REFINEMENT AT WATER’S EDGE

If you want to see the true soul and personality of a country, head into its heart. Our River Collection meanders into the center of fascinating cultures, grand palaces, acclaimed museums, historic sites, and quaint cafes and boutiques. Nurse a mint julep along the Mississippi, a bold glass of Cabernet along the Gironde, a dry Chardonnay on the Seine, or a sweet Riesling on the Danube. Watch a native dance in an African village on the Chobe, ride a jetboat through a canyon on the Snake River, sail through the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze, and gaze at castles and fortresses in along the Rhine. Ride a bike through Ghent, explore the Great Pyramid of Giza, and tour Avignon’s Papal Palace. Attend a pasta-making workshop in Bologna, discover the roots of Protestantism in Wittenberg, spoon caviar onto your blini pancakes along the Volga, and ride an oxcart through Kampong Tralach. The world is but a canvas on which your imagination can paint.

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EUROPE

DANUBE RIVER

Germany / Austria / Czech Republic / Slovakia / Hungary / Serbia / Croatia / Bulgaria / Romania

One of the great rivers of Europe, the Danube is the second longest on the continent and flows through 9 countries. Walk in the footsteps of history in the medieval Bavarian streets of Nuremburg, buy a local trinket at the market in the center of Vilshofen, and admire the Gothic and Italian Baroque wonders of Passau. Explore the contrast between modern glass and steel buildings and the traditional architecture of Linz, visit the amazingly preserved medieval Czech town of Cesky Krumlov and sing in joy at the sounds of Salzburg’s musical legacy, birthplace of Mozart. Explore the winding mountain roads of the Austrian Lake District, visit the glorious Benedictine Abbey at Melk, buy some apricot liqueur, and stroll the cobbled streets of Dürnstein. Enjoy an after-dinner wine tasting in Weissenkirchen, hike up to Bratislava Castle, and learn how to prepare stuffed potato ravioli from a local chef. In Vienna, bike through Donaupark and ride to Klosterneuburg Monastery, or discover the elegance of Vienna at its storied Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall, Vienna University, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben, and the renowned Spanish Riding School. Save your energy for Budapest with its spectacular views from Matthias Church, Buda Castle, and Fisherman’s Bastion. Visit intriguing Belgrade, and enjoy a Yugoslav Civil War tour of Vukovar followed by a trip to Vidin Castle in Bulgaria. A Danube cruise is a classic journey into the heart of Europe.

RHINE RIVER

Germany / The Netherlands / France / Switzerland

DORDOGNE, GARONNE, GIRONDE, MOSELLE, RHÔNE, SAÔNE AND SEINE RIVERS

France

ELBE AND MAIN RIVERS

Germany / Czech Republic

Many cruises on the Elbe begin in magnificent Berlin and end in beguiling Prague. Along the way, tour a palace built by Prussian king Frederick the Great, discover the roots of Protestantism in Wittenberg at Martin Luther’s House and St. Marien’s Church, and learn how porcelain has been made by hand in Meissen since the early 1700s. Comb through Frauenkirche in Dresden, rebuilt after the bombings in World War II, and in the Green Vault view a stunning array of precious gemstones. Cruise among the other-worldly rock formations of the Saxon Switzerland region, visit Hradčany Castle in Prague and admire the glass dome atop the rebuilt Reichstag in Berlin. Though often incorporated as part of a Rhine or Danube cruise, the Main River has its own glittering cultural pearls, such as the famed 13th century Leaning Tower in Kitzingen and the Residenz Palace and gardens in Würzburg.

LOW COUNTRY WATERWAYS

The Netherlands / Belgium

Cruise the protected Dutch bay of Ijsselmeer, visit a tulip farm, watch authentic working windmills in action or see a replica of Henry Hudson’s 17th century ship, the Half Moon, in Hoorn. Tour the battlefields featured in the epic war movie A Bridge Too Far in Arnhem or admire the second largest Van Gogh collection in the world at the Kröller Müller Museum. In Antwerp, see Antwerp Castle, Grote Market, Brabo Fountain and Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens’ house, and then taste an array of Belgian chocolates and waffles. Ride a bike through Ghent to the Castle of Counts and pick up some hand painted blue pottery in Delft. In Kinderdijk, Holland’s greatest grouping of 18th century windmills is picture postcard perfect, and in Amsterdam, the attic that hid Anne Frank is inspiring, while the upscale Joordaan district is awash with cafes and boutiques.

DOURO RIVER

Portugal / Spain

PO RIVER

Italy

NEVA, SVIR, AND VOLGA RIVERS

Russia

Walk across the vast expanse of Red Square, gaze at the crenellated walls of the Kremlin, and ride subways with stations so ornate they appear to be museums. Onion-domed cathedrals abound in Russia’s capital but the best views of Uglich, founded in 1148, are from your ship on the Volga River. Learn the legend of Prince Yaroslavl the Wise of Kiev, who established his namesake town more than a thousand years ago. Tour Kuzino’s fabled Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and stride among the buildings of Ishi’s Open Air Museum of Architecture. Spoon caviar on to your blini pancakes and discover the legacy of Communism with a visit to a Soviet-era kommunalka.

AMERICA

COLUMBIA RIVER

United States

ILLINOIS RIVER

United States

This narrow river is like stepping back in time to the days of Mark Twain, especially when the sun sets behind your riverboat and sparkles off the rippled waters. Experience living history at the Beardstown Courthouse, where a young Abe Lincoln practiced law and the famed Lincoln-Douglas debate was held in 1858. Tour a winery in Grafton and pick up some handcrafted gifts. The Peoria Riverfront Museum is just steps from your riverboat landing, and the struggles of slaves feel all too real during a tour of the John Hossack House, an important station on the Underground Railroad in Ottawa that ushered tens of thousands of souls to freedom.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER (LOWER)

United States

Feel like a Southern belle or gentleman when you’re sipping a mint julep on the porch of the Oak Alley antebellum plantation house or a sweet tea on the verdant grounds of Houmas House. Visit both the old and new state capitols in stately Baton Rouge and relive the strategies and tragedies of the Civil War Battle of Vicksburg or learn the history of Popeye in Chester. Look for Elvis at Graceland in Memphis, listen to jazz on the famed Bourbon Street of New Orleans or stroll the picturesque oak-lined streets of Natchez.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER (UPPER)

United States

St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch will put you on top of the world, while Hannibal reminds you of the days of Huck and Tom as you visit Mark Twain’s boyhood home. Visit the Smithsonian-affiliated Mississippi River Museum where you can increase your knowledge of Dubuque’s early river commerce, discover creative works at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, or view three states from the towering Grandad Bluff. Local talent is on display at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in LaCrosse, and the awe-inspiring Cathedral of St. Paul, a beaux-arts wonder, is reminiscent of St. Peter’s in Rome.

OHIO RIVER

United States

The John James Audubon Museum in Henderson displays the world’s largest collection of Audubon artifacts and art. Enjoy viewing the convergence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers and a sparkling city view from Mount Washington before you marvel at the  variety of birds in the National Aviary, or watch the ponies run at famed Churchill Downs in Louisville. See how to hit it out of the park at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, then learn about a boxing legend at the Muhammad Ali Center. Marvel at Cincinnati’s art deco Union Terminal and visit the many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in the scenic valley village of Madison.

RED RIVER

United States

In Alexandria, visit Kent Plantation house, a classic example of French Colonial architecture, and in Shreveport, wander amongst the impressive collection of military aircraft at the Barksdale Global Power Museum. As Louisiana’s oldest settlement, Natchitoches will reward you with authentic European and Creole flavors, and with landmarks like the Kaffie-Frederick Mercantile Store–the oldest general store in Louisiana–as well as the filming sites of the much-loved movie Steel Magnolias.

TENNESSEE AND CUMBERLAND RIVERS

United States

Stomp your feet and clap your hands at the Grand Ole Opry or at any of the many live music venues in Nashville. Near lively Chattanooga, you can view seven states from Lookout Mountain, home to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Continue your look back at the Civil war at Shiloh Battlefield, where more than 111,000 Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in one of the most legendary battles of the war, leaving casualties numbering near 24,000. In Florence, learn where musical artists like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and The Osmonds laid down their tracks at the iconic FAME recording studios.

ASIA

MEKONG RIVER

Vietnam / Cambodia

IRRAWADDY RIVER

Myanmar

In this magical land, once known as Burma, discover “The Golden Land.”  The sun glints off the oldest pagoda in the world, the Shwedagon Pagoda, in Yangon, better known by its former name of Rangoon. The golden Buddha in Mandalay’s Mahamuni Pago is equally stunning. Explore the archaeological wonders of medieval Bagan, watch silversmiths ply their trade in Sagaing, meet local farmers in the village of Shwe Pyi Thar. Along this remarkable river, monks, artisans, and children help personalize your experience. Here, you’re more than a traveler – you become part of the family.

LI AND YANGTZE RIVERS

China

See the past collide with the future in Shanghai, where towering skyscrapers loom over traditional markets. Hear the chiming of the bronze bells at the Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, and visit a local elementary school in Jingzhou. Sail through the magnificent cliffs, misty forests and rock formations of the Three Gorges and then tour the mighty Three Gorges Dam before your ship ascends the five sets of locks. Visit the 12-story Shibaozhai Temple built in 1650 and, in Beijing, be the envy of friends and family with a walk along the Great Wall and a tour of Tiananmen Square.

GANGES RIVER

India

India is an exotic blend of colorful textiles, aromatic spices, bustling streets and magnificent monuments. Discover the devotion of the Hindu god Shiva at the Rajbari Temples, and devotion of a more earthly sort in Kolkata, where Mother Teresa changed thousands of lives. The imposing memorial to Mahatma Gandhi is a reminder of the spirit of peace, while the iconic architecture of Agra’s Taj Mahal is a symphony in marble to the enduring power of love. From the tomb of Emperor Humayun in Delhi to the exotic Pink City of Jaipur, India and her great river, the Ganges, will forever flow through your heart.

AFRICA

CHOBE AND ZAMBEZI RIVERS

Botswana / South Africa / Zimbabwe / Tanzania

NILE RIVER

Egypt

There is history and then there is ancient history. Everywhere you go along the Nile, the ghosts of the past are your guides. The ruins of the Temple of Karnak tower toward the sky and the Temple of Luxor beguiles you with its intricate entrance. The legendary Valley of the Kings containing Egypt’s god-like royalty are a fascinating glimpse into a long-forgotten culture. Share the river with quaint feluccas, a traditional style of sailboat, and discover the birth of feminism at the Temple of Hatshepsut, which honors the land’s first female ruler. But for all its wonders, the sight that will remain indelibly etched in your mind is the Sphinx crouching like a feline sentinel in the shadows of the pyramids soaring above the Giza Plateau like alien calling cards.