The luminescence properties of a series of lanthanoid cryptates with an increasing number of 2,2'-bipyridine units have been investigated for the lanthanoids Eu and Tb in aqueous solution. The trends in important parameters that influence the photophysics in these complexes have been determined. With increasing bipyridine content, an increase is observed for the intersystem crossing efficiencies and the number of inner-sphere water molecules. In contrast, a decrease is found in the same direction for overall quantum yields, triplet energies, and sensitization efficiencies.