Private European Tours With River Cruises
Palace concerts, after-hours visits and private guides — how to make a river cruise personal ashore.
Get Free River Cruise QuotesPrivate European tours with river cruises range from a concert in a palace reserved for one ship’s guests to a private guide who shows you the Vienna you want to see.
Exclusive Events Arranged by the Lines
Scenic Enrich events, as described by Scenic, include:
- A private classical concert of Strauss and Mozart at Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna, on select Central Europe cruises
- Concerts at the Baroque Palace of Rastatt and at Gödöllő Royal Palace near Budapest
- An after-hours dinner and concert in the Palais des Papes, Avignon, on select Rhône cruises
- A classical concert at Château de La Roche-Guyon on select Seine cruises
- A private concert in Porto’s São Francisco Church on Douro cruises
Tauck describes evenings with receptions, dinners and music in palaces and châteaux, and after-hours visits to must-see sites; Uniworld says some of its experiences are arranged privately for Uniworld guests.
Unusual Experiences Ashore
Riverside Luxury Cruises lists experiences such as a wine tasting with winemaker Miroslav Petrech in the historic cellar of Château Béla in Slovakia — a cellar it says is not otherwise open to the public — a helicopter sightseeing flight over the Wachau, a hot-air balloon flight over Budapest, and the Lipizzaners’ morning training at Vienna’s Spanish Riding School. Ask us which are included and which carry a fee on your sailing.
Your Own Private Guide
Want to spend Vienna at Schönbrunn and the Kunsthistorisches Museum rather than on a group tour? Prefer a winemaker visit in the Wachau to the abbey? We can arrange private guides and drivers for any port day, or for hotel days before and after the cruise, and coordinate them with the ship’s schedule.
- Tell us your interests and mobility needs
- We match a licensed local guide
- Times are set around the ship’s docking hours
Making Private Touring Work With the Ship
Private touring needs careful timing. River ships often dock for only a morning or afternoon, and some stops are short technical calls. We check your exact docking times, choose guides who know the port, and build in a buffer before all-aboard. In cities where the ship overnights — Vienna and Budapest are common — there is room for an evening concert or a private dinner ashore. Families and groups can share a guide, which often costs little more than joining an optional tour.
Private Touring Questions
Can I take private European tours with a river cruise?
Yes, in two ways: the exclusive events some luxury lines arrange for their own guests, and private guides or drivers that we arrange for you in port or on hotel days before and after the cruise.
Are Scenic Enrich events included?
Scenic lists Scenic Enrich exclusive events as part of its all-inclusive fare. Which events you attend depends on your itinerary.
Add Private Touring to Your Cruise
Tell us your cruise and your interests. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will arrange private guides and send free quotes.
Ask About Private Tours