When you hear the word “cruise,” do you imagine a 2,000-passenger behemoth bound for a sunny island? Ocean-going ships built for lavish leisure offer a fine vacation, to be sure. But if your tastes run more toward exploring medieval churches and tracking down the perfect café au lait, you should consider the rivers of Europe. Vessels sail from March through November, a particularly long cruising season. Another bonus: Sleeping onboard means you avoid Europe’s budget-crippling hotel rates.

When cruising in Europe, you basically have three broad choices: big, small and smaller. Don’t worry—“big” is relative. The larger ships carry only 75 to 200 passengers and cruise the major rivers—the Rhine, the Danube or the Seine—for a week or two at a time. Frequent shore excursions let you explore the likes of Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Though they’re a fraction the size of their ocean-going brethren, these long, low-profile ships have lounges, restaurants and even small swimming pools. One difference: Almost every cabin has a view.

If you’ve done the big rivers already, consider a smaller barge. More like floating country-house hotels, these rehabbed service vessels take as few as six guests for lazy rides on Europe’s canals. Negotiating locks every few miles or so gives you plenty of time to bike alongside the barge, shop for wine and cheese, or linger in an Irish pub.

To really go local, you can even charter a self-skippered boat. Here are some of the major players and sample itineraries to whet your appetite.

BIG RIVER SHIPS
This group ranges from slow-moving commercial boats refashioned as 50-room floating hotels, to 200-passenger custom-built ships that cruise the Rhine, Danube, Elbe and Seine. The emphasis onboard is comfort; shore excursions allow for extensive sightseeing on foot and by motor coach.

Grand Circle Travel
This mid-priced line operates a dozen ships in Western Europe. Vessels carry from 46 to 164 passengers; cabins are small but comfortably furnished.

Details: Through December, the cruise price includes airfare from 17 major U.S. cities, a rarity.

Sample Trip: The “Prague & The Blue Danube” itinerary offers 11-day trips from Prague to Budapest, with stops in Slovakia and Vienna. Oct. 14-25; from $2,895*, airfare included; 800-959-0405; gct.com

Peter Deilmann Cruises
The veteran river-cruise line has nine luxury boats that sail the big-name rivers, as well as more obscure options such as the Moselle (a tributary of the Rhine). Ships range from the 29-passenger MV Königstein to the MV Mozart, which holds 200. Expect spacious cabins and at least one crew member for every three guests.

Details: Daily afternoon tea; down duvets.

Sample Trip: The 79-passenger MV Katharina von Bora spends seven nights floating from Berlin to Prague, with stops in Dresden and Königstein in Saxony. Oct. 4-11; from $2,255; 800-348-8287;
deilmann-cruises.com

Viking River Cruises
This 22-ship fleet emphasizes casual elegance and offers guided shore excursions. The ships average about 150 passengers. Itineraries include classic tours of the Danube, Rhine and Seine, and smaller rivers like the Saône in eastern France.

Details: Panoramic windows, sun decks and even a library on most boats.

Sample Trip: The “Burgundy & Provence” trip covers seven nights in France aboard the 154-passenger Viking Burgundy, cruising from Avignon to Chalon-sur-Saône with stops in Lyon and Beaune. Nov. 2-9; from $1,848; 800-304-9616; vikingrivercruises.com

BARGES
Whether built from scratch or retrofitted, these small vessels accommodate up to 12 passengers. Inside, you’ll find wood paneling and private bathrooms—some with saunas. Large crews provide doting service and meals provisioned from villages along the way. Barges sail in England, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany and France; families or groups can hire them for private charter.

Abercrombie & Kent
A&K charters more than two dozen luxury vessels throughout Western Europe that range from the 50-passenger Anacoluthe to a four-passenger barge.

Sample Trip: The 13-passenger L’Impressionniste sails from Avignon on a six-night tour through Provence, Camargue and Languedoc. Oct. 26 – Nov. 8; from $3,990; 800-554-7016; abercrombiekent.com

The Barge Lady
This company works with more than 40 barges, generally luxury craft.

Sample Trip: The 12-passenger Marjorie II cruises for six nights through the Upper Loire Valley and Burgundy. Oct. 19–25; from $4,125; 800-880-0071; bargelady.com

Four Winds Specialty Tours
Moderately priced barge cruises are offered in France, Holland, Germany, Belgium and Austria, all with daily bike excursions.

Sample Trip: The 22-passenger Sarah sails from Amsterdam to Bruges, Belgium, with stops in Antwerp and Ghent. Sept. 13–19; from $1,250; 509-736-1027; 4windstours.com

SELF-DRIVE BOATS
Many European families prefer to take the wheel themselves. On the English canal system, narrowboats are favored, while small yachts are perfect for Irish lakes and French canals. Piloting these craft requires a certain amount of nautical common sense, but rarely a captain’s license. The company maps out your route and offers instruction and emergency numbers. Bedding and galley equipment is supplied, along with a refrigerator, gas stove and heat. The cost is considerably less than a barge with crew, but you will pay for insurance and sometimes for fuel.

Black Prince
Narrowboats, classic English vessels akin to barges, can be rented from six U.K. locations. An easy 43-mile weeklong jaunt on the Stoke-on-Trent waterway aboard the 62-foot, fourberth Lautrec 4.2 costs $1,670. 011-44-1527-575-115; black-prince.com

Le Boat
This outfitter rents out self-drive boats in France, Scotland, England, Ireland, Holland and Belgium. The 39-foot, three-cabin Crusader cruises Ireland’s Shannon River from October 4 to 10. Such weeklong trips start at $1,700 per boat. 800-734-5491; leboat.com

Let RCI^® book your next cruise. To learn more about RCI’s cruising options, visit cruiserci.com or call 877-RCI-BOAT (877-724-2628).

CRUISING U.S. RIVERS
You don’t have to go to Europe to take a river cruise.

Cruise West
(888-851-8133; cruisewest.com)
These nine ships make their way along California’s
Napa River, as well as the Columbia and Snake rivers
in Washington and Oregon.

American Safari Cruises
(888-862-8881; amsafari.com)
Small luxury yachts carry no more than 36 passengers
on explorations of the Columbia and Snake rivers, as
well as Washington Wine Country.

Majestic America Line
(800-434-1232; majesticamericaline.com)
Paddlewheel boats, such as the 223-passenger
Empress of the North, cruise the Mississippi, Columbia
and Snake rivers.

*Prices are per person, double occupancy, including all meals. Shore excursions usually cost extra.