Discounts for Military and Veterans on River Cruises (Viking and more)

Last updated: October 16, 2026

Sailing Viking? See our Viking military and veteran discount page for Viking River, Viking Ocean and Viking Expedition savings, plus today’s Viking deals.

Most river cruise lines do not provide a military discount — BUT WE DO!

Our military and veteran discount applies to every river cruise. 

Sailing AmaWaterways or Scenic? These two lines DO offer their own military savings — and our discount stacks right on top:

• AmaWaterways: $250 per person off any river cruise for active duty, retired military, and veterans — plus our 5% military discount.
• Scenic: $150 per person off Scenic river cruises ($250 per person on Scenic Eclipse yacht voyages) for military, veterans, and their families — plus our 5% military discount.

NOTE – the prices that you see on our Viking co-brand site do NOT have your discount built in.  SO, our rates will be 5% LESS than what you see there.  And, additional onboard credit may apply.

Also, we often have access to special codes for exclusive discount/perk offers. 

You are guaranteed a 5% discount off the lowest rate offered by any cruise line, including Viking.

And we often have exclusive additional perks, like onboard credit or shore excursions to include as well.

Our discount stacks on top of any promotions and offers from Viking and the other river cruise lines, including reduced deposit and Free Air offers.

If you received a specific offer code from Viking, we can apply it for you and then stack our discount on top.

Get your best offer from Viking and then have us take over that booking and apply our discount, if you prefer to hear their offer directly from them!

Click HERE to see how to get a military discount!

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Who qualifies for our military and veteran discounts on river cruises?

American and Canadian active and retired military and Veterans, ALL military and veteran spouses, and friends and family traveling with you!

Our river cruise discounts for military and veterans include:

• A discount off the river cruise line’s lowest rate
• Onboard credit or free shore excursion may apply
• Discounted travel insurance
• Expert advice from seasoned agents with experience on multiple river cruise ships, available 7 days a week

So you’ll ALWAYS pay less when you book with Military Cruise Deals!

Here’s how you get your military/veteran discount applied:

1. Use the links below or the blue search box to see all your river cruise options.
2. Then contact us and ask to speak to a river cruise expert who will make the booking and get all your discounts applied.

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What’s the ultimate insider’s tip about river cruising that you need to know?

Although you may only have heard of Viking river cruises (thanks to Downton Abbey), there are two other river cruise companies which are just as good but haven’t had as much publicity.

This has resulted in Viking river cruise prices often being higher than Avalon or AmaWaterways, even though those latter two are just as good. We’ve based this conclusion on having viewed many Viking, Avalon and AmaWaterways ships in person and knowing the amenities they offer and their comparative prices.

The new Viking longships are gorgeous — the design and decor are super sleek and contemporary. So Viking is worth paying for and will live up to your expectations.

But if the cruise itinerary and date you prefer is offered on Avalon or AmaWaterways for ⅓ less than Viking, don’t hesitate to take advantage of those savings. Everything you’d have on Viking, you’ll get on both those river cruise lines.

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Which river cruise company has the nicest ships?

The only real difference among river cruise ships is new vs. older. Ships built in the last three years are quite different than those built 10 to 20 years ago.

A new Viking, Avalon, AmaWaterways or Uniworld ship will look much different than an older ship in the same fleet. While they will all look “fancy,” the new ships all have a contemporary, bright, fresh design and decor that is very appealing.

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How many different river cruise companies are there?

The best-known premium and luxury river cruise lines are Viking, Avalon, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Uniworld, and Tauck.

Scenic, Uniworld and Tauck are the most expensive because they include all drinks, gratuities and transfers.

Uniworld decor is distinctively more Victorian with far more fabric used than the others — if you like that style, Uniworld will be right for you.

Scenic is the most all-inclusive of the group, with butler service for every suite.

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How much does a river cruise cost before the military discount is applied?

The average price for a 7 to 14-day river cruise is usually between $2,000 and $6,000 per person on Viking, Avalon and AmaWaterways; and $4,000 to $8,000 on Scenic, Uniworld, and Tauck.

If you go in the off-season (March or November) and get only an ocean view cabin, you could pay as little as $1,800 per person.

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What is included in that price?

Your private room with private bathroom, three gourmet meals a day, specialty coffee, tea and bottled water, alcohol and beer with lunch and dinner, and daily shore excursions.

Scenic, Uniworld, and Tauck include all alcohol, soft drinks, transfers and gratuities — so they are truly all-inclusive and are priced accordingly.

What’s not included on Viking, Avalon or AmaWaterways: transfers to the ship, travel insurance, salon services, and gratuities.

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Are there any more affordable river cruise lines?

Yes — on A-Rosa and CroisiEurope, a 5-day cruise in an ocean view cabin could cost as little as $800 per person. See details about them below.

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What are river cruise ships like?

Dozens of new river cruise ships have been built in the last few years, and their sleek, contemporary design is spectacular. We’ve seen many of them in person! On the top deck expect a small pool and/or hot tubs, walking tracks, putting greens, and on the new Viking ships — herb gardens!

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What are river cruise staterooms like?

They range from 170 sq ft rooms with small windows, to French balconies, regular balconies, and larger balcony suites up to 300 sq ft with panoramic views. There are no inside or windowless cabins on a river cruise ship.

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What are river cruise excursions like?

You are broken up into small groups, led by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide, given a wireless headset which makes for effortless listening while walking at your own pace, with luxury bus transportation if necessary — everything you need to get the most out of your exciting, beautiful and historic destinations.

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Internet, tipping, and travel documents

Internet: All river cruises in Europe offer free high-speed internet access. Each ship has a few computers guests may use.

Tipping: You are expected to tip about 14 Euro per day for the Program Director and staff.

Travel documents: You must have a passport for all travel outside the United States. A visa (often an easy e-visa) may be required for river cruises in Egypt, Vietnam, Cambodia, India or China — we will tell you exactly what you need for your itinerary.

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Is airfare included in the price of a river cruise?

No. Sometimes free air is offered on select river cruises, but those are specific, limited promotions. Tauck and Uniworld include transfers even if you buy outside air. Avalon, AmaWaterways and Viking only include transfers if you buy air through them.

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What’s the food on a river cruise like?

Far better than the food on your average ocean cruise ship. A team of about 10 people cook for 100 guests and can source fresh, local produce and protein in every port — so it’s easy for them to make the food special. Dining rooms are elegant.

AmaWaterways has more than two dozen bicycles on its ships that guests are free to use throughout Europe.

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Which rivers in Europe can you cruise on?

Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Germany

The Rhine runs from the Netherlands to Switzerland, along the French border, and through western Germany. Cruises from Amsterdam to Basel (or vice versa) sail this river.

The Moselle flows through France, Luxembourg, and Germany and is known for excellent castle viewing and wine tasting of local varieties such as Riesling. Cruises that include a pre- or post-Paris land tour usually cruise the Moselle.

Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, and Eastern Europe

The Danube flows from southern Germany through Vienna, Austria, along the southern border of Slovakia, down through Hungary, along Croatia and Serbia, and forms the natural border between Romania and Bulgaria before emptying into the Black Sea.

The Main is in central Germany and connects naturally to the Rhine and via man-made canal to the Danube. Cruises through the heart of Germany between Frankfurt and Nuremberg sail this river. The Main-Danube canal is 106 miles long, creating an unbroken stretch of 2,200 miles from the North Sea to the Black Sea.

France

The Seine connects Normandy and Paris in northwest France.

The Saône and Rhône run through Burgundy and Provence, linking Lyon with Avignon and Arles in the south of France.

The Canal du Midi runs along the south of France. It’s so small that ships usually hold 24 or fewer passengers and are called hotel barges. The only river cruise company on the Loire is CroisiEurope.

Portugal

The Douro runs through Porto.

The longest river cruise is 24 days and goes from Amsterdam to Bucharest — prices start at about $8,000 per person. The shortest river cruises are 3 days on CroisiEurope, starting at about $738 per person.

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What’s the difference between a balcony and a French balcony?

A regular balcony is a sit-out exterior space with chairs where you can actually step outside and sit.

A French balcony means one wall of your cabin is a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door that you can open and lean out of for a better view and fresh air — but there’s no exterior seating area. A French balcony generally costs less than a regular sit-out balcony.

Viking and AmaWaterways have rooms with both a French balcony in the sleeping area AND a sit-out balcony off the living room — so you get both balcony experiences.

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Are there any river cruise cabins that hold more than two people?

Tauck has some ships with cabins that will hold two children in addition to two adults.

A-Rosa and CroisiEurope: Children ages 2–16 cruise for free, as long as one child shares the bed. No additional beds or rollaways will be provided.

AmaWaterways: Children ages 4–10 may share a cabin with two adults, as long as the child sleeps in the bed with the parents. Call for pricing — it depends on date and voyage length.

Uniworld allows children on select voyages during summer, spring, and holiday breaks. A family host is provided to help plan activities.

Avalon does not allow children younger than 8 on their ships and has no organized activities for children. A third passenger is never allowed in any cabin — two people per cabin only.

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Never heard of A-Rosa and CroisiEurope? Here’s what you need to know.

A-Rosa and CroisiEurope don’t offer the same level of luxury decor and gourmet cuisine as Avalon, AmaWaterways, Viking, Tauck and Uniworld — but they are still wonderful options.

A-Rosa includes gratuities, free transfers, open bar throughout the ship, free beverages with dinner including regional wines, free bottled water, complimentary bicycles, free shore excursions in every port, flat screen TVs, putting green topside, pools or whirlpools, complimentary WiFi, and all port charges and taxes.

CroisiEurope is a French, family-owned company offering affordable river cruises. Most passengers are French or German, but most crew speaks some English. CroisiEurope includes wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner year-round, and unlimited drinks including house spirits during high season (April–October). Food and wine are locally sourced and consistently good. CroisiEurope does not offer free shore excursions and has no balcony cabins.

Children under 10 get a discounted rate year-round on every CroisiEurope river cruise. On certain summer cruises in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Croatia, children 16 and under sail free.

Of their 40+ ships, four are new 24-passenger hotel barges small enough to fit through the tiny canals of Provence in the south of France. These barges have WiFi, bicycles, en suite showers, TVs and windows — but no balcony cabins.

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Deposit requirements, final payment dates, and cancellation fees

Deposits and final payment dates change with each river line’s current promotions, so always ask us for the terms on the exact sailing you’re considering.

Viking: often runs limited-time reduced-deposit offers. Final payment comes due much earlier than on most river lines — generally anywhere from 6 to 18 months before departure, depending on the cruise, the promotion, and whether you have other Viking sailings booked. We’ll confirm your exact deposit and final payment date before you book.

AmaWaterways: the standard deposit is $400 per person on Europe, Asia, and Colombia river cruises ($1,200 for Egypt and $2,400 for Africa), and final payment is due 90 days before your travel start date.

Avalon Waterways: final payment is due 90 days before departure. The deposit amount depends on the fare and promotion you book.

Cancellation fees on all three lines increase as departure gets closer, so ask us for the exact schedule on the sailing you’re considering.

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River Cruise Travel Insurance

The river cruise lines sell their own travel protection plans, priced as a percentage of your cruise fare rather than a flat fee. Viking’s, for example, runs roughly 7% to 13% of the fare — about $900 per person on a $7,000 river cruise. These plans typically let you cancel for any reason and receive a future cruise credit.

We can often get you comparable coverage for about half of what the cruise line charges, though this insurance only allows cancellation for covered reasons such as death, illness, injury, redeployment, or revocation of leave. Read more about our trip cancellation insurance here.

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Drink packages on river cruises

On Viking, for beverages beyond the free wine and beer offered with lunch and dinner, you can purchase a beverage package. There is no corkage fee — you may bring local wine aboard and enjoy it with your meals.

No drink packages on Avalon or AmaWaterways. All drinks are included on Tauck and Uniworld.

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Have more questions about military discounts on all river cruises?

That’s what we’re here for! Call us at 866-964-5482 and ask to speak to a river cruise expert, or contact us any other way that works for you.

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★ Why Book Your River Cruise With Military Cruise Deals? We’re Mitch, Kevin, and Hope — a military-family-owned agency that has specialized in cruise discounts for active duty, veterans, and their families since 2001. We’ve helped over 50,000 military families book cruises, and we have 1,500+ five-star reviews to prove it. Most river cruise lines don’t offer military discounts on their own (AmaWaterways and Scenic are the exceptions) — and our 5% discount stacks on top of every promotion they run, including those military offers. We’ve sailed on Viking, Avalon, and AmaWaterways ships ourselves, so when we give you advice, it comes from real experience. Ready to book or have questions? Call our river cruise experts at 866-964-5482 or send us a message.

River Cruise Military Discount at a Glance

Our military discount	Always at least 5% off the cruise fare on every river cruise, off the lowest price (usually $500 to $1,000 in savings)
Extra perks	Onboard credit, special amenities and Distinctive Voyages on many sailings
Who qualifies	Active duty, retired military, ALL veterans, ALL military and veteran spouses (no matter the military member’s status, even if divorced), plus friends and family — even in separate cabins
Stacks with sales?	Yes — added on top of the cruise line’s current promotions
Booking fees	None — no fees to book, change or cancel
Price protection	Free rate monitoring and re-faring requests until final payment, plus our exclusive Price Drop Tracker
In business since	2001 — military-family-owned, 1,500+ five-star reviews. Call 866-964-5482

More Questions About the River Cruise Military Discount

How much is the military discount on river cruises?

Our military discount is always at least 5% off the cruise fare on every river cruise. On river cruises that usually means $500 to $1,000 in savings. Many sailings may also come with extra perks like onboard credit, special amenities and Distinctive Voyages. The more your cruise costs, the more you save.

Do all military and veteran spouses qualify for the River Cruise Military Discount?

Yes. ALL military and veteran spouses qualify, no matter the status of the military member — including surviving spouses and divorced spouses. Friends and family traveling with them qualify too, even in separate cabins.

Does the military discount stack with cruise line sales?

Yes. Our military discount is added on top of the cruise line’s current promotions.

Do you charge fees to book these cruises?

No. We never charge a fee to book, change or cancel your cruise. The cruise line’s own cancellation penalties still apply.

What happens if the price drops after I book?

We monitor your rate until final payment. If the price drops, we ask the cruise line to re-fare you to the lower rate, upgrade you, or give you onboard credit. Some non-refundable fares can’t be re-fared.

Can I transfer my booking to Military Cruise Deals?

In many cases, yes — if you booked directly with the cruise line and haven’t made final payment. Here’s how to transfer your river cruise, or call us at 866-964-5482 and we’ll check your booking.