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Zambezi Queen on the Chobe River, Botswana
Seven Favorite River Cruises Around the World
Zambezi Queen
In recent years, riverboats have decisively shed their reputation as spartan ships with uninspiring itineraries. Stylish boats around the world offer cruises with an array of compelling excursions. We’ve been lucky enough to put several of these ships to the test, sailing on some of the most luxurious options in Europe, Africa and South America.
Our favorite river cruises bring sophisticated travelers on journeys along calm but captivating waterways, making daily stops for intimate explorations of villages, cities and countryside. As well as tracing storied landscapes, these cruises offer a convenient way to undertake itineraries that would otherwise be complicated and tiring. Most ships put into a different port each night, giving passengers more time ashore than they would typically have on an ocean voyage. And aside from high comfort and outstanding cuisine, leading riverboats provide insider excursions and exclusive events, from private Champagne tastings to epic wildlife sightings.
Note that the examples below are cruises we took ourselves; most of the companies in this article offer additional itineraries in other destinations.
Riverside Debussy: Amsterdam to Basel
During our eight-day voyage along the Rhine aboard the sleek Riverside Debussy, we connected with a vibrant mix of fellow guests over delicious meals, and off the ship, we discovered hidden gems during thoughtfully crafted excursions. The Riverside Suite felt like a chic hotel room, with a panoramic window (at the press of a button, the top half descended), a spacious walk-in closet, a marble-lined bath and thoughtful touches like binoculars and a welcome bottle of Champagne on ice.
In the Palm Court, guests mingled under a cross-beamed glass ceiling, and dinners unfolded as gourmet multicourse affairs. The itinerary from Amsterdam to Basel passed fairy-tale castles, medieval villages and terraced hills, with excursions ranging from city tours to e-bike outings. A memorable event at Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet, which houses more than 400 self-playing musical instruments, proved utterly enchanting. The Riverside Debussy exceeded our high expectations and felt like a floating boutique hotel.
Zambezi Queen: Botswana and Namibia
The Zambezi Queen doesn’t take passengers from one point to another; instead, it makes day excursions along the Chobe River before returning to the same mooring each evening. The wetland environment is rich with life, from blue-cheeked bee-eaters to pods of hippos. Our Luxury Suite had sliding glass doors, a simple but attractive color scheme and a terrace where we drank Champagne while looking out across the water to a herd of Cape buffalo.
Our two-night stay aboard the ship included pre-breakfast fishing, a visit to a Caprivian village and game-viewing cruises on smaller boats. Elephants played in the river, crocodiles lounged on the shore and antelope clustered along the beaches. On board, the crew took excellent care of us, mixing delicious cocktails and meals ranging from à la carte dinners to an African-inspired buffet. The experience was a delight.
Viking Radgrid: Paris and Normandy
On an eight-day Paris & the Heart of Normandy trip with Viking, we enjoyed excursions to Giverny, Rouen and the Normandy battlefields. But the Seine itself — beloved by Monet, Renoir and Pissarro — was the unexpected star as we cruised round-trip from Paris. Having the square footage of an upper-deck Veranda Suite, with a sitting area separated by a sliding door, transformed the experience. The granite-topped bar, spacious walk-in shower and deep private veranda made it especially comfortable.
Public spaces followed a stylish Scandinavian decorative scheme and centered on a two-story atrium. The Aquavit Terrace proved an especially inviting place to watch the scenery. Cuisine was excellent, from boeuf bourguignon to smoked-salmon eggs Benedict, and the variety of shore excursions impressed us. Discoveries like Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the birthplace of King Louis XIV, made the trip memorable, while cheese and Cognac tastings elevated the onboard experience.
Aria Amazon: Peruvian Amazon
One of the best ways to experience Peru’s remote upper Amazon is aboard Aqua Expeditions’ Aria Amazon. All cabins offer floor-to-ceiling windows for unforgettable views, and large lounge areas provide congenial spaces for briefings and relaxation. Superb cuisine is overseen by chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, who has studied local food traditions for decades. Our days were filled with rainforest expeditions, mostly aboard aluminum skiffs manned by trained pilots and naturalist guides, some of whom grew up in nearby villages.
We encountered fantastically colored butterflies like giant blue morphos, elegant capped herons, gorgeous macaws and the stately and owllike great potoo. On a night excursion, fishing bats skimmed the water, and a spectacled caiman glowed red-eyed at the river’s edge. Most thrilling was an afternoon among pink river dolphins. Returning from each outing, crew members greeted us with cool drinks and cold towels before we relaxed in the large Jacuzzi on the top deck.
AmaMagna: Bucharest to Budapest
On our seven-day itinerary from Romania to Hungary aboard the AmaMagna, we explored beautiful destinations unspoiled by mass tourism. The ship’s public spaces were impressive, notably the vast Sun Deck with a pool and pickleball court, and onboard activities were often creative, like Champagne Yoga in the Zen Wellness Studio. À la carte meals had rotating menus featuring French- and Austrian-inspired dishes, local specialties and occasional Asian options.
Excursions were too compelling to miss. For example, a full day to Veliko Tarnovo, the picturesque capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, included tours of an ornate mansion, an Orthodox church and a hilltop fortress. In Serbia, we visited a local farm where the owner welcomed us with rakia at 9:30 a.m. The AmaMagna isn’t the most opulent ship in Europe, but it will doubtless please both first-time cruisers and river regulars.
Sanctuary Sun Boat IV: Luxor to Aswan
A Nile cruise remains one of the world’s great travel experiences. Our four-night itinerary took us through Egypt’s unspoiled Nile Valley, past mud-walled farms shaded by date palms, old villages punctuated by minarets and galabeya-clad fishermen in wooden rowboats.
Aboard the Sanctuary Sun Boat IV, the décor felt thoroughly Egyptian, with colorful fabrics and patterned carpets. Standard Cabins were compact but comfortable, while the sun deck and pool, lined with cushioned loungers and shaded by linen umbrellas, became a favorite spot. Meals in the stylish restaurant included shawarma, falafel, moussaka and Moroccan-style lamb tagine. Egyptian Night saw nearly everyone in galabeyas, dancing after dinner.
Excursions were superbly organized by Sanctuary, with our guide offering deep knowledge of Egyptian history. We wandered Luxor Temple with almost no crowds, explored tombs in the Valley of the Queens and visited the island Temple of Philae — romantic and unforgettable.
Coquelicot: Champagne
Available only for private charter, Belmond’s Coquelicot, a barge with three spacious cabins, a panoramic lounge, a dining room and a Champagne bar, offers a dazzling way to visit Champagne. Belmond’s canal cruises have been at the heart of some of the most pleasurable trips we’ve taken in France. Cabins feel like five-star hotel rooms, with full-scale baths, chic décor and king-size beds.
Meals and drinks are included, with menus changing at every meal. On our Champagne cruise, we first glimpsed vineyards over poached eggs and bacon, and later dined under the stars on veal medallions, local cheeses and a strawberry tart. Excursions included Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, World War I battlefields, the abbey in Hautvillers and a private tasting at Ruinart. Bicycling through Condé-sur-Marne and visiting Reims Cathedral were memorable highlights. A French canal cruise is an ideal itinerary for a celebration or reunion.
Upcoming Articles
We already have plans to review the Delfin I, a four-suite vessel in the Peruvian Amazon relaunched in April after a major renovation, and AmaMelodia, along the Magdalena River in Colombia. We’re also interested in trying out a Uniworld ship or two, like the SS São Gabriel, offering itineraries along the spectacular Douro River, or the SS Catherine, one of the most opulent ways to cruise along the Rhône and Saône rivers through Burgundy and Provence.
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