The most frequent question we’re asked on River Cruise Advisor relates to differentiation. How is one river cruise company different from another? What’s the difference between the Rhine and the Danube? What are the differences in the staterooms on various ships? What does a river cruise cost? What’s included? We address these questions with our comparisons.
Please note, while we’ve tried to be as accurate as possible, sometimes the answer requires more than a simple yes or no. For example, airport transfers may be included when air tickets are purchased with the river cruise company, but may not be included otherwise. You’ll find additional comments in the footnotes below the table.
| AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Emerald | Riverside | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excursions Included? |  | | | | | | | | | | |
| Beer/Wine Lunch & Dinner? | | | | | | ** | | | | | |
| Onboard Bicycles | | | | | | | | | |||
| Fitness Center | | | | | | | | | |||
| Exterior Balconies/Veranda | | | | | | | | | | ||
| Two Room Suites | ** | | ** | ** | |||||||
| Own & Operate | | ** | | | | | | ||||
| Room Service | ** | | | | | ** | |||||
| Mini Bar | ** | ** | | | | | | ** | |||
| Dining Venues | 3** | 2** | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | ** | 2 | |
| Personal Butler | | | | ||||||||
| Port Charges Included | | | | | | | | ||||
| Airport Transfers | ** | ** | | | | | | ** | |||
| Prepaid Gratuities | | | ** | ||||||||
| Gratuities Included | | | | | | ** | |||||
| Laundry Included | ** | | | ** | ** |
AmaWaterways: Beer, wine and soft drinks included with lunch and dinner; sparkling wine with breakfast; and complimentary cocktails during Happy Hour. Complimentary shore excursions included in every port, along with complimentary Special Interest Tours. AmaWaterways features twin balconies, both a French and an outside balcony, in many staterooms. In addition to the main dining room, AmaWaterways features The Chef’s Table restaurant at no additional charge. Airport transfers are included when purchasing air through AmaWaterways.
Avalon Waterways: Beer and wine included with lunch and dinner, sparkling wine with breakfast, and complimentary cocktails during happy hour. Coffee, tea and non-alcoholic beverages complimentary 24/7. In addition to the main dining room, Avalon offers small group (30 people) reservations to Panorama Bistro (light menu paired with wine). Meals can also be served in the Club Lounge and Panorama Lounge. Some optional tours require a fee. Airport transfers included when purchasing air from Avalon.
CroisiEurope: Extra beverage charge only for high-end champagnes and wines.
Emerald Cruises: Wine, beer & soda complimentary with lunch and dinner. Room service included for suites. Laundry concierge available for a fee; complimentary for suites.
Riviera: Riviera’s beverage package, which includes wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, ranges from $99 per person to $299 per person depending on the duration of the cruise. Expect to pay $129 for the drink package on a weeklong cruise.
Riverside: Riverside operates in much the same way that Crystal River Cruises did, meaning that cruises are all-inclusive provided that guests book “Premium All Inclusive Including Shore Excursions,” which is our recommendation. Riverside offers pricing in tiers. We recommend that you read our post, Crystal River Cruises Reincarnated? Riverside Acquires Rest Of Crystal Fleet
Scenic: All inclusive for all guests, regardless of ship or suite.
Tauck: All inclusive for all guests, regardless of ship or suite.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: Room Service and Butler Service on Uniworld is at the suite level only. Uniworld’s ships have multiple dining venues including restaurants and cafés. Guests also have the option to eat each course in a different part of the ship such as appetizers on the top deck and dessert in the galley on all super ships.
Viking River Cruises: A complimentary shore excursion is included in every port. Beer, wine and soft drinks included with lunch and dinner. Specialty coffee & teas available anytime. Optional Silver Spirit beverage packages are available for an extra fee, this makes drinks all-inclusive. Room service, stocked mini-bars and laundry are included for Explorer Suites. Airport transfers included when booking air with Viking.
Is a Christmas cruise the right choice for you? I think so. Read about my experience on a Christmas Market cruise a decade ago on the Rhine, where I learned that the magic of Christmas is felt just as easily across the Atlantic.
What is a Bordeaux river cruise going to cost me and how does the cruise I am looking at compare to Bordeaux river cruises offered by other companies?
We compare prices and what’s included for seven cruise lines operating Douro River Cruises 2020. The charts reflect cabin upgrades, what is not included and incentives offered in the summer and autumn seasons.
What is a Rhine river cruise going to cost me and how does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhine river cruises offered by other companies? River Cruise Advisor’s pricing charts provide the answers.
What is a Danube river cruise going to cost me and how does the cruise I am looking at compare to Danube river cruises offered by other companies?
What is the price for an entry-level and upgrade cabin; what’s included Seine River cruise 2020; what Seine river cruise incentives are there for 2020?
River cruises along the Rhine-Main-Danube for 2019 begin at $286 per person per day and range as high as $681 per person per day. Where’s the best value?
River cruises along the Lower Danube river for 2019 begin at $346 per person per day and range as high as $638 per person per day. Where’s the best value?
River cruises along the Rhone river for 2019 begin at $301 per person per day and range as high as $702 per person per day. Where’s the best value?