The river cruise industry is arguably not resting on its laurels, which was made abundantly clear during a panel at CruiseWorld, where executives covered a wide range of subjects, from expanding into more exotic destinations and unveiling new Europe itineraries to courting the solo travel market and more.
The panel, which took place at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center earlier this month, was moderated by Ken Shapiro, group vice president/ editorial director of TravelAge West and TravelPulse, and Brinley Hineman, senior editor, tours and river cruises at Travel Weekly.
Sailing Beyond Europe
As the river cruise segment continues to mature, lines are now expanding beyond traditional European destinations – with AmaWaterways serving as a notable example.
“We have long been well-known for innovation on Europe’s rivers, and most recently expanded into Colombia with Magdalena River cruises,” said Kristin Karst, the line’s chief brand ambassador. “We are the pioneers there.”
In addition to the Magdalena River sailings, AmaWaterways also offers sailings on Africa’s Chobe River, which call at such destinations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
In September 2027, Riviera Travel will debut its first itineraries beyond Europe, plying the Mekong River, exploring destinations in Vietnam and Cambodia in September 2027. “Riviera Alba carries just 50 guests, and the cruises are already being well received by our travel partners,” said Riviera Travel Executive Vice President of Business Development Marilyn Conroy.
Selling India and China
Then there are those river lines that have traditionally focused on exotic itineraries.
For its part, Century Cruises offers itineraries on China’s Yangtze River, India’s Ganges River and the Mekong River.
David Fredericks, Century’s president and general manager of the Americas, advised agents who are interested in selling the company’s river cruises to “focus on the destinations as a whole” by promoting “the beauty of China itself, its amazing UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the diversity of people and the landscapes.”
One river cruise destination – India – should be on travel advisors’ radar, if it isn’t already. “India is the fastest cruise river destination in the world, with 111 national waterways, including the sacred Ganges River,” said Antara Cruises Chief Inspiration Officer Arjun Sinsinwar.
“India river cruises offer an incredibly immersive journey where travelers sail on the rivers and pair the sailing experience unique experience exploring Indian culture,” he added.
In 2027, India will host its first River Cruise Expo, Sinsinwar said, recommending advisors interested in learning more about cruises attend the event.”
Debuting New Europe Destinations
River lines are also continuing to expand into new destinations within Europe.
VIVA Cruises, for instance, will debut itineraries on Italy’s Po River and the Venetian Lagoon in 2027.
“In 2026, we’re launching a sub-brand, VIVA Boutique,” said John Dennis, VIVA Cruises vice president of sales for the US, Canada, and South America, noting it will include two 110-passenger vessels, the first of which, VIVA Beyond. will debut on France’s Seine River in 2026, and the second, VIVA Unique, on the Po River in 2027.
For its part, Avalon Waterways unveiled the Bordeaux Program this year, with an eight-day itinerary plying France’s Garonne and Dordogne rivers aboard the new Avalon Algeria.
In addition to expanding into new destinations, river lines are expanding the cruise season.
For example, Avalon Waterways introduced the Cozy Cruise Collection with shoulder season itineraries, including wine-themed Harvest Time cruises in fall and winter, as well as Christmas market sailings.
“It’s important to note that November is really a great time of year to travel,” said Richard Hickey, Avalon Waterways senior director, key accounts. “It’s not too cold, and it’s a great experience because there aren’t many travelers out there – and it’s a great savings because we offer about a 35 percent discount off the peak season.”
Wooing the Solo Market
River lines are also capitalizing on the ever-growing number of solo travelers.
“The solo market has grown over 40 percent in the last three years, said Riviera Travel’s Conroy. “We started to put together cruises designed exclusively for the solo traveler as early as 2017, and we now have over 25 departures every year where there’s no single supplement across all grades.”
Additionally, Riviera will unveil what Conroy said is the first-ever, solo-only itineraries aboard the MS George Eliot in 2027.
Learning About the Products
Panelists urged advisors to delve into educating themselves on the river cruise segment.
“Education is key. Listen to our webinars,” Conroy said, adding that agents would be well-advised to also take advantage of the company’s new e-learning platform.
“Your business development manager [BDM] is your most important tool,” said AmaWaterways Karst, noting that BDMS will provide advisors with an arsenal of sales and marketing tools while also assisting them in capturing business on a local level.
In the end, one of the important ways which to become a river cruise specialist is through personal experience.
“It’s all about trying our products and sharing your story,” Karst said.
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