Top 10 river cruises around the globe

6. Murray
The “Mighty Murray” is to Australia what the Mississippi is to the United States. Stretching from its mountain source in Victoria to near Adelaide in South Australia, it, combined with the Darling River that feeds it, comprise Australia’s longest river (and the seventh longest in the world). Navigated since ancient times by Aboriginal tribes, then European explorers and traders, it is today most trafficked by recreational houseboats and historic paddle steamers. Sample the river’s bounties aboard an authentic paddle wheeler, Captain Cook Cruises’ well-appointed, 60-stateroom PS Murray Princess, from the historic town of Mannum, situated about 50 miles east of Adelaide (connections are available). Their four-night “Outback Heritage Cruise” combines historic and nature-based activities like nature walks, vineyard tastings, and aboriginal history talks, on a river route marked by locks, old river port towns, and dramatic Australian outback scenery marked by towering cliffs, red gum forests, and wildlife sightings ranging from kangaroo to egret. Cruises run year-round.

7. Nile
The awesome sights of ancient Egypt are on every intrepid traveler’s to-see list and you can cover all the highlights, from the pyramids and the Sphinx to King Tut’s tomb and the Luxor Temples, on a once-in-a-lifetime Nile sailing with Grand Circle Travel. This 15-day tour includes six nights on land at a high-end Cairo hotel, guided museum tours, home-hosted dinners, and treks to the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, before embarking on a weeklong M/S River Anuket Nile River cruise through temple-speckled Aswan and Luxor. While arranging a vacation tour this grand and all-encompassing on your own would usually mean big bucks and stressful planning, this hassle-free cruise vacation curtails the cost and covers it all. Plus, the tour, available during select periods from May to December, also includes round-trip airfare from New York to Cairo, airport transfers, most meals, sightseeing excursions, and private motor coach transportation on land — which translate to savings as staggering as the pyramids.

8. Seine
Billed as the world’s first “boutique luxury” river cruise ship, Jewel River Cruises’ MS Jewel Imperial Blue drifts along the Seine between Paris and Normandy’s medieval capital of Rouen. The ship accommodates just 70 guests (with an exceptional 2:1 guest-to-crew ratio), but reserving a spot won’t be difficult as more than a dozen voyages are planned from August through December. Eight to 14-day itineraries offer options for culinary adventures with a Michelin three-star chef in Paris, a tour of Monet’s house and gardens in Vernon, private wine tastings, and helicopter rides over the Champagne region. The land tours alone make it worth the splurge (from $5,999 per person), but with onboard amenities like a full service spa, a well curated wine bar, and spacious, modern suites ranging from 215 to 469 square feet, you may think twice before disembarking.

9. Volga and Russian Waterways
Experience Russia’s imperial majesty while sailing along one of the oldest Russian routes, visiting cities of the Golden Ring, from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Premium Amadeus Waterways offers memorable 14-day Russian waterway sailings aboard the well-appointed Tolstoy (originally built to host big-shot Kremlin officials). The itinerary starts with one of the country’s grandes dames, Moscow, famous for its domed churches and burgeoning hip nightlife scene, then covers visits to various Golden Ring cities like Uglich, Yaroslavl, and Kostroma, before arriving in Russia’s other crowned-jewel, St. Petersburg, a magnificent city speckled with imperial palaces and a few hundred bridges. The journey incorporates cultural extras like an exclusive ballet performance at the Hermitage Theater, onboard Russian classes, and even a home visit and meal with a local Russian family in Uglich. Sailings are available from May through September.

10. Yangtze
With the Olympic torch shining a spotlight on China in ’08, you needn’t be a pole vaulter to discover the nation’s treasures. Instead, sign up for one of Viking River Cruises’ 11-night "Imperial Jewels of China" excursions, combining land tours of the Beijing capital, the Terra Cotta Warriors’ site at Xian, and cosmopolitan Shanghai, with a cruise along the Yangtze River, a river lifeline that has long served to interweave the lives and legends of the local people. The intimate and upscale Viking Century Sky offers spacious staterooms each with windows or private balconies, well suited for enjoying the views of the breathtaking Three Gorges region. The cruise line’s package rates include all meals, shore excursions, six nights in high-end hotels, and intra-China flights; sailings are available between May and November. Trip extensions are also available to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.

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