RIVER TRIPS · RIVER SIGHTSEEING CRUISES IN GERMANY
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 river sightseeing cruises in Germany justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Spend 90 minutes on Dresden’s Elbe River, passing three riverside palaces, the Loschwitz villa quarter, and four bridges, including the Blue Wonder. Choose an open deck or warm indoor seating, listen to German and English commentary, and buy drinks, snacks, or meals onboard.
“Had a wonderful time! Kid friendly and great service.”
From Eiserner Steg, choose a 50-minute cruise toward Griesheim or Offenbach, or take the 100-minute round trip for both sides of Frankfurt. You’ll see the financial district, Sachsenhausen, museum embankment, river pubs, and Gerbermühle, with recorded English and German commentary.
“The boat was very clean, the audio was very clear and understandable, and the table services was efficient.”
Sail from Düsseldorf’s Rheinuferpromenade for one hour, passing views of the Old Town, riverbanks, city ruins, and areas such as Medienhafen. You’ll hear English and German commentary by loudspeaker, with snacks and drinks available onboard. Arrive early for the best outdoor seats.
“Nice wee cruise did 1 hour sat upstairs with a beer”
Cruise the Neckar River from pier 5 for 50 minutes, passing beneath Heidelberg’s Old Bridge, viewing the hilltop castle, Philosophenweg, riverside villas, and town hall. German announcements are advertised, though English and French recordings are also available. Your booking includes a drink, with mulled wine in winter.
“The tour was awesome! Ty e kids had a lot of fun. The tour was in German, English, and French. I had over paid and they refunded me when we got there. Closest public parking is by the Kongress building. Short 5 minute walk from the tour.”
Spend four hours on a sightseeing boat from Bonn’s Alten Zoll to Linz and back. You’ll pass Bonn’s former government quarter, Königswinter, Drachenfels, Bad Honnef, and Remagen’s Bridge of Remagen, with time for drinks and food on board.
Board at Koblenz’s Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer for a 70-minute Rhine cruise past Deutsches Eck, Niederwerth, Vallendar, Lahneck Castle, the Electoral Palace, and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. You get speaker commentary, Old Town views, and a relaxed return to the city center.
“personeel was erg vriendelijk, korte vaart heen en weer op de rijn met uitleg over de historie van oude gebouwen is niet erg spannend.”
Cruise the Rhine from central Cologne aboard a clean, air-conditioned sightseeing boat. See Cologne Cathedral, Hohenzollern Bridge, Old Town, and the Chocolate Museum while an English audio commentary explains the city’s past. Choose a daytime sailing, or upgrade to a two-hour evening cruise for illuminated views.
“This was the first tour of Cologne that we took after arriving jet-lagged. It was perfect. We found it relaxing to sit on the upper deck and get a brief overview of the city. It’s a good way to learn the lay of the land when you first arrive. The drinks and food service was friendly and attentive.”
Join Reederei Lüdicke at Lindenufer in Spandau for a 3.5-hour sightseeing cruise through Berlin’s canals and Spree River. You’ll pass Charlottenburg Palace, Bellevue Palace, the Reichstag, Museum Island, and the government quarter while listening to live German commentary. The boat has toilets and full onboard amenities.
Join Gilles Rheinschifffahrt at Koblenz Bridge 2 for a one-hour cruise along the Rhine Castle Trail. Hear German or English commentary, see the Electoral Palace, Lahneck, Stolzenfels, Deutsches Eck, Johanneskloster, and Allerheiligenkapelle, then return by boat.
You’ll spend about an hour on the Spree with Reederei BWSG, passing Museum Island, the Reichstag, Hauptbahnhof, the Chancellery, and the House of World Cultures. Seating is covered, drinks are available for purchase, and recorded German and English commentary accompanies the route.
“We had a great time on this tour! We found the one hour length to be perfect for us. Our boat was very nice and had a bar on board with delicious, well-prices drinks. The bathrooms were not operational on our trip, but we were warned of this in advance so this was not an issue. The server was very friendly, and the recorded English and German audio broadcast complemented the route well. This was a highlight of our time in Berlin.”
Join KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH for a two-hour evening cruise from Bonn’s KD Ticket Office. Watch the Opera House, Alter Zoll, Villa Hammerschmidt, Langer Eugen, and Post Tower appear in the dusk while a DJ provides lounge music. Food and drinks are available to buy on board.
Set out from Koblenz on La Paloma for a one-hour Rhine cruise past Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, Deutsches Eck, the Electoral Palace, Lahneck Castle, and Stolzenfels Castle. German and English commentary, a lift-free open deck, onboard drinks, dogs, and wheelchair access with advance notice shape the experience.
“Die Wartezeit zum Onboarding war sehr lange. Es hätte gereicht um 15.40 dort zu sein. Statt wie angegeben 15.15h”
Spend 90 minutes aboard the John Franklin, cruising from Alt-Moabit past Berlin’s government district, Bundestag, Museum Island, Cathedral, Hauptbahnhof, Futurium, and the TV Tower. Sit on the lounge-style upper deck, buy drinks and snacks, or use the heated cabin in poor weather. No audio guide is provided.
“Die Fahrt an sich war gut. Leider war nur die hälfte der Karte bestellbar, und leider unter den Erwartungen geblieben. Die Kommunikation bezüglich was alles im VIP Ticket enthalten ist kam erst zum Schluss (also deutlich zu spät).Essen kam wie im Supermarkt über abgepackte Waren, die man selbst öffnen durfte. Alles in allem für VIP Tickets für knapp 100€ nicht den Preis Wert. Schade ☹️”
Join Personenschifffahrt MS Goldstück in Alken for a 90-minute round-trip cruise on the Moselle. You will pass Burg Thurant, Löf, Brodenbach, Hatzenport, steep Riesling vineyards, and Burg Bischofstein. Commentary covers the sights, and wine and other drinks are available to buy with cash.
“Ballade agréable sous le soleil. Un audio guide en différentes langues serait un plus”
Cruise central Berlin for about an hour, passing the Humboldt Forum, Nikolaiviertel, Berlin Cathedral, the TV Tower, Central Station, and the Government District. You board at Friedrichstraße, use a smartphone ticket, and may have an onboard audio guide. English is offered.
“We booked on this trip only to arrive and learn that it had been cancelled. It is showing as a past trip and I have been asked for a review by Viator despite contacting them to tell them it was cancelled. They have not responded to my messages”
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