River Cruises from New Zealand

Early Booking promotions can often include a Fly/Free promotion up to a certain dollar value. The river cruise line choose your airline and control the flight bookings, which can be quite restricted if you are wanting to plan stopovers or extensions to your trip either side of the river cruise. Many cruiselines will give you the option of taking a flight credit value instead. This is a much better option for Kiwis as we usually plan to stay away longer than just the river cruise, so require more flexible options to fit in our travel plans

The Fly/Free or flight credit promotions are often the best deals of the year. Solo travellers should also look out for No or Low Solo supplements which are also very popular

River cruise ships dimensions are restricted by the length and width of the locks on the river and are also restricted on height, as they pass under many low bridges

River cruise ships are smaller taking around 130-190 guests, so less people to share the cost vs often thousands of guests on an ocean ship. Also river cruises tend to have more included in the fare compared to an Ocean cruise

Most River cruise offers include your accommodation, all main meals, usually wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, onboard wifi, gratuities and a shore excursion at each stop. Inclusions can vary by brand, talk to our River cruise specialists for advice and exact details

Yes, River cruises are well known for great food and fresh flavours, with a focus on the regions where they travel. As river ships do not have long periods of time away from towns or cities, they continually take onboard fresh produce during the cruise

Many River cruise lines now offer active options which can include hiking, biking or even kayaking at your different stops. If you are particularly active, talk to our cruise specialists, who can suggest the best options to suit. Note evening entertainment is pretty low key and will usually include a local cultural show, musician or an enrichment talk. Don’t expect Broadway shows or all-night Disco’s

If the season is unusually hot, the water levels in certain rivers can run low. This may mean the river ships are unable to navigate certain portions of the river. When this happens, most river cruise lines will arrange alternate plans to coach you between low water areas. Or they may even swap you to a sister ship on the same river, so you can continue your journey beyond the low water problem areas.

If the season is unusually wet, the river levels can become too high for the river ships to safely pass under low bridges. When this happens, most cruiselines will arrange alternate plans to coach you between high water areas. Or they may even swap you to a sister ship on the same river, so you can continue your journey beyond the high water problem areas.

It is Highly unlikely to experience sea sickness on a River cruise, as unlike Oceans the Rivers do not usually experience swell or waves. If you do suffer from motion sickness when you travel, ensure you bring your regular medication or motion bands with you.

All our river cruise prices are updated regularly, note that Cruise availability can change quickly.. To check live availability, select a river cruise, enter number of guests and click search to display live pricing and current offers.

Check your passport is up to date, with at least 6 months validity at the end of your trip. Any visas if applicable are the travellers responsibility