River Cruise Prices: Why They Cost More Than Ocean Cruises

River cruises have a reputation. Beautiful ships. Incredible destinations. Eye-watering prices.

But are they really that expensive?

The truth is, river cruise prices vary a lot. Some cost far less than you might expect, while others sit firmly in the luxury category.

And when you look closely at what’s actually included, the price starts to make a lot more sense.

So how much do river cruises really cost… and why are they usually more expensive than ocean cruises?

The Average Cost of a River Cruise

The prices of river cruises range from around £100 ($126) per night for a European river cruise in a basic cabin with a cruise line like A-Rosa or CroisiEurope to over £1,000 ($1,300) per night for an exotic cruise in one of the top suites of an ultra-luxury cruise ship from the likes of Scenic or Emerald.

On average, you can expect a river cruise to cost around £200 to £300 ($260 to $390) per person, per night. That works out at roughly £3,000 to £3,200 ($3,900 to $4,200) for a seven-night cruise for two people.

If you pay towards the lower end of the scale, you should expect to pay extra for things like flights, excursions and drinks, whereas with luxury river cruises these are all included. The most luxurious all-inclusive river cruise lines include absolutely everything in the cruise fare, whereas the budget ones tend to add things on later.

The price of a river cruise depends on many factors, such as:

• Ship
• Duration
• Destination
• Time of year
• Cabin type
• Number of people in the cabin
• Whether drinks are included
• Whether gratuities are included
• Whether flights and transfers are included
• Whether excursions are included
• Whether taxes and port charges are included
• Discount

Everything Included with River Cruises

One of the most important things that you should consider when looking at the cost of a river cruise is what’s included. A cruise that seems expensive can actually work out to be very reasonable if it includes flights, transfers, drinks, gratuities, and excursions.

On the other hand, you may think that you’ve found a cheap deal, but the price could double once you add on all of the essential extras.

Here’s what’s included in a river cruise…

Meals and snacks	Always
Entertainment	Always
Drinks with meals	Almost always
Drinks outside of mealtimes	Sometimes
Shore excursions	Often
WiFi	Almost always
Flights	Rarely
Airport transfers	Almost always
Gratuities	Sometimes
Minibar	Sometimes
Spa facilities	Sometimes
Bike hire	Often

Suggested read: 27 Most Thoughtful Little Touches on River Cruise Ships

River Cruises vs Ocean Cruises

While the price of river cruises appears to be higher than the price of ocean cruises at first glance, the ticket price usually includes more. The average river cruise costing £1500 will include a lot more amenities than an average ocean cruise that costs £875.

Almost all river cruises include wine and beer with meals, WiFi and airport transfers as standards. It’s rare that you’ll find these things included with an ocean cruise.

Just like river cruises, ocean cruises vary hugely in price. If you have upwards of £1,000 per person, per day to spend, you’ll find some great options with both. However, if you’re a budget traveller who looks to spend under £100 per person, per day, you’ll come across many more ocean cruises than river cruises in your price range.

On the whole, you get what you pay for, and the value for money with a river cruise is comparable to an ocean cruise. Once you add up everything that you spend on the trip, including drinks, flights, excursions, taxes and gratuities, the prices of ocean and river cruises are quite similar.

For more information about what you get for your money on a river cruise, check out this post by Emma Cruises – Why Are River Cruises Expensive?

River Cruise Costs by Cruise Line

To give you an idea of how river cruise prices compare, I’ve listed some of the major river cruise lines sailing in Europe in order from cheapest to most expensive.

The prices below show the lowest available fare for a 7-night European river cruise, based on two adults sharing the lowest cabin category.

This isn’t a perfect like-for-like comparison, as the more expensive cruise lines tend to include more in the fare, such as drinks, excursions or airport transfers.

River Cruise Line	Price From (Per person for 7 nights)
CroisiEurope	£693
A-Rosa	£695
TUI	£1,348
Avalon Waterways	£1,550
Viking	£1,695
Amadeus	£1,719
AmaWaterways	£1,739
Uniworld	£1,999
Scenic	£2,040
Emerald Cruises	£2,280

The Cheapest River Cruises

The cost of river cruises does vary throughout the year. You can find some great European river cruise deals in March and April as this is the start of the season and the weather isn’t always great. Choosing a cabin on the lowest deck with windows rather than a French balcony can give you a considerable saving.

The cheapest river cruise lines to consider are CroisiEurope, A-Rosa, and TUI.

Reasons to Choose a River Cruise

If you’re trying to decide between an ocean cruise and a river cruise, then here are some of the reasons why a river cruise might be the best option for you…

1. Kids Sail Free

A-Rosa and CriosiEurope both have ‘kids cruise free’ offers. A-Rosa’s offer is the best, as it means that children aged 15 and under cruise for free all of the time and on almost every ship. Families can even book two interconnecting cabins and pay for just one.

You won’t find a deal that good with ocean cruises. Check out my guide to learn more about why I recommend A-Rosa for families: 10 Reasons To Love A-ROSA Family Cruises.

You can learn more about CroisiEurope’s offer here: Kids Sail Free with CroisiEurope River Cruises.

2. See More of Each Destination

River cruise ships dock right in the heart of each city, rather than on the outskirts. So you can step off the ship and begin exploring immediately without the need for a coach or taxi.

As you cruise from port to port, you’ll see the most beautiful scenery, rather than just water. Plus, as many river cruise ships have bicycles that you can use for free, you can see more of each place by bike, or even cycle along the river bank and meet the ship at the next port of call.

Many river cruises include evenings in port so that you can experience each city by night as well as in the daytime.

3. Enjoy a Personalised Service

As river cruise ships cater for around 150 guests, you’ll enjoy a personalised service and get to know the crew members. You’ll never have to queue at guest services, or anywhere at all.

The sun deck of each river cruise ship is incredibly spacious, with enough loungers for everyone, and you can arrive at the restaurant whenever you want to, without having to wait for a table. All in all, it’s a much more relaxed affair.

Times When a River Cruise Might Not Suit You

1. If You Have a Baby or Toddler

River cruises aren’t great for very small children, and most family river cruise lines don’t accept under fours. There’s no space to store a pushchair, yet you’d need one when you head ashore to explore.

The top deck of a river cruise ship would be a dangerous place for any child who you don’t trust 100% not to climb on the railings. While ocean cruise ships usually have railings that are at least shoulder height and often made of glass to be climb-proof, on a river ship they’re waist height at most.

2. If You Have Limited Mobility

Most river cruise ships aren’t wheelchair accessible. You won’t find accessible cabins and many ships don’t have a lift, so being able to climb stairs is a must.

Those who need to use a scooter to get around in port will likely find that there’s nowhere to store it on a river ship. On ocean cruises, you’ll see lots of people who use scooters or wheelchairs, but sadly river cruise ships just don’t have enough space to accommodate them.

3. If You Want Constant Entertainment

If cruising is all whizzing down waterslides, climbing rock walls, bouncing on virtual-reality trampolines and watching Broadway-style shows in the theatre, then a river cruise probably isn’t for you.

Of course, you can be very active on a river cruise, and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for cycling and hiking. But if you like to sit in a sunlounger while your teenagers are off having fun doing the activities without you, then you simply won’t be able to do that on a river cruise.

For families who enjoy taking walking tours together, learning about history and culture, sampling local foods and playing a board game or two before bed, a river cruise can be a really great bonding activity. But it’s not for everyone.

To Conclude

I hope this guide has helped you understand how much river cruises cost. Yes, many are expensive. Most are comparable to staying in a five-star hotel, but with far more included.

There are still some affordable options available, particularly in Europe and outside peak season. But river cruising isn’t for everyone, so it’s always worth doing a little research before booking.

Related Posts:

• The 5 Best European River Cruises for Families
• Avalon Waterways Vs Viking River Cruises
• Viking River Cruises Vs AmaWaterways
• What is a French balcony on a ship?
• Scenic vs Emerald River Cruises