6 Reasons to Travel with Trafalgar River Cruise: Explore Gorgeous Lands and Scenic Rivers

Whether it’s for the beautiful sceneries or stories the cities have to tell, there has been a belief that there are no better ways to experience Europe. But what if we told you that the all-new Trafalgar River Cruise experience departing in 2026 will change how you see Europe?

What is the Trafalgar River Cruise?

Hosted by the same trustable team at Trafalgar Tours, the Trafalgar River Cruise is a brand-new way for guests to enjoy a luxurious getaway through the waters of Europe. Launching in mid-2026, two custom-designed ships will soon sail down iconic destinations while ferrying no more than 128 guests in 64 cabins on each vessel. For many, the experience is akin to a roving boutique hotel than big-ship cruising.

Coupled with on-land excursions to immerse yourself in the local culture and soak in the best that every destination has to offer, the Trafalgar River Cruise redefines the trend of slow travel among many holidaymakers. Promising a cruise experience like no other, the Trafalgar River Cruise is a vacation everyone should try at least once.

6 reasons to travel with the Trafalgar River Cruise

So, how does a Trafalgar trip make your holiday one to remember? Well, here are 6 of our top reasons to travel with Trafalgar River Cruise next year:

A new way to see Europe from the waters

Photo by Mihály Köles on Unsplash

While flying into Europe to explore the cities is the most common way to travel, booking a trip with the Trafalgar River Cruise gives you a new way to see some of your favourite European destinations. Drifting down some of the most iconic waterways such as the Danube and The Rhine, it’s a trip that you’ll have to experience for yourself to truly feel the magic.

Furthermore, you’ll see a different side of the iconic destinations – with sights from the water being a rarity. Plenty of hidden details often get overlooked when exploring Europe from the ground, but this won’t be the case as you look up from the calm rivers while cruising through hotspots like Germany, Austria, Budapest, and more.

Fuss-free vacation, perfect for every kind of relaxation

To keep your travel fuss-free, a Trafalgar River Cruise holiday always comes inclusive of buffet breakfasts, freshly prepared lunches, and gourmet three-course dinners. Wine connoisseurs may also enjoy free-flow glasses of their favourite bottles while onboard a cruise, pairing them perfectly with every meal.

All ships also feature an onboard gym and spa for guests looking to keep up their workout streaks or simply want a relaxing time to melt away the hustle and bustle of city life. Onboard entertainment and daily guided excursions at port destinations are also offered to every guest, ensuring every moment of your Trafalgar River Cruise holiday never gets boring.

Disembark on your adventure or stay onboard to chill: The choice is always yours

Not keen to join our guides in exploring a city? The choice is always yours when you step onboard a Trafalgar River Cruise. This is why the land excursions are optional to guests who wish to see a destination with the local specialists, but you’re also free to explore a city on your own or stay onboard the ship to enjoy the abundance of activities available.

For guests travelling with our local specialists, you’ll be glad to know that all guides are held in English, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the stories and histories waiting to be uncovered. At selected destinations such as Amsterdam, you may even have the opportunity to visit the iconic Keukenhof tulip display should the season arise. Bicycles are also available for use at disembarkation ports, so you’re always free to choose how you want to take in the sights of Europe with the Trafalgar River Cruise.

Experience luxurious stays in just 64 cabins

Fitted with just 64 cabins, the ship is akin to a floating boutique hotel than a large-scale holiday vessel. All cabins are tastefully renovated and offer plenty of room and privacy for you to stretch out comfortably or lay your luggage flat. Away are your days of having to squeeze through for space while you’re cruising – the Trafalgar River Cruise is what luxurious travels should always aim to be.

But that’s not all, because you’ll discover that each of them has a personality of its own. Cruising through the Danube from Budapest, the Trafalgar Verity cruise is home to real art pieces from Picasso and original Delft pottery. Meanwhile, you’ll also find that the Trafalgar Verity features fun and bold colours with clever use of mirrors and lighting to reflect the energetic nature of its port destinations.

Bespoke experience with a 1:3 crew-to-guest ratio

With only a maximum of 128 guests onboard every ship, this luxurious vacation ensures you’ll never be in spaces that are full, be it at the dining hall, entertainment spaces, or sun deck. Away are the days where you may have to stand in queue for buffets or wake up early to snap up a sunbed – this is one holiday where you can kick back and relax, just the way you deserve.

What’s more, the Trafalgar River Cruise proudly offers a 1 to 3 guest ratio to give you the most personalized experience while onboard. These on-call crew members are ever-ready to assist you should you require them, or you can also reach out to the dedicated Experience Director and Experience Manager as you cruise.

Connect with locals or meet up with fellow holidaymakers

Finally, the Trafalgar River Cruise is a wonderful way to not only experience the beauty that Europe has to offer but also an opportunity for you to connect with locals. Through the Be Our Guest arrangement, you’ll have the chance to dine with the Saahs family who owns Austria’s oldest winery or sample a delicious local lunch made with the freshest seasonal produce from the Bohrer family by the Rhine Plain.

On board the vessel, you can share stories and make new memories with fellow like-minded guests as you cruise through Europe. Spending time together during the guided excursions at port destinations will also pull you closer, forging lifelong friendships you may have otherwise never imagined. A daily sunrise or sunset event will also be hosted by the Experience Director, opening up possibilities for you to get to know your fellow cruisers if you choose.

Where will the Trafalgar River Cruise take you?

Two iconic routes have been planned come next April, each vastly different from the other yet equally as magical to love and explore. Join us as we break down where you can go with the Trafalgar River Cruise below.

Cruise down the Danube with Trafalgar Verity

Photo by Ervin Lukacs on Unsplash

Cruising for 8 days and 7 nights, the Trafalgar Verity trip begins from Budapest. Guests will have the opportunity to explore both the historic Buda and lively Pest sides of the city on the second day. This Trafalgar River Cruise then takes you down the Danube and into the Bratislava of Slovakia.

Here, guests can optionally take part in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience – a Trafalgar River Cruise excursion that connects you to projects that preserve local cultures, support local communities, or help protect the nature.

Your journey continues onto the city of Vienna in Austria, where you’ll be greeted with architecture that blends the past and present beautifully. Optional on-land adventures include visiting the Schönbrunn Palace with your friendly local guide or a foodie walk where you’ll sample some of Austria’s finest gastronomy classics.

Photo by Thomas Peham on Unsplash

The Trafalgar River Cruise experience then takes you into Wachau Valley and Historic Linz in the next two days – the latter of which allows you to take a side trip into the city of Salzburg. For fans of the age-old classic, “The Sound of Music”, Salzburg is a must-visit as you’ll be able to revisit some of the filming locations and recreate iconic scenes from the 1965 movie starring Julie Andrews and the late Christopher Plummer.

Finally, the Trafalgar Verity will cruise into Bavaria and arrive in Passau. Also known as the “City of Three Rivers”, Passau is where you’ll see the Inn, Danube, and Ilz Rivers meet. Having to choose between taking a leisurely walk through the old town or a scenic hike along the Ilz River will be a difficult decision, but both promise unforgettable views to mark a perfect end to your voyage on the Trafalgar Verity.

Or capture the sights of the Rhine to Amsterdam on the Trafalgar Reverie

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Setting off from the vibrant Dutch capital of Amsterdam, the Trafalgar Reverie cruise is a 10-day, 9-night journey that sails through the heart of Europe. To start, you’ll get to explore this city of canals and take a gander at its crooked homes with tiny doors – a unique architectural choice made by homeowners of the past to avoid paying high taxes.

An optional experience of eating your way through the hip Jordaan district with our local guide or exploring the windmills of Volendam may also be added to your excursion in Amsterdam. To make things even more vibrant, select seasonal trips with the Trafalgar Reverie allows you to visit the annual Keukenhof tulip fields in Lisse.

Photo by Eric Weber on Unsplash

The Trafalgar River Cruise then takes you down the legendary Rhine River, crossing into the historic heart of Cologne in Germany. For motorsport fans, this is your opportunity to see the Michael Schumacher Private Collection where iconic memorabilia of Michael Schumacher and the original cars driven by the 7-time Formula One Champion are set on display.

Middle Rhine becomes your next destination on the Trafalgar Reverie journey, showcasing unforgettable sights of hillside vineyards and storybook-like castles that seem like they’ve been picked straight out of a fairy tale. The ship then sails into Koblenz, where you’ll be invited to spend the afternoon with our friendly local specialist as they show you around the Rheinstein Castle that’s perched high above the Rhine.

As the vessel continues to sail down the river, you’ll approach the wine-making town of Rüdesheim. For a closer look at this unique stop, we recommend hopping on a quick mini-train tour or joining our guide for a vineyard hike across the scenic trails this town has to offer.

The itinerary for the Trafalgar Reverie then takes you into the medieval town of Speyer, a uniquely hidden gem that many holidaymakers tend to miss on their vacation plans. With Trafalgar River Cruise, you’ll even get to join a tour and tasting session at a private vinegar estate through the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Priding themselves in the sustainable production of high-quality vinegar, this is a great chance for you to get deeply rooted with the residents.

Photo by Arvid Høidahl on Unsplash

But the journey doesn’t end there, as the Trafalgar River Cruise then cruises into the old town of Strasbourg, where historic cultures, architectures, and flavours of German and French influences flourish. For a truly local experience, we recommend joining the guided excursion that takes you through on a visit to the Vogtsbauernhof outdoor museum accompanied by a traditional lunch. Also, you’ll want to be sure to never leave before sampling a slice of the most authentic dessert of the region, a Black Forest gateau.

As you cruise on, you’ll be greeted with sceneries of the Upper Rhine Plain that’s nestled between the Black Forest and Vosges Mountains. Offering breathtaking sights that you must see to believe, the vessel then slowly drifts into the town of Breisach, where a delicious farm-to-table lunch can be enjoyed with the Bohrer family at Bohrerhof. This unique Be My Guest experience is one of the advantages of a Trafalgar River Cruise trip, and you’ll sample some of the best delicacies prepared with fresh seasonal ingredients from the family’s farm.

The Trafalgar Reverie cruise will approach its final stop at Basel in Switzerland, where you’ll disembark with plenty of fond memories to take along for the rest of your lives.

Hungry for just a little more adventure?

An optional extension with Trafalgar offers you 2 extra nights in Lucarne, Switzerland or Budapest, Hungary. Or better yet, why not step into the gorgeous city of Prague in the Czech Republic? Along with the local specialists, these extensions offer you even more time to waltz through the streets of Europe’s beautiful cobblestoned cities, pre- or post-cruise.

Book your spot on the Trafalgar River Cruise with Holiday Tours today!

While the Trafalgar Verity and Trafalgar Reverie will only set sail in mid-April 2026, reservations are now welcome so you can secure your spot on one of the 64 gorgeous cabins onboard. Don’t miss out – speak to our holiday advisors to book your exclusive land-to-river experience on either of the Trafalgar River Cruise routes today!