Culture Discovery Cruises
A Scenic Space-Ship gliding along a European river past forested hills
Luxury River Cruise Line

Scenic River Cruises

Truly all-inclusive, ultra-luxury river cruising, with a butler for every suite and a balcony that changes at the touch of a button.

Request a Scenic River Cruises Quote
The line

The all-inclusive end of luxury river cruising

Scenic sits at the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive end of the rivers. It is the flagship river brand of Scenic Group, an Australian family company founded in 1986 by Glen Moroney, and it built its reputation on including almost everything, from butler service to shore excursions and tipping, in a single fare.

The fleet is made up of Scenic Space-Ships, most carrying up to around 163 guests, designed for space and light. Their signature is the Scenic Sun Lounge, a suite balcony whose glass wall lowers at the touch of a button, turning the room into an open-air veranda or a snug, weatherproof space as the day demands.

This is the river line, distinct from the line's ocean-going discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse. The style is polished and generous, aimed at travelers who want luxury with genuinely nothing to nickel-and-dime once they are aboard.

Style
Ultra-luxury, all-inclusive
Fleet
Scenic Space-Ships
Guests
Up to about 163
Fares
Truly all-inclusive
Sails to
Europe, Douro, Mekong
Founded
1986, Australia
In a word

“Scenic set out to make river luxury genuinely all-inclusive, down to the butler, the excursions and the tips.”

A Scenic suite with the Sun Lounge glass wall lowered to open onto the river

Space-Ships and the Scenic Sun Lounge

Every accommodation on the Space-Ships is a suite, and most feature the Scenic Sun Lounge, a private balcony whose upper window slides down to open the room to the river or rises to seal it against the weather. Butler service comes with the suites, so requests are handled quietly and quickly.

The ships are built for space and calm, carrying up to around 163 guests, with the Douro vessel Scenic Azure sized smaller at about 96 to suit Portugal's river locks. Wellness areas, a small pool on many ships and generous lounges round out the design.

A fine-dining table setting aboard a Scenic Space-Ship

Truly all-inclusive, down to the tips

Scenic fares are genuinely all-inclusive. They cover butler service, all meals across multiple venues, drinks throughout the day, a wide choice of guided excursions, wifi, gratuities and airport transfers, so once you step aboard there is little left to pay for.

Dining spans several restaurants and cuisines, and the Scenic Enrich program adds exclusive experiences ashore, from private concerts to visits that would be hard to arrange on your own. It is luxury measured in what is included as much as in the surroundings.

A Scenic Space-Ship moored on a European river at golden hour

Europe's rivers, the Douro and the Mekong

The heart of the program is Europe, on the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Rhone, Seine and Bordeaux's waterways, with festive Christmas market sailings among the favorites. In 2016 Scenic became the first non-Portuguese company to operate on the Douro without a local partner, and it sails the river from Porto today.

Beyond Europe, Scenic runs the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia. We help you match the right river, ship and season, and can pair a Scenic voyage with time ashore where it begins or ends.

Because Scenic River Cruises sails the Douro, it is simple to extend the trip with a Portugal food and wine tour before or after you sail.

Booking Scenic River Cruises with CDV

Why book through us

Exclusive Scenic value

Group amenities and onboard credit on Scenic River sailings that you will not find booking direct.

Combinable offers

Our exclusive value can usually be layered with Scenic's current promotions, plus full loyalty credit.

Luxury river specialists

Advisors who know the Space-Ships suite by suite and match the right ship, category and voyage to you.

Seamless land and sea

Because we run our own tours ashore, we make it easy to add a CDV land tour where your voyage begins or ends.

Pair your voyage with a land tour

Sail the Douro, then linger longer in Portugal

Scenic Douro voyages trace the terraced vineyards of northern Portugal from Porto. Add a Culture Discovery land tour and you extend a luxurious week on the river into a fuller taste of the country's food, wine and villages.

Discover our Portugal tours
Compare similar lines

More river cruises we love

Emerald Cruises

Scenic sister brand, offering contemporary Star-Ships at a friendlier price.

Explore Emerald Cruises

Uniworld

Boutique river cruising with lavishly individual ships and all-inclusive fares.

Explore Uniworld

Tauck River Cruises

The river arm of a century-old tour operator, all-inclusive and expertly guided.

Explore Tauck River Cruises

AmaWaterways

Inventive, food-forward river ships with twin balconies and complimentary bicycles.

Explore AmaWaterways

Frequently asked questions

What is Scenic River Cruises known for?

Scenic is known for ultra-luxury, genuinely all-inclusive river cruising on its Space-Ships. Signature features include butler service in every suite and the Scenic Sun Lounge, a balcony whose glass wall lowers at the touch of a button. Excursions, drinks and gratuities are all built into the fare.

Is Scenic River Cruises all-inclusive?

Yes, and unusually thoroughly so. Scenic fares cover butler service, all meals and drinks, a wide choice of guided excursions, wifi, gratuities and airport transfers. Once aboard there is very little left to pay for.

What is the difference between Scenic river cruises and Scenic Eclipse?

Scenic Eclipse is the line's ocean-going discovery yacht, built for expedition-style luxury on the seas. The river product covered here uses Scenic Space-Ships on Europe's rivers, the Douro and the Mekong. They share a brand and an all-inclusive philosophy but are very different ships for very different voyages.

What is the Scenic Sun Lounge?

The Sun Lounge is Scenic's signature suite balcony. Its upper glass wall slides down at the touch of a button to open the room to the river, or rises to enclose it against wind and cold, so the space works in any weather.

Where does Scenic sail its river ships?

Scenic sails Europe's rivers, including the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Rhone, Seine and Bordeaux's waterways, along with the Douro in Portugal and the Mekong in Southeast Asia. Christmas market sailings are a seasonal highlight.

Who owns Scenic?

Scenic is the flagship river brand of Scenic Group, an Australian family-owned travel company founded in 1986 by Glen Moroney. The group also operates Emerald Cruises and the ocean yacht Scenic Eclipse.

What is the dress code on Scenic river cruises?

Dress is elegant casual. Days are relaxed for sightseeing, and evenings are a little smarter, though there are no strict formal nights. We can tell you what to expect for your specific itinerary.

How much does a Scenic river cruise cost?

Fares vary by river, ship, suite category, season and length, and because the fare is so comprehensively all-inclusive the headline number is not comparable to a bare cruise price. Rather than quote a misleading range, we price your specific voyage and secure the best available CDV value. Request a complimentary quote and we will lay out the real numbers.

Ready to sail with Scenic River Cruises?

Complimentary quote, exclusive CDV value, and a specialist who plans it around you.

Request a Quote+1 (656) 333-6123 ext. 403