Cruising the World’s Grand Rivers

Sail six legendary waterways at an easygoing pace

By Justin Boyd

River cruising is soaring in popularity as travelers recognize the value and convenience of these vacations. Unpack just once at the start of your trip and settle in to enjoy a leisurely cruise along a storied waterway. Ships often stop at ports close to city centers, so you'll be within easy reach of sightseeing and activities. The rate you pay up front covers meals, nightly entertainment and often some shore excursions.

Money-saving river cruise promotions, most notably airfare discounts, usually are most attractive when tour companies release their new itineraries for the following year. The companies work with the airlines to secure a specific number of seats at low rates, and when these spots sell out, prices can rise significantly, particularly for summertime trips. Reserving your spot early also ensures that you'll get the ship, cabin, itinerary and sailing date you want.

Here are six famed waterways that you can explore by riverboat. See rolling vineyards and medieval castles along the Danube and Rhine in Europe or visit old plantations and thriving waterfront towns during a Mississippi River ramble. Sailings along the Nile in Egypt and the Yangtze in China take passengers to treasured antiquities and expose a wealth of history and culture. Cruises on the Amazon take in the natural beauty of the Brazilian landscape and often offer opportunities to meet indigenous peoples and learn about their ways of life.

To see a complete list of itineraries and prices, click the link at the end of each section.



With a watershed that covers more than 40 percent of the country, the Mississippi River is America's pre-eminent body of water. Those traveling the Mississippi, which flows from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, can experience the country's frontier legacy and cultural and literary heritage.

Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis, Baton Rouge and New Orleans are among the major port cities visited along the Mississippi, the second-longest river in North America. Some cruise itineraries include trips along tributaries of the great waterway, visiting Nashville, Chattanooga and Cincinnati, for example.

Majestic America Line, a leading riverboat operator, has three steamboats -- the Delta Queen, the American Queen and the Mississippi Queen (scheduled to be under renovation through 2008) -- that travel the Mississippi. Themed trips range from big band, bluegrass and country music sailings to spring pilgrimage and fall foliage cruises. The Civil War cruises are very popular, as the Mississippi played a pivotal role in the Union's victory over the Confederacy. Civil War aficionados can listen to a lecture from a scholar or author on this tumultuous period in U.S. history. During port calls, they can visit the battlefields and other historic sites featured in the onboard talks.

The legendary Delta Queen, a national historic landmark, has been sailing the mighty Mississippi's waters since 1926, but it will retire in November 2008. Those who want to reserve a spot on the elegant paddle wheeler during its final season should book their cruise soon.

Mississippi River cruises are offered year-round, with themed sailings available throughout.

Information: To book a Mississippi River cruise vacation, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 510-4002.



Emanating from the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier in the Swiss Alps, the Rhine River flows north through western Germany and empties into the North Sea at the Netherlands. Some of Europe's most spectacular scenery resides along the 820-mile route, including a slew of fairy tale castles, historic Old World cities and well-preserved medieval villages.

Cruises along the Rhine often start or end in Basel, Switzerland, where you can take in a great view of the river and city from the Wettstein Bridge. North of Basel lies Strasbourg, an Alsatian city at the border of France and Germany. Attractions here include the charming La Petite France quarter and a 12th-century Gothic cathedral, which houses one of the world's largest astronomical clocks.

Several Rhine itineraries call at the German town of Mainz, birthplace of printing pioneer Johannes Gutenberg. A walking tour typically includes the Gutenberg Museum, which houses two of the Bibles Gutenberg printed on his first press.

Farther upriver is the wine-producing town of Rudesheim, Germany, where visitors can stroll the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and stop at one of its many taverns, restaurants and wine shops. Passengers can also take in Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet for a look at its collection of rare and antique self-playing instruments. Rudesheim marks the start of the Middle Rhine, considered the most beautiful stretch of the river.

While spring through fall is the most popular season for Rhine River cruising, sailings from late November through December have a festive feel as they visit the region's famed Christmas markets.

Information: To learn more about Rhine River cruises, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 510-4002.



Streaming from the mountains of Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea by way of a large delta in Romania and Ukraine, the Danube River has been the lifeblood of Europe for centuries. The river, the second-longest in Europe, has served as a hub for communication, trade and transportation since it formed the northern boundary of the Roman Empire. Some of those early Roman frontier settlements evolved into the modern-day capitals of Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade.

Due to the Danube's sheer size (at 1,770 miles long, it passes through 10 countries), it's not surprising that the waterway has influenced painters, poets, singers and songwriters. In the early 16th century, it inspired a new style of landscape painting, the Danube school. In 1867, composer Johann Strauss was so moved by riverside life that he composed the "Blue Danube Waltz."

A Danube cruise offers an ideal way to experience some of Europe's most beautiful destinations and landmarks as well its cultural heritage and centuries-old architecture. Passengers come across vineyard-lined valleys and magnificently preserved medieval towns in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Romania.

Most itineraries stop in Nuremberg, Germany, where highlights include the Palace of Justice -- the meeting place for the 1945-49 War Crimes Trials -- Nuremberg Castle and, in late November and December, the Nuremberg Christmas market. Another popular stop in Germany is Regensburg, home to medieval structures such as the Old Town Hall as well as an ancient Roman arch and one of the oldest stone bridges over the Danube.

While in Austria, the opera house in Vienna is a must-see attraction, along with the Benedictine monastery in Melk. In Budapest, attractions include St. Stephen's Basilica and the Fisherman's Bastion, a castlelike complex that provides panoramic views of the city.

The Danube River cruising season runs between July and November, with some Christmas market cruises available in December. Itineraries are offered by a variety of tour operators and river cruise companies.

Information: For more information on Danube River cruises, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 510-4002.



The Nile is the world's longest river, spanning more than 4,000 miles from northeast Africa to the Mediterranean Sea at Egypt's coast. For more than 5,000 years, the massive waterway has served as a vital force for the development and advancement of Egyptian civilizations.

Nile River cruises usually are incorporated into longer escorted land tour itineraries. Most include day trips to iconic ancient sites such as the pyramids and Sphinx in Giza. Trips often start in Cairo, where guided sightseeing excursions typically include a visit to the Egyptian Museum. Its collections contain treasures unearthed from Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922.

Many itineraries stop at Luxor, where travelers can see the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt's longest-ruling female pharaoh, and the immense Temple of Karnak. Another popular Luxor excursion is a trip to the Valley of the Kings, final resting place for 26 pharaohs, including King Tut.

Cruises on the Nile also head to the ancient cities of Edfu and Esna, where you'll visit the well-preserved, 2,000-year-old Temple of Horus. The next stop is Kom Ombo, the site of two temples that were built to honor the crocodile and falcon gods. Trips continue south to Aswan to visit a modern wonder, the High Dam. Often, guests have an opportunity to ride in a felucca, a traditional wooden sailboat.

Nile River vacations are offered year-round by a variety of escorted tour and river cruise companies.

Information: To book a Nile River vacation in Egypt, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 510-4002.



Flowing about 3,915 miles from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in western China to the East China Sea near Shanghai, it's little wonder the Yangtze River is often referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization. It weaves a path through the countryside, unlocking the nation's hidden beauty -- misty mountains, tranquil lagoons, striking bamboo groves and awe-inspiring gorges.

Yangtze cruises typically are offered as part of escorted tours in China that also include hotel stays in Shanghai and Beijing. Among highlights are the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai and the terra-cotta warriors of Xian, which were created to protect the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The cruising portion of these itineraries typically travel between Chongqing and Shanghai. Those who cruise eastward from Chongqing first stop at the Shibaozhai Temple, a 16th-century, 12-story wooden pagoda that grips the side of a 720-foot stone cliff above the river. Spectacular views await those who climb the structure.

The first of the scenic Three Gorges is up next as the riverboat reaches Qutang Gorge. The shortest and narrowest gorge, Qutang is often regarded as the most dramatic with its 4,000-foot limestone peaks. The Wuxia and Xiling gorges are equally as impressive.

Riverboat passengers then come upon a man-made marvel in the making, the Three Gorges Dam. The massive structure will stand about 600 feet tall and span nearly a mile and a half, making it the world's largest hydroelectric and flood-control dam upon completion.

In Shanghai, travelers can enjoy all the metropolitan city has to offer, from its historical temples and museums to its elegant riverfront boardwalk.

Yangtze River cruises sail between July and December.

Information: To book a Yangtze River cruise vacation, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 510-4002.



Second only to the Nile in length, the Amazon River stretches about 4,000 miles across the exotic fauna- and flora-filled rain forests of South America. Beginning high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, the "River Sea" -- as the Amazon is sometimes called -- ends in northern Brazil, emptying millions of gallons of freshwater into the Atlantic Ocean every day.

The Amazon is home to a diverse mix of aquatic wildlife. More than 3,000 species of fish inhabit its waters, including piranhas, bull sharks and pink Amazon River dolphins, which can grow to lengths of up to 9 feet.

The Amazon is wide and deep enough to accommodate oceangoing cruise ships, which traverse the waterway as part of longer Caribbean and South American itineraries. Among options are Holland America, Princess, Oceania and the six-star lines of Seabourn, Silversea and Regent, with sailings available from September through April, depending on the ship. Vessels cruise the Amazon as far as Manaus, Brazil, the chief port for the river.

Heading westward from the Atlantic Ocean, ships generally make their first stop at Santarem, where the waters of the Tapajos River and the Amazon meet. To the southwest lies Alter do Chao, a resort town that boasts white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Parintins is next -- this small village on Tupinambarana Island is known for the Boi Bumba festival, an annual celebration of Brazilian folklore. In Boca de Valeria, a village set in the jungle lakeland, travelers will find Amazon Indians living as they did centuries ago.

Information: To learn more about Amazon River cruising, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 338-4962.

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