Shore excursions are one of the most exciting parts of embarking on a river cruise. 

Almost every day, you’ll get a chance to visit different inland activities such as wineries, local tourist attractions, art installations, and many more.

For 2022, river cruise companies are now accepting passengers who love new experiences. 

Danube Dreams for wine lovers 

For wine aficionados, Avalon Waterways offer the eight-day river cruise from Budapest to Deggendorf. 

You can cruise along the Danube through four countries (Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany). 

During the cruise, a Master of Wine will join you to host tasting sessions, wine lectures, and tips for food and wine pairing. 

Wine-related activities include a sightseeing tour in a local wine cellar in Budapest, a stroll in the picturesque wine region of the Wachau Valley, with stops for guided walk in Dürnstein, and a visit of the Impressive Benedictine Abbey of Melk and taste some of the local wine favourites. 

Other activities include a walk around Hauptplatz (the largest medieval square in Austria) that forms the centre of the city where you can get a nice photograph of the spectacular Trinity Column. 

The cruise will also lead you to the City of Three Rivers, which is uniquely located where Danube, Ilz, and Inn Rivers converge. 

Oberammergau, the Alps & the Rhine Theatre Cruise 

For theatre lovers, Viking offers this river cruise featuring Alpine beauty and old-world charm. 

The main highlight of this cruise is a visit to the picturesque city of Innsbruck, located in the Tyrolean Alps, where you can take in a dramatic performance of The Passion Play. 

The drama is a well-celebrated event in the Alps because it only happens once every 10 years. 

Apart from the theatrical gem, the cruise will allow you to experience the rich landscape of beauty and culture as you embark on one of the most popular rivers in Europe – the Rhine. 

Wine lovers can also enjoy this cruise as it features a wine tasting experience in terraced vineyards in the region where white wines are produced. 

Medieval Germany River Cruise 

For lovers of great old-world architecture, Riviera River Cruise offers this spectacular journey featuring important jewels of medieval Germany.

From your embarkation in Mainz, you can enjoy a peaceful start with a stroll around the town with stunning Romanesque cathedral and timber-clad buildings at the scenic heart of Germany’s winelands.  

The journey along the Main river with its swaying bends will take you to the idyllic village of Miltenberg – a well-preserved ancient village that is beautifully nestled with the backdrop of rolling hillsides and green forests. 

Then you can visit an ancient castle standing proud in the delightful Wertheim where you can walk around pretty medieval houses and shop at the colourful market square. 

Other Bavarian cities included in the onshore tour include Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Bamberg, and historic Nuremberg. 

Danube Spa, Arts & Culture Cruise 

The eight-day Danube cruise by Emerald Cruise is perfect for art connoisseurs, photography lovers, and foodies. 

Dubbed as the celebration of art and culture, the river cruise begins in Budapest and follows a spectacular arts and crafts trip to Szentendre with a relaxing Hungarian spa experience. 

Guests are in for a treat as you visit the home of a Slovakian family for cake and coffee in Bratislava. 

Up next is Vienna where you can visit the Kunsthistorisches Museum before embarking towards Melk with its alluring abbey. 

Be prepared as you hike through the Wachau Valley that is popular for its vineyard, then sail towards Linz City for a photography tour and a nice treat in Linzer to try delicious torte.

The cruise concludes in Passau, where you can visit a local farm for a sumptuous Bavarian brunch. 

Jewish Heritage Cruise

For cruisers with particular interest in Jewish history and culture, this special cruise from Uniworld can be a perfect holiday in 2022. 

The Jewish Heritage cruise celebrates the two millennia Jewish legacy in the Rhineland

“Our distinctively different program—the only Jewish Heritage itinerary on the Rhine River—showcases Jewish communities and the many positive developments that can be seen throughout Germany today,” Uniworld said in a press release.

“While visits to Holocaust memorials, Jewish museums and WWII sites are an important part of this journey, our aim is to tell the whole story—the story of how the Jewish people thrived for centuries in Germany and are flourishing there once again.

Uniworld designed the cruise to serve as “cross-cultural bridges of understanding”. 

Musical Magic Along the Blue Danube 

Tauck’s musical cruise will allow you to walk in the footsteps of musical giants like Haydn, Strauss, Liszt, Schubert, Bartók, Beethoven, and of course Mozart. 

The special cruise features the haunts of these musical geniuses through Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary and Austria. 

You’ll join Tauck’s maestros so you can enjoy the immersive music and witness the best musical performance of the year in the Danube River.