Rhone River Cruise Prices 2020 is the first of a series of comparison charts and articles featuring nine European River Cruises offered by 10 world class river cruise lines. Each post in the series will feature two separate charts, one for summer peak pricing and one for the autumn season.
Comparison charts serve as a guide and attempt to answer: What is the price for an entry-level and upgrade cabin; what’s included Rhone River cruise; what Rhone river cruise incentives are there for 2020?
The goal is to provide a True Per Diem for each cruise. The charts answer the questions: What is a Rhone river cruise going to cost me and how does the cruise I am looking at compare to Rhone river cruises offered by other companies?
The charts in this post focus on seven-night/eight-day Rhône cruises for two in Southern France, operating between Burgundy and the Provence region. Rhone river cruises are a bit of a misnomer in that ships may cruise on both the Rhone and Saone rivers. The confluence of those two rivers is in Lyon. Some river cruises leave Lyon to cruise up the Saone as far as Chalon-sur-Saone, a city at the entrance to France’s famed Dijon region. Other river cruisers, such as CroisiEurope, may begin their itinerary in Chalon-sur-Saone.
The Saône River begins in the Vosges department (county) near the border of Germany and ends in Lyon where it meets the Rhône. The Saône is connected to a few other waterways that are often traveled by river barge boats. About 16 miles southeast of Dijon, the Saone joins the Burgundy Canal in the city of Saint-Jean. And the Canal du Centre links the Loire River to the Saône. The Seine river and Saône river are also connected through a couple of different waterways – the Yonne River and the Burgundy Canal. Smaller vessels can travel between the Seine and Saône rivers.
Most of the cruises on the Rhone, however, operate between Lyon, France and Arles or Avignon. Some river cruises embark or disembark in Port Saint Louis, on the Mediterranean Sea. Others begin or stop in Tarascon, between Avignon and Arles.
Rhone river cruises travel through the historic and romantic wine region with guided shore excursions to Roman Ruins, castles, and cathedrals. The itineraries include opportunities to enjoy local cuisine, wines and cheeses. If you need to convince your spouse to cruise this region of France, see the movie “At Eternity’s Gate” about Vincent van Gogh, who lived in Arles for 14 months. In addition, you can read Ralph Grizzle’s article on River Cruise Advisor, In Search Of Van Gogh: Ashore In Arles
Here are a few things that we enjoy about Rhone river cruises.
- Provencal and Bourgogne Beauty. Rhône River cruises typically sail between Lyon and Avignon or Arles, taking in the gorgeous landscapes of Burgundy and Provence.
- Pont du Gard. The iconic bridge crossing the Gardon River is one of the best-preserved legacies of ancient Roman architecture in France.
- Bicycling. We’ve enjoyed cycling along the Rhône and Saône rivers though the wine-producing region of Beaujolais and along the Île de la Barthelasse across from the city of Avignon.
- Arles. Perhaps best-known for its incredible Roman monuments and the fact that the impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh lived here from 1888 to 1889.
- Wonderful Wines. Rhône River cruises typically visit the wine-producing regions of Beaujolais and Chateauneuf du Pape.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Pope’s Palace in Avignon and Pont du Gard.
A Rhone river cruise serves up the very best of France, mixing heritage and history with the country’s ever-present charm and beauty. Check out our videos Riverside Chat Episode 2: Rhone River Cruises | Video: A Cruise On France’s Rhone River With AmaWaterways
Most of the cruise lines offer an included shore excursion each day. Some cruise lines offer differing levels of activity or an extra excursion for an extra fee. One example, Emerald waterways offers three levels of excursions:
- Active, which includes guided walking/hiking and biking tours;
- Plus, which is centered around food and wine tastings, chef hosted dining experiences and the like.
- DiscoverMore, are excursions that cost extra. For example, on the Rhone, Avalon offers guided tours to Pont du Gard or to Cannes.
For examples of excursions and itineraries offered by Avalon, we recommend the helpful and informative podcast Avid Travel With Britton Frost – Pam Hoffee, Avalon Waterways
River Cruise Advisor published price comparison charts for European River cruises in 2019. The price comparison charts for European River Cruising 2020 are updates with a few additions. We have added embarkation and disembarkation ports, the square footage of upgrade cabins and per diems for the upgraded staterooms.
This year we researched Autumn for shoulder season 2020, whereas we used Spring for the 2019 charts. The information in the article for 2020 pricing also includes single and mobility limited cabin details, if the cruise line websites made that information readily accessible.
The prices in the chart are based on double occupancy. The upgrade costs for a cabin with a french balcony are per person. The value of the incentive is broken down per day, per person. True per diem will include the savings of incentives/discounts offered at the time of research as well as the imputed value of items that are not included.
Prices and details reflect information available at the time of research. Cruise lines offer varying incentives with differing time limits or deadlines, and it is best to check with a travel agent or the cruise company’s website. The incentives that are included in the charts were current at the time they were compiled and may no longer apply or there may be a new special offer.
Notable Observations
Some noteworthy observations were made when researching the cruises for these chart, which were completed on March 31, 2019.
An Avalon Rhone River cruise on Poetry II in 2020 is about $200 less than the same cruise offered in 2019. Avalon also offers $1,000 savings per couple for this cruise and the single supplement is waived. Guests pay the port fees of $182 per person. Gratuities on board are not included and we selected an average about $18 per day per person for tipping the staff; however, that is to the discretion of each guest. Sparkling wine is included with breakfast. Wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner. Complimentary bottled water, coffee and espresso drinks are available throughout the day.
In 2020, an Amawaterways Rhone River Cruise on AmaCello is $100 more than it was in 2019. Amawaterways offers $500 savings per cabin for this cruise. Port charges and fees of $182 are extra. Sparkling wine is included with breakfast. Wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner. Sip & Sail Cocktail Hour offers complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks prior to dinner. Complimentary bottled water, coffee and espresso drinks are available throughout the day. In researching staterooms for this cruise we discovered that AmaCello has two 140 square foot single cabins with french balconies.
On CroisiEurope, port charges are included. The ship, Van Gogh has single occupancy and mobility impaired accessible cabins; however, these were fully booked for the Rhone river on the date we researched. There are no laundry facilities aboard the ship. All beverages are included, with the exception of premium brands.
Emerald’s Rhone river cruise for summer 2020 is $100 less than the 2019 summer cruise. Emerald currently offers a savings of $500 per couple for the 2020 summer Rhone River cruise. Port charges and fees are included. Emerald discloses on its website that $575 of the cruise price is factored in toward gratuities for staff on board the ship. Beer and wine are included with lunch and dinner.
Riviera has solo cabins available for the cruise listed on the chart. Even though Riviera quotes the single cabin as the same price as a double cabin, the U.K.-based river cruise company also advertises that the single supplement has been waived for select cruises. So it’s worth checking out on Riviera’s website. Port charges and fees are included. This cruise is $170 more for 2020 on Riviera than it was in 2019. Riviera’s drink package remains at $159 per person and guests can also purchase alcoholic beverages a la carte. For reference, Riviera’s drinks packages are tiered: 5-day cruises: $99 per person; 6-day cruises: $109 per person; 8-day cruises: $159 per person; and 15-day cruises: $299 per person.
The peak summer Rhone River cruise with Scenic is all inclusive. In addition, Scenic is offering an airfare special of $395 from select major North American airports. Check Scenic’s website for more details. The average flight from a major U.S. hub is approximately $1,600. So this offer could amount to a $1,200 savings, depending where guests fly from.
A Tauck Rhone River cruise includes two hotel nights, excursions in Paris and a train journey to Lyon, where guests embark on a seven-night cruise. At the time of research, there were no entry level cabins available for this cruise. The pricing reflects Tauck’s Category 4 cabin with balcony at 183 square feet. Tauck is all inclusive. The Category 3 staterooms with private balcony measuring 150 square feet are sold out for this specific cruise listed in the chart. The upgrade price shown is for a Category 4 stateroom with a private balcony, measuring 183 square feet. Tauck advertises on its website that there are no single supplement charges for Category 1 staterooms. Also Tauck offers a savings of $1,000 per cabin on select departures and select cabins. See Tauck’s website for further details.
Uniworld is almost all inclusive, except for port charges and fees of $190 per person. If guests book their cruise before June 30, 2019 and pay in full then they are eligible for 2020 Early booking savings, with a 5 percent discount on Suite category staterooms and 10 percent on all other stateroom categories. This amounts to an $840 discount for a classic cabin, with double occupancy. Uniworld includes Lets Go excursions on their 2020 Rhone River cruises from May to September. These Lets Go excursions for this cruise include kayaking on the Gardon river; vineyard hikes with wine tastings; bike tour of Lyon peninsula; to name a few.
Viking includes port charges and wine and beer with lunch and dinner. For this summer 2020 Rhone River cruise, Viking is offering a $500 per person discount as well as airfare from $799 per person. The airfare discount is from select gateways and amounts to an imputed savings of $900 for a flight. Guests can purchase prepaid gratuities when they book their cruise, or they can tip at the conclusion of the cruise.
Rhone River Cruise Pricing Chart 2020
AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Emerald | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ship | AmaCello | Avalon Poetry II | Van Gogh | Emerald Liberte | William Shakespeare | Scenic Sapphire | Emerald | Catherine | Delling |
Rate | $3,999 | $3,849 | $2,919 | $3,395 | $3,029 | $4,895 | $6,190 | $4,199 | $3,399 |
Sailing Date | June 25, 2020 | June 23, 2020 | June 20,2020 | June 13, 2020 | June 2, 2020 | June 3, 2020 | June 30, 2020 | June 7, 2020 | June 16, 2020 |
Nights | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Itinerary | Colors of Provence | Active Discovery SOBO | Gateway to Provence | Sensations of Lyon & Provence | Burgundy, River Rhone & Provence | Idyllic Rhone | Savoring France | Burgundy & Provence | Lyon & Provence |
Embark/disembark | Lyon-Arles | Lyon-Port Saint Louis | Lyon-Lyon | Arles-Lyon | Lyon-Avignon | Lyon-Tarascon | Paris-Avignon | Avignon-Lyon | Avignon-Lyon |
Cabin Category | Category E | Category D,E | Main Deck | Stateroom E | Romeo lower deck | Standard suite E | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
Square Footage | 170 | 172 | 161 | 170 | 151 | 160 | 150 | 162 | 150 |
Room With A View? | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window |
Per diem | $571 | $550 | $487 | $485 | $433 | $699 | $688 | $600 | $486 |
Port Charges | $26 | $26 | included | Included | Included | Included | Included | $26 | Included |
Gratuities (on ship) | $18 | $18 | $18 | Included | $10 | Included | Included | Included | $18 |
Gratuities (on shore) | $2.50 | included | $2.50 | included | $2.00 | Included | Included | Included | $2.50 |
Beverages | Included | included | Included | included | $22.71 | Included | Included | Included | included |
Laundry | $3 | $3 | n/a | $3 | $3 | Included | $3 | Included | $3 |
Optional Shore Excursions | Included | TBD | Included | included | $12.50 | Included | Included | Included | included |
Current Incentive | $500 | $1,000 | n/a | $500 | n/a | $1,200 | n/a | $840 | $1,400 |
Value of Incentive | $71 | $143 | n/a | $71 | $0 | $171 | n/a | $120 | $200 |
True Per Diem | $549 | $597 | $508 | $417 | $483 | $528 | $691 | $507 | $310 |
Per Diem/Square Foot | $3.23 | $3.47 | $3.16 | $2.45 | $3.20 | $3.30 | $4.61 | $3.13 | $2.07 |
Balcony Upgrade | $999 | $1,149 | $286 | $650 | $520 | $1,145 | $1,150 | $900 | $500 |
Balcony Per Diem | $689 | $714 | $556 | $510 | $557 | $692 | $819 | $636 | $381 |
Upgrade sq. footage | 170 | 200 | 161 | 170 | 161 | 205 | 183 | 194 | 135 |
Upgrade sq. footage per diem | $4.05 | $3.81 | $3.45 | $3.00 | $3.46 | $3.37 | $4.48 | $3.28 | $2.83 |
updated 3/31/2019 |
* Nights - A 7-night river cruise spans 8 days, but one of those days is the disembarkation day. For that reason, the "per diems" are calculated based on the number of "nights" on board. The result is a fairer assessment than calculating the cost per "day."
* Per Diem - The rate divided by the number of nights on board, indicated per person but based on double occupancy. Solo travelers will, in most cases, pay single supplements.
* Gratuities (on ship) - Some companies include gratuities for crew, others leave it to their guests to take care of gratuities.
* Gratuities (on shore) - Just as with crew gratuities, some companies take care of on-shore gratuities for guides and drivers; other companies leave it to their guests.
* Beverages - Nearly all river cruise companies offer complimentary soft drinks, speciality coffees, beer and wine during lunch and dinner. In between mealtimes, though, you'll pay for most beverages when traveling with Avalon, Emerald, Riviera and Viking. Beverages are included on CroisiEurope, Crystal, Scenic, Tauck and Uniworld. AmaWaterways introduced a "Sip & Sail" Happy Hour in 2018, which includes complimentary cocktails before dinner.
* Optional Shore Excursions - All river cruise companies include complimentary excursions in most, if not all, ports of call. However, some companies offer optional shore excursions for a fee. Avalon, Crystal, Emerald, Riviera and Viking are among the companies that offer optional shore excursions.
* Current Incentive (per person) - Riviera does not offer booking incentives. The rest offer a range of incentives, ranging from early-booking savings to two-for-ones and reduced or free air. The incentives are always changing so be sure to check with your travel seller or the cruise company about current offers.
* Value of Incentive (per day/pp) - We've divided the amount of the incentive by the number of nights to arrive at a per-diem value.
* Balcony Upgrade - Nearly all of the entry-level staterooms feature fixed windows. The exception is Crystal, where even entry-level staterooms on its new vessels feature "Panoramic Balcony-Windows" that raise and lower, and basically function like a balcony (except on Mozart, which does have some fixed windows).
Autumn Rhone River Cruise 2020 Price Comparisons
The Autumn Rhone River Cruise 2020 chart compares all the same details that the peak summer season chart compares. The cruises selected sail in late September or October of 2020. The notable observations for each cruise line described above for the Summer chart also apply to the Autumn charts, unless specified otherwise.
Amawaterways is advertising a discount of $1,500 per stateroom for the Autumn 2020 Rhone River cruise in this chart. Amawaterways describes this journey as a Wine Cruise. This special cruise offers wine-related experiences and excursions at no additional price. Wine tastings, tours and presentations are part of the itinerary.
Avalon is offering a savings of $500 per person for its Autumn Rhone River cruise 2020.
CroisiEurope does not have any upgrade cabins with balconies available for its September 2020 cruise on MS Rhone Princess.
Emerald is offering a $500 discount per couple for its Rhone cruise in Autumn of 2020.
Riviera does not discount.
Scenic has the same airfare offer for Autumn and Summer for the Rhone River Cruise in 2020.
Tauck is offering Solo Traveler Savings for its October 2020 Rhone River cruise. Tauck advertises no single supplement charges for Category I cabins. In addition, select cabins on select departures will save $1,000. See Tauck’s website for pricing and availability.
Uniworld features the same 2020 Early Booking Savings offered for the summer for this cruise also.
Viking is offering $599 airfare per person for its Autumn Rhone river cruise in 2020. This amounts to a savings of about $900 per person depending on where guests fly from.
Rhone River Cruise 2020 Shoulder Season Pricing
AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Emerald | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ship | AmaCello | Avalon Poetry II | Rhone Princess | Emerald Liberte | William Shakespeare | Scenic Sapphire | Emerald | Catherine | Delling |
Rate | $3,599 | $3,999 | $2,653 | $3,195 | $2,169 | $5,095 | $4,990 | $3,599 | $2,899 |
Sailing Date | October 29, 2020 | September 29, 2020 | September 22, 2020 | October 24, 2020 | October 20, 2020 | September 5, 2020 | October 20, 2020 | October 25, 2020 | October 27, 2020 |
Nights | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Itinerary | Colors of Provence | Active Discovery SOBO | Burgundy to Camargue | Nice to Lyon | Burgundy, River Rhone & Provence | Idyllic Rhone | Savoring France | Burgundy & Provence | Avignon-Lyon |
Embark/disembark | Lyon-Arles | Lyon-Port Saint Louis | Lyon-Lyon | Nice -Lyon | Lyon-Avignon | Lyon-Tarascon | Paris-Avignon | Avignon-Lyon | Avignon-Lyon |
Cabin Category | Category E | Category D,E | Main Deck | Stateroom E | Romeo lower deck | Standard suite E | Category 1 | Classic | Standard F |
Square Footage | 170 | 172 | 140 | 170 | 151 | 160 | 150 | 162 | 150 |
Room With A View? | Window | Window | Panorma Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window | Window |
Per diem | $514 | $571 | $379 | $456 | $310 | $728 | $554 | $514 | $414 |
Port Charges | $26 | $26 | included | Included | Included | Included | Included | $27 | Included |
Gratuities (on ship) | $18 | $18 | $18 | Included | $10 | Included | Included | Included | $18* |
Gratuities (on shore) | $2.50 | included | $2.50 | included | $2 | Included | Included | Included | $2.50 |
Beverages | Included | included | Included | included | $22.71 | Included | Included | Included | included* |
Laundry | $3 | $3 | n/a | $3 | $3 | Included* | $3 | Included* | $3 |
Optional Shore Excursions | Included | TBD | Included | included | $12.50 | Included | Included | Included | included |
Current Incentive | $750 | $500 | n/a | $250 | n/a | $1,300 | n/a | $360 | $900 |
Value of Incentive | $107 | $71 | n/a | $36 | $0 | $186 | n/a | $51 | $129 |
True Per Diem | $457 | $547 | $400 | $423 | $361 | $542 | $557 | $490 | $308 |
Per Diem/Square Foot | $2.69 | $3.18 | $2.86 | $2.49 | $2.40 | $3.39 | $3.71 | $3.02 | $2.05 |
Balcony Upgrade | $999 | $1,152 | n/a | $653 | $520 | $1,145 | $400 | $900 | $300 |
Balcony Per Diem | $600 | $712 | n/a | $516 | $435 | $706 | $601 | $619 | $351 |
Upgrade sq. footage | 170 | 200 | n/a | 170 | 161 | 205 | 150 | 194 | 135 |
Upgrade sq. footage per diem | $3.53 | $3.56 | n/a | $3.00 | $2.70 | $3.44 | $4.07 | $3.19 | $2.60 |
updated 3/31/2019 |
The next segments of this series will include comparison charts and articles for other cruises on the rivers of Europe for the same cruise lines. Crystal cruises will also appear in charts for the Danube and Rhine. Coming up next will be the Rhine River Cruises 2020 and Bordeaux River Cruises 2020. Bon Voyage!
Also see …
Sharon says
Interested in river cruising. Have looked at Avalon. We would like to do a river cruise in 2022 I. France- our insurance company says that insurance is fluid and although the6 are covering covid 19 they are not yet covering g variants….he said we are likely waiting our money booking at this time due to the travel ban from Canadian to France and the uncertainty of the variants. However, we will keep looking. Recommendations are welcome. We have not done a river cruise before. Have not been to Europe.
Julia A Castles says
My DNA home tests reveal 2000 yrs ago ancestors came from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Scotland, British Isles, Lyon France, Normandy, Romania, Budapest, Austria, & Faulkland Islands!! Germatic Tribes Pushed is Up & Out: Away!! I am Cold-natured.