Sailing out of a beautiful port as the sun sets and the nightlife kicks off can cause a severe case of FOMO (fear of missing out), and several cruise lines have embraced this.

They are now offering more mid-cruise overnight stays in cities and small towns along the waterways, on top of pre- and post-cruise accommodation (in hotels or on the ship) included in the overall cruise package.

Scenic River

Scenic’s 14-day South of France itinerary from Lyon to Marseille has no overnight sailings at all – the ships stop at Chalon-sur-Saone, Tournus, Macon, Lyon, Tournon, Viviers, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Avignon, and Tarascon. Its 11-day Unforgettable Douro cruise, round-trip from Porto, also has overnights in Entre-os-Rios, Regua, Vega de Terron, Pinhão and Porto – both cruises are big sellers for Scenic.

U by Uniworld

U by Uniworld’s itineraries include several overnights in port. Passengers can take guided city walks with destination experts known as U Hosts, who take them out on the town to find fun spots off the beaten track. On the eight-day Northern France at a Glance cruise, for example, there is a bar-hopping trip through Rouen’s historic quarter. In Cologne, on the Rolling on the Rhine itinerary, the “Bottoms up Cologne” tour weaves its way through the bars and cafes of the Rudolf & Brusseler Platz area.

U by Uniworld overnight stays
U by Uniworld’s itineraries include several overnights in port. Image: U by Uniworld

Viking and APT

Viking’s and APT’s 13-day Russian river cruises both include three nights each in Moscow and St Petersburg; APT puts its guests up in a luxurious, centrally located hotel for one of the three nights in each city because, a spokesperson says, the ports are about an hour’s drive out of the city centres, so the hotels provide an excellent base for touring as well as convenient locations for the start and end of the cruise.

Crystal River Cruises

Crystal River Cruises’ five ultra-luxury ships feature at least one overnight stay on each cruise, many offering two or three overnight calls; depending on the itinerary, these include Budapest, Vienna, Passau, Amsterdam, Koblenz, Rüdesheim and Cologne.

It’s not always clear from online itineraries – from these and other river cruise lines – whether overnights are offered, so it’s always worth asking the cruise line or your travel agent to clarify. Europe’s historic towns and villages have just as much to offer by night as by day.

European cruises for stargazing

Experience the magic of European nights with Cruise Passenger’s guide to the best river cruise lines. Whether you’re drawn to the romance of the Danube or the allure of the Rhine, we highlight the top cruise lines that offer enchanting experiences under the starlit sky.