Unforgettable Family River Cruises for Groups

Family river cruises are an ideal way for multigenerational families to discover the world and experience new cultures together

Family river cruises and multigenerational groups are trending, and it’s easy to understand why. River cruises are filled with enchanting destinations, fabulous cuisine, and a wide array of enriching activities and experiences. These transformational voyages offer memorable and stress-free ways for families to create deeper connections and shared adventures while effortlessly exploring the globe.

Today’s river cruise ships are like floating intimate boutique hotels sailing on the world’s most beautiful waterways. These highly inclusive sailings provide outstanding opportunities for generations to bond and spend quality time together. Families can unpack once and relax as spectacular new vistas, storybook villages, towns and cities arrive each day.

Family river cruises allow for plenty of flexibility, and excursions are available to suit various interests and activity levels. The comfortable ships feature inclusive family accommodations, delicious meals, sought-after amenities and programming for all ages. These culture-rich river voyages offer something for everyone, and generations will make treasured memories to last a lifetime.

Family River Cruise Lines for International Sailings

While Europe is the leading international destination for family-friendly river cruises, enriching river voyages are available in locations around the globe. These immersive sailings offer a vivid tapestry of culture, heritage and learning experiences for multiple generations. If your family group is considering an international river voyage, here are the best river cruise lines for exploring the world with kids.

AmaWaterways for Family River Cruises

Founded in 2002, AmaWaterways is operating enriching river cruises on 27 custom-designed ships this year. Family groups can enjoy exciting itineraries on Europe’s most spectacular waterways and unique voyages on Southeast Asia’s Mekong River, Africa’s Chobe River, Egypt’s Nile River and Colombia’s Magdelena River. The cruise line’s commitment to family river cruising has resulted in game-changing family-related initiatives and partnerships.

Family-owned and operated AmaWaterways was the first river cruise line to design river ships to match families’ needs. Nine ships have connecting cabins well-suited for family groups, and triple and quad accommodations are also available. The line’s innovative AmaMagna offers additional amenities for families.  AmaWaterways and Adventures by Disney have also partnered on family-focused river cruises, launching their first sailings on the Danube in 2016. Adventures by Disney now offers a variety of family-friendly European river cruise itineraries on AmaWaterways ships.

AmaWaterways’ river cruises are superb for multigenerational travel. The ships feature contemporary decor and amenities, including fitness centers, sun decks, spas, complimentary bicycles on nearly all ships in Europe and swimming pools on all twin-balcony ships. Fares include spacious accommodations, onboard meals, some drinks, entertainment and enrichment programs, a wide range of small group shore excursions and many other inclusions. Since gentle walkers, regular and active tours are available, family members explore at their own pace.

River Cruises for Families with A-ROSA

German river cruise line A-ROSA is known for family-friendly voyages along many of Europe’s most beautiful waterways. A-ROSA is increasing its fleet to 15 ships this year, and vessels accommodate 126 to 280 guests. The line offers affordable Premium All-Inclusive fares, and bilingual information and announcements are used on sailings. Connecting cabins and staterooms to accommodate three, four and, in some cases, five are available.

In 2014, the cruise line pioneered its included Kids Club for children ages 4-15. A-ROSA offers over 70 family cruises this year, featuring trained supervisors leading Kids Club programs up to three times daily, special family excursions, favorite kids’ meals, and fun-filled activities such as pizza-making classes, shipboard treasure hunts, crafts, movies, and games. Children 15 years old and under cruise free in select cabins or receive 30% off their fare across other stateroom categories.

In 2022, A-ROSA launched the 280-passenger A-ROSA SENA, which is equipped with many unique features for families and multigenerational groups. The river cruise ship has its own year-round dedicated Kids Club room called Treasure Island, complete with its own Kids’ Crew staff – an industry first. A-ROSA SENA also has larger staterooms and more family cabins, a main pool and shallow children’s pool, youth bikes in addition to the usual e-bikes and onboard summer swimming lessons.

CroisiEurope River Cruises

CroisiEurope offers family-friendly river cruises with a French flair. This family-owned cruise line welcomes families on its fleet of 49 ships sailing in locations around the globe. In Europe, CroisiEurope offers river cruises on many of the region’s most scenic waterways and crewed barge cruises on France’s canals. Ships hold between 16 and 200 guests, with the average river cruise ship carrying 100 passengers per voyage.

The French cruise line strives to make river cruising affordable and accessible for everyone, including families with kids of all ages. There is no minimum age to sail on the line’s European river voyages, and more than 1,560 children cruised with CroisiEurope last year. CroisiEurope’s sailings feature multilingual staff, some triple and quad staterooms for families, excellent French cuisine and shore excursions offering more active experiences. Both French and English are spoken onboard, and shore excursions have bilingual or English-speaking guides.

CroisiEurope offers special European family-friendly cruises during the summer. These Family Club river cruises feature adjacent staterooms for families, kids’ menus, family-themed tours, free cruises for young guests up to 16 years old on select itineraries and waived single supplements. CroisiEurope also features an excellent all-inclusive multigenerational family promotion. Tiny sailors under two years of age cruise free on all European sailings, and various children’s discounts are also available.

Family River Cruises with Tauck

Tauck has been a family-owned travel company for 99 years, providing highly acclaimed tours and cruises. Tauck offers upscale, all-inclusive river cruise experiences along Europe’s scenic rivers. Spacious ships carry between 84 and 130 guests, and 300-square-foot suites are available to accommodate families of four. Since the single supplement is waived on select cabins, Tauck is an excellent choice for multigenerational groups with solo family members.

In 2010, Tauck’s family-focused brand, Tauck Bridges, pioneered the industry’s first river cruise precisely designed for families and multigenerational groups. This year, Tauck Bridges is offering six river cruise itineraries for families on 21 departure dates. Tauck Bridges’ European riverboats feature outstanding amenities, including two dining venues, a pool, menus with kids’ offerings and complimentary bicycles. Each Tauck Bridges cruise is staffed by a dedicated Cruise Director and three Tauck Director guides who lead onboard activities and work closely with local guides on shore excursions.

Tauck Bridges river cruises are specially designed for the whole family to enjoy and offer exclusive events and interactive fun for all age groups. These family river cruises feature onboard activities and shore excursions for kids, including guided bike rides, medieval games in Bratislava, castle dinners, scavenger hunts or marzipan making in Passau, and other delights. Children’s discounts and special savings for groups are offered on Tauck’s sailings.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offers all-inclusive river voyages in locations in Europe, Vietnam and Cambodia, India, Peru and Egypt. Uniworld is a part of The Travel Corporation, a 104-year-old family of travel brands that includes leading tour operators and the five-star Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Uniworld’s luxurious ships feel like chic floating boutique hotels, and the line’s enriching small group shore excursions are outstanding.

Uniworld’s 18 river cruise ships accommodate an average of 120 guests and feature one to four dining venues, depending on the itinerary and ship size. Ships offer onboard fitness centers, spas and complimentary bicycles, and some have onboard swimming pools. Families appreciate Uniworld’s high staff-to-guest ratio, providing an attentive and personalized vacation experience.

Family groups will love Uniworld’s family-themed Generation Collection sailings, featuring extensive programs and itinerary-specific activities for kids. Uniworld offers seven Generations Collection river cruise itineraries in Europe and Egypt, with departures scheduled during school breaks. In addition to the Cruise Director, two dedicated Family Hosts are on board to oversee activities for Junior Cruisers and Teen Cruisers. Children can participate in fun-filled activities, including Viking-themed shore excursions, hands-on craft workshops, cooking sessions with the chef, movie nights and other events. Ships also feature a Young Travelers’ Lounge and game room and a dedicated table reserved just for younger guests on certain nights. Kids’ menus are also available.

Family-Friendly River Cruises in The United States

Looking for a multigenerational family river cruise experience closer to home? American Cruise Lines offers over 50 memorable cruise itineraries on numerous U.S. waterways, including the mighty Mississippi River, the Northwest’s Columbia and Snake rivers, Florida’s St. Johns and Tolomato Rivers, the Hudson River, and the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. Enchanting coastal U.S. itineraries in river cruise style are also appealing. With numerous convenient U.S. embarkation ports, family members can often drive to their ship’s departure point. No passports are necessary for these voyages.

American Cruise Lines operates the country’s largest fleet of small ships. The cruise line’s 19 U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged ships accommodate 90 to 180 guests and visit an extensive array of America’s ports. The line’s river cruise ships include classic paddlewheelers and modern riverboats featuring accommodations with private balconies, contemporary styling, and spacious sundecks. These all-inclusive voyages are ideal for multigenerational families, and may be best suited for those with older children. Attractive group benefits are available.

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By Nancy Schretter, Contributing Editor

Featured image courtesy of CroisiEurope Cruises