Wine tasting in the German hillsides or imbibing the hometowns of France’s world-renowned artists? Two of Europe’s most enthralling rivers go head to head. Words by Sarah Holt

While both Moselle and Seine cruises sweep passengers through France, the rivers deliver experiences that are as different to each other as sand and snow.

Cruises to the former introduce clients to north-eastern France, with its vineyard quilted hillsides, as well as Germany’s storybook castles and timbered market towns. Sailings on the Seine, meanwhile, serve up châteaux stops, garden tours and time in France’s inimitable capital city.

Here, we spotlight four itineraries on both waterways so you can help your clients decide which is the right cruise for them.

The Moselle

For wine lovers

Corrugating more than 9,000 hectares of the Moselle Valley, the vineyards in this region produce some of the world’s very best rieslings. TUI passengers can put them to the test during a visit to Bernkastel‑Kues Wine Museum and Boppard’s Hammes Winery, which has been producing wines since the mid‑19th century.

The views, meanwhile, come courtesy of attractions like Koblenz cable car, which ascends 112 metres to the city’s hilltop fortress, and the chairlift at Boppard, which levitates passengers 240 metres to take in a vista called Four Lakes View.

Get on board

The seven-night The Moselle Valley: Views & Vines cruise, sailing roundtrip from Frankfurt, Germany aboard TUI Ria, via Rudesheim, Trier and Koblenz, on 28 March 2026, from £1,430pp (£2,860 based on two people sharing a cabin). Price includes flights from London Heathrow to Frankfurt.

For fairytale backdrops

The Moselle Valley looks like it belongs in a Brothers Grimm story. The landscape is bearded by Hansel & Gretel-esque forests and speckled by turreted Rapunzel-worthy castles.

Passengers sailing with Amadeus get to see two of the latter up close – excursions are available to Reichsburg, which towers above the town of Cochem, and Landshut, which is one of the oldest in Germany.

Elsewhere, the eight-day itinerary, which starts and ends in Cologne, woos with vineyard tours and tastings, plenty of panoramic cruising, and the chance to visit Luxembourg, aka The Gibraltar of the North.

Get on board

The seven-night Saar & Moselle Fairytales cruise aboard Amadeus Brilliant, sailing roundtrip from Cologne via Saarburg, Bernkastel-Kues and Cochem, on 24 August and 7 September 2025, from £1,663pp.

For go-getting gourmands

A guided tour of the Lindt Chocolate Museum, a crawl through the brew houses in Cologne and riesling wine tasting in a timber-framed cellar in Bernkastel make this cruise the ultimate voyage for foodies.

There’s also the chance to enjoy a self-guided tour of the Wine and Sparkling Wine Museum, which burrows beneath the streets of Koblenz.

The culinary delights continue onboard with Riviera offering German buffet spreads of lye bread, leberkäse and sauerkraut, a chef’s dinner and a Rüdesheimer coffee tasting session, where guests can sample Rüdesheim’s signature brandy.

Get on board

The seven-night Gastronomy of the Rhine & Moselle cruise on MS Emily Brontë, sailing roundtrip from Cologne via Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel, Koblenz and Rüdesheim on 10 October 2026, from £2,299 based on double occupancy in a Standard Suite cabin.

For Christmas cheer

The Moselle becomes even easier on the eye at Christmas time, when fairy lights illuminate the region’s timber-framed buildings and cast its cobbled streets in a 24 karat-coloured glow.

Highlights of Viking’s 12-day itinerary, which is bookended by land stays in Paris, Reims and Zurich, include exploring the Christmas market of Trier, Germany’s oldest city, seeing the advent calendar that takes over the entire façade of a pharmacy building in Bernkastel.

There’s also white mulled wine tasting in Cochem and shopping for nutcrackers, candles and herrnhut stars in the multi-site market of Koblenz.

Get on board

The eleven-night Cities of Light on the Main, Rhine, and Moselle cruise on Viking Idi, sailing from Paris to Prague via Reims, Trier and Würzburg, on 22 October 2025, from £2,995pp based on double occupancy in a standard stateroom.

Expert verdict

Shona Thorne, Thorne Travel

“The Moselle River is a favourite for many of our clients, with the river winding through a beautiful landscape of castles, charming villages, and terraced vineyards in one of the world’s top wine regions.

“Our clients love visiting the vineyards, learning about winemaking and, of course, sampling the varieties for themselves. The main reason for many is the chance to combine food, wine and stunning views, which is why gastronomy cruises are so popular.

“With so much to explore, choosing the right date and cruise line is essential to ensure your clients make the most of their trip and find the perfect experience for them.”

The Seine

For French fancies

Sailing from Paris to Le Havre, this itinerary promises a feast for both the eyes and the stomach. For the former, there are excursions to see the water lilies at Monet’s Giverny gardens, the Château de Bizy (once known as the Versailles of Normandy), the Rouen square where Joan of Arc was martyred, and the sweeping Normandy beaches.

For the latter, meanwhile, there’s a visit to Paris’s Musée du Vin, a tour of a French bee farm, calvados and cheese tasting, and a guided tasting of local delicacies at a boulangerie in Le Havre.

Get on board

The seven-night Impressions of the Seine & Paris Wine Cruise sailing from Le Havre to Paris on AmaDante, via Vernon, Rouen and Caudebex-en-caux, departing 5 April 2025, from £3,408 based on double occupancy in a Cat. E Window stateroom.

For art enthusiasts

This seven-day cruise between Paris and Honfleur casts the Seine in its best light. Optional excursions take passengers to sights like Fontainebleau Palace, the sweeping seat of 34 kings and two emperors over the past 800 years, as well as Claude Monet’s home and gardens at Giverny.

Guests can also tour the pastel-painted buildings of Honfleur that inspired the impressionist art movement, and the Côte Fleuri with its croissant-coloured beaches and calvados distilleries.

If the water level on the Seine is right, the itinerary will also include a scenic sail along the waterways of Paris, so passengers can see the City of Light illuminated.

Get on board

The six-night The Meandering Seine cruise on MS Botticelli, sailing from Honfleur to Paris via Rouen and Mantes-la-Jolie, departing on 8 April and 20 October 2025, from £1,221pp. Price includes all meals and drinks, Wi‑Fi and port fees.

For off-the-beaten-track excursions

Alongside classic Seine activities, such as a guided tour of the Normandy beaches and a walking tour of Rouen, Avalon Waterways’ Active Discovery itineraries include a variety of exhilarating excursions in lesser-known ports of call.

On this cruise, which sails round trip from Paris, clients can kayak through Vernon, take a bike tour through the French capital, learn how to make Chantilly cream at the castle that gave the sweet treat its name, and take part in a cocktail making class at Palais Benedictine where Benedictine liqueur is made.

Get on board

The seven-night Active Discovery on the Seine cruise on Avalon Tapestry II, sailing round-trip from Paris via Rouen, Les Andelys and Conflans, departing 5 May 2025, from £3,419pp based on double occupancy.

For Parisian delights

Shimmying passengers from Paris to Le Havre, this week-long cruise calls in at Conflans, Rouen, Caudebec-en-Caux, Les Andelys, Vernon and Mantes-La-Jolie.

This part of the world was the muse for impressionist masters like Monet, Cezanne and Van Gogh and passengers can see some of the sites that inspired their work, from the Château d’Auvers to Monet’s gardens.

The itinerary dedicates a full final day and night to the French capital, giving passengers the chance to put their own artistic skills to use in painting the town red.

Get on board

The seven-night La Belle France: Paris, Normandy & the River Seine cruise on Amadeus Diamond, sailing roundtrip from Paris via Conflans, Le Havre and Rouen, departing 16 April 2025 from £1,221pp. Price includes all meals, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, onboard entertainment, use of bicycles for independent exploration, Wi-Fi and port fees.

Expert verdict

Sarah Wikevant, ROL Cruise

“The Seine is one of Europe’s most iconic river cruise routes. Sailing through the heart of Paris is a major draw, but the journey beyond the capital is just as rewarding.

“From Monet’s gardens in Giverny to the historic D-Day beaches of Normandy, every stop is rich with storytelling and significance.

“The Seine’s well-established cruise infrastructure and strong appeal to both first-time and experienced cruisers make it a fantastic choice for a relaxing ride through picturesque France.”