Viking Surkov
Line: Viking River Cruises
Passengers: 210
Itineraries: Russia
This river cruiser is a great option for the budget traveler who doesn't want to pay exorbitant hotel rates in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Instead, while aboard the Surkov you can spend four nights in Moscow, five days visiting Golden Ring cities along the Svir and Volga rivers (an expensive proposition if you'd instead booked a car and driver), and three full days in St. Petersburg. Take note, however, that Moscow's river port is far from the city's center, so you'll waste close to two hours in transit each day. On Lake Onega, the vessel stops at the village of Kizhi, home of the Transfiguration Church, an engineering feat with 22 domes built without a single nail. Onboard, historians and political scientists lecture on the czarist dynasties, Russian politics, and even what goes into the craftsmanship of a good souvenir, so passengers will know how to avoid getting fleeced when it's time to buy mementos to take home (800-304-9616; vikingrivercruises.com; 13-day Waterways of the Czars trip from $2,883).

Yangzi Explorer
Line: Abercrombie & Kent
Passengers: 124
Itineraries: China
Abercrombie & Kent's brand-new ship is the only Yangtze cruiser with an onboard Sinologist, educated in the river's history, geology, culture, and politics, to put your journey in perspective. The Yangzi Explorer also visits the Three Gorges lock system, which many other boats skip, and transits the Xi-ling Gorge by day, while other cruises steam through this beautiful section at night. Onboard amenities include a spa, a gym, and a coffee lounge—rarities in this part of the world—and larger-than- normal rooms, all with balconies (800-554-7016; abercrombiekent.com; 12-night Highlights of China trip from $6,415).