European River Cruises for Families
European river cruises can be an amazing experience for families with members of all ages, and if you’re traveling with minors (under the age of 18), a cruise can be a fantastic way to engage them in history and culture as they see their textbooks come to life in the form of castles, museums, battlegrounds of ancient and modern wars, ruins, and so much more.
Most passengers on European river cruises tend to be around retirement age, which means that the itineraries are built around that demographic with options that don’t require much physical exertion, so these cruises can be excellent for multi-generation for families traveling with grandparents, parents, and children of any age.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of exploring Europe on a river cruise is that your hotel floats through Europe’s leading cities, villages and nature reserves without ever having to pack up the entire family’s luggage to take another car, bus, train or plane to the next destination. Floating down the river with all the family’s gear is effortless.
Safety & Health Concerns
As with all boats, small children should be supervised when on the sun deck where a simple railing prevents passengers from a fall off the boat. All other areas of riverboats should be quite safe for children of any age.
Children, or any passenger for that matter, that have issues with seasickness will find riverboats an excellent alternative to ocean cruises, as the movement of riverboats is barely perceivable and all but the most sensitive should not have any issues with motion sickness.
Specialized Family River Cruises
Virtually any river cruise is appropriate for passengers of any age, but AmaWaterway’s AmaViola river cruise ship is specially set up for traveling with children primarily on the Danube River on itineraries of 7 or 8, or on the Rhine, Main and Danube River or 14 days.
In fact, Adventures by Disney charters the AmaViola several times throughout the year during the North American academic recesses for cruises that are more engaging for children, featuring Disney characters and programming that is ideal for kids. The main parts of the itinerary are largely the same, but the activities are more accessible to families traveling with children. Many cabins aboard AmaViola adjoin to allow for families to reserve blocks, and children will enjoy the small but ample pool on the sundeck.
AmaWaterways cruises child policies
- All minors (under 18 years of age) must be accompanied and supervised at all times by an adult parent or legal guardian (who has provided the company with the Parental Consent Guardianship Form prior to departure)
- All minors must be in a cabin under the supervision of an adult, whose responsibility it is to keep them safe.
- Children from 4-10 years old are allowed to share a cabin with two adults. No additional beds will be provided.
- None of the AmaWaterways cruises are recommended for children under seven years old.
- Note that balcony cabins can be dangerous for young children.
- Other than the select Adventures by Disney cruises aboard AmaViola, there are no child-specific programs, daycare facilities, or child-minding staff.
Child policies on CroisiEurope:
- 20% discount on the price of cruise for children ages 2-10 years (excludes flight, taxes, and additional fees)
- Special Family Offer - For a selection of July and August cruises in Spain and Portugal, a maximum of two children (up to 16 years old) per paying adult may travel free; other children pay 30% of the cruise price.
- The additional individual cabin charge is waived for single parents traveling with two children on these special family offers.
- There are a limited number of dates and slots available for these deals, and if there are none left when you book, let us know so that we can work with CroisiEurope to find the best alternative date or a more accommodating price.
- All minors (under the age of 18) must travel accompanied by a parent or adult over the age of 18.
- Minors will not be served alcoholic beverages.
- No reservations can be made by minors.
- Ship staff reserve the right to request proof of age.
