As river cruises have exploded in popularity in recent years, more and more ships have hit the water and more companies have entered the market. It’s a great way to get around to several destinations on the same trip without having to figure out transportation and hauling luggage around. Plus, there are a lot of inclusions, from excursions to meals and even drinks in a lot of cases. Typically, when people think of river cruises, they think of Europe. There are certainly a lot of great itineraries there, but it’s important to note that Virtuoso-preferred lines are operating river cruises on five continents. All those options can be overwhelming, so let’s break it down.

We get a lot of questions about river cruise lines and what differentiates one from the other.  Virtuoso has released a one-page River Cruise Comparison Chart that gives you an at-a-glance description of the top five river cruise lines and will help you figure out the best one for your next vacation.

We just received a great deal from Avalon River Cruises. On select 2016 sailings, you can get free air and save $3,000 per couple. I haven't seen deals like this in a while, so if you've been wanting to try river cruising and can travel this year, there's no better time to book.