Why You Should Take a Disney River Cruise in France

Table Of Content

• Browse Ports of Call
• Kids programming aboard ABD river cruises
• Adventures by Disney River Cruise Offerings Expanding with New Holland and Belgium River Cruises in 2025
• Review: Adventures by Disney/AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise
• Seine River Cruise
• All About the Bordeaux Cruise Port
• What to Know About Charter-Only Transcend Cruises

The vessels often host a mix of passengers from Europe and the United States, and announcements are in German and English. This is another way to immerse younger travelers in the destination and expose them to other languages and cultures. Prices start at $1,500 for a one-week sailing, with discounted prices for kids (including those under 15 sailing for free on select departures).

Browse Ports of Call

Of course, anyone could skip excursions at any time to enjoy the ship’s pool, gym and lounge. There were also opportunities to stay onboard while the ship repositioned from Bratislava, Slovakia, to Vienna and from Passau to Vilshofen, Germany. By the time we disembarked, our family agreed that an Adventures by Disney river cruise was not only kid-friendly, but adult-friendly too. My two sons were always on the sophisticated side, yet I never considered taking them on a river cruise because I was told they were “kid-unfriendly.” But times have changed. Recently, my sons (now in their 20s) and I sailed on a Danube River cruise with Adventures by Disney and AmaWaterways, and our only regret was not doing it sooner.

Kids programming aboard ABD river cruises

There may be the odd excursion that’s off limits to a wheelchair user, but the ships themselves are almost fully available. A guest who was entirely wheelchair bound would not be able access the sundeck, a key feature of the ship. The chef’s table on the AmaViola is advertised for guests 18-and-up only. Given our previous experience on DCL, it didn’t even occur to me that my 16 year old twins could dine there. Without us asking, the ship’s crew offered to have them join us at our chef’s table experience.

Adventures by Disney River Cruise Offerings Expanding with New Holland and Belgium River Cruises in 2025

She's been to WDW, DL, DL Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Aulani, DVC Vero Beach, and DVC Hilton Head. She's a Platinum DCL cruiser and veteran of 10 Adventures by Disney trips. Erin lives near New York City, where she can often be found indulging in her other obsession - Broadway theater. The television stations included CNN, BBC News, a few general entertainment channels, and some international sports channels. There were movies on demand in English, French, German, and Spanish, but the selection was limited to a few dozen classics and recent releases.

European River Cruises Info: Where they Sail, Cruise Lines to Consider, and More

They do suggest, however, that a child is 8 years old for a river cruise sailing with ABD. Generally speaking, many river cruise lines have a minimum age requirement of 16 or 18 years old to sail with them. Often, these river cruises are considered “adults-only,” whether officially or unofficially. Adventures by Disney offers seven river cruises, each with its own itinerary and price.

Review: Adventures by Disney/AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise

Adventures by Disney to Launch New Holland and Belgium River Cruises in 2025 - Travel Market Report

Adventures by Disney to Launch New Holland and Belgium River Cruises in 2025.

Posted: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

On most DCL sailings, you’ll have a selection of several dozen port excursions to choose from. With the AbD river cruise, the maximum number of offerings during any daypart was four. On that particular afternoon, guests could choose from a long bike ride of about 30 miles, a short bike ride of about 8 miles, a three mile hike to a historical site, or a wine tasting and tour of a working apricot farm. (Team wine tasting for me!) Most of the time there were only two options during any daypart – Sound of Music tour or Salt Mine tour, for example. You are always welcome to ditch the group and arrange your own activity, but again, the pre-arranged excursions are already included in your cost, so few people ventured off to spend additional money on their own. Families with younger kids will love the German-owned cruise line A-Rosa with activities designed to match the ages of the kids on any particular sailing.

Seine River Cruise

Overall, I found the river cruise food to be fresher, more flavorful, and more carefully prepared than on any DCL trip I’ve experienced. I’d compare the quality of the main dining room food on the river cruise to be that of the adults-only Palo on DCL. A key feature for many families choosing Disney Cruise Line is the dedicated child care centers and kids clubs. The Small World and Flounders’ Reef Nurseries, and the Oceaneer, Edge, and Vibe kids’ spaces are cherished parts of the cruising experience for many Disney Cruise Line Guests.

All About the Bordeaux Cruise Port

You will find that they accommodated multigenerational itineraries perhaps more than any other cruise line. And some of their cabins can connect with a door between the two like a lot of hotel rooms (or again, like Disney Cruise Line, offers) which is unusual for a river cruise ship. But unlike DCL, Adventures by Disney (ABD) River Cruises are on much smaller ships and they don't have their own fleet. Instead, they partner with AmaWaterways to offer Adventures by Disney on river cruises in Europe. Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has their own line of cruise ships that thousands of passengers can enjoy, per sailing.

What to Know About Charter-Only Transcend Cruises

At the end-of-trip karaoke night, the bond between the kids and their guides was evident in the hugs and tears shared over croaky notes and raucous laughter. There are 22 departures throughout the year across eight itineraries, all of which sail for seven nights and eight days. Three of the more classic European river cruises are explorations of the Seine in France; the Rhine across France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands; and the Danube through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. On both the Rhine and the Danube, Adventures by Disney is running family-friendly Christmas market cruises and adults-only gourmand cruises, including food and wine on the Rhine and Oktoberfest on the Danube. Set your kids free on an ocean cruise liner and you’ll be lucky to find them again before you disembark.

The brand-new 280-passenger A-Rosa Sena, which launched in 2022, is leading a new wave in family river cruising. It features family cabins with space for up to five people, a dedicated kids’ pool, and a full kids’ club with slides, mini climbing wall, ample games, reading nooks, and arts and crafts activities. The minimum age is two and kids need to be four to be able to access the kids’ club.

It’s all but inevitable that you’ll be interacting with other guests throughout the day. The AbD guides also work to engage guests in conversation and will attempt to facilitate guest interaction. The Adventures by Disney river cruises are run as a partnership with AmaWaterways.

During your voyage to and from Paris, you’ll make stops in Les Andelys, Le Havre, Rouen, Vernon, Giverny, and Conflans as you explore picturesque France. Travelers will create lasting memories on this very merry river cruise adventure. This adult-exclusive tour is the perfect way to relax and unwind in some of the most scenic regions of Europe. You’ll visit world-famous breweries, award-winning wineries, and local pubs and experience world-class culinary delights. If you’re looking for one of the best Adventures by Disney itineraries for beer-drinkers, you’ll want to check out their Oktoberfest cruise along the Danube River. For more information about this or any other Disney Adventures river cruise, we encourage you to contact The Vacationeer.

The partnership, which began with only seven sailings in 2016, has continued to prove successful, with 14 Adventures by Disney family river cruises on the Danube, Rhine and Seine rivers in 2024, including special holiday itineraries. Also be aware that the drinking age for beer and wine is 16 in most of the river cruise destinations. On the ship itself, the servers generally refrained from pouring drinks for guests under age 18, but all bets were off on excursions. At every excursion that involved alcohol (which was many of them), they were routinely offered the same beverages as the adults.

And there are no overly formal nights, so packing is made simple, and parents aren’t fussing over kids who really want to play, not dress in clothes they can’t get messy. If you're a family of two children and two adults, for example, an ABD river cruise can easily cost close to $20,000, before airfare. An ABD river cruise cost is all-inclusive of many things, but the price does not include airfare. You won't find an Oceaneer Club for kids onboard ABD river cruises like you would on a DCL ocean ship. Yet there is some special programming geared towards kids, some of which we mentioned above.

Every guest family meets with a guide on embarkation day to choose activities, and they’ll make room for everyone who wants to participate. During my sailing, several guests easily switched from a primarily outdoor activity to an indoor one because of predicted rain. Each river cruise itinerary is different, but all of them offer the opportunity to explore the cities you’re visiting together—either as part of an organized tour or to head out on your own, with just your crew.

At the Chocolate Museum in Cologne, Germany, chocolate sampling becomes a create-your-own chocolate bar activity. In Strasbourg, France, macaron cookie ingredients magically transform into fine delicacies as guests become baking experts. We love that Disney Cruise Line is great for kids, but we really appreciate that they've also considered what Disney Cruise Line is like for adults, sailing without kids, too.