River Cruise Lines in Asia
Which lines sail each river, and what to check before you compare their offers.
Get Asia River Cruise QuotesRiver Cruise Lines in Asia, Grouped by River
The river cruise lines in Asia fall into two groups: international brands that sell to North American, British and Australian travelers in English, and regional operators that serve both local and international guests. Knowing which you are booking tells you a lot about the language on board, the food and the type of ship.
Who Sails Where
| River | Lines selling it for 2026–27 (examples) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mekong | AmaWaterways, Emerald Cruises, Scenic, Uniworld, Avalon, APT, Aqua Expeditions | Small ships; many itineraries combine Vietnam and Cambodia with Hanoi or Angkor |
| Yangtze | Century Cruises, Victoria Cruises, Yangzi Explorer, Changjiang Cruises | Large ships; usually sold inside a full China tour |
| Ganges | APT, Uniworld, CroisiEurope | Boutique ships; season limited by water levels |
| Irrawaddy | Not sold by our advisors at present | Myanmar is under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory |
Schedules and ship assignments change every season, so treat this as a starting list. Every line is listed in the Official River Cruise Directory, and the ocean lines that sail Asia are in the Official Cruise Directory.
How to Compare Two Asia River Lines
- Nights on board versus on land — a “15-day river cruise” may have seven nights afloat.
- Internal flights — are the Hanoi–Saigon or Delhi–Kolkata flights included?
- Group size ashore — small ships mean small excursion groups.
- Low-water plans — what happens if the ship cannot reach a port. Aqua Expeditions, for example, says it provides flights to Siem Reap when low water closes the Tonle Sap route.
- Insurance — long-haul trips deserve proper cover; see Cruise & Travel Insurance.
International Brands and Regional Operators
International brands design their Asian river programs for travelers from North America, Europe and Australia. Expect English-speaking cruise directors and guides, Western and local menus side by side, and land packages with hotels chosen to the same standard as the ship. Many of them charter or partner with locally built vessels, so the ship may carry a different name or owner than the brand on the brochure.
Regional operators run the river every day of the season and often have deep local knowledge and lower prices. On the Yangtze they are the main players; on the Mekong some sell both directly and through international brands. Neither is automatically better — what matters is the language on board, the group size ashore and how much of the land trip is included. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise know which is which and will tell you plainly.
Thinking of turning your love of travel into a business? Be a Travel Agent shows how to sell river cruises yourself. Our wider travel network starts at the Official Travel Directory and Best of the USA.
Let Us Compare the Lines for You
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise know how each line handles Asia’s rivers and will compare offers fairly.
Compare River Cruise Lines