Europe's waterways, its canals and legendary rivers, create touring opportunities that combine ease of travel with access to popular tourist destinations. Some excursions may last simply hours but others can take place over the course of a few days or even weeks. Shorter cruises, such as sightseeing excursions or lunch cruises, may offer discounted rates for children, seniors or students.
London's City Cruises has excursions on the River Thames that include lunch and dinner cruises. Sightseeing cruises run from 30 minutes to three hours, to all-day privileges, showing such London landmarks as the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Lunch cruises last for just a little over an hour and feature warm mains, dessert and beverages. Dinner cruises run for approximately 3 ½ hours and include a four-course meal, a full bar, dancing and live music. Many cruises include commentary by tour guides.
City Cruises
Cherry Garden Pier
Cherry Garden St.
London SE16 4TU
United Kingdom
011-44-20-7740-0400
citycruises.com
Lake Geneva is in both France and Switzerland. Compagnie Generale de Navigation sur le lac Leman, or CGN, offers a host of cruise options for travelers looking to explore the massive body of water. Cruises leave from Swiss cities Geneva and Lausanne. Gastronomic cruises include lunch or sunset dinner ventures, complete with three- or four-course meals. Fondue and Lavaux vineyard cruises feature the famed cheeses and wines, respectively. The cruise line also operates one- and two-hour scenic excursions highlighting such natural wonders as the Dents du Midi and the Swiss Alps
Compagnie Generale de Navigation sur le lac Leman
Avenue de Rhodanie 17
Case postale 116
1000 Lausanne 6
011-41-21-848-811-848
cgn.ch/eng
The Blue Danube Holidays line features various cruises along the Danube River. An eight-day, seven-night cruise stops at such major Danube towns as Vienna and Budapest. Guests' onshore accommodation is part of the tour. Guests may book shore excursions through the cruise line for an extra fee. These include city walking tours, concerts, wine tasting or visits to palaces and museums. The company also has specialty Danube cruises, including Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Blue Danube Holidays
80 Richmond St. West
Toronto ON M5H 2A4
Canada
416-367-5000
bluedanubeholidays.com
Euro River Cruises tours the River Rhine, including a four-day journey between Koblenz, Germany, and Strasbourg, France. It passes such landmarks as Heidelberg Castle and Lorelei Rock, the source of many legends and folklore tales. The cruise line's excursions last anywhere from 5 to 29 days. In addition to the Rhine, they cruise Amsterdam’s canals and the Main-Danube canal, as well as flights or train travel to Paris, Budapest and Istanbul.
Euro River Cruises
365 Route 304, Suite 206
Nanuet, NY 10954
800-526-8539
eurorivercruises.com
