A-ROSA River Cruises

Families and children, welcome to river cruising.

A-ROSA is a German river cruise line specializing in European river journeys along the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro and Rhône. Operating 15 modern ships carrying 100 to 300 passengers, A-ROSA offers cruises to beautiful villages and cities that big ocean vessels simply cannot access.

What sets A-ROSA apart is its slightly more family-friendly focus. Unlike most river cruise lines that are almost exclusively made for couples and experienced travelers, A-ROSA offers special Family Cruises with activities for children ages 4 to 15. Even better, kids 15 and under sail free when accompanied by an adult! Now that's a great chance to try a family river cruise. Their flagship A-ROSA Sena (2022) features two pools including a kids' pool, a year-round kids' club and huge family rooms accommodating up to five guests. Kids Club on a river cruise is extremely rare and A-ROSA delivers.

A-ROSA offers two fare options: Basic and Premium All-Inclusive. The Basic fare includes accommodations, meals and entertainment, but requires payment for drinks (beyond water, coffee and tea) and Wi-Fi also costs extra. The Premium All-Inclusive package covers unlimited drinks including alcoholic beverages, all meals at specialty restaurants, complimentary Wi-Fi and free spa access. That's probably the better option, especially if you want to drink wine while sailing across the Seine. Prices typically start around €800 per person for 5-night cruises, with the newer Sena being a little more expensive with prices starting at €950.

The cruise experience, much like other river cruises, is more about destinations than non-stop entertainment. Ships feature one buffet restaurant free to all guests and a specialty restaurant included in Premium All-Inclusive fares. Onboard activities are usually limited, though newer ships like the Sena offer mini-golf, swimming pools, whirlpools and even a spa.

A-ROSA's fleet travels across five main European regions. Ships sail the Rhine, Main, and Moselle from ports like Cologne and Frankfurt, visiting Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Danube cruises depart from Passau and Vienna and explore cities like Budapest and Bratislava. The Rhône and Saône itineraries embark from Lyon, while Seine cruises start in Paris. Douro cruises explore Portugal in detail with a heavy focus on Porto.

The intimate atmosphere usually attracts couples that want a quiet cruise, older romantic cruisers and first-time river cruisers. Suite guests can also enjoy a lot of fun perks including early check-in, a bottle of champagne and complimentary laundry service.

While A-ROSA doesn't match ocean cruise ships when it comes to entertainment onboard, it’s a great option at providing access to unique European destinations in a small, intimate, quiet setting. The smaller footprint allows its ships to navigate narrow rivers and lets them visit historic town centers, creating a ton of new opportunities for unique shore excursions and visits to cities that you probably never knew existed.

For families wanting to introduce children to river cruising or couples looking for a river cruise in Europe, A-ROSA really delivers a unique experience that is all about comfort and a big sense of exploration... and it does that while you might be visiting Paris while your children are playing Xbox inside your cruise ship.