15 River Cruise Sailings. 30 Ships Inspected. The Questions I Ask Before Recommending a River Cruise

Three hours on the top deck of AmaCerto, wrapped in a blanket, watching more than 30 castles pass as we sailed through the Rhine Gorge.

A ship swap on the Rhône during national strike action in France.

The Danube sailed again and again — but with different river cruise lines and very different experiences.

The same Paris & Normandy itinerary aboard AmaDante twice in one year — once in July and once in November — feeling almost like two different journeys.

These aren’t stories I read about.

They’re mine.

Since June 2014, when I stepped aboard the inaugural sailing of Tauck’s MS Savor and completed my Tauck river cruise certification, I’ve made it a professional discipline to sail the products I recommend rather than simply read about them.

Fifteen river cruise and river expedition journeys later — across the Danube, Main, Rhine, Rhône and Seine in Europe, plus the Peruvian Amazon — that discipline has become one of the most important things I bring to my clients’ travel planning.

And it has taught me something else:

The more I learn about river cruising, the better questions I know to ask.

There Isn’t One “Best” River Cruise Line

One of the questions I’m asked most often is some version of:

Which river cruise line is better — AmaWaterways or Uniworld? Viking or Scenic? Tauck or Avalon?

It’s an understandable question.

But after personally sailing multiple river cruise companies — sometimes on the very same river — I think there’s a better question:

Which river cruise line is best for you?

The destinations may overlap. The ships may even be docked beside one another.

But the experience can be remarkably different.

Cabin and suite design, dining, excursions, inclusions, activity levels, service style, atmosphere, wellness offerings and the type of traveller onboard can all affect how a river cruise feels.

That’s why I put so much emphasis on firsthand experience.

I’ve sailed these ships as a traveller, not simply walked through them during an inspection. I’ve eaten the meals, taken the excursions, unpacked in the cabins and watched how the experience unfolds over a full week.

And sometimes I’ve learned the most when things haven’t gone according to plan.

What I’ve Learned From Sailing the Danube With Different Cruise Lines

The Danube has become something of a river cruise laboratory for me.

I’ve experienced it with Tauck, Tauck Bridges, U by Uniworld, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Uniworld, Viking and Avalon Waterways.

Same river.

Very different experiences.

One sailing was aboard Tauck Bridges’ MS Esprit with my husband and our two young daughters, staying in a family suite and experiencing the river through the lens of multigenerational travel.

Another was aboard U by Uniworld’s The A, when I took a group of 75 solo women, working with Shepherd’s Fashions in Ottawa, for a magical week centred on fashion, shopping and European Christmas markets.

I’ve experienced AmaWaterways’ extraordinary double-width AmaMagna. I’ve sailed Scenic, Uniworld, Viking and Avalon.

Each experience has given me another point of comparison.

That’s why I don’t recommend choosing a river cruise based solely on the list of ports.

The ship and cruise line can change the experience of the river.

What Happens When European River Levels Are Low?

This is where river cruise planning becomes considerably more complicated.

Low water — and occasionally high water — is a reality of river cruising.

Unfortunately, nobody can reliably tell you months before your trip exactly what the Rhine or Danube will be doing when you arrive.

So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I look at something else:

What is the cruise line prepared to do if river conditions interfere with the itinerary?

Can it swap ships?

How much of the itinerary can it preserve?

Could longer coach transfers become necessary?

Could guests be moved into hotels?

How extensive is the cruise line’s fleet on that particular river?

And how does the company communicate and take care of its passengers when plans have to change?

I’ve experienced a river cruise ship swap myself.

In my case, the disruption wasn’t caused by low water. It was national strike action in France.

We began our Rhône journey aboard AmaKristina. When the strike interfered with the itinerary, we subsequently boarded AmaCello and continued our journey.

I didn’t read a case study about ship swaps.

I lived one.

That experience gave me a very different appreciation for the operational side of river cruising — something travellers may never think about until circumstances make it important.

Does a River Cruise Ship’s Draught Matter?

This is probably where my former actuarial career becomes particularly obvious.

I’m interested in the beautiful suites and restaurants.

But I’m also interested in what’s happening below the waterline.

A ship’s draught — sometimes written “draft” — is essentially how deeply the vessel sits in the water.

When water levels fall, that can matter.

But it’s tempting to turn this into an overly simple equation:

Lower draught = better in low water.

River cruising doesn’t work quite that neatly.

The particular stretch of river matters. River conditions matter. Ship design matters. And the cruise company’s operational capabilities matter.

At the 2025 ASTA River Cruise Expo in Vienna, I had an opportunity to put my questions about ship draught directly to AmaWaterways co-founder Rudi Schreiner.

Yes, I really do ask cruise executives questions about draught.

My clients don’t need me to repeat what’s written in a brochure.

They need me to understand what might matter beyond the brochure.

Sailing a River Cruise Ship and Inspecting One Aren’t the Same Thing

There’s another distinction I think travellers should understand.

I inspect a lot of river cruise ships.

At the 2025 ASTA River Cruise Expo in Vienna and the 2026 Expo in Amsterdam, I personally inspected 30 different river cruise ships.

During those inspections, I look at things like:

cabin and suite layouts;
bathrooms, showers and storage;
French balconies and exterior balconies;
restaurants and dining options;
public spaces;
fitness and wellness facilities;
accessibility and ease of movement around the ship;
outdoor spaces; and
the overall design and atmosphere.

I also photograph and video what I see so I can refer back to those details when I’m working with clients.

But an inspection is still an inspection.

Sailing is different.

Sailing tells me what a cabin feels like after I’ve actually unpacked.

It tells me how breakfast works on day four, how excursions are organized, whether there are bottlenecks at certain times of day, what the evening atmosphere feels like and how the service evolves over the course of a week.

It’s the difference between seeing the product and living the product.

Both are valuable.

But I don’t consider them interchangeable.

That’s why I’ve created a separate, permanent record of my firsthand river cruise experience, clearly distinguishing between the ships I’ve personally sailed, those I’ve personally inspected and the research I still have ahead.

Read my complete firsthand river cruise experience:
Ships, cruise lines and rivers I’ve personally sailed and inspected →

Why Season Matters More Than Many Travellers Realize

Sometimes I’ve even repeated the same ship and itinerary specifically enough to see how dramatically the experience can change.

In 2025, I sailed AmaDante’s Paris & Normandy itinerary twice.

My July sailing included Giverny when Monet’s gardens were alive with summer colour.

I returned in November with a group of Canadian peacekeeping nurses. That journey had an entirely different emotional centre, including our time in Normandy and the group’s connection to Canada’s wartime history.

Same ship.

Same river.

Same basic itinerary.

Very different journeys.

That’s another reason I don’t simply ask clients where they want to go.

I want to understand why they want to go.

The answer can influence not only the river and cruise line I recommend, but the season.

What Do I Actually Look for When Recommending a River Cruise?

By the time I’m recommending a river cruise to a client, I’m considering much more than price and itinerary.

I’m thinking about the traveller.

How active are you? Do you want a packed day of exploration or plenty of time to sit on deck and watch Europe pass by?

How important is food?

Would you enjoy a lively, social ship or something quieter?

Do you want choices of included excursions?

How much does cabin design matter?

Do you want a true exterior balcony, a French balcony or simply the best cabin for your budget?

Are there mobility considerations?

Are you travelling as a couple, solo, with friends or across generations?

Is this your first river cruise or your fifth?

And what do you want to feel when you come home?

Those answers are far more useful to me than simply asking which company has the prettiest brochure.

The Research Continues

I’m not finished.

In September 2026, I’ll board AmaMagdalena on Colombia’s Magdalena River, expanding my firsthand river experience beyond Europe and the Amazon.

In November, I’ll experience AmaDahlia on the Nile in Egypt.

I’m already registered for my third consecutive ASTA River Cruise Expo, returning to Vienna in March 2027.

And in November 2027, I’ll return to the Rhine aboard AmaSerena, sailing from Basel to Amsterdam during the festive season.

More ships.

More rivers.

Is This the Right River Cruise for This Particular Client?

Not the cruise line with the biggest advertising budget.

Not automatically the ship I’ve most recently sailed.

And not necessarily the river cruise I would choose for myself.

The one that’s right for you.

That’s the job.

Considering a River Cruise?

Whether you’re contemplating your first river cruise or trying to decide what should come next, I can help you sort through the rivers, cruise lines, ships, cabin categories, seasons and itineraries to find the combination that fits the way you want to travel.

Live Life. Love Travel. Return on Life. ❤️

Sheila Gallant-Halloran
Founder, Lush Life Travel
Virtuoso Cruise Icon 2024, 2025 & 2026
Tauck Certified Advisor

About Sheila Gallant-Halloran

Sheila Gallant-Halloran is the founder of Lush Life Travel in Ottawa, Ontario, specializing in river and expedition cruising. A Virtuoso Cruise Icon in 2024, 2025 and 2026, Sheila spent more than two decades as an actuary before founding Lush Life Travel, including service as the first female actuary to work for the Canadian federal government. She is a recipient of the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal.