The Rivers

Whether you're experiencing the Danube or the Nile, the Mississippi or the Moselle, the Seine or the Mekong ... the magic of the world’s most historic waterways awaits you on a river cruise! Scroll down for helpful, updated information on our client’s favorite rivers - from Europe to the United States to the Exotic - including the key destinations you will explore along each!

Flowing through 10 countries and past four national capitals, the Danube is the longest river in the European Union. Learn about its importance in history… from an era pre-dating the Roman empire right up through today. Discover the dramatic role it has long played in culture, art, music, literature, food and wine, commerce, and politics.

Source: Donaueschingen, Germany, in the Black Forest
Mouth: In the Danube Delta of Romania, at the Black Sea
Length: Approximately 1,790 miles

Flows Through:
10 European countries, including Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Ukraine and Moldova

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
The Danube flows through many significant European cities, including four capitals – Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia); other key cities located on the Danube or nearby include Prague, Passau, Linz, Durnstein, and Regensburg.

River Cruise Lines Offering Danube Cruises:
Amadeus, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Riverside, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking

The third-longest river on the Iberian Peninsula, the Douro (derived from the Portuguese word for “golden”) flows westward from its origins in north-central Spain, forms part of the border between Spain and Portugal, then cuts across northern Portugal all the way to the Atlantic coast, where it empties into the Atlantic at Porto. The Douro is the main waterway of Portugal, and is home to the historic Douro River Valley - the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.

Source: Pico de Urbiôn mountain range in north-central Spain
Mouth: The Douro Estuary near Porto at the Atlantic Ocean
Length: Approximately 560 miles

Flows Through:
Spain & Portugal

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
Important stops along the Douro include Régua, Pinhão, & Porto with key attractions in Lisbon, Portugal and Salamanca and Madrid, Spain just a short distance away.

River Cruise Lines Offering Douro Cruises:
AmaWaterways, Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking

The longest river in Southeast Asia is also the 12th longest in the world flows through six countries - including part of the border between China and Myanmar, Thailand and Myanmar, and Laos and Thailand. allowing our clients to experience the very best of the history, culture, and cuisine of this exotic region of the world. The vast majority of the river cruising is concentrated on just a small portion of the river in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Source: Tanggula Mountains, southeast Qinghai province, China
Mouth: The Mekong Delta, Vietnam, at the South China Sea
Length: approximately 2,700 miles

Flows Through:
Six Asia countries, including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
Key destinations along the Mekong include Phnom Pen, Cambodia and the countryside and villages of Southest Asia. Other historic cities are located nearby and included on virtually all Mekong River cruises, including Siem Reap/Angkor Wat, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ha Long Bay/Hanoi.

River Cruise Lines Offering Mekong Cruises:
AmaWaterways, Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking

Divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower sections, the Mississippi was formerly the primary western border of the young 18th century United States. Today, the "Mighty Mississippi" offers our clients many opportunities to become fully-immersed in American history and culture.

Source: Lake Itasca, Minnesota
Mouth: Mississippi River Delta, near Pilottown, Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico
Length: Approximately 2,320 miles

Flows Through:
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
The Mississippi was home to many of America’s early settlers and several popular cities now call its banks home, including Minneapolis, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.

River Cruise Lines Offering Mississippi Cruises:
Viking

The longest river in the world is also the main water source for both Egypt and Sudan - and has been the lifeline of civilization in northeastern Africa since the Stone Age. Today, our clients love the ability to explore ancient history - from the Temples of Luxor to the great Pyramids of Egypt and beyond.

Source: White Nile, border of Rwanda and Burundi and Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Mouth: The Nile Delta, Egypt, at the Mediterranean Sea
Length: approximately 4,130 miles

Flows Through:
11 African countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan, and Egypt.

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
Although the Nile stretches through almost a dozen countries, all of the cruising is concentrated along the stretch between The Mediterranean Sea and Lake Nasser. Important and favored destinations in this area include Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.

River Cruise Lines Offering Nile Cruises:
AmaWaterways, Avalon, Uniworld, Viking

Since Roman times, and as the second-longest river in Europe, the Rhine River has served as a crucial link between southern and northern Europe on its journey from high in the Swiss Alps all the way to the North Sea. Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are situated along the river, including the amazing, hilltop-castle dotted 40-mile Rhine River Gorge that runs between Koblenz and Rüdesheim, Germany.

Source: Lake Toma, Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Mouth: Rhine River Delta, Netherlands into the North Sea
Length: Approximately 760 miles

Flows Through:
Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and The Netherlands

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
The Rhine offers the perfect method of transport to visit: Cologne and Düsseldorf, Germany, Amsterdam and Rotterdam in The Netherlands, Strasbourg, France and Basel, Switzerland.

River Cruise Lines Offering Rhine Cruises:
Amadeus, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking

Originating from the Rhône Glacier in the Swiss Alps and meandering through Switzerland and France before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, the Rhône River is home to one of the most renowned wine-growing regions in the world thanks to an enviable climate that boasts 200 days of sunshine. It’s also home to Lyon, long considered to be the culinary capital of France.

Source: Rhône Glacier, Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Mouth: The Mediterranean Sea, near Arles, France
Length: approximately 500 miles

Flows Through:
Switzerland and France

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
Rhône River cruises sail only in France, and include stops in Lyon, Vienne, Tournon, Viviers, Avignon and Arles. Other popular destinations located nearby - and often included pre- or post-cruise - include Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, Geneva, and Paris.

River Cruise Lines Offering Rhine Cruises:
Amadeus, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking

Running directly through the heart of Paris, the Seine River actually originates in the Burgundy wine region of France and travels all the way to the English Channel at the coast of Normandy, with its poignant D-Day Beaches. The history of this renowned waterway is long and rich… with Julius Caesar, Vikings, Napoleon and numerous French monarchs all playing an important role.

Source: Source Seine, near Dijon in eastern France
Mouth: The English Channel, near Le Havre/Honfleur, France
Length: Approximately 485 miles

Flows Through:
France

Key Destinations (on or nearby):
Virtually all Seine River cruise start and end in Paris, making the waterway perfect for in-depth exploration of many historic and scenic destinations, including Paris, Rouen, Giverny, Honfleur, and the beaches of Normandy.

River Cruise Lines Offering Rhine Cruises:
Amadeus, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking