Everybody loves a good theme, and river cruisers are no exception.
Themes add a layer of cohesion to any itinerary, boost engagement and connection between passengers, and allow enthusiasts to explore what they love most. Food and wine, seasonal joys, or art, music and culture — the world’s rivers provide ample themes for travelers to treasure. Whether they charter a full vessel or book cabins on a pre-planned sailing, here are five themed river cruises groups can get on board with.
CroisiEurope: Wine-Themed Cruise Through France
Oenophiles will delight to explore the lush, sun-soaked vineyards of France on a CroisiEurope wine-themed cruise through some of the country’s most famous wine regions. One such cruise, slated for 2026, takes passengers on an eight-day, round-trip voyage from Lyon, following the Rhône River and its tributary, the Saône River. Sailing on the MS Rhone Princess, they’ll enjoy a wine-themed cruise complete with tastings, vineyard tours and fun wine-themed activities.
After passengers embark in Lyon, they’ll enjoy an excursion to Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, a local market hailed as one of the city’s gastronomical highlights. Guests can expect a tour of Old Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a tasting of some of the region’s local flavors at the market. Then, they’ll cruise toward Mâcon for stops at the Beaujolais vineyards and the Hameau Duboeuf, a wine-themed park with attractions and exhibits dedicated to the history and culture of wine. The next stop on the route is Vienne, which features included excursions to and tastings at vineyards in the Condrieu and Côte Rôtie regions, each of which produce their own signature wines.
The historic town of Avignon is next. Known for being a papal capital in the 14th century, it’s home to the Palace of the Popes, a large Gothic palace. Passengers will also be treated to a guided tour of Arles, the Roman city that inspired Vincent van Gogh’s artworks “Starry Night” and “Café Terrace at Night.” A tasting at the small village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is also included. Stops in historic Viviers and Tournon-sur-Rhône offer more opportunities to explore the region’s history and culture, including a visit to the famous Tain-l’Hermitage for a tasting of some of the region’s top wines, before cruising back to Lyon.
Avalon Waterways: Christmas Markets
Large, seasonal, open-air Christmas markets can be found in many European countries in the weeks during Advent; though they originated in Germany and Austria, they occur in many other European countries. Vendors’ handcrafted gifts, ornaments, decor and food make the markets a classic way to celebrate the season’s joy and make them a popular theme for most river cruising companies in Europe. Avalon Waterways offers cruises along the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers that highlight Europe’s Christmas Markets. The markets provide plentiful shopping, delicious mulled wine and spiced gingerbread, cheerfully illuminated towns and informative lectures on local holiday traditions, offering passengers a magical way to spend December in Europe.
One such itinerary, Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine, takes passengers south on an eight-day voyage from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland. Passengers can enjoy a canal tour of the colorful Dutch city before cruising to Cologne, Germany, where they can learn about Germany’s Christmas traditions, enjoy the city’s Christmas markets and see the magnificent Cologne Cathedral. They’ll then sail through the Rhine Gorge, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, en route to Rüdesheim, where castles and delicious coffee await. A guided tour of Heidelberg Castle or a guided city walk in Mainz are next on the itinerary.
The final leg of the trip includes a trip to Strasbourg, France, complete with a sightseeing tour, winter markets and an optional trip to Alsace’s wine country; a stop in Breisach, Germany, with a trip to the Black Forest; and a final docking in Basel, Switzerland, where passengers will disembark.
American Cruise Lines: Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise
The Northeastern U.S. is home to some of the most beautiful fall foliage in the world. Every autumn, the forests surrounding the Hudson River come alive with vibrant hues of red, orange and gold in the lush forests of the Catskill Mountains and the Berkshire Hills. Groups can enjoy this stunning scenery and the magic of the season from an American Cruise Lines riverboat. Known for large staterooms, these vessels include balconies and plenty of onboard amenities.
The Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise begins in New York City and makes stops at Sleepy Hollow, West Point, Hyde Park, Kingston and Catskill before ending in Albany. Reverse itineraries are also offered. In addition to the breathtaking fall foliage and plentiful wildlife, passengers will have the privilege of discovering the region’s history. They can explore the town of Sleepy Hollow, which inspired the Washington Irving story by the same name; they can also visit the acclaimed author’s grave in the historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Nearby, they’ll find the Gothic Lyndhurst Mansion and the historical Haverstraw Village. A stop at West Point lets guests take in America’s military legacy or visit a local family farm, where they can take a hayride and leave with a bag of fresh, farm-grown apples as a souvenir.
At the Hyde Park stop, they’ll find the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. They can explore the beautiful mountain town of Catskill before enjoying a day cruising through the mountains for prime leaf-peeping. The vessel spends its final two days of the nine-day itinerary in New York’s capital city, Albany. Groups can explore the city’s history with walking tours and visit its top attractions, including the New York State Museum and the capitol building.
Uniworld: Music of the Danube
The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe and flows eastward through much of Central and Southeastern Europe. The Danube gives travelers access to four capital cities, each a hub of culture and history. Uniworld’s Music of the Danube cruise is an excellent way to explore the musical heritage of Europe, including connections to some of the world’s most famous classical composers as well as contemporary musicals and films. The eight-day journey, running from Budapest to Passau, is available in 2026 and features multiple concerts and performances exclusively for the cruising group.
After embarking in Budapest, the cruise’s musical offerings begin with a visit to the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, established in 1875, followed by a drive showcasing the scenic highlights of city. Next up, in Vienna, passengers will be treated to a private concert of Mozart and Strauss compositions in a castle. They can also take a private, guided tour of Vienna’s Art History Museum, which features works by Vermeer, Velázquez and Klimt, among many other masters.
The itinerary winds through Durnstein, known for vineyards and castle ruins, and Melk, with the Melk Abbey, home to Benedictine monks. After docking in Linz, passengers have the chance to explore Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and the filming location for the 1965 film “The Sound of Music.” This all-day excursion includes Mozart’s birth home, Maria’s church and a walking tour of Salzburg’s historic squares. In Passau, travelers can see Europe’s largest pipe organ and take an onboard yodeling workshop before disembarking.
AmaWaterways: Celebration of Wellness Cruises
More travelers than ever are interested in incorporating elements of wellness into their trips, from relaxing spa add-ons to active, adventurous itineraries. Most river cruise companies are allowing passengers to opt-in to more active excursions, but Celebration of Wellness River Cruises by AmaWaterways incorporate wellness into the entire experience. AmaWaterways was recently awarded the designation “Best for Active Cruisers” by Cruise Critic because of its extensive health-conscious offerings, including the rentable bikes it keeps onboard for passengers to use during their downtime when exploring port cities.
On AmaWaterways’ wellness-focused trips, cuisine is nourishing, plant-forward and delicious, and “detox water” infused with citrus is available to help passengers hydrate. Passengers can sign up for onboard fitness classes, like yoga and spinning with gorgeous river views, and trips ashore explore Europe’s gems with guided hiking, biking and running excursions. These cruises also include trips to wellness-oriented destinations, like exclusive European spas for rejuvenating treatments.
Some of AmaWaterways’ ships feature their own wellness studios, fitness studios, massage rooms, pools and whirlpools. They also feature wellness hosts who lead the daily onboard fitness activities and educate travelers about integrating healthy habits into their trips and their lives.
One Celebration of Wellness cruise itinerary offered by the cruise line is Melodies of the Danube, a seven-night journey from Budapest to Vilshofen with stops in Bratislava, Vienna, Linz and Passau. Stops offer city tours by bike, castle hikes and walking tours, in addition to the onboard wellness experiences.
