The Elbe: Berlin to Prague through Dresden, Meissen and Saxon Switzerland.
The Elbe is the river cruise for people who want Berlin and Prague in one trip: hotel nights in both capitals with a week on the water between them, through Potsdam, Wittenberg, Meissen, Dresden and the sandstone pinnacles of Saxon Switzerland to the Czech border. The ships are shallow-draft and small, and only a few lines sail here. Every Elbe sailing is on this page, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. Call 1-800-444-1560 and a river cruise expert prices the options for your week.
How the Elbe works
Pick an option and the list below filters to it.
Berlin to Prague, or the reverse
- Two or three nights in Berlin, a week on the river, two nights in Prague
- Potsdam, Wittenberg, Meissen porcelain, Dresden and Saxon Switzerland
- Viking and CroisiEurope run it in both directions
Best for: history, two capitals, repeat river cruisers
Spring and early summer
- Water levels are most reliable in April, May and June
- Dresden’s palaces and the Zwinger without the summer crowds
- Fewer departures than the Rhine or Danube, so book early
Best for: anyone who wants certainty on sailing
Prague on the Danube instead
- The Danube’s Jewels of Europe itineraries add Prague as a hotel stay
- More ships, more dates and no low-water risk
- Vienna and Budapest instead of Dresden and Berlin
Best for: anyone who mainly wants Prague plus a river
Elbe river cruise deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Elbe sailing, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included, with full sorting by line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Elbe sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Pick your embarkation city
Each button filters the list above.
Which line for the Elbe?
Only a few lines sail the Elbe. Our one-line take on each, with a link to its deals page.
When to go
The Elbe sails from April to October and is the river most affected by low water, so the month matters.
Elbe river cruise questions we answer every day
Where does an Elbe cruise go?
Between Berlin and Prague: Potsdam, Magdeburg, Wittenberg, Meissen, Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and Litoměřice or Mělník in the Czech Republic, with hotel nights in both capitals on most itineraries.
Why are there so few Elbe cruises?
The river is shallow and unregulated, so only purpose-built low-draft ships can sail it and only a few lines operate them. Dates sell out early.
What happens if the water is low?
The line substitutes coaches for the affected stretch and keeps the hotel nights and the sights. Spring and early summer carry the least risk; we tell you the line’s policy before you book.
How long is an Elbe cruise?
About 10 nights in all: 7 on the water plus hotel nights in Berlin and Prague.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, gratuities where not included and optional excursions are extra.
Is there a Prague alternative with more dates?
Yes: the Danube itineraries that add Prague as a two- or three-night stay before Nuremberg or Passau.
Talk to an Elbe river cruise specialist
Tell us your dates and we check the Elbe sailings, the water-level policy and the Berlin and Prague hotel nights, with taxes and port fees included. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.