One of the most common questions we hear from readers and clients planning a Rhine sailing is simple: what does a Rhine river cruise actually cost?
Our Rhine River Cruise Guide breaks down pricing across multiple cruise lines using our “True Per Diem” approach – a daily cost comparison that factors in incentives, inclusions and extras so you can see how each sailing really stacks up.
Comparison charts serve as a guide and attempt to answer the most frequently asked questions from our readers:
- What is a Rhine river cruise going to cost me?
- How does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhine river cruises offered by other companies?
- What is the price for an entry-level cabin?
- What’s the price for an upgrade?
- What’s included in a 2027 Rhine River cruise?
- What Rhine river cruise incentives are there for 2027?
Why Cruise The Rhine?
After the Danube, the Rhine is Europe’s next most popular river for those new to river cruising. With most departures sailing between Amsterdam, Netherlands and Basel, Switzerland, Rhine cruises can visit several countries in just one week, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland. Some itineraries extend inland to Belgium, Luxembourg or The Hague.
What we love about the Rhine:
- A Balanced Pace. Rhine cruises strike a good balance of scenic cruising and port time, thanks to the relatively small number of locks.
- Castles for Days. The Rhine Gorge is lined with them. More than on any other river in Europe. Most are clustered around Rüdesheim and Koblenz, both standard ports of call.
- A Foodie’s Paradise. From Rüdesheim’s famous coffee to Cologne’s crisp Kölsch beer, the Rhine blends cultural and culinary highlights. And don’t miss the Tarte Flambee in Strasbourg.
- Kinderdijk. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers a postcard view of the Netherlands with its 19 historic windmills.
- Amsterdam. A favorite start or end point for most Rhine itineraries, Amsterdam rewards extra time with museums, canals and moving history.
The Rhine River Cruise Experience
Most Rhine itineraries run between Amsterdam and Basel, lasting seven nights. Longer sailings may add extensions into Belgium or the Moselle. Along the way, the scenery is a major part of the experience: you’ll pass vineyard-clad hillsides, charming half-timbered towns and the dramatic castles of the Rhine Gorge.
Ports such as Cologne, Koblenz and Strasbourg provide a mix of historic architecture, regional cuisine and cultural highlights. Amsterdam and Basel, the typical start or end points, add cosmopolitan bookends to the journey.
About the Rhine and Its Tributaries
The Rhine flows 820 miles through four countries — Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands — from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea.
Though some cruises operate between Basel, Switzerland, and Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, or Dusseldorf, Germany, the most popular section of the Rhine is between Mainz, at the confluence of the Main and Rhine, and Cologne.
Mainz is the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg and home to the Gutenberg Museum, which presents the history of printing. It’s not long before riverboats departing Mainz reach Rüdesheim, perhaps one of the Rhine’s most charming villages.
Rüdesheim is situated in the heart of the Rheingau wine-producing region, and the wine taverns along the narrow and lively pedestrian street known as Drosselgasse are packed with locals and tourists enjoying Riesling, sparkling Sekts or local brandies.
Heading north from Rüdesheim, river cruisers pass half a dozen or more castles on both banks as well as the storied Lorelei, immortalized by poet Heinrich Heine, who wrote about a mysterious nymph who distracted sailors and lured their boats onto the rocks to their deaths.
The river passes more castles, along the most-castled section of river in Europe, before reaching Koblenz, situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Some cruises follow the Moselle from Koblenz.
For those cruises that continue along the Rhine, the river continues past more castles to Germany’s capital, Bonn, and Cologne, with its famous cathedral, a World Heritage Site and one of Germany’s best-known architectural monuments. These cruises conclude (or begin) farther along the river at Dusseldorf or Amsterdam.
The Rhine’s Tributaries
The Rhine has many tributaries, the most important for cruisers being the Main, Moselle and Neckar.
The Main
The Main is one of the Rhine’s most significant tributaries. It, along with the Main-Danube Canal, connects the North Sea with the Black Sea.
The Main has 34 locks and becomes navigable at Bamberg, Germany, at the north end of the Main-Danube Canal.
Some river cruise companies offer itineraries along the Main between Nürnberg, situated about midway on the Main-Danube Canal, to Trier, on the Moselle, which branches off the Rhine.
The Moselle
The Moselle is regarded as the most beautiful — and perhaps the most romantic — of the navigable European rivers. From its headwaters in the Vogesen Mountains to where it joins the Rhine at Koblenz, the Moselle is only about 175 miles as the crow flies. But the actual length of the winding river is a little more than 335 miles, making it the Rhine’s longest tributary.
The Moselle weaves its way through the vertical slopes of the Schiefergebirge mountains into Luxembourg and northeastern France. Cities and towns along the river are of fairy-tale charm: picturesque Cochem, settled by the Celts and later by Romans before being granted a town charter in 1332; Bernkastel-Kues, with its castle ruin overlooking the city center of half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets; and the Romanesque city of Trier, Germany’s oldest city and also one that claims to be 1,300 years older than Rome itself. Trier’s Porta Nigra (Black Gate) dates from the 2nd century, when Trier was a Roman city.
The Moselle is known for its (mostly) white wines, such as Riesling and Piesporter, and indeed much of the pleasure of a Moselle cruise can be found in sampling the wines along the way.
The Neckar
This tributary of the Rhine flows 228 miles from the Black Forest through some of Germany’s most beautiful countryside. The primary attraction for many travelers is Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town and the cradle of the German Romantic movement.
Understanding The Pricing Charts
The prices in this chart are based on double occupancy. Upgrade costs for a balcony cabin are shown per person. The value of any included incentive is broken down per person, per day. True Per Diem reflects the cost once incentives and discounts are applied, plus the imputed value of items not included in the fare.
One notable trend: what used to be considered “shoulder season” in the fall is now often priced higher than summer sailings. This reflects how popular autumn has become on the Rhine – a season of golden vineyards, cozy festivals and harvest celebrations. While lower fares may have once tempted travelers to try a fall sailing, today it’s less about bargains and more about the fact that autumn on the Rhine has become a favorite season to cruise.
Prices and details reflect information available at the time of research. Cruise lines frequently adjust promotions, and it is best to work with a travel advisor to confirm active offers.
What Does A Rhine Cruise Cost?
Summer 2027 Rhine Pricing
| AmaWaterways | Avalon | Emerald | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | AmaCerto | Vista | Emerald Star-Ship | MS Oscar Wilde | Space Ship | Inspire | S.S Elisabeth | Sjofn |
| Rate | $4,979 | $4,751 | $9,590 | $5,284 | $11,590 | $7,690 | $5,699 | $2,999 |
| Sailing Date | June 9, 2027 | June 12, 2027 | June 12, 2027 | June 15, 2027 | June 9, 2027 | June 9, 2027 | June 13, 2027 | June 7, 2027 |
| Nights | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Itinerary | Enchanting Rhine | Romantic Rhine | Jewels of the Rhine | Rhine, Strasbourg & Heidelberg | Rhine Highlights | The Romantic Rhine | Castles Along the Rhine | Rhine Getaway |
| Embark-disembark | Basel-Amsterdam | Amsterdam-Basel | Amsterdam-Zurich | Cologne-Cologne | Zurich-Amsterdam | Amsterdam-Basel | Basel-Arnhem | Basel-Amsterdam |
| Cabin Category | Category E | Deluxe Stateroom | Category E | Emerald Deck Suite | Category E | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
| Square Footage | 160 | 172 | 162 | 172 | 160 | 150 | 188 | 150 |
| Room With A View? | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | French Balcony | Window |
| Per diem | $711 | $679 | $1,370 | $755 | $1,656 | $1,099 | $814 | $428 |
| Gratuities (on ship) | $25 | $25 | Included | $25 | Included | Included | Included | $25 |
| Gratuities (on shore) | $5.00 | $5.00 | Included | $5.00 | Included | Included | Included | $5.00 |
| Beverages | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Current Incentive | $250 | $1,000 | $4,795 | $1,585 | $5,795 | N/A | $570 | N/A |
| Value of Incentive | $71 | $143 | $685 | $226 | $828 | N/A | $79 | N/A |
| True Per Diem | $670 | $566 | $685 | $558 | $828 | $1,099 | $736 | $458 |
| Per Diem/Square Foot | $4.19 | $3.29 | $4.23 | $3.25 | $5.17 | $7.32 | $3.91 | $3.06 |
| Balcony Upgrade | $1,599 | $1,899 | $1,050 | $850 | $1,600 | $850 | N/A | $1,800 |
| Balcony Per Diem | $898 | $837 | $835 | $680 | $1,056 | $1,220 | N/A | $716 |
| Updated 2/6/2026 |
Autumn 2027 Rhine Pricing
| AmaWaterways | Avalon | Emerald | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | AmaSiena | Vista | Emerald Star-Ship | Emily Bronte | Space Ship | Grace | S.S Elisabeth | Rolf |
| Rate | $5,179 | $4,751 | $8,990 | $4,427 | $10,390 | $7,190 | $4,699 | $2,699 |
| Sailing Date | October 14, 2027 | October 16, 2027 | October 16, 2027 | October 25, 2027 | October 27, 2027 | October 13, 2027 | November 7, 2027 | October 26, 2027 |
| Nights | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Itinerary | Enchanting Rhine | Romantic Rhine | Jewels of the Rhine | Rhine, Strasbourg & Heidelberg | Rhine Highlights | The Romantic Rhine | Castles Along the Rhine | Rhine Getaway |
| Embark-disembark | Amsterdam-Basel | Amsterdam-Basel | Amsterdam-Zurich | Cologne-Cologne | Zurich-Amsterdam | Amsterdam-Basel | Basel-Amsterdam | Amsterdam-Basel |
| Cabin Category | Category E | Deluxe Stateroom | Category E | Emerald Deck Suite | Category E | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
| Square Footage | 160 | 172 | 162 | 172 | 160 | 150 | 188 | 150 |
| Room With A View? | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | French Balcony | Window |
| Per diem | $740 | $679 | $1,284 | $632 | $1,484 | $1,027 | $671 | $386 |
| Gratuities (on ship) | $25 | $25 | Included | $25 | Included | Included | Included | $25 |
| Gratuities (on shore) | $5.00 | $5.00 | Included | $5.00 | Included | Included | Included | $5.00 |
| Beverages | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Current Incentive | $250 | $1,250 | $4,495 | $1,328 | $5,195 | N/A | $570 | N/A |
| Value of Incentive | $36 | $179 | $642 | $190 | $742 | N/A | $81 | N/A |
| True Per Diem | $734 | $530 | $642 | $473 | $742 | $1,027 | $590 | $416 |
| Per Diem/Square Foot | $4.59 | $3.08 | $3.96 | $2.75 | $4.64 | $6.85 | $3.14 | $2.77 |
| Balcony Upgrade | $1,599 | $1,899 | $700 | $900 | $1,600 | $400 | N/A | $800 |
| Balcony Per Diem | $963 | $801 | $742 | $601 | $971 | $1,084 | N/A | $530 |
| Updated 2/6/2026 |
Which Company Is Right For Me?
| Cruise Company | Best For |
|---|---|
| AmaWaterways | Travelers who like to stay active. Days include biking and hiking along the river and in towns, plus excursions mixing history, culture and outdoor adventure. Evenings highlight local food, wine and culture. |
| Avalon Waterways | Guests who want a combination of well-planned sightseeing and comfortable, thoughtfully designed ships. The ships are airy with panoramic windows, and excursions include early museum access, guided city tours and easy ways to see the landmarks before the crowds. |
| CroisiEurope | Travelers who want an approachable, no-fuss cruise with European charm. Excursions cover the main highlights, the line offers solid inclusions at a lower price point than some of the others. |
| Emerald Cruises | Travelers who want a polished experience without feeling stripped down. Excursions offer a good mix of sightseeing, active options and local experiences, and the inclusions tend to be strong for the price point. |
| Riverside Luxury Cruises | Luxury travelers who enjoy attentive service and a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. Onboard is where Riverside shines, with elegant public spaces, refined dining and staff who notice the little details. Excursions are thoughtfully curated and most cabins feature walk-in closets. |
| Riviera | Guests looking for value. Riviera is a UK-based company with competitive pricing and well-run itineraries. A good choice for those who want a solid cruise experience without paying luxury fares. |
| Scenic | Luxury travelers who want everything included. Excursions, dining and onboard wellness options like salt rooms and spas are all part of the experience. Ships feel luxurious, and service is highly attentive. |
| Tauck | Slower travelers who want seamless, expertly guided tours. Tour directors are top-notch, itineraries flow effortlessly and special-access experiences let you see sites in ways others can’t. |
| Uniworld | Those who enjoy elegance with personality. Ships are boutique in style, full of art and unique décor, with all excursions included and service and dining carefully considered. |
| Viking | Best for travelers who want a consistent, dependable experience. Ships are comfortable and excursions cover the cultural highlights. |
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