See the World on a River Cruise

Many tour customers also enjoy river cruises, which are offered in some of the most popular tour destinations. Below are summaries about the most popular rivers to cruise, from the Rhine in Europe to the Mississippi in the U.S. and the Nile in Egypt. River cruising is an easy and relaxing way to explore new places. Guests travel on intimate, comfortable ships with great food and personalized service and see the sights with expert guides.

Vacations To Go offers a huge variety of river cruise itineraries, plus every discount, deal and special promotion available. Below are brief summaries of the top rivers in the world, starting with those in Europe. Click any link to see money-saving offers and to search for a river cruise.

Rhine River -- View rolling vineyards and storybook villages while sailing on one of Europe's most popular rivers. The stretch in Germany known as the Upper Middle Rhine is particularly scenic, home to more than 40 castles.

Danube River -- Flowing east from Germany's Black Forest, the Danube offers a chance to explore Old World cities like Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.

Douro River -- Learn about Portugal's wine region on a cruise of the Douro. Stop at Porto, a longtime center for the port wine trade, and the 12th-century village of Castelo Rodrigo. The capital city of Lisbon is featured on many itineraries.

Seine River -- These trips typically start in Paris with a day or two of sightseeing, then head west to locales like Richard the Lionheart's stronghold in Les Andelys and Le Havre, where passengers can set out for D-Day landing sites along the beaches of Normandy.

Saone and Rhone rivers -- Itineraries in southern France usually combine these two rivers. During the Saone portion, the ship meanders through the Burgundy region, while the Rhone River runs south through Provence to the Mediterranean coast.

Dutch and Belgian waterways -- These cruises often take place in the spring when fields of colorful tulips are in bloom. Itineraries usually include 80-acre Keukenhof gardens, the windmills of Kinderdijk and the sights of Amsterdam and Antwerp.

Bordeaux waterways -- Ships navigate the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and the Gironde estuary in southwestern France, visiting famed wine-producing towns like Saint-Emilion, Pauillac and Sauternes.

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Mississippi River -- Mississippi sailings explore one of America's true historic treasures: a 2,320-mile waterway that flows through 10 states. Itineraries stop at cities that flourished on the river and its tributaries, like St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans.

Columbia River -- These itineraries incorporate sights in Oregon and Washington and offer an abundance of history, natural beauty and wildlife. Visit the Bonneville Dam, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and locales associated with explorers Lewis and Clark.

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Nile River -- Marvel at some of Egypt's most famous antiquities, such as Abu Simbel, where colossal sculptures dwarf visitors, and Luxor Temple, built more than 3,000 years ago. Nile sailings are often combined with land tours that include a stay in Cairo and an excursion to the Pyramids at Giza.

Mekong River -- Bustling cities, rural villages and sacred shrines like the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh are part of Mekong River trips through Cambodia and Vietnam. Many itineraries visit the ornate stone structures of Angkor Archaeological Park.

Ganges River -- Stops along India's sacred river include the artisans' village of Matiari and the sandstone temples of Baranagar. Itineraries might also feature hotel stays in Jaipur, called the "Pink City" for its rose-hued buildings, and Agra, where you'll see the magnificent Taj Mahal.

Amazon River -- Photograph orchids, giant lilies and rainforests as well as monkeys, sloths and toucans on this South American waterway. Ships cruise the Lower Amazon in Brazil or the Upper Amazon tributaries in Peru.