10 of the best Rhine cruises to book for 2025

Flowing from its source in the Swiss Alps, the Rhine is the venerable grandfather of Europe’s rivers, bearing witness to the ebb and flow of the continent’s fortunes, while weaving through Germany, France and the Netherlands, before discharging into the North Sea.

It cuts a delightful path through some of Europe’s most unspoilt landscapes, notably the Unesco-protected Rhine Gorge with precipitous rocky peaks crowned by storybook castles.

The Rhine’s appeal is encapsulated in the variety along its banks that transforms cruises into floating city breaks – as the gothic glories of Cologne and medieval spirit of Strasbourg contrast with the allure of Germany’s Black Forest.

Its popularity is underlined by its versatility and ease of joining tributaries, the Main and Moselle, to explore Identikit riverside towns of cobbled streets lined with timbered houses and the bountiful slopes of nearby winelands. The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal opens the door into Eastern Europe, with ships sailing as far as Romania and Bulgaria.

Cruises usually depart between March and December when Germany, in particular, falls under the magical spell of continental Christmas markets, but more companies are now turning the Rhine into a year-round cruising destination.

Here’s a taste of what should be on your radar for 2025…

See our guide to planning a Rhine river cruise here.

CroisiEurope

Best for: active types

French family-owned line CroisiEurope is helping guests to put their best feet forward on a new Cruise & Hike sailing through the Rhine Valley, where they can explore picturesque landscapes around Koblenz, Mainz and Rastatt. Walkers are accompanied by a hiking guide as they strike out along trails shadowing the river’s path and follow a novel treetop walk through the Black Forest. But it’s not all about hikers; passengers wanting a more relaxing alternative can opt for museum visits and enjoy a wine tasting at the Eberbach Monastery near Rudesheim.

How to do it

The five-night round-trip Strasbourg sailing departs August 28, from £1,791pp (01756 691269; croisieurope.co.uk)

Tauk

Best for: city slickers

Go with the flow along some of Europe’s mightiest rivers to combine the romantic boulevards of Paris with the breathtaking spires of Prague. This new sailing with Tauck cuts through the heart of the Continent, along the Main, Moselle and Danube rivers, while also taking in the spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine, where medieval hilltop castles dramatically stand guard.

How to do it

There are 10 departure dates for this 13-night package between the two capitals. It features a nine-night voyage between Luxembourg and Regensburg, bookended with two-night hotel stays in Paris and Prague. From £7,840pp including shore excursions and gratuities (0800 810 8020; tauck.co.uk)

Saga

Best for: Christmas sailings

Enjoy an atmospheric festive season aboard Saga Cruises’ newest river ship, Spirit of Moselle, which launches next summer to cruise the Rhine and its tributaries the Main and Moselle. Carrying 172 passengers, it was built specifically for Saga with a speciality dining venue, a splash pool and 73 of the 92 cabins having a French balcony. On its maiden Yuletide cruise, you can celebrate Christmas Day cruising to Wurzburg, while on Boxing Day guests can explore the impressive baroque glories of the Residence Palace.

How to do it

The 14-night all-inclusive sailing from Nuremberg to Dusseldorf, departing on December 21, costs from £3,519pp, including flights (0808 258 3147; travel.saga.co.uk)

Riviera

Best for: epic landscapes

Pack in the Rhine’s most dramatic landscapes on a new Discovery cruise from Riviera Travel. The three-night round-trip sailing from Cologne promises to showcase the spectacular views of the Unesco-protected Rhine Gorge and the mystery of the legendary Lorelei Rock, from where the siren is said to have lured sailors to their deaths with her singing. The chocolate-box charms of nearby Rudesheim and medieval splendour of Cologne are explored on guided tours.

How to do it

The Rhine Gorge and Cologne Discovery cruise departs March 18. From £849pp, it includes flights or Eurostar travel, plus drinks and excursions (01283 523431; rivieratravel.co.uk)

Viking

Best for: history buffs

Nuremberg was largely destroyed during the Second World War, but careful reconstruction has given the city back its medieval heart, as you can discover on this new Viking voyage amid the maze of cobbled streets and half-timbered houses. Nearby Bamberg is another medieval treasure chest, while Strasbourg brims with history and the cultural flavour of France’s Alsace region and Breisach opens the door to the bucolic pleasures of Germany’s Black Forest.

How to do it

There are several departures of the 10-night Rhine and Main Explorer sailing, between Basel and Nuremberg, from April to November. From £3,495pp on October 30, including flights (0800 319 6660; vikingrivercruises.co.uk)

AmaWaterways

Best for: foodies

Slow travel is all the rage and such has been the demand for AmaWaterways’ 14-night Magnificent Europe voyage between Budapest and Amsterdam, which last sailed in 2020, the cruise line has reintroduced it for 2025. Sampling Cologne’s Kölsch beer and pretzel tasting in Wertheim bring out the flavours of the pretty Rhineland settlements, with bike rides, hikes and museum visits as you cruise along the Rhine, Danube and Main rivers.

How to do it

There are several departures from April to June with prices from £5,639pp, departing on June 14 from Budapest. Flights included (0800 520 2250; amawaterways.co.uk)

Tui

Best for: Christmas markets

No one does Christmas markets like the Continentals, and new Tui mini-cruises of four and five nights take passengers into a world of twinkling fairylights and heady aromas of gingerbread and gluhwein among pretty Alpine huts packed with festive gifts. Cologne boasts one of the grandest settings, with stalls clustered around its iconic Gothic cathedral, while the pretty town of Rudesheim comes alive as its cobbled streets are transformed into a winter wonderland. Meanwhile, Koblenz’s main square is filled with stalls overlooked by the city’s largest Advent calendar, which lights up the windows of the Baroque town hall.

How to do it

A four-night round-trip Christmas Carols & Castles cruise from Dusseldorf on Tui Isla, departing December 19, costs from £919pp, including flights (020 3451 2688; tui.co.uk)

Uniworld

Best for: excursions

Revel in the space onboard Uniworld’s newest upscale ship, SS Elisabeth, which launches in March 2025, boasting some of the line’s largest suites at 506 sq ft each. Bike rides, walking tours and wine tastings mark out this Castles along the Rhine voyage between Amsterdam and Basel, though more unusual excursions from Speyer include a vinegar tasting at the Weinessiggut Doktorenhof estate and a new private tour of Germersheim’s Secret Garden set in an old flour mill, which has been transformed into a bucolic sanctuary.

How to do it

There are several departures between March and November, with a one-week all-inclusive sailing from Amsterdam on November 2 costing from £2,665pp. Flights included (0808 168 9231; uniworld.com).

Viva

Best for: wellness

German line Viva Cruises pioneered mini-cruises along the Danube and the Rhine in the off-season months of January and February in 2022, and strong demand means it is expanding them in 2025 with departures on three ships. The newest fleet member, , is offering wellness cruises from January until March, where guests can explore Speyer, Strasbourg and Mainz while enjoying yoga and qi gong sessions, an aromatherapy excursion and a complimentary 30-minute massage.

How to do it

The four-night round-trip cruises from Frankfurt depart in the first quarter of 2025 and cost from £650pp for a January 28 departure (0330 818 7271; viva-cruises.com)

Avalon Waterways

Best for: exploring more

This new sailing truly pushes the boat out, combining the castles and vineyards of the Rhine with Normandy’s rolling hills along the Seine and the gastronomic appeal of Provence and Burgundy on the Rhone and Saône rivers. Stretching over a mammoth 24 days, this European Masterpiece sailing concludes with a two-night stay on the French Riviera.

How to do it

Starting in Basel, guests sail to Amsterdam, where they take the train to Paris to cruise the Seine, returning to the French capital to catch the train to Dijon, and then continuing to Chalon-sur-Saône to board their vessel to sail the Saone and Rhône rivers to Arles. From here they have a two-night stay in Nice. From £10,182pp departing July 29, including excursions and gratuities (0330 058 8243; avalonwaterways.co.uk)

*Flights not included unless otherwise stated.

This article was first published in September 2023 and has been revised and updated.