A-ROSA Rhône: Who should take this river cruise?
A river cruise on the Rhône is worthwhile if you want to experience southern France in comfort, without the hassle of reorganizing hotels, luggage, and routes every day. On our trip with the A-ROSA Luna, we sailed from Lyon towards Provence, visiting places like Viviers, Arles, Avignon, and Vienne, and getting a glimpse of the Camargue along the way. For us, this trip was a relaxing way to combine historic cities, river landscapes, and short shore excursions.
The A-ROSA Rhône cruise is a good choice if you enjoy comfortable travel, returning to the same cabin each evening, and want to see cities like Lyon or Avignon without much planning. We particularly appreciated the flexibility of being able to plan many of our stops independently. In Viviers, Avignon, and Lyon, we explored on our own. This requires some preparation but offers more freedom than a tightly scheduled excursion program.
This trip is less suitable if you primarily want to experience France through small restaurants, markets, regional cuisine, and longer stays ashore. The food on board is good, but especially on a cruise through France, we would have liked to see more regional dishes. Those who want to explore the culinary delights of southern France more deeply should plan additional days in Lyon, Avignon, or Arles before or after the cruise.
After our two houseboat trips on the Mayenne and the Saône, this Rhône trip was a good comparison for us. On a houseboat, you decide many things yourself, but you also have to steer, dock, and plan. On the A-ROSA Luna, the crew takes care of all that. This leaves more time for sightseeing, reading, relaxing, and short excursions ashore.
Quick decision: Is an A-ROSA Rhône cruise right for you?
- Well suited, if you want to easily combine Lyon, Avignon, Arles, Viviers and the Camargue.
- Practical, if you don't want to organize hotels, luggage, rental cars and parking spaces every day.
- Enjoyable, if you want to see historic cities but return to the same cabin in the evening.
- Less suitable, if you want to experience southern France primarily through restaurants, markets and long stays on land.
- Our tipPlan to spend at least one night in Lyon before or after your cruise.
A-ROSA Rhône or an individual trip to the South of France?
Before embarking on a Rhône river cruise, ask yourself an honest question: Do you want to comfortably explore southern France or experience individual places more intensely? The A-ROSA Luna takes a lot of the planning off your hands. You don't have to arrange rental cars or parking, you don't have to constantly change hotels, and yet you can still see various cities along the Rhône.
This means that time ashore is limited. A short stop in Viviers feels different than a full day in the Ardèche. Avignon is easy to explore on your own, but if you want to visit the Papal Palace in detail, stroll through the market halls at your leisure, and have dinner in the evening, the cruise stop is only partially sufficient. Arles and the Camargue also require a choice, as it's hardly possible to explore both thoroughly in one day.
The trip suited us perfectly because it combined comfort, short city visits, and relaxing hours on board. However, those who want to experience southern France primarily through its cuisine, at a leisurely pace, and with plenty of time in each location, should combine the cruise with additional nights ashore.
Why spending a night in Lyon before a Rhône cruise makes sense
If you arrive on embarkation day, the journey can quickly begin with fatigue. We arrived in Lyon very early and were initially relieved to be able to drop off our luggage at the ship. In retrospect, an extra night in Lyon would have been more pleasant. You start more calmly, can experience the city better, and aren't under pressure if your train or flight is delayed.
An overnight stay before the cruise is particularly advisable if you want to see Lyon's old town, the Confluence district, or the market halls. The cruise itself only allows limited time for these activities. Lyon is not just the embarkation point, but a city perfectly suited to a leisurely cruise. Those who enjoy fine dining, strolling through historic districts, or simply want to start their first day at a relaxed pace should plan to spend more time here.
Our berth in the Confluence district
Exceptionally, the A-ROSA Luna isn't docked at its usual berth near the old town during our trip. Instead, we find her in the Confluence district on the banks of the Saône. Right next to the dock is the Confluence shopping center with restaurants and shops. We could take a vaporetto across the Saône to the old town. A one-way ticket costs €4. However, since we've planned to visit the old town on our departure day, we first go and see where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet.
At the southern tip of the Confluence district, the blue waters of the Rhône and the green waters of the Saône meet. This location makes our arrival day more exciting than we had anticipated. Instead of just waiting for our cabin, we stroll along the riverbank, admiring modern architecture, houseboats, and the Musée des Confluences.
Things to do before check-in in Lyon
We arrive at Quai Rambaud near the Port de Saône very early in the morning. For us, this means getting up in the middle of the night. Although this bothered me at first, I was glad to have this full day to explore Lyon. Upon our arrival at the ship at 10 a.m., we watch the guests from the previous Rhône cruise loading their luggage into their transfer vehicles.
We were told our cabin wouldn't be ready until the afternoon. Since we already knew this from our travel documents, we had prepared and researched what to do in the area. Port de Saône is just one tram stop from the southern end of the Presqu'île, a peninsula that separates the Rhône and Saône rivers. We paid the €1,90 fare for the trip at a ticket machine at the tram stop. Paying the driver directly costs more. The machine also has instructions in German. Alternatively, you can rent one of the e-bikes or electric scooters that are readily available.
Things to do in Lyon, describes Nesrine Chebbi in her blog. Besides, that is Festival of Lights in Lyon worth a short trip.
The Musée des Confluences
At the southern end of the Presqu'île stands one of Lyon's most striking modern buildings. Confluence Museum It takes its visitors on a journey through continents and cultures. Passing houseboats, we walk to the tip of the peninsula. There, our river cruise on the Rhône begins this evening.
A-ROSA Rhône or houseboat in France?
For us, the trip on the A-ROSA Luna was also interesting because we had already experienced France on a houseboat. On the Mayenne and the Saône, we were responsible for the route, mooring, locks, and daily planning ourselves. That's fun, but it demands attention. A river cruise is different. The route is fixed, the crew takes care of the ship, and you don't have to worry about finding moorings.
If you prefer to decide for yourself where you stop, how long you stay, and when you continue your journey, a houseboat is the more flexible way to travel. This requires a willingness to organize and a certain degree of composure when maneuvering. The A-ROSA Rhône cruise is more comfortable. It's better suited if you want to see cities and landscapes without having to worry about the practicalities of planning your trip every day.
Both forms of travel can work for slow travel. On a houseboat, the slower pace comes from setting your own rhythm. On the A-ROSA Luna, it comes from the fixed structure, which takes many decisions off your hands. We liked both, but for different reasons.
Our cabin on the A-ROSA Luna
Curiosity and fatigue after the early start of our journey eventually drive us back to the ship. We have to wait a few more minutes in the Panorama Lounge. Then we receive the key cards for cabin 315, our temporary home for the next five days. The cabin is comfortable and well-equipped. As soon as we unpack our suitcase and stow it under the bed, we feel settled in.
Through the panoramic windows, we can follow the journey along the Rhône even at night. In the evenings, we sit in the cabin, read, and watch the landscape drift by. It is precisely these quiet hours that make the difference for us compared to a road trip by car.
The key cards open the doors to our cabin. They also serve as our proof of enrollment in the beverage package we're using on this river cruise. We have the premium package, which includes most drinks on board. Only specialty and special drinks are included. CocktailsExtras served on special occasions cost extra. We find out the surcharge either on the drinks menu in the bar or in the restaurant. At the end of the cruise, we pay for the extras together. In our case, it was just under €4 for a special regional liqueur.
Life on board: calm, organized and without dress codes
The restaurant with its buffet and open cooking area, the wine bar, the lounge bar in the panorama lounge, and the sun deck are the public spaces where life on board unfolds. We only missed the spa visit; the weather during our Rhône cruise was simply too beautiful.
We mainly use the sun deck when sailing south, where the temperatures are already pleasantly warm at the beginning of April. On our trip to the South of France, the Mistral wind is initially kind to us. It's only when we leave the Camargue that the wind shows its strength. From then on, we hardly see any other guests on the upper deck.
The sun deck is accessible when the weather is nice. However, due to the sometimes very low bridges, it cannot always be used in its full length. In such cases, the sunshade above the deck lowers onto the tables. Even the captain's wheelhouse has to be lowered in these situations. Like a convertible, the roof of his wheelhouse then opens. This maneuver surprises us.
I appreciate that there's no strict dress code on board. While guests aren't expected to wear shorts or swimwear in the lounge, a bit more elegant attire is appropriate for the gourmet dinner. For everyday life on board, smart, comfortable clothing is perfectly sufficient.
This is what you need for an A-ROSA Rhône river cruise
- Your Luggage It's best to pack it in a rolling suitcase. After unpacking, it can easily be stored under the bed. The [missing information - likely a specific type of suitcase] is also well-suited for this. Level 8 suitcase set or their big one Rolling suitcase.
- For excursions and city tours during the trip, a city backpack Useful. You can fit everything you need for the day in it. Even a small souvenir easily fits inside.
- During shore excursions, you'll often be traveling on foot. Therefore, comfortable shoes are important.
- A camera, mobile phone with a good camera, or video camera is worthwhile. There are many photo opportunities along the river and in the cities.
- You should expect wind and sun on the sun deck. windbreaker, a light scarf, a baseball cap or a sun hat are practical.
- If your river cruise on the Rhône takes place in the summer, you will need swimming trunks or SwimsuitIf you wish to use the pool or sun loungers, a bathrobe and towel will be waiting for you in the cabin.
Food on the A-ROSA Luna: good, but less regional than expected.
The food on board the A-ROSA Luna is well-organized, varied, and very plentiful at breakfast. The buffet offers a wide selection, from cheese, cold cuts, and ham to hot dishes, pastries, muesli, and fruit. This is convenient for starting a day of excursions, as everyone can eat at their own pace.
Nevertheless, we sometimes missed having French cuisine on our plates during the trip. Especially on a route through the Rhône region, Provence, and so close to Lyon, one would expect regional cuisine to play a more prominent role. While there are tastings on the sun deck, many of them come at an extra cost. At the evening buffet, we would have liked to see more dishes that were more clearly regional.
For us, this isn't a reason to rule out the trip. However, it's important if you primarily want to experience France through its cuisine. In that case, you should consciously use your shore excursions to visit markets, cafes, and restaurants, or plan additional days before or after the cruise.
Gourmet dinner with wine pairing
On the Rhône River cruise, guests have the option of booking an additional gourmet dinner. It is served in the ship's wine bar with wine pairings. The wine is extra. We enjoyed a four-course menu with burrata on eggplant salad, tomato vinaigrette and basil oil, baked free-range egg on spinach and mushrooms, supreme chicken with lemon jus, chive purée and wild broccoli, and Valrhona chocolate cream with preserved berries and crumble.
We enjoyed a very good Burgundy wine, a Mâcon-Villages AOP from the Vignerons des Terres Secrètes. It paired well with the food. We enjoyed the meal. Nevertheless, we would have liked to see more regional French cuisine. A dinner like this would be a good opportunity to showcase more of the cuisine from the Rhône region.
A look behind the scenes of the A-ROSA Luna
What particularly struck us during our A-ROSA Luna Rhône cruise was the positive atmosphere among the crew. Their friendliness made the days on the Rhône enjoyable. Many guests on board seemed to feel the same way. Hotel director Gerhard Schütz led the international crew with a firm hand and Bavarian-Viennese charm. The crew members typically spend several weeks on board, with one cruise seamlessly flowing into the next.
The everyday life of the crew
The transition between two cruises is a logistical feat. Everything is meticulously timed. Fresh food needs to be loaded. Cabins are cleaned and prepared for the new guests. The passengers from the previous voyage are seen off. They leave their luggage outside their cabin by a specific time. The day before, they receive a luggage tag indicating their transfer time. After that, the suitcases are sorted.
The departure times for the transfer vehicles are generously calculated to allow for delays. This is fortunate for us, as our limousines to the airport arrive at the ship later than scheduled.
Even during the voyage, the crew's daily routine is organized around tasks and working hours. During our visit to the galley, head chef Vasile Gaman explains the daily kitchen operations during a break. In the adjacent laundry, we watch a crew member ironing. In the crew quarters, we speak more quietly, as some crew members are now asleep in their cabins. This includes the captain, who briefly joins us in the crew lounge. He won't take the helm again until nightfall. In the meantime, the second captain steers the ship.
Shore excursions on your own or organized trips?
One aspect of this trip that we particularly appreciated was the freedom to choose between booking an excursion or exploring on our own in several locations. This is important if you don't want to experience every destination in a group. Excursions can be booked before the trip or selected on board during the first evening. We didn't find the prices excessive. However, for more distant destinations, you should factor in travel time. This often leaves less time at the destination than you might expect based on the map.
The flexibility of planning our trip was a huge advantage for us. We preferred to explore Viviers, Avignon, and Lyon on our own. This meant a bit more preparation, but it made the trip more personal. In Arles, however, we opted for an organized excursion to the Camargue, as the region is more difficult to reach without a vehicle during our short stay.
How much time is spent ashore on a Rhône river cruise?
The question of time spent ashore is more important for this trip than it might initially seem. A river cruise conveniently connects several destinations, but it doesn't replace a comprehensive tour of southern France. In some cities, there's enough time for a stroll, a visit to a café, or a first impression. However, time quickly becomes scarce for museums, markets, restaurants, and longer walks through neighborhoods.
Therefore, it's worth deciding what's most important to you before your trip. If you want to see as many places as possible, the rhythm of a river cruise is a good fit. If you want to delve deeper into the cuisine and culture of individual cities, you should add extra days before or after the cruise. Lyon, Avignon, and Arles are particularly well-suited for this.
The route of our Rhône river cruise
Our Rhône cruise lasts five days and begins with a very early arrival. This gives us almost a full day in Lyon before the trip starts. We use this time for an excursion to the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers and for a visit to the area around the Musée des Confluences. The cruise begins in the evening. On the first night, the A-ROSA Luna sails to Viviers.
Viviers: a small village or a day trip to the Ardèche?
We have a layover of several hours in Viviers. From here you can take a trip to the Ardèche Gorge. Alternatively, a stroll through the medieval town is worthwhile. We chose Viviers because, after our first night on board, we didn't want to spend another long time on the bus.
For first-time visitors to the region, the Ardèche can be very appealing. However, if you enjoy exploring small towns, strolling along narrow streets, and traveling independently, Viviers is a good choice. It's here that you'll discover whether you prefer planning your own shore excursions or taking an organized tour.
Arles and Camargue: a decision you should make beforehand
The next stage of our river cruise is Arles in the Provence. Here we have to decide. We can either take a look at the city or one Excursion to the Camargue undertake. This time we choose the multi-hour Jeep excursion to the Camargue and to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
You should reconsider this decision before your trip. Arles is interesting for its history, Van Gogh, and Roman remains. The Camargue, on the other hand, offers a glimpse of rice paddies, salt flats, horses, bulls, and the vast landscape between the Rhône and the Mediterranean. Experiencing both in depth in a single day is hardly possible.
After returning to the ship, the journey continues to Avignon. There, we will explore the city again on our own. Upon our arrival around 18 p.m., we will take a walk along the Rhône to the Avignon Bridge. In the evening light, we will have a good view of the Papal Palace and the medieval city walls from here.
Avignon: easily doable on your own
We spend the morning in Avignon. While many cruise passengers join guided tours to the Papal Palace or a visit to the market halls with the chef, we set off on our own and stroll through the city streets. We don't miss the market halls, though. On the way back to the ship, there's still time for an espresso at a sidewalk café.
Avignon is well-suited for exploring on your own, provided you do some orientation beforehand. The walk from the ship to the city is manageable. However, those wishing to see the Papal Palace in more detail should allow more time or opt for a guided tour. If you need any tips, How to plan an excursion during a cruiseYou can find further information on the Bestager travel blog.
Around midday, the A-ROSA Luna departs from Avignon on its way to Vienne. This is one of the longer stretches of our Rhône cruise. We spend the afternoon on board. Hotel manager Gerhard Schütz gives us a tour of areas of the ship that are not normally open to guests.
Vienna and Lyon: short stopover or more time in the city?
At 9:30 a.m., we disembark the A-ROSA Luna in Vienne and travel by bus to Lyon for a city tour lasting several hours. Many guests, however, remain on board and make the journey by ship. They arrive in Lyon around 13 p.m. at the A-ROSA Luna's usual berth near the old town. After our tour of Lyon, we have the afternoon free, while other guests use the time for excursions in the surrounding area.
Since our return flight to Munich isn't until just before 20 p.m., we have another day in the city. The organizers have rescheduled our transfer to the airport for the afternoon. This gives us another chance to stroll through Lyon, have an espresso, and observe city life.
Petar's video gives you an overview of our river cruise on the Rhône. We'll introduce the places we visit along the way in more detail in subsequent posts.
You can also do one Cycling tour along the Rhône You can find a description in the Bestager travel blog.
Our conclusion on the A-ROSA Rhône river cruise
A river cruise on the Rhône is a great way to experience historic cities and landscapes between Lyon and the South of France without having to repack every day. We particularly appreciated the mix of fixed itineraries and flexible shore excursions. This allowed us to explore Viviers, Avignon, and Lyon according to our own interests.
For travelers who appreciate comfort, organization, and relaxing hours on board, this trip is ideal. However, those who primarily want to experience southern France through restaurants, markets, and extended stays in individual towns should plan additional nights ashore or opt for a self-guided tour. We would have liked to see more regional French cuisine on board. This makes it particularly worthwhile to take advantage of the culinary offerings during shore excursions.
Would we take another river cruise with A-ROSA? Yes. We enjoy this style of travel. However, next time we would consciously plan more time before or after the cruise to experience individual cities and the regional cuisine more thoroughly.
Further Travel tips for boat and ship trips You can find it at this link.
Read on for your France and cruise trip
- France travel destinations
- Camargue in France
- A houseboat trip on the Saône
- Renting a houseboat: our experiences
- More boat and ship trips
- Culinary travel: what matters
Source: own research on site. We thank you A-ROSA River Cruises Thank you for the invitation to this press trip. Our opinion remains unaffected.
Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Hello Monika & Petar Fuchs,
Thank you for the nice feedback.
Euro information on the blog is really worth reading and I'm looking forward to more posts, maybe also about a houseboat vacation.
Best regards
Horatio
Hello Horatio,
Thank you very much for your nice feedback. We have already published several articles about houseboat holidays. Just take a look at ours Houseboat heading.
Best regards,
Monika & Petar
Good information, but I prefer a houseboat vacation, in which I myself am captain, the river cruise. But you can still use the tips very well.
Hello Horatio,
yes, a houseboat holiday is already different. I think you're right. We were already twice on the houseboat in France on the Saone and the Mayenne. However, we did not see any houseboats on the Rhone between Lyon and the Camargue. Only on the banks of the Presqu'Ile in Lyon we saw some firmly docked, but apparently have not put off there for years.
We particularly liked about this river cruise, that we were able to decide individually what we do on the way. And it was pleasant that we could enjoy the river cruise on this trip, while the captain maneuvered the ship in the narrow locks.
Thank you for your comment.
Best regards,
Monika