Slow by design, luxury river cruising is the refinement of a tradition that began centuries ago. Once a utilitarian mode of transport, rivers were the highways of trade, transporting goods and people from town to town; their banks were the best real estate for the old-world and upwardly mobile to build their estates.

Now, luxury cruise lines like Scenic and Uniworld transform these journeys into scenic routes, with cultural excursions and indulgence at their core. In Europe, the demographic skews between ages 55 and 70. New entrants such as LVMH’s Les Bateaux Belmond attract a broader age bracket. And while children are permitted on most lines (except on Viking), their appearance is rare although family-themed cruises are emerging in the US and European school holidays.