Finding the Best River Cruise
for Sustainability

People usually book themselves a stay in accommodations such as hotels, guesthouses or resorts. However, travelers are also choosing to book river tours by finding the best river cruise available. But how many of these tours are sustainable or eco-friendly? All we know so far is that river pollution is a problem so we need to be conscious of how boat travel affects the environment.

Since not much is known about the environmental impact of the best river cruise compared to other boat travel in tourism, we’d like to help you narrow down some safe choices. That way you can rest assured that the scenic river cruise you choose is as least harmful to our environment as possible.

What is a sustainable scenic river cruise?

It’s the best river cruise a person can take when caring for the environment. When something is sustainable, it can continue to be used at the same level without compromising its availability in years to come. It’s a river cruise that has a low impact on the earth while still offering a great experience to its guests.

What makes the best river cruise eco-friendly?

Some examples of sustainable river tours could include boats that run on electricity or solar power instead of oil. However, there are also many other things that can help determine how sustainable a scenic river cruise is. Whether or not they reduce their one-time use of plastics or whether they opt to use refillable containers on board. Not to mention that staff could also be trained on some of the best practices when it comes to sustainability and waste management which goes a long way. 

Luckily for you, if you are interested in taking a river cruise, but are worried about the environment, we’ve done the hard work for you in finding 3 of the best river cruise tours available around the world. Check these out below:

3 of the best river cruise tours around the world:

Rhine & Danube Symphony 

This scenic river cruise takes visitors through Germany from Cologne to Passau along the Danube canal for 8 days. The cruise line can help you to arrange your airport or train transfers at either end of the trip and take sustainability seriously. In 2022, the entire Amadeus fleet received the prestigious “Green Award” due to being industry leaders in environmental safety and complying with low emissions. Click here to find out more.

Grand France

The best river cruise in France for sustainability is this one operated by Uniworld travelling along the Seine, Saone and Rhone rivers. A trip of 15 days where the cruise line has eliminated over 60 types of single-use plastics and is aiming to reach Net Zero by 2050. Not forgetting that they make sure to only work with local artisans to keep money in local economies. Click here to learn more.

A taste of the Danube

This scenic river cruise starting in Vienna and ending in Budapest is another great eco-friendly option along the Danube River. Operated by Avalon Waterways, this cruise line has reduced paper waste by over 80% and even invests large amounts of their profits into their partner charities which focus on ocean clean-ups. Click here to book.

So there you have it, above are three of our favourite sustainable river tours for you to consider for your next trip. If you’re thinking about a destination not listed, make sure to do your research into whether the cruise line has any awards for environmental care as these are usually displayed clearly on their homepage. Now you can make sure to choose a sustainable tour company for your next river cruise.

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