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| The Moselle is one of the most in-demand river cruise regions in Europe. |
European river cruising was the “international destination” that jumped the most in consumer demand, moving up from eighth place in 2013 to fifth place in 2014 on a recent Travel Leaders Group survey based on actual bookings. Not surprisingly, a slew of new river vessels are launching on European rivers this year—from the Elbe to the Danube and beyond.
The increasing demand for river vacations and more competition means river lines have upped their game—adding new shore-side experiences or onboard features. For example, luxury operator Scenic Cruises is introducing a new 12-day Bordeaux River Cruise to its 2015 itineraries. This incorporates the new “Scenic Sundowners” feature, so for this cruise, guests will enjoy an afternoon cocktail in quaint Saint-Émilion.
The trip starts with arrival in Paris and an overnight stay in a luxury hotel. The following day, guests take the TGV train to Bordeaux. That’s also a new feature, as during 2015, Scenic is, for the first time, partnering with trains throughout Europe. After the train arrives in Bordeaux, guests will head for Scenic Diamond. Guests will visit Cadillac, quaint Saint-Émilion, Libourne, Cognac, Médoc and Arcachon.
The Bordeaux trip also features the new “Scenic Enrich” experience; guests will enjoy a private dinner and classical concert in Château Giscours in the Médoc countryside. With seven departures between August and October, pricing for this tour along the Gironde, Dordogne and Garonne rivers starts at $5,580 per person double.
Another European line that’s upgrading its product is A-ROSA Cruises, which has added an all-day, open-bar menu of mixed cocktails, fine regional wines and spirits, plus nonalcoholic soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea. Also new, it’s giving each guest a 200-euro shore excursion credit ($280 at press time), so they can choose their interest-specific shore trips—not just have routine walking tours included automatically.
What’s hot on the itinerary side? A recent Cruise Holidays survey of its agencies based on actual 2015 bookings showed the top three European river cruise destinations are centered around historic cities and landmarks along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, plus the scenic waterways of The Netherlands. In that survey, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, ranked first with 41.2 percent of bookings; many lines operate “Windmills & Tulips” itineraries, seven-day Rhine sailings, Dutch waterways round-trip cruises, some Moselle sailings and two-week Rhine/Main/Danube river cruises from Amsterdam.
Second in the Cruise Holidays’ Top 10 was Budapest, Hungary, with 36.6 percent of the bookings for clients taking seven-day Danube, and two-week Rhine/Main/Danube voyages. Third was Basel, Switzerland (17.3 percent); followed by Paris, France (15.9 percent); and a tie between Prague, Czech Republic, and Nuremberg, Germany (both at 8 percent); and then Avignon, France (7.4 percent), and Porto, Portugal (6.3 percent). Two newcomers that jumped into the top 10 are Passau (4.6 percent), on Germany’s border with Austria, and Lyon, France (4.2 percent).
Why do clients travel? Signature Travel Network’s late 2014 “What’s Selling Now” survey of top travel consultants discovered that the fastest growing market segments are family travel, active/adventure travel, celebratory travel, culinary travel and destination weddings. Agents can tap into many of those trends with a themed European river cruise. Here are a few of the many options.
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| Cruisers are increasingly turning to European rivers and high-end accommodations, such as these on Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection’s S.S. Catherine. |
Grand Gastronomic Journey: On a round-trip four-day “Grand Gastronomic” CroisiEurope cruise departing from Strasbourg, France, on October 27, guests will dine on Marc Haeberlin cuisine, complemented by wines chosen by Serge Dubs, a renowned sommelier. So if you have “foodies” as clients, they may be interested in combining this voyage on Leonard De Vinci with a land-based stay or longer river cruise.
A sample dinner menu on this cruise might feature fois gras with truffles on a bed of Sauterne wine jelly, crab tiramisu, Russian quail purse in a périgourdine sauce, a selection of cheeses with Espelette jelly (Bouton de Culotte, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, goat cheese with spices) and Tanzanian amber with caramel and roasted peanuts. Fares start at $857 per person double.
France Family Fun: Tauck offers family river cruises through its Tauck Bridges program. Swiss Emerald sails a “Bon Voyage: France Family River Cruise,” departing July 13. It includes a Paris stay where clients can explore wide boulevards, sidewalk cafés, brasseries and shops, plus families take a scavenger hunt through the Louvre and have a picnic lunch in Tuileries Gardens. They then venture into the heart of France along the Rhone River visiting medieval villages, touring a Camargue ranch to meet “gardians” or French cowboys on white horses, exploring Roman ruins and taking a family cooking lesson, among other fun diversions. Pricing begins at $4,990 per person for the 10-day itinerary. Two 2016 sailings are also available.
Enjoying Good Brews: How about an Austrian or German brew? The October 9 sailing of Avalon Waterways’ nine-day “Austrian Highlights & Bavaria River Cruise” itinerary from Vienna to Munich is beer-themed. Guests can expect beer-focused features and activities as they sail the Danube on Avalon Expression; they’ll also tour Vienna, Durnstein, Melk and Grein in Austria, and Munich, Oberammergau and the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein in Germany. Avalon also offers beer theming on its eight-day “Tulip Time” cruise round-trip from Amsterdam on April 10.
AmaWaterways also debuts new beer-themed cruises in 2015; one departs March 31 on AmaLyra, another in mid-December on AmaPrima; passengers enjoy excursions to breweries with guided tours, tastings and educational discussions. Starting fares range from $2,599 to $2,899 per person. AmaWaterways also offers two other new themed cruises for 2015—an Art Illumination Cruise and Jazz Cruise.
Classic Christmas Markets: For guests who love the fairytale magic of the European holiday season, a Christmas Markets cruise between November and December 2015 is a good promotional opportunity for agents.
Five hundred years ago, Europeans gathered on cobblestone squares to buy tools and ingredients they needed to make the treats of the season. They kept warm with hot-spiced wine, music and games while they shopped and chatted with the local tradesmen. Today, the light comes from twinkling electric bulbs rather than torches, but the traditions and festivities remain. Hand-carved wooden toys, the scent of cinnamon and the taste of roasted nuts, apple cider, holiday beer and gingerbread are among the draws. River cruisers typically enjoy sipping gluhwein (warm spiced wine) and collecting the different gluhwein mugs from each stall and town visited.
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| Amadeus Silver II is the host ship for Abercrombie & Kent River Cruises’ “70 Years After Victory” themed itinerary. |
Couples, small family groups and fans of handicrafts and holiday traditions can consider such voyages as those of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise; one option is the line’s eight-day Christmas Markets voyages between Nuremberg and Frankfurt, Germany, on River Queen.
Military History Memories: For those interested in World War II history, Abercrombie & Kent River Cruises will offer a 10-day “70 Years After Victory” themed itinerary between Amsterdam and Basel on Amadeus Silver II departing on May 6. Clients will visit Amsterdam’s Resistance Museum to learn about war-time life, walk through the Jewish Quarter, tour the Anne Frank House and see the National Monument on Dam Square, commemorating the city’s 1945 liberation. During the Arnhem port call, guests take an A&K-exclusive excursion to visit the Hartenstein Airborne Museum and Oosterbeek War Cemetery.
In Cologne, sightseeing includes a visit to the cathedral and a former Gestapo prison, while at Remagen, clients visit the bridgehead captured by the allies in 1945 and tour the Peace Museum. Cruise fares for this voyage start at $5,695 per person double.
Exploring Downton Abbey: For 2015, Viking River Cruises has extended its partnership with the PBS series “Masterpiece,” so the line will be promoted even more during 2015 on multiple PBS shows including “Downton Abbey.” Viking is the exclusive corporate funder of the programming. As part of the Downton Abbey focus, Viking offers guests on its “Cities of Light” or “Paris & the Heart of Normandy” itineraries an optional excursion to Highclere Castle, the setting for the show. Co-created with the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, the castle’s owners, the program provides Viking guests with three days in England’s countryside, a champagne welcome and special tour of the famous home.
New European River Boats
Here’s a sampling of new European river vessels in 2015.
AmaWaterways: Launching this year, the 164-passenger AmaSerena will operate “Enchanting Rhine” voyages starting this spring, while a new sister ship, AmaVista, will sail Rhine, Main and Danube waters.
Avalon Waterways: Avalon Tapestry II will sail on “Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches” and “Grand France” itineraries, while sister Avalon Tranquility II will ply the Rhine region.
Viking River Cruises: Viking Astrild and Viking Beyla launch this spring on Elbe River itineraries. They’re a smaller version of Viking’s popular Longships, 10 more of which will also debut in Europe in 2015.
Emerald Waterways: This new line is in a growth mode and will welcome the 182-passenger Emerald Sun and Emerald Dawn on two-week “Splendours of Europe” Rhine/Danube sailings.
Tauck: The 118-passenger Esprit, Tauck’s newest Jewel-class vessel, will ply the Rhine, Danube and Main rivers.
CroisiEurope: New for ‘15: Camargue, paddlewheeler Loire Princesse and Gil Eanes (104, 96 and 132 passengers, respectively).
Uniworld: The 155-guest S.S. Maria Theresa will sail the Danube on “Tulips and Windmills,” “European Jewels” and holiday cruises.
Scenic Cruises: Two of the next generation Space-Ships, the 169-passenger Scenic Jasper and Scenic Opal, will launch this spring, expanding the line’s fleet to 11 vessels.