River Cruise with Kids

If your children or grandchildren love to explore, and the idea of exploring together in fascinating destinations sounds delightful, then family river cruises might be right for you! Check out our tips about taking a river cruise with kids below.

Are River Cruises Good for Families?
River cruising with kids is a one-of-a-kind way to spend your family vacation. You can discover new countries, cities and towns that wow all of your loved ones. Most amazingly, share quality time during an experience everyone will remember.

Dedicated, multi-generational cruises bring passengers of every generation closer, while connecting you with wonderful places, centuries of stories, and attractions and activities that please history, art and culture buffs, outdoor adventurers and food and entertainment aficionados. 

Which River Cruises Are Best for Families?
You can choose from river cruises around the globe, like a family river cruise in Europe or in the US. Delve into new and international destinations, enjoying eye-opening experiences, yet still staying within the comfort zone of a trip that's mostly packaged and pre-planned. Dive into your pick of rivers and culturally diverse countries. Enjoy inspiring, enlightening and uplifting moments, with plenty of hands-on activities and opportunities to engage in local life.

We bring you straight to enchanting cities and storybook villages, along shimmering waterscapes — namely, the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Rhône and Seine Rivers. Here are our top picks for the best river cruises for families, featuring tailor-made fun for kids.

• Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure – An 8-day Rhine River family castle cruise, the quintessential European river cruise. Visit Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Embark in Basel. Head to Lake Lucerne, to take a gondola up to the 7,000-foot peak of Mt. Pilatus and the world's steepest cogwheel train back down. Become "French for a Day" in Strasbourg. Enjoy an authentic medieval evening at Burg Satzvey, a 12th-century castle. Onboard, create your own costumes for Carnival Night. Click here for the full itinerary.

• Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure – An 8-day Danube River family cruise through four countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Swing by some of Europe's greatest cities, and go geocaching, marzipan making and bicycling. Unravel a royal maze, revel in a knight's tournament and feast on strudel. In Salzburg, step into scenes from The Sound of Music. The Vienna Prater, one of the world's oldest amusement parks, provides iconic views from atop the 19th-century Ferris wheel. Be enchanted by a private dinner inside a Baroque palace. Click here for the full itinerary.

• Douro Discovery: A Family River Cruise in Portugal – An 8-day Douro River family cruise for those with adventurous spirits. 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 reception in the garden and dinner in the Throne Room. See medieval Coimbra, intriguing Porto and entrancing Pinhão. Hike and kayak, bike through Vinho Verde wine country, and visit the storybook town of Amarante. Or, head for Guimarães, where Portugal was born in 1128. Click here for the full itinerary.

• Bon Voyage! France Family River Cruise – A laid-back, 8-day Rhône River family cruise, ideal for bonding with French culture and introducing ta famille to Paris! Track clues on an art treasure hunt inside the Louvre museum. Savor a Scook cooking school class and a chocolate-making demonstration at Valrhona's Cité du Chocolat. Witness gardians (Provençal cowboys) riding white steeds during a private outing at a family-owned ranch. Paint with chocolate in Arles, led by artist Mark Alsterlind. Bike outside Avignon's city walls, and cross the famous Pont du Gard. Click here for the full itinerary.

• Family Fun Along The Seine: Paris To Normandy – An 8-day Seine family river cruise on which you'll explore Paris via walking tour or guided bike ride along the Seine. Stop by the Eiffel Tower. An art-inspired scavenger hunt reveals the Louvre museum's treasures. Experience Monet's Gardens and house at Giverny, before they open to the general public. In Normandy, honor WWII heroes at Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery and the D-Day Academy. Travel back to medieval times in Rouen. Tour the Château de Versailles palace and gardens, or bike to Marie Antoinette's farm. Click here for the full itinerary.

• Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise – An 8-day Christmas markets cruise with the kids. On our holiday river cruise for families, unwrap the charms of this age-old tradition, celebrate aboard the seasonally decorated ms Savor, and adore a multi-country itinerary filled with festivities, games and entertainment. Exquisite Vienna promises the landmark Prater amusement park and its dazzling Christmas market. Indulge in an elegant evening in a private palace. Voyage to Budapest, Hungary and Bratislava, Slovakia. Back in Austria, discover the Wachau Valley and Salzburg, and in Oberndorf, the birthplace of "Silent Night." In Passau, make gingerbread and marzipan at Café Simon. Click here for the full itinerary.

Our Kid-Friendly River Cruises Are Specially Designed for Families

Since debuting Tauck Bridges tours in 2003, we've become the trusted guide for family travel. Our family river cruises are 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, each trip above is scheduled to coincide with school holidays and/or summer vacations. 

You'll only unpack once on your floating hotel, a custom-designed riverboat. By day, our 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. They seamlessly orchestrate a balanced mix of guided sightseeing, special experiences and shore excursion choices. 

Reach out to us to learn more about the best river cruise with children for your family!