River cruises can range in style from luxury 5 star boats to historic paddle steamers.
Cruise season:
Australia cruises operate year round. Asian cruises operate year round on the Mekong, Kwai and Irrawaddy rivers but don’t operate in the middle of winter on the Yangtze (November to March). The Mekong, Kwai and Irrawaddy are all located in the Southeast Asian monsoon belt.. The rain mostly falls in May to October when temperatures and humidity are higher. The cooler drier months are from November to March and travel in these times is more pleasant. North American cruises vary in season by river, tending to schedule for warmer summer months and autumn displays, then ceasing over winter. European cruises generally operate from March to October.
Departure ports:
Australia cruises are generally round trips and depart from Echuca, Mannum and Murray Bridge. Asian cruises depart from Chongqing, Yichang, Siem Riep, Bangkok and Mandalay. North America cruises depart from Portland, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago and more. Main ports in Europe include Prague, Budapest, Chalon-sur-Saone, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Moscow and St Petersburg.
European Rivers
Europe has so many navigable rivers that offer wonderful river cruise experiences that travellers are spoilt for choice. The Danube is the key to river cruising in Europe as the great river crosses from Germany through Serbia, Austria and Hungary into Romania before emptying into the Black Sea. The Saone and Rhone Rivers let you explore the famed region of Burgundy, the lavender-scented hills of Provence and the wild, majestic scenery of the Ardeche region. Cruise along the Seine from Paris, through the historic heart of Normandy, to the endless beaches of the Atlantic Coast. The Elbe/Havel/Moldau rivers cover Czech and Germany. Oder River cruises are a great way to discover the Old World charm of interesting and little-known towns in Germany and Poland.
The Rhine is one of Europe’s major arteries. It flows into the North Sea from its beginnings in the Alps, through Switzerland, Germany, France and Holland. The Douro is one of Europe's most untouched rivers. Rising in the hills north of Madrid the river meanders through northern Portugal to the fascinating city of Porto and then into the Atlantic. The Volga river in Russia allows you to discover the stunning architecture and unique cultural heritage of Russia's most interesting cities.
North America Rivers
Discover Mark Twain's America... on board an authentic paddlewheel steamboat! The USA has a host of navigable rivers and waterways that offer wonderful river cruise experiences.
The Columbia and Snake rivers allow round trip cruises from Portland into the Pacific North West. Mississippi cruises are often split into Lower Mississippi which is south from St Louis and Upper Mississippi which is north from St Louis. These cruises are generally on Paddle Steamers. The St Lawrence and Great Lakes have cruises that can go from Quebec and through the lake system to Chicago and into Lake Superior. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway extends from Key West in Florida to Boston, Massachusetts and covers a region rich in both history and geography. Its 1200 mile course includes manmade canals, bays protected by barrier islands, natural river channels, and estuaries.
Asian Rivers
Asia has four major navigable rivers that offer wonderful river cruise experiences. The Yangtze in China is famous for its cruises between Chongqing and Yichang which include the new Three Gorges Dam. The Mekong hosts cruises between Siem Reap (Angkor) in Cambodia to My Tho, the port for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The River Kwai in Thailand offers cruises upstream and downstream from Bangkok. The Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) River is Myanmar's (Burma’s) largest river. 1350 miles long, it dissects the country from north to south and empties through a nine armed delta into the Indian Ocean.
Australian Rivers
The Murray River is the most popular Australian river cruise, with cruises mostly on Paddle Steamers, recalling the era when these style of ships were the main means of transport in the Murray basin, carting wool and grain to the port at Adelaide. The boats carry from 20 to 130 people so the experience is always intimate.
From its source beneath The Pilot, a landmark familiar to the cattlemen of the high country south of Mount Kosciusko, the Murray River flows 2,530 kilometres to the Southern Ocean at Encounter Bay. The Murray provides a rich habitat for both aquatic and riparian fauna and flora in a corridor through the semi-arid surroundings. A fertile riverine ecosystem has evolved in association with the Murray over thousands of years and is maintained by the river of today. The Murrumbidgee and Darling rivers join the Murray in Wentworth, commonly known as the Murray Darling Junction.
European Rivers
Print Page