It’s no secret that we like to stay active when we travel. Whether that means exploring by bike, heading out on a hike or choosing an excursion that gets our heart rate up, we’d rather experience a destination than simply see it. And we know many of our readers feel the same way.

For active travelers, three river cruise lines continue to stand out: AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and Emerald Cruises. Each takes a slightly different approach to active cruising, so which one is the best fit for you?

Excursions & Onboard Activities

All three of these companies offer plenty of ways to stay active in port, from guided hikes and bike rides to kayaking and canoeing. Avalon takes that a step further with its Active & Discovery itineraries, which offer an especially wide range of included excursions. Depending on the itinerary, that might mean a rail bike ride, a cooking or painting class, kayaking or even a wine tasting in a cave. Avalon’s Active & Discovery cruises average 22 included excursions, with some itineraries offering up to 28.

Read more: What Is An Active & Discovery River Cruise

Each company also has a dedicated host focused on keeping guests active, though they all use different names: AmaWaterways has Wellness Hosts, Avalon has Adventure Hosts and Emerald has Activity Managers. Their roles vary a bit by cruise, but they typically lead onboard fitness and wellness activities and may also organize walks, bike rides and other active outings.

My Activity Manager, Drazen, on Emerald Cruises, was the best I’ve ever had. He is now a cruise director for another cruise line. I wrote a bit about him here: Postcards from the Rhone

Accommodations

One of AmaWaterways’ signature features is its twin-balcony staterooms, which combine a French balcony with a separate step-out balcony. We like this setup because you can open up the room to the river or step outside when you want some fresh air and a better view. Twin balconies aren’t available in every stateroom category, but you’ll find them on many of AmaWaterways’ ships.

AmaWaterways also has a second dining venue on many of its ships, The Chef’s Table, which we’ll talk more about later. It offers a more intimate, multi-course dining experience and is included in the cruise fare.

Avalon Waterways’ signature Panorama Suites are built around the view. The beds face wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can wake up looking out at the river instead of a wall. We also love Avalon’s Club Lounge, which has books, games, coffee and snacks available throughout the day. But, if we’re being honest, our favorite part is probably the fresh-baked cookies.

Emerald Cruises’ Star-Ships have one of the more unusual spaces we’ve seen on a river ship: an indoor pool at the aft that transforms into a cinema at night. During the day, the space can be used for swimming and activities such as water aerobics before converting for movies and other evening events.

Onboard Entertainment

Evening entertainment on all three lines is generally pretty low-key, with music, games and other activities in the lounge. Emerald tends to lean into trivia and game nights, while AmaWaterways often brings local musicians and performers onboard. One of my favorites was La Strada, a violin and guitar trio I saw on an Ama cruise. They played everything from classical music, including Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, to songs that had everyone clapping along by the end of the night.

Avalon also brings local performers onboard, and they’re often some of the most fun nights of the cruise. On our Danube sailing, we loved meeting the Molvida Sisters. They sang and danced, but what we remember most is how much they interacted with guests. They even came through the dining room before the show to get everyone excited for the evening – and later got the two Bills up dancing with them, as you can see above.

Drinks & Cuisine

All three lines include beer and wine with lunch and dinner. AmaWaterways and Avalon also include sparkling wine at breakfast, and both offer a complimentary cocktail hour before dinner. Ama calls theirs Sip & Sail, while Avalon simply calls it Happy Hour. In both cases, the selection goes beyond a single house cocktail, with select wines, beers, spirits and cocktails included.

All three lines serve regionally inspired cuisine, but AmaWaterways puts a little more emphasis on food and wine than the others. One of the highlights is The Chef’s Table, a complimentary specialty dining experience with a set tasting menu and paired wines. We’ve always enjoyed it, and it’s one experience we recommend making time for on an Ama cruise.

Read more: AmaViola Dining Experiences

So, Which Suits Your Adventure?

All three are good choices for travelers who want to do more than sit on the ship and watch the scenery go by, but they each approach active cruising a little differently.

Choose Avalon if you want the most choice when it comes to excursions. Its Active & Discovery program goes well beyond hiking and biking, with everything from kayaking and rail biking to cooking classes and other hands-on experiences.

Choose AmaWaterways if you prioritize activity and wellness to be part of the entire cruise. Between its Wellness Hosts, included bikes, fitness classes and active excursion choices, Ama makes it easy to stay moving both onboard and ashore. We’d also give Ama the edge if food and wine are an important part of your trip.

Choose Emerald if you want plenty of opportunities to stay active without making that the sole focus of your cruise. EmeraldACTIVE excursions, onboard fitness activities and the Activity Manager give you options, while the overall experience still feels relaxed.

There really isn’t a wrong choice here. The better question is how active you want your river cruise to be and what you want to do when you’re not out exploring.