For travelers on a budget or for those who want to avoid over-paying for a cruise, finding cheap river cruises can be an excellent way to save money. Cheap European river cruises in particular are among the most popular choices for travelers, with the main river cruises in Europe found along the Rhine River, the Elbe River and the Swan River in France and Germany. Other smaller river cruises can also be found in Europe, but travelers will find that almost all of them stem from these major waterways.

One way to find discount European river cruises is by booking your cruise during the off-season or toward the beginning or end of the busier season. The busy season for Western Europe starts in April and ends in September, when the weather is nicest. If hot weather does not appeal to you, avoid July and August, which can experience temperatures of more than 100. Cheap river cruises for Western Europe can be found by booking in early April or late September, which are the beginning and end of the popular cruising season.

Cheap European river cruises can sometimes be found by booking your cruise at the last minute. These discount European river cruises are offered for cruise ships that haven't sold out. These sort of sales on cheap river cruises will usually become available only a week or two before the cruise leaves, so travelers looking for these deals will likely need to have fairly flexible travel plans.

Finding cheap European river cruises is also possible by booking a travel package. For travelers who will need to fly into any of the major airports in France, Germany, Amsterdam or the UK, there are often great deals for those who book their supplement activities with the same company. Rental cars, hotels, flights and cruise excursions can all be booked through travel agents or some online travel companies. This is a great way to find discount European river cruises during the busy cruising season, since travelers will find that all of the services are generally somewhat discounted when booked through the same company. Many travel agencies will also plan an entire vacation itinerary for guests who wish them to.

Sometimes, small river cruise boats will also be a good way to find a deal. Some boats book as few as 6-20 passengers and are operated by a local who owns their own cruise ship. Not only will this type of cruising offer a more personal experience, but prices will usually be lower. Amenities will also often be less, but for travelers who don't mind this can be a great way to find a better deal. Cruises on these smaller boats will usually offer a meal service at set meal times, but not food between meals. On shore tours for river cruises of all kinds will generally be an additional cost, so for travelers who want to take tours onshore, these extras will need to book separately.