France Cruise Comparison
2,377 upcoming sailings from 37 cruise lines
France cruise port photos
Created by the Waterways Cruise content team and reviewed and fact-checked by J. Richard, Sr. Cruise Travel Agent and Founder of Waterways Cruise. Published · Last updated · About this page
At a glance: France cruises on Waterways Cruise: 2,377 upcoming sailings from 37 cruise lines (28 ocean, 11 river, Emerald Cruises and Scenic Cruises in both). Lowest starting fares run from $159 per person (MSC Cruises) to $17,719 (SeaDream Yacht Club). MSC Cruises lists the most sailings (264). 451 sailings start and 455 end in France.
Which cruise lines sail to France, and how do they compare? This guide sorts the 37 lines with upcoming France sailings by kind of cruise, then into ultra-luxury, luxury, premium and contemporary, and shows what each costs to start, how long their sailings run and which ships you would sail on. Every figure comes from the sailings we list today, so it moves as sailings are added and sold.
What counts as a France cruise?
A sailing counts as a France cruise if it will call at least once at a France ship port. That covers ocean, river and expedition sailings, whether France is where the cruise begins, where it ends, or one stop on a longer route.
Of 2,377 upcoming sailings, 451 start in France, 455 end in France and 272 begin and end there. The other 1,743 (73%) visit France as a port of call on a longer route, often alongside Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries. Ocean and expedition sailings call at Marseille, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sète, Ajaccio and Bordeaux. River sailings call at Strasbourg, Paris, Lyon, Arles and Avignon on the Canal du Centre, Dordogne, Garonne, Gironde, Loire, Marne-Rhine Canal, Moselle, Oise, Rhine, Rhone, Saar, Saone, Seine and Yonne.
- France cruise
- A sailing that will call at least once at a France ship port.
- Starts in France
- The first stop is a France ship port: 451 sailings.
- Ends in France
- The last stop is a France ship port: 455 sailings, 272 of which also start there.
- Visits only
- France is a port of call on a longer route: 1,743 sailings.
Ocean cruise lines in France (28)
28 ocean and expedition cruise lines have upcoming sailings that call at France: 1,525 in all. These sailings often call elsewhere too, most commonly Spain, Italy and Germany. The busiest ship ports are Marseille, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sète, Ajaccio and Bordeaux.
Scroll tables sideways on small screens.
Ultra-luxury ocean cruise lines (5)
Ultra-luxury lines sit at the top of the market. Five ultra-luxury ocean lines sail to France, with 295 upcoming sailings between them. Seabourn Cruises has the most (98). Starting fares begin at $4,249 per person with Seabourn Cruises.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seabourn Cruises | 98 | $4,249 | 8–62 nights (typically 21) | 4 · Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Venture |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises | 85 | $13,598 | 9–24 nights (typically 10) | 7 · Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Grandeur, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Prestige, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Voyager |
| Silversea Cruises | 75 | $4,250 | 9–25 nights (typically 10) | 6 · Silver Dawn, Silver Muse, Silver Nova, Silver Ray, Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit |
| SeaDream Yacht Club | 19 | $17,719 | 7–10 nights (typically 7) | 2 · SeaDream I and SeaDream II |
| Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection | 18 | $6,100 | 4–7 nights (typically 7) | 2 · Ritz-Carlton Evrima and Ritz-Carlton Ilma |
Luxury ocean cruise lines (5)
Luxury lines sit just below ultra-luxury. Five luxury ocean lines sail to France, with 222 upcoming sailings between them. Oceania Cruises has the most (115). Starting fares begin at $1,580 per person with Ponant Cruises.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceania Cruises | 115 | $2,099 | 8–35 nights (typically 10) | 7 · Oceania Allura, Oceania Insignia, Oceania Marina, Oceania Nautica, Oceania Sirena, Oceania Sonata and Oceania Vista |
| Ponant Cruises | 46 | $1,580 | 5–14 nights (typically 10) | 9 · L'Austral, Le Bellot, Le Boreal, Le Bougainville, Le Champlain, Le Commandant Charcot, Le Laperouse, Le Lyrial and Le Ponant |
| MSC Explora Journeys | 43 | $2,275 | 7–24 nights (typically 7) | 4 · MSC Explora 1, MSC Explora 2, MSC Explora 4 and MSC Explora 5 |
| Scenic Cruises | 15 | $10,283 | 10–22 nights (typically 10) | 2 · Scenic Eclipse and Scenic Eclipse 2 |
| Aurora Expeditions | 3 | $4,898 | 8–17 nights (typically 8) | 1 · Douglas Mawson |
Premium ocean cruise lines (9)
Premium lines sit in the middle of the market. Nine premium ocean lines sail to France, with 488 upcoming sailings between them. Viking Cruises has the most (240). Starting fares begin at $1,130 per person with Windstar Cruises.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Cruises | 240 | $2,599 | 6–26 nights (typically 12) | 13 · Viking Astrea, Viking Jupiter, Viking Libra, Viking Lyra, Viking Mars, Viking Mira, Viking Neptune, Viking Saturn, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, Viking Star, Viking Vela and Viking Vesta |
| Azamara Cruises | 77 | $1,599 | 8–53 nights (typically 11) | 3 · Azamara Journey, Azamara Onward and Azamara Quest |
| Windstar Cruises | 40 | $1,130 | 6–21 nights (typically 7) | 5 · Star Legend, Star Pride, Wind Spirit, Wind Star and Wind Surf |
| Crystal Cruises | 29 | $3,800 | 7–28 nights (typically 10) | 3 · Crystal Grace, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony |
| Emerald Cruises | 28 | $5,677 | 7–16 nights (typically 7) | 3 · Emerald Azzurra, Emerald Kaia and Emerald Sakara |
| Hapag-Lloyd Cruises | 28 | $5,006 | 9–16 nights (typically 13) | 4 · Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Spirit, ms Europa and ms Europa 2 |
| Quark Expeditions | 23 | $2,795 | 7–22 nights (typically 7) | 1 · World Explorer |
| Atlas Ocean Voyages | 15 | $5,443 | 7–12 nights (typically 8) | 3 · World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager |
| Lindblad Expeditions | 8 | $9,000 | 11–19 nights (typically 12) | 3 · National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion |
Contemporary ocean cruise lines (8)
Contemporary lines are the most accessible tier. Eight contemporary ocean lines sail to France, with 501 upcoming sailings between them. MSC Cruises has the most (264). Starting fares begin at $159 per person with MSC Cruises.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSC Cruises | 264 | $159 | 5–22 nights (typically 7) | 19 · MSC Armonia, MSC Divina, MSC Euribia, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Musica, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Splendida, MSC Virtuosa, MSC World Asia and MSC World Europa |
| Princess Cruises | 79 | $909 | 11–46 nights (typically 21) | 8 · Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Enchanted Princess, Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Sky Princess and Sun Princess |
| Cunard | 54 | $709 | 7–50 nights (typically 7) | 4 · Queen Anne, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria |
| Holland America | 45 | $794 | 10–42 nights (typically 21) | 6 · ms Nieuw Statendam, ms Oosterdam, ms Rotterdam, ms Volendam, ms Zaandam and ms Zuiderdam |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | 32 | $809 | 7–16 nights (typically 10) | 12 · Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Viva |
| Virgin Voyages | 10 | $2,028 | 7–11 nights (typically 10) | 3 · Resilient Lady, Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady |
| Celebrity Cruises | 9 | $970 | 7–12 nights (typically 7) | 5 · Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Xcel |
| Royal Caribbean | 8 | $563 | 3–7 nights (typically 7) | 6 · Brilliance Of The Seas, Explorer Of The Seas, Freedom Of The Seas, Legend Of The Seas, Liberty Of The Seas and Mariner Of The Seas |
Other ocean cruise lines (1)
These lines have not yet been placed in a style category. One other ocean line sails to France, with 19 upcoming sailings. Starting fares begin at $1,030 per person with Star Clippers.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Clippers | 19 | $1,030 | 4–16 nights (typically 7) | 2 · Royal Clipper and Star Clipper |
River cruise lines in France (11)
11 river cruise lines have upcoming sailings that call at France: 852 in all. The busiest ship ports are Strasbourg, Paris, Lyon, Arles and Avignon. Emerald Cruises and Scenic Cruises appear in more than one list, so the line counts by kind add up to more than 37.
Scroll tables sideways on small screens.
Luxury river cruise lines (3)
Luxury lines sit just below ultra-luxury. Three luxury river lines sail to France, with 287 upcoming sailings between them. Scenic Cruises has the most (180). Starting fares begin at $1,699 per person with AmaWaterways.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenic Cruises | 180 | $2,356 | 9–24 nights (typically 20) | 12 · Scenic Amber, Scenic Azure, Scenic Crystal, Scenic Diamond, Scenic Gem, Scenic Jade, Scenic Jasper, Scenic Jewel, Scenic Opal, Scenic Pearl, Scenic Ruby and Scenic Sapphire |
| AmaWaterways | 68 | $1,699 | 7–11 nights (typically 7) | 15 · AmaCello, AmaCerto, AmaDante, AmaDolce, AmaFiora, AmaKristina, AmaLucia, AmaLyra, AmaPrima, AmaSerena, AmaSiena, AmaSofia, AmaStella, AmaVenita and AmaViola |
| Uniworld | 39 | $3,249 | 7–11 nights (typically 7) | 9 · River Duchess, SS Antoinette, SS Audrey, SS Bon Voyage, SS Catherine, SS Elisabeth, SS Emilie, SS Joie de Vivre and SS Victoria |
Premium river cruise lines (5)
Premium lines sit in the middle of the market. Five premium river lines sail to France, with 349 upcoming sailings between them. Viking River Cruises has the most (134). Starting fares begin at $1,199 per person with Riviera Travel.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking River Cruises | 134 | $1,795 | 7–14 nights (typically 7) | 51 · Viking Alruna, Viking Alsvin, Viking Annar, Viking Baldur, Viking Bragi, Viking Buri, Viking Dagur, Viking Delling, Viking Egdir, Viking Einar, Viking Eir, Viking Eldir, Viking Fjolvar, Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Forseti, Viking Freya, Viking Fulla, Viking Gefjon, Viking Gersemi, Viking Haki, Viking Halogi, Viking Heimdal, Viking Herja, Viking Hermod, Viking Hervor, Viking Hild, Viking Hlin, Viking Hnoss, Viking Idi, Viking Idun, Viking Kara, Viking Kari, Viking Kvasir, Viking Laga, Viking Lofn, Viking Mani, Viking Mimir, Viking Modi, Viking Nerthus, Viking Radgrid, Viking Ran, Viking Rolf, Viking Rota, Viking Sigrun, Viking Sigyn, Viking Sjofn, Viking Skaga, Viking Skirnir, Viking Tialfi, Viking Tir and Viking Vali |
| Avalon Waterways | 118 | $1,550 | 7–16 nights (typically 9) | 11 · Avalon Artistry II, Avalon Envision, Avalon Expression, Avalon Illumination, Avalon Imagery II, Avalon Panorama, Avalon Poetry II, Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon Tranquility II, Avalon View and Avalon Vista |
| Riviera Travel | 50 | $1,199 | 7–13 nights (typically 7) | 12 · MS Emily Bronte, MS George Eliot, MS Grace, MS Jane Austen, MS Lord Byron, MS Oscar Wilde, MS Savor, MS Swiss Crystal, MS Swiss Sapphire, MS Thomas Hardy, Tauck MS Lumiere and Tauck MS Serene |
| Emerald Cruises | 39 | $1,879 | 7–14 nights (typically 7) | 9 · Emerald Astra, Emerald Dawn, Emerald Destiny, Emerald Liberte, Emerald Lumi, Emerald Luna, Emerald Sky, Emerald Star and Emerald Sun |
| Celebrity River Cruises | 8 | $3,446 | 7 nights | 4 · Celebrity Compass, Celebrity Roamer, Celebrity Seeker and Celebrity Wanderer |
Contemporary river cruise lines (3)
Contemporary lines are the most accessible tier. Three contemporary river lines sail to France, with 206 upcoming sailings between them. CroisiEurope has the most (154). Starting fares begin at $394 per person with CroisiEurope.
| Cruise line | Upcoming sailings | Lowest starting fare | Typical length | Ships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CroisiEurope | 154 | $394 | 3–7 nights (typically 6) | 30 · Anne Marie barge, Daniele barge, Deborah barge, Jeanine barge, MS Re Waydelich Lj, Madeleine barge, Raymonde barge, ms Beethoven, ms Botticelli, ms Camargue, ms Cyrano de Bergerac, ms Douce France, ms France, ms Gerard Schmitter, ms L'Europe, ms La Belle des Oceans, ms La Boheme, ms Lafayette, ms Leonard de Vinci, ms Loire Princesse, ms Mistral, ms Modigliani, ms Mona Lisa, ms Monet, ms Princesse d'Aquitaine, ms Renoir, ms Seine Princess, ms Symphonie, ms Van Gogh and ms Victor Hugo |
| Viva Cruises | 37 | $694 | 5–9 nights (typically 7) | 8 · VIVA Beyond, VIVA Inspire, VIVA Moments, VIVA One, VIVA Ruby, VIVA Tiara, VIVA Treasures and VIVA Voyage |
| A Rosa Cruises | 15 | $661 | 5–9 nights (typically 7) | 7 · Arosa Alea, Arosa Brava, Arosa Clea, Arosa Luna, Arosa Silva, Arosa Stella and Arosa Viva |
France cruise ports
Every France ship port with upcoming sailings has its own guide. The number beside each port is how many upcoming sailings call there (sailings, not individual port visits).
Coastal and island ports (45)
- Marseille 658
- Villefranche-sur-Mer 326
- Sète 283
- Ajaccio 198
- Bordeaux 164
- Le Havre 155
- Rouen 115
- Saint-Tropez 110
- Honfleur 101
- Cannes 94
- Calvi 85
- St-Malo 76
- Toulon 70
- Bonifacio 64
- Bastia 61
- Cherbourg 57
- Port-Vendres 57
- Saint-Denis 50
- La Rochelle 47
- Brest 44
- Saint-Jean-de-Luz 43
- Sanary-sur-Mer 40
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon Islands 34
- Iles du Salut 24
- Pauillac 22
- Le Verdon-sur-Mer 20
- Caen 18
- Saint-Raphael 13
- L'Île-Rousse 12
- Belle-Ile-en-Mer 11
- Dunkirk 10
- Menton 10
- Royan 10
- Saint-Nazaire 8
- Cassis 6
- Nantes 6
- Collioure 5
- Douarnenez 4
- Lorient 4
- Porto-Vecchio 4
- Concarneau 3
- Propriano 3
- Antibes 2
- Quiberon 2
- Roscoff 2
River ports (79)
- Strasbourg 566
- Paris 188
- Lyon 121
- Arles 112
- Avignon 112
- Tournon-sur-Rhône 94
- Viviers-sur-Rhone 94
- Vernon 78
- Les Andelys 76
- Vienne 68
- Chateau de La Roche-Guyon 53
- Conflans-Sainte-Honorine 50
- Mâcon 43
- Chalon-sur-Saône 29
- Blaye 28
- Libourne 26
- Bourg 24
- Cadillac 24
- Tournus 22
- Le Pecq 18
- Beaune 16
- Dijon 14
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 13
- Colmar 10
- Giverny 10
- Mantes-la-Jolie 9
- La Voulte-sur-Rhône 8
- Poissy 8
- Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone 7
- Tarascon-sur-Rhone 7
- Saint-Jean-de-Losne 6
- Auvers-sur-Oise 5
- Saint-Emilion 5
- Aigues-Mortes 4
- Ancenis 4
- Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or 4
- Lagarde-Moselle 4
- Lutzelbourg 4
- Martigues 4
- Melun 4
- Saverne 4
- Seurre 4
- Waltenheim-sur-Zorn 4
- Xouaxange 4
- Chalonnes-sur-Loire 3
- Le Pouzin 3
- Aix-en-Provence 2
- Arcachon 2
- Bougival 2
- Compiègne 2
- Duclair 2
- Evry 2
- Gallician 2
- Gironde Estuary 2
- Hochfelden 2
- Metz 2
- Montereau-Fault-Yonne 2
- Moret-sur-Loing 2
- Nancy 2
- Niderviller 2
- Ouges 2
- Pont-Sainte-Maxence 2
- Pont-lEveque-Oise 2
- Pontoise 2
- Saint-Leu-dEsserent 2
- Sens 2
- Trévoux 2
- Villefranche-sur-Saone 2
- Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone 2
- Arromanches-les-Bains 1
- Belleville-sur-Saone 1
- Besancon 1
- Biarritz 1
- Dole-Jura 1
- Issy-les-Moulineaux 1
- Ranchot 1
- Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune 1
- Saint-Mammes 1
- Vannes 1
See them all in the France cruise port guide, or browse every sailing on the France cruises page.
How to choose a France cruise line
- Most listed sailings: MSC Cruises lists the most upcoming France sailings (264).
- Lowest starting fare: MSC Cruises, from $159 per person.
- Style: sort by category first. Star Clippers has no style category yet, so its 19 sailings are shown under Other and left out of the style totals. Ultra-luxury lines: 5 lines, 295 sailings, from $4,249. Luxury lines: 7 lines, 509 sailings, from $1,580. Premium lines: 13 lines, 837 sailings, from $1,130. Contemporary lines: 11 lines, 707 sailings, from $159. Other lines: 1 line, 56 sailings, from $1,030.
- Kind of cruise: ocean ships cover the coast and islands; river ships sail the rivers.
- Where you start: if you want France as your first or last port, filter the sailings by Starting in or Ending in France on the France cruises page.
How we calculated these figures
- Upcoming sailing: an itinerary with at least one departure date from today onward, counted once however many departure dates it has. Sailings that have passed drop out each day.
- France cruise: a sailing that calls at least once at a France ship port. A sailing "starts" or "ends" in France when its first or last stop is a France ship port.
- Lowest starting fare: the lowest "from" price among that line's upcoming France sailings, per person based on double occupancy, in US dollars. Under our Cruise Disclosure, prices include all applicable taxes and fees. Fares still depend on cabin category and date, so treat them as a starting point for comparison, not a quote.
- Typical length: the range covers the middle 80% of that line's sailings (the shortest and longest tenth are left out), and "typically" is the most common length.
- Kinds of cruise: A sailing is in exactly one kind, so the totals by kind add up to the 2,377 sailings above. Ocean: sailings on ocean-going ships, including expedition ships and ferries. River: sailings on rivers, canals and lakes. A river itinerary that also includes a coastal leg counts as river. A line that sails more than one kind appears in each list, with its sailings split by kind. Totals by kind count each sailing once.
- Style categories: Ultra-luxury, Luxury, Premium and Contemporary are Waterways Cruise's own groupings of cruise lines, not an industry standard.
- Freshness: the sailing data is refreshed daily from the sailings we list; figures here were calculated on .
Frequently asked questions about France cruises
Which cruise lines sail to France?
37 cruise lines have upcoming France sailings on Waterways Cruise: 28 sail ocean or expedition itineraries and 11 sail river itineraries. Emerald Cruises and Scenic Cruises appear in more than one list, so the line counts by kind add up to more than 37. MSC Cruises lists the most sailings (264).
How much does a France cruise cost?
Starting fares begin at $159 per person, double occupancy, with MSC Cruises. Fares depend on the line, the cabin and the sailing date, so the best way to see current rates is to request exclusive rates for the dates you want.
Which cruise lines are ultra-luxury and luxury in France?
Ultra-luxury ocean lines: Seabourn Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Luxury ocean lines: Oceania Cruises, Ponant Cruises, MSC Explora Journeys, Scenic Cruises and Aurora Expeditions. Luxury river lines: Scenic Cruises, AmaWaterways and Uniworld.
Can you start or end a cruise in France?
Yes. 451 of 2,377 upcoming sailings start in France and 455 end there; 272 do both. The other 1,743 (73%) visit France as a port of call on a longer route.
Want help choosing?
Our advisors compare sailings, cabins and fares across all of these lines.
Request exclusive ratesPlan your France cruise
France cruise port guide
Cruise ports, what to see, history and practical advice.
France cruise port guide →Created by the Waterways Cruise content team and reviewed and fact-checked by J. Richard, Sr. Cruise Travel Agent and Founder of Waterways Cruise.
Published September 9, 2026 · Last updated October 31, 2026
Fares, availability and itineraries change often. Confirm current details with your cruise line or a Waterways Cruise agent before you book.
Cruise Disclosure
Good to know: Prices are quoted per person based on double occupancy and include all applicable taxes and fees. Availability and prices can change quickly, so please continue through the booking process to confirm the latest availability and pricing before you pay.
We work hard to make sure everything on this website is accurate and up to date. However, some information may be incomplete or inaccurate, including details supplied by third parties or otherwise outside our control, and we cannot be held responsible for such errors. We work with 41 cruise line operators, that are providing cruises on 585 ships visiting 1,731 ports across 7,194 unique cruises, creating 13,822 itineraries. This is a great deal of data to continually update daily from our suppliers. If a pricing error, misrepresentation, or omission occurs, we reserve the right to adjust the pricing, correct the information, or cancel or decline any booking made in error, with notice to you. Thank you for your understanding!