Family River Cruises

A river cruise can be a great option for a family holiday, particularly for older children. The following river cruise lines offer family river cruises: 

What to expect on a family river cruise

Explore capital cities and quaint villages with your loved ones on a family-friendly river cruise. Sail into the heart of some of the most fascinating destinations in the world, on some of the most scenic waterways, from Portugal on the Douro to Vietnam on the Mekong. Enjoy the freedom to explore and, at the end of the day, retire to stunning family-friendly accommodation

Whilst you won't find water slides and the like as you would on a large ocean cruise ship, make river cruise ships do have swimming pools and some also have mini golf, cinema rooms and games consoles. In the summer holidays you may find children's activities too. 

Accommodation is available with suites that sleep up to four on selected ships, as well as the option to have interconnecting cabins which can accommodate larger families.

Things to see on a family river cruise

Immerse yourself in the culture and history of ports like Vienna, Budapest and Cologne as you travel on your family river cruise. Visit museums, castles and parks, or even cycle through the centre of each city on adult and child-sized bicycles which are provided by some river cruise lines. In destinations like Siem Reap and Hanoi, introduce younger cruisers to ancient temples and spell-binding exotic landscapes. Wherever you cruise, however, there is a wide range of family-orientated activities to enjoy both ashore and on-board. Try movie nights, cookery lessons, nightly entertainment and more.

Top family river cruises

Rhine – this waterways opens the door to famous Christmas markets for festive river cruises

Danube – an iconic river, home to fairy-tale towns like Vienna and Budapest

Seine – explore Paris and visit enchanting sites that inspired Disney classics

Rhone – sail through the south of France and enjoy the medieval villages and Roman ruins

When to cruise with your family

Spring and summer are the perfect times to embark on family river cruises, lining up with school holidays and offering warm sunshine to bask under as you explore. For those wanting something a little different, however, a winter river cruise is just as exciting, exploring the many Christmas markets Europe has to offer as snow falls around you.