rivers they must traverse. The ships can only be so tall, so long and so wide. That, in turn, means that staterooms must also have finite dimensions. You can add another person to that existing space – but unless you’re booking at the suite level, things are going to get very cramped, very quickly. Unless, that is, you come up with some creative ideas, which a handful of cruise companies have done.

We field requests frequently from folks like you, who have landed on this page looking for a solution. Those asking may be traveling with young children (in which case, Viking is out, as the company allows no one under age 18 on its ships). They may be traveling with adult family, an elderly parent – or they may simply be three friends traveling together and wanting to avoid the often-punitive solo supplement. In other words, three sharing a cabin may be cheaper than paying for two cabins. That’s not always the case though.

There are a couple of strategies for those looking to river cruise with three or four in a cabin. The first is to find a ship with cabins that accommodate more than two. The second is to find companies with attractive – or no – single supplements.

Tell us more about your situation by completing the form below, and we’ll help you with choosing the best river cruise for your situation.

Can three (or four) people comfortably enjoy a river cruise in the same cabin? We think so, particularly if budget is one of the primarily concerns.

Also consider that you may not spend all that much time in your stateroom, preferring instead to be out exploring the towns and cities along the way, or relaxing in the ship’s main lounge or Sun Deck.

Family-friendly cabins provide for the opportunity to river cruise through Europe cost-effectively as a family, and we’re all for that.