Dating back thousands of years, Europe was built on the banks of the rivers, and the Rhine River takes you through the heart of it all, as you travel through central Europe, including Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Once you’ve chosen the Rhine River as your river cruise destination, the next big question is: Which Rhine River cruise should I take?

As any veteran river cruiser will tell you, which riverboat you choose makes all the difference. With the recent surge in the popularity of European river cruises, competition between the main cruise operators has really improved the quality of the itineraries and river ships across the board, so there aren’t any bad options - it just depends on what you’re looking for on your Europe river cruise.

Late April to early June and September to early October are widely considered the best times to cruise the Rhine River due to ideal weather and crowds, though cruise prices are correspondingly higher during these periods. That said, the decision of when to take a Rhine River cruise is largely a personal preference of weather.

As travelers cruise down the Rhine River, each day holds new adventures and opportunities to explore central Europe. While there are more than 20 cities and countless destinations that Rhine River cruises visit, these are our favorite ports along the way.