saga river cruises reviews tripadvisor

Let a river cruise lead you to new adventures

Saga's stylish, luxurious and educational river cruises have broadened travellers' horizons

C aroline Saine from Cardiff found her first river cruise so enjoyable that she’s already booked her second. 

“My sister Alison and I wanted to take dad on holiday and Saga pleased all of us,” says the 61-year-old. “The Amsterdam cruise in March ticked lots on my bucket list and Dad enjoyed it so much that we’re off to do Budapest to Vienna in October.”

Alison is equally excited, especially with the extra excursion to Salzburg. 

“She was obsessed with The Sound of Music as a child and Salzburg was also on my bucket list so that’s three ticks on this trip,” says Caroline. “We’re going to a concert in Vienna which I’ve always wanted to do and I want to try some real Mozartkugel, the famous Austrian sweet treat.

“One of the standout moments on our Amsterdam trip was the coach journey back from Zaandam, the Windmill Museum, as you could see all the working windmills. And the trip to the restored cinema was brilliant, as was the walking tour of Amsterdam.

“Having an organised tour with a knowledgeable guide means we won’t get lost or miss anything and Dad loves the food on the boat so he’s happy as long as he’s well fed.”

Jill Sansom, a 70-year-old from Newcastle on Tyne, agrees that Saga provides entertainment and events to satisfy a wide range of interests. 

“I was a head teacher, then trained as a counsellor and now I work in Gateshead surgeries for Mind,” says Jill. “And I’ve just secured a post as a counsellor in a secondary school.”

With Jill showing no interest in retiring and with her boundless energy and interest in new places and people,  Saga river cruises are a perfect outlet for her. 

“Initially I was attracted to the river cruises as Ann Widdecombe was a guest speaker on one and I really enjoyed hearing her speak so I quickly booked the second when I discovered that the violinist and conductor André Rieu was on it,” she says “I've enjoyed every moment of the cruises so far and look forward to more.”

“Sailing at a leisurely pace gives ample opportunities to relax and mingle with other travellers, enjoying games, quizzes and sharing life’s events. 

“The dynamics in smaller groups is always interesting and excursions are well planned, with information, comfortable transport and tour guides. 

“My favourite was Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum in Rudesheim with more than 350 instruments over three centuries. There are interesting included and additional tours, leisurely riverside walks and guides ready to help. 

“People from all over the country and beyond bring a lifetime of experiences to every aspect of the holiday whether sharing a dining table, relaxing over a drink or joining together in evening activities.”

For more information and to book, call 0800 092 7557 or visit saga.co.uk/rivers-telegraph

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Best and worst river cruise lines

Our ratings reveal that paying more for your river cruise doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a better time.

To help you find the best cruise for your budget for 2024 and beyond, we asked hundreds of customers about their experiences. 

Our survey didn't just uncover the companies offering great food and facilities. It also highlighted the brands with lacklustre cabins, unimaginative excursions and overpriced packages. 

We found peak-season Rhine cruises around £1,700 cheaper with Riviera than Uniworld. Yet, passengers were more impressed with Riviera’s cabins, shore excursions and food and drink.

We reveal which cruise lines offer the best value for money – and what customers really think of each brand.

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Best river cruise companies 

River cruises get you straight to city centres, so there’s more time for sightseeing and excursions. 

You won’t find the range of on-board facilities of the vast ocean liners, but then you won’t be spending whole days at sea either. 

That said, with nearly all meals taken on board – and usually only one dining option – you’ll want to make sure the food and drink is good quality.

The table below shows the results from our most recent survey – our first in four years. 

Using the table In November 2023, we asked 1,289 members of Which? Connect panel and the general public about their experiences of cruise holidays in the past two years. Indicative price/night Based on the price of two sharing a Rhine cruise in a French balcony cabin in June 2025 where available, including flights, train or coach travel. *Indicative price doesn’t include travel. Customer score Combines satisfaction and likelihood of recommending brand.

Best and worst ocean cruise lines – the results from our latest survey

What makes a Which? Recommended Provider? river cruise line

Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) are the cream of the crop, and we only consider giving the accolade to river cruise lines with the highest customer scores.

That’s not all. We only make a company a WRP if it provides clear information about gratuities, excursions and drinks at the booking stage. We know price transparency is essential to help customers make informed decisions before parting with their cash.

All our Which? Recommended Providers also scored at least four out of five stars for both customer service and value for money.

Which? is independent. You can be sure that our recommendations are based on survey results and policy analysis only. We're not influenced by third parties and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers, retailers or providers.

River cruise line reviews

Viking: the best luxury river cruises

The world’s largest river cruise line has a fleet of 75 ships plying Europe’s great waterways as well as the Mississippi, Mekong and the Nile. Its light-filled, 190-capacity ‘longships’ are thoughtfully designed with plenty of balcony cabins (a rarity on river vessels) and space to dine al fresco. 

Expect roomy modern ships, smartly furnished cabins and top-notch food, including local dishes. It was also the only operator to clinch the full five stars for its vast array of itineraries – it has 14 Rhine trips alone. 

Guests were equally impressed by the ‘friendly’ and ‘helpful’ staff for whom ‘nothing was too much trouble’. Drinks with meals, on-board gratuities and an escorted tour in every port are included. 

So, as one guest put it: ‘You could leave your wallet at home and still enjoy the holiday.’ Its ocean-going vessels are also first-rate, and it’s the only Which? Recommended Provider for both sea and river cruises. 

Should I book with Viking?  Yes. Viking’s all-inclusive cruises may be expensive, but they are also exceptional – money well spent according to its loyal customers. 

Browse Viking’s range of river cruises .

Riviera Travel: the best-value river cruises

The UK’s biggest provider has landed one of the top spots in our past five surveys. Riviera charters a dozen ships in Europe, carrying 120 to 169 passengers, and it uses local companies for its Egyptian and Vietnamese cruises. Despite being one of the more reasonably priced brands in our survey, it scored full marks for its elegant cabins and meals, buffet-style lunches and four-course dinners. 

Daily guided walks or coach tours are included in the headline price. Many guests were wowed by the knowledgeable local guides and superior customer service. One told us: ‘The staff, from the housekeepers to the managers, were so efficient and made the cruise a lot of fun.’ 

Tips cost extra, but Riviera throws in a premium drinks package with all of its European river cruises. It has more solo traveller and no-fly options than most operators, and you can travel by train to its Belgian, Dutch, French and German boats. 

Should I book with Riviera Travel? Our best mid-price cruise line. Reliable Riviera has classy cruises at a good price, and really looks after its customers.

See Riviera Travel‘s river cruises

Jules Verne: the best for small ships

Its péniche (barge) tours in France carry 20 or so guests around Provence, Bourgogne and Alsace, while its Danube cruise is on a plush 16-cabin boat that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sailed on. 

Bigger cruises often use French operator CroisiEurope’s ships. Jules Verne earned a solid four stars almost across the board and five for its excursions, which ‘all flowed seamlessly’ and ‘catered for everyone’. 

One satisfied customer summed up the appeal: ‘Very good value from a reliable company with service to match throughout.’ 

Should I book with Jules Verne? A great option if you’re after unusual itineraries, characterful boats and well-organised excursions.

Look for a river cruise with Jules Verne

Avalon Waterways: the best for themed cruises

As well as standard European itineraries, this all-inclusive line has a raft of special-interest cruises catering for music fans, foodies and photographers. 

Included excursions on its Active and Discovery cruises range from caving and kayaking to painting and cooking. It has 14 sleek ships in Europe and one on the Mekong, and charters high-end ships for Nile and Peruvian Amazon cruises. 

One guest said: ‘The customer service is superb.’ It also scored highly for food and drink – sparkling wine with breakfast, beer and wine with meals, and a daily happy hour are included. 

Should I book with Avalon Waterways? It’s pricey, but it has interesting excursions, good food and great service

Browse river cruises with Avalon Waterways

Shearings: the worst river cruise line

It’s not the first time the company – best known for its escorted coach tours – has been at the bottom of our table. Shearings reserves blocks of cabins on European river boats, and it drives customers from across the UK to their embarkation point and back home from their final port of call.

It’s one of the cheapest brands in our table, but guests have to fork out extra for drinks, excursions and tips – perhaps going some way to explain why it scores only two stars for value for money. 

Passengers were unimpressed by the facilities on board, while cabins and meals (described by one guest as ‘a bit school dinners’) tended to be mediocre.

Should I book with Shearings?  Don’t be tempted by the relatively low headline price – you’ll have a better time with any other cruise line.

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