WWII History River Cruises on the Rhine and Danube

The rivers of Germany, Austria, and Hungary carried the story of World War II from beginning to end. A WWII river cruise lets you see where it happened — at the pace of a river, with a comfortable ship waiting at the end of each day.

A WWII history river cruise on the Rhine and Danube combines the castles, vineyards, and Christmas markets everyone loves with some of the most important sites of the war in Europe: the bridge at Remagen, the Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg, the courtroom where the Nuremberg Trials were held, and the memorials of Vienna and Budapest. It’s the trip we recommend most to veterans who want history and a vacation.

Viking Longship sailing the Rhine Gorge below Marksburg Castle on a WWII history river cruise
A Viking Longship in the Rhine Gorge below Marksburg Castle. In March 1945, the Allies’ race to cross this river decided the final months of the war in Europe.

WWII Sites Along the Rhine

  • Remagen — In March 1945, U.S. troops of the 9th Armored Division captured the Ludendorff Bridge intact, the first Allied crossing of the Rhine. The bridge collapsed days later, but its stone towers still stand and house a small peace museum. Many Rhine cruises sail right past.
  • Cologne — The city was heavily bombed during the war, yet its great Gothic cathedral survived. Your walking tour tells both stories.
  • Arnhem and Nijmegen — On cruises that start or end in Amsterdam, some lines offer tours to the Operation Market Garden battlefields of “A Bridge Too Far.”

WWII Sites Along the Main and Danube

  • Nuremberg — Tour the vast Nazi Party Rally Grounds and its Documentation Center, and Courtroom 600, where the Nuremberg Trials were held after the war. This is one of the most requested history excursions on the rivers.
  • Linz, Austria — Some sailings offer a visit to the Mauthausen Memorial, the former concentration camp outside Linz that U.S. troops liberated in May 1945.
  • Passau and Salzburg — On select itineraries, an excursion into the Bavarian Alps toward Berchtesgaden and the Eagle’s Nest.
  • Vienna — Explore a city that was occupied by the four Allied powers until 1955.
  • Budapest — The Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial and the Hospital in the Rock, a WWII emergency hospital and bunker tunneled under Buda Castle.
Viking Longship on the Danube at Durnstein in Austria's Wachau Valley
A Viking Longship on the Danube at Dürnstein, in Austria’s Wachau Valley.

Best Itineraries for WWII History

Search sailings by river: Rhine River cruises · Danube River cruises · All Europe river cruises

Good to know: which WWII sites are included varies by cruise line and sailing. Some are included excursion choices, some are optional tours at extra cost, and a few are only offered on certain dates. Tell us what you most want to see, and we’ll find the sailing that covers it.

Viking Longship on the Elbe River below Meissen Cathedral and Albrechtsburg Castle in Germany
Viking also sails Germany’s Elbe River between Berlin and Prague, passing Meissen (above). Downriver at Torgau, American and Soviet troops met on the Elbe on April 25, 1945, cutting Germany in two. Ask us about Elbe sailings.

Want Even More D-Day and WWII History?

Pair this trip with a Paris & Normandy river cruise to visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. Some lines offer back-to-back Seine and Rhine combinations.

Your Military Discount on a Rhine or Danube River Cruise

River cruise lines rarely give military discounts — but we do, on every sailing on every line. Our discount stacks on top of the cruise line’s own sales, and on AmaWaterways and Scenic it also stacks with their own military savings.

★ Why Book Your WWII History River Cruise With Military Cruise Deals?

We’re Mitch, Kevin, and Hope — a military-family-owned, owner-operated agency that has specialized in cruise discounts for active duty, veterans, and their families since 2001. We’re not a call center: when you call, you talk to one of us, and we stay with you from your first question until you’re home again.

We are river cruise experts who’ve been on river cruises and toured dozens of river cruise ships, including Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, and Uniworld — so our advice comes from real experience, not a script.

Ready to book or have questions? Call 866-964-5482 or send us a message.

WWII River Cruise FAQs

Which river cruises cover World War II history?

Rhine, Main and Danube river cruises pass many WWII sites, including the Remagen bridge towers on the Rhine, the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Nuremberg Trials courtroom, the Mauthausen memorial near Linz, and Budapest’s Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial. Viking’s Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest covers the Rhine, Main and Danube in one trip.

Are WWII excursions included on a river cruise?

It depends on the line and itinerary. Some WWII sites, like the Nuremberg Rally Grounds, are offered as one of the included excursion choices on certain sailings, while others are optional tours at extra cost. We check the excursion list for your exact sailing before you book.

Is there a military discount on Rhine and Danube river cruises?

Yes. River cruise lines rarely offer military discounts, but Military Cruise Deals gives its own military and veteran discount on every river cruise on every line, and it stacks on top of the cruise line’s promotions.

More History River Cruises for Veterans