RIVER CRUISES · FOOD
Good food cruises sell their best seats weeks ahead. Below: the 15 to book early, what each fare covers and how they differ on the water.
Cruise Amsterdam’s IJ River with unlimited Dutch pancakes, sweet and savory toppings, city views, and a playroom for children.
“Wonder cruise with a difference to others! Well organised and spaced out tables! Great pancakes and a perfect variety of toppings! If and when we return to Amsterdam we will definitely be returning!”
Review of Amsterdam’s food and canal tour, with Dutch tastings, Jordaan history, a wooden boat cruise, practical tips, and value advice.
“We never got to go on this tour. The first problem was that i never got our voucher or tickets and had to contact Viator the night before via What's App. They confirmed it was paid in full and they instructed me to click on the link in the booking. It just kept taking me in a loop with no access to the voucher or the tickets. When I did finally get it resent to me the only address we got was a problem as there was no one to meet us at the meet up place. We arrived 45 minutes early and no was there to meet us at…”
Cruise Nijmegen’s Waal River while eating unlimited Dutch pancakes, with city views, family fun, and vegan or gluten-free choices.
Review of Budapest’s 10pm Danube cruise with Hungarian buffet, drinks, live music, illuminated landmarks, practical tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Really good evening. Trip down the Danube seeing all the illuminated buildings was amazing and we took photos we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. We were given two free drinks, plenty of tasty Hungarian food and there were dancers with musical accompaniment, all in all a very enjoyable evening.”
Review of Ben Tre Mekong Zig Zag, a relaxed full-day tour with scooters, local food, village life, and a quiet river cruise.
“It was even better than expected. We really enjoyed everything and had a great day. We can totally recommend this tour!”
Ride village lanes, sail a quiet Mekong branch, taste Ben Tre food, and meet local makers on this relaxed four-and-a-half-hour tour.
“The team and the guide were all great! Although it rained a lot it was so much fun! Thank you so much for thia experience.”
Review of Da Nang’s private city, food, and Han River sunset tour, with Marble Mountains, local dishes, bridges, transport, price, and tips.
“We had a great time with Pacific Boat team to visit all most beautiful destinations of the city.Long is a superb guide who is helpful and smart.The place was well worth to visit and very comfortable with group only 8 persons.Highly recommend”
Taste regional Italian specialties in a Roman cistern, then cruise the Tiber past St. Peter’s Basilica with a 24-hour boat ticket.
“My three sisters, our mom, and I did this activity to celebrate Mother's Day! Our mom really wanted to do a boat tour of the Tiber, which was fine, but the highlight was the Food and Wine Pairing adventure! Ginerva, our host and teacher, was entertaining and very engaging! We tasted very delicious wines, and the food pairings were amazing! It was the best way to spend Mother's Day! Thanks!”
Cruise Rome’s Tiber, then taste four Italian wines, cheeses, cured meats, pizza, and dessert in a Roman cistern in Trastevere.
“"I booked a cruise package that included wine tasting, and I arrived 30 minutes early with my wife and two children. Unfortunately, no one was there. I tried to chat with the host, but there was no response. When I called, the host informed me that the cruise was not available and I could only participate in the wine tasting. This was extremely frustrating, especially since it was our anniversary and I wanted to surprise my wife. Despite trying to remain calm, I was very disappointed. The wine tasting was good, but I was charged $350 for what was supposed to be a full cruise package, which seems unfair. This…”
Review of Can Tho’s Mekong sunset boat tour, small canals, pagodas, vegan dinner, street food, price, timing, and practical booking tips.
“We were just the two of us on the tour, the guide Ms Y was so nice and had a lot of knowledge about the pagodas. The sunset tour on the Mekong was just wonderful, no other boats were there and I think it's a nice tour to do if you only have an afternoon in Can Tho.”
Review of Da Nang’s six-hour food tour, market visits, Han River cruise, Dragon Bridge show, value, timing, and practical tips.
“A great small group tour through Da Nang including visits to local markets and special places to eat traditional dishes. We had a great time with Turtle and laughed a lot. We were able to ask all our questions about the culture and habits of the Vietnamese and Turtle answered them patiently. It was clear that he had put the tour together carefully and thoughtfully, making it a very authentic experience for us. The crowning glory was the evening boat trip along the river including the fire show at the Dragon Bridge. The tour was perfectly organized, including a driver who took us safely from place to place. Thank you…”
Taste Da Nang street food, see its night lights, and cruise the Han River with a private local guide for $38.
“The guide picked us up from the airport, took us to drop our luggage at the hotel, then to a sumptuous dinner and a walk along the river. The cruise was canceled because of strong winds, so we were taken to see a pagoda. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.”
Review of Budapest’s two-hour Danube wine cruise, with seven Hungarian wines, snacks, music, castle views, pricing, and practical tips.
“Beautiful boat ride, but save yourself the trouble and book either the dinner cruise or the beer tour. We dumped most of our wine overboard and switched to beer and cocktails. The boat was nice, it was a beautiful evening, and the food was decent.”
Review of Porto’s private Douro cruise with bridges, Ribeira views, Portuguese wine, food board, and local commentary for up to two.
“Fantastic experience. They were super accommodating and treated us so well. Incredible guidance, conversation and overall a special day.”
Taste Da Nang street food, cruise the Han River, see the Dragon Bridge, and enjoy private pickup for $35 per person.
“Trina is a wonderful guide and the food was too! It was good to learn about the cultural origins of the different dishes and experience more of the city. At my age, the car transport was very helpful and appreciated. The river cruise was a grRead more”
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