What’s Actually Included on a European River Cruise And What’s Not

The word ‘all-inclusive’ means something very different depending on which river cruise line you’re looking at. And the gap between what a brochure implies and what you actually pay for onboard can be significant.

After years of planning river cruises and working with multiple lines, here’s a straight answer to the question most brochures deliberately obscure.

Reading a river cruise brochure is a skill. Here’s what to look for and what to ask before you booking anything.

What’s almost always included

Across all the major lines, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Avalon, and most of the premium market, these are the things you can reliably expect to be included in your base fare:

• Accommodation in your chosen cabin or suite category

• All meals onboard: breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main dining room

• At least one guided shore excursion per port, typically a walking tour of the main town or city

• Port taxes and fees

• Gratuities onboard though this varies and should be confirmed at booking

That foundation is fairly consistent. Where the lines diverge significantly is in everything above that baseline.

What varies significantly between lines

Beverages are the most common point of confusion. Many lines include house wine and beer with dinner and sometimes lunch. Some include beverages throughout the day. Scenic goes furthest beverages including premium spirits are included from morning to night. AmaWaterways includes wine, beer, and soft drinks with meals and happy hour. Avalon includes wine and beer with dinner. The difference in what you spend onboard can be several hundred dollars per person depending on which line you’re on.

Specialty dining is another variable. Most ships have a main restaurant and at least one specialty dining venue. On some lines the specialty restaurant is included. On others it’s an additional charge. Worth checking before you book if dining variety matters to you.

Excursions beyond the included walking tour are sometimes are at an additional costand the good ones go quickly. The private wine tasting with a Burgundy producer. The cooking class in an Alsatian farmhouse. The evening concert in a Vienna palace. These are the experiences worth pre-booking, often weeks before departure, and they are almost never included in the base fare.

• Scenic: the most comprehensive all-inclusive offering in the market beverages all day, specialty dining, butler service in suites, and exclusive Scenic Enrich events included

• AmaWaterways: beverages with meals, good included excursion programme, active options at most ports

• Avalon: beverages with dinner, strong excursion flexibility, Open-Air Suite design

What almost always costs extra

• Flights to and from the embarkation and disembarkation cities

• Pre- and post-cruise hotel nights

• Premium shore excursions beyond the included walking tour

• Spa treatments

• Internet access though many lines now include basic Wi-Fi

• Travel insurance always purchase this separately and never skip it

The question worth asking your travel specialist

Before booking any river cruise, ask your agent to walk you through exactly what is and isn’t included on the specific sailing you’re considering. Not the general line policy but the specific itinerary, because inclusions can vary between sailings on the same line.

I do this for every client before we finalise anything.

Thinking about a river cruise in Europe?

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