Are the so called luxury river cruise lines the best value for money option?

Some questions I frequently get asked by travel agents is why do some river cruise lines charge prices so high that they seem out of line with the size of vessel and the facilities they offer? Do the high prices being charged justify the spend? What are my other options if my clients can’t afford those prices but want to take a river cruise?

Without doubt the likes of Crystal, Tauck, Avalon, Uniworld and Scenic do deliver a superb product with exclusive and included excursions, five-star food, attentive service and (mostly) brand new ships all included as part of their premium experience. However if your clients cannot, or will not, pay for that level of service there are plenty of mid-range options available on most of main rivers of both Europe and the more far flung destinations such as the Mekong and the Irrawaddy.

CroisiEurope, one of Europe’s largest river cruise operators, has a fleet of 43 ships in operation worldwide. With a distinctive French ambience and delivery on board the product it offers is comfortably around the four-star standard (some of their new ships verge on five-star) with an average fully packaged price around the £1,600 to £1,800 per person mark. That makes them affordable to many, especially first time river cruisers. In addition as they sail many of the lesser-known rivers in Europe such as the Loire and the Elbe they also appeal to seasoned cruisers who have done the staples of the Rhine and Danube and possibly the Douro.

Other good quality, mid range, river cruises are offered by Select Voyages and Amadeus by Luftner. Again the on board experience on both brands is high quality without being eye-wateringly expensive but with lower lead in prices they will charge for some excursions and for drinks (outside of meal times). This flexibility is often useful for first time cruisers who are not yet sure if they will find the fully All Inclusive five-star brands to their, or their wallets, liking.

Value for money is, and always will be, vital for river cruising.