Choosing the Best European River Cruise For Your Family

If you are searching for family-friendly vacation ideas for your loved ones, and destinations that will wow them all, you've arrived in the right place!

Consider a river cruise in Europe — an unforgettable way to travel together. Better yet, journey with Tauck, a top-rated tour and river cruise operator that designs itineraries that please the young and young at heart. 

Discover the Best European River Cruises for Families 

Dive in to your pick of rivers and culturally diverse countries from our best European river cruises for families, each with its own remarkable sights and attractions, historical and artistic treasures and delectable cuisine. 

This is truly a carefree way to travel, with an all-inclusive itinerary featuring Tauck Exclusives and covering meals, hotels, transportation, transfers and excursions. We take on the tough planning details and ensure your ease and comfort. Conveniently for your family, each trip below is scheduled to coincide with school holidays and/or summer vacations. Simply devote your attention to each other, sharing the excitement.

Unpack just once on your floating hotel, a custom-designed riverboat. By day, our expert Tauck Directors and local guides make exploring towns, landmarks and cultures enjoyable for everyone. At night, our dedicated Family Host coordinates lots of onboard fun. Together, they seamlessly orchestrate a balanced mix of guided sightseeing, special experiences and shore excursion choices. 

So, where do you want to go?

Best Rhine River Cruise For Families

Treat your family to a grand Rhine River castle cruise, the quintessential European river cruise, complete with lots of—you guessed it—castles! On our 8-day Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure, you'll visit Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Embark in Basel. Head to Lake Lucerne, where you'll take a gondola up to the 7,000-foot peak of Mt. Pilatus and, later, the world's steepest cogwheel train back down. Become "French for a Day" in Strasbourg, learning French phrases, singing French songs and tasting chocolates.

Enjoy dinner and an authentic medieval evening at Burg Satzvey, a 12th-century castle. An onboard highlight is Carnival Night: Your family will create your own costumes for this vibrant celebration.

Best Danube River Cruise for Families

Swing by some of Europe's greatest cities via our Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure. On this 8-day Danube River family cruise, you'll voyage through four countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. 

Along the way, go geocaching, marzipan making and bicycling. Reveal the secrets of a royal maze, revel in a knight's tournament and feast on strudel. Tour Salzburg, where you'll step into scenes straight out of The Sound of Music. 

At the Vienna Prater, one of the world's oldest amusement parks, be awestruck by iconic views peeped atop the 19th-century Riesenrad (giant Ferris wheel). A Tauck Exclusive private dinner takes place in the ballroom of a Baroque palace, promising Viennese entertainment and fairytale-worthy enchantment. 

Best Douro River Cruise For Families

The 8-day Douro Discovery: A Family River Cruise in Portugal appeals to those with adventurous spirits. You'll view Portugal from a unique vantage point, drifting through the heart of this distinctive destination, along the "river of gold." Delight in centuries of fascinating culture in postcard-perfect cities, villages and vineyards.

Check out Lisbon's neighborhoods via vintage tram, plus its National Maritime Museum. Enjoy a private tour of the National Palace of Queluz, followed by a welcome reception in the garden and dinner in the Throne Room.

Delve into medieval Coimbra, intriguing Porto and entrancing Pinhão. You'll navigate, at times, by hiking and kayaking, or biking through Vinho Verde wine country, and visiting the storybook town of Amarante. Or, head for Guimarães, where the kingdom of Portugal was born in 1128.

Best France River Cruise For Families

Want to roll on the Rhône River and bond wonderfully with French culture and each other? Try our 8-day Bon Voyage! France Family River Cruise to drift away on a laid-back voyage and introduce ta famille to fascinating Paris! Savor a Scook cooking school class and a chocolate-making demonstration at Valrhona's Cité du Chocolat. Be enthralled by gardians (Provençal cowboys) riding white steeds during a private outing and lunch at a family-owned ranch. 

In Paris, track clues on an art treasure hunt inside the legendary Louvre museum. Paint with chocolate in Arles, led by artist Mark Alsterlind. Bike outside Avignon's city walls, and cross Pont du Gard, a three-level, 164-foot "bridge." And that's just for starters!

To see the Seine River, Family Fun Along The Seine: Paris To Normandy is a must. Launch your 8-day odyssey by exploring Paris via walking tour or a guided bike ride along the Seine. Stop by the Eiffel Tower. An art-inspired scavenger hunt reveals the Louvre museum's treasures. Then, set sail for Vernon.

Experience a private visit to Monet's Gardens and house at Giverny early, before they open to the general public. In Normandy, honor heroes at Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. Put the 1944 Allied invasion into richer context by touching WWII artifacts at the D-Day Academy. 

Travel back to medieval times in Rouen, a city with a dramatic history that includes Joan of Arc's burning at the stake. Tour the ornate palace and gardens at Château de Versailles, or take a guided bike ride that also stops at Marie Antoinette's farm. 

Best Holiday River Cruise For Families 

Celebrate the holiday season aboard our family-focused Christmas markets cruise. On the 8-day Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise, embark on your riverboat, decked out for the holidays, and unwrap heartwarming festivities onboard and ashore.

See Vienna's sights, like the Prater amusement park and its dazzling Christmas market. A Tauck Exclusive evening at a private palace features dinner and a performance and waltzing lesson. Visit Budapest, Hungary and Bratislava, Slovakia.

In Austria again, discover the Wachau Valley and Salzburg, and in Oberndorf, the birthplace and story behind the beloved carol, "Silent Night." Passau, Germany brings a traditional sweets workshop at a local café that's been popular for four generations.

There's a lot more to explore, beyond these incredible highlights.