What's next for river cruising

With more than 10 new river cruise ships launched this year in Europe, America and southeast Asia – plus a controlled return to full passenger numbers – river cruising is well and truly back on course.

In fact the future looks brighter than ever, because the major players have used the Covid crisis as an opportunity to reset and re-think what river cruising can offer. The result is an industry that’s more thoughtful, enriching and environmentally conscious than ever before – and here’s a glimpse of the exciting developments that lie just around the corner..

They’ve got the power
While fully electric ships are still some way in the future, hybrid engines are already with us. Viking ships Kari, Radrig, Skaga and Fjorgyn all launched in 2020, sailing on the Seine, and all run partly on battery power.

A-ROSA Sena, christened in June, is also hybrid-powered, while Amadeus River Cruises’ new flagship Amadeus Cara has a Green Award-winning engine that significantly reduces CO2 output. Elsewhere in the industry, many lines are putting solar panels on their ships to power amenities.

Avalon Waterways is expecting to run its ships on alternative energy by 2030, and the line’s British CEO, Giles Hawke, believes that the development of sustainable power sources is a must-do for the whole river-cruising industry.

"We are dependent on technological advancements for this to happen, but we are committed to moving to 'clean' alternatives as soon as they are available and viable," he said.

"In the meantime we are working with ports to be able to obtain shore power from renewable sources wherever possible.This isn’t about saving costs on fuel but about doing the right thing and making our fleets fully sustainable. In the interim we are offsetting carbon emissions for all of our passengers."

Katja Hildebrandt, head of product for river and ocean cruises at Riviera Travel, has a similar message: "Riviera will keep an eye on the activities of ship builders and the potential of becoming greener," she said.

Meanwhile new river line VIVA has introduced eight new ships to the European market, each with an array of 68 solar panels mounted on its top deck.

"We store energy to support the onboard systems," said Patrick Ell, the line’s head of marketing. "There’s still a lot of innovation to come but this gives us some insight into how we can use sustainable power in the future."

The company is also investing in mooring facilities so that it can plug into shoreside electricity when docked. "This is something that cities need to do," added Patrick, "and there is so much more to come."

Rail and sail
Letting the train take the strain has been a popular option ever since Eurostar expanded its continental network, way before the post-lockdown chaos of understaffed airports.

British-based Riviera Travel has long offered rail transfers to its cruise departure points in Europe. But now, with increased security measures adding further to the inconvenience of air travel, the added bonus of helping the environment by not flying short distances has made rail-and-sail more attractive than ever.

John Fair, UK sales director of CroisiEurope, said: "I believe this increased demand is down to various factors including ease of travel, the cost and green issues."

Emerald Cruises’ global director of brand & marketing, David Winterton, agrees that concerns about the environmental impact of flying have prompted the introduction of no-fly options for the same price as fly-cruises.

Meanwhile Avalon is aiming to introduce rail travel during 2023, especially for Paris and Amsterdam departures, viewing it as greener – and even quicker – for shorter journeys.

Especially for you
River cruise lines feel they already offer small-ship luxury – Scenic and Uniworld provide butlers, and most lines are either all-inclusive or include drinks with meals.

But the industry is keen to improve its offering year-on-year, and bespoke tours – or experiences rarely on offer through a tourist office – are seen as a good way to stand out from the crowd.

Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking UK, believes private or behind-the-scenes tours are a key reason for Viking’s success in the river cruise market. As an example, she cites ‘A Taste of Cognac’, one of the line’s Privileged Access experiences in Bordeaux, where guests learn secrets of the trade from a master blender.

"They can then try creating their own personal blend and have their own brand of Cognac inscribed in the record books," she said.

Similar concepts include Emerald Cruises’ Emerald PLUS programme of exclusive social events and tours of significant landmarks. Emerald’s David Winterton said: "These extra-special excursions will take you to the heart of local culture, providing a fascinating insight into authentic customs and traditions."

The long and the short of it...
Post covid, it seems that travellers are looking to take longer holidays, so they can see more destinations and take longer to explore them. "There is a pent-up demand to travel longer and go further because it has not been possible for several years," says Emerald’s David Winterton.

And Giles Hawke of Avalon added: "We envisage longer cruises becoming more popular as people are likely to travel less frequently. We are also expecting to see more add-ons, with pre or post-hotel stays and tours becoming more popular."

Historically, seven-night itineraries have been the norm for UK cruisers but this, too, seems to be changing. Riviera has recently launched the new 10-night Rhône cruise, which now includes the Camargue with a visit to the ornithological park of Pont de Gau," said the line’s Katja Hildebrandt.

Shorter cruises are also being introduced by several lines to offer more variety and attract first-timers, for instance with new mini-cruises to the Christmas markets of Europe.

CroisiEurope’s John Fair said: "Seven nights has always been the gold standard for the UK but we are seeing a gradual change, with taster cruises of three to six-nights’ duration becoming increasingly popular."

Variations on a theme
Themed cruises have long been popular in Europe, and the idea is now spreading to the UK. Wine cruises during the autumn harvest in France, Germany and Austria started the trend, and river cruises have long highlighted local produce, with French cheese and Belgian chocolate proving equally popular attractions.

And there is more to come, according to CroisiEurope’s John Fair. "We will see an increase in the number of themed cruises being offered, as well as an expansion of the themes themselves," he said. "Classical music, food, wine, art and hiking are particularly popular but we always try to provide a good mix of excursions for guests interested in the theme as well as those who aren’t.

"For example, on our hiking cruises we offer a number of guided hikes for walkers, but there’s also a non-walkers’ programme for those who don’t feel quite so active."

Nichola Absalom, director of marketing at Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, added that "guests increasingly want to ‘do’ rather than just ‘see’. Culinary cruises are something our guests enjoy, so we have developed Scenic Culinaire on a number of our France sailings.

"This is an interactive session of French cooking classes in a dedicated kitchen. Guests go shopping for fresh local ingredients with our expert chefs and then create wonderful dishes under their guidance on board."

Younger, fitter, faster
There’s a misconception that river cruises are for the seriously senior, but most lines will tell you that 55 is now a typical age, and they are starting to attract an even younger clientele who demand more active excursions.

Avalon’s Giles Hawke reports that his company’s Avalon Active and Discovery cruises are bringing the average age of passengers down by about five years – to early 50s – which has led to experiences such as kayaking, cycling, hiking and dancing.

"This reflects consumer desire to be more 'in' the places they are visiting and more active while there," he said. "We will keep expanding this area of our offering."

And CroisiEurope’s John Fair adds: "We have seen a huge increase in guests participating in active excursions, so this is a real growth area for us."

New ships for 2023
The past two years of on-off travel have not dampened the industry’s optimistic mood, and so far this year more than 10 new river ships have been launched, with the promise of more to come.

The christening in March of Saga’s two new-builds, Spirit of the Rhine and Spirit of the Danube, was followed by the announcement of four more new Saga river ships – one each for the Moselle, Main, Elbe and Rhone – with the first sailing from May 2023.

VIVA Cruises will launch its second new-build ship, VIVA Two, in April 2023, and Amadeus River Cruises is following this year’s Amadeus Cara with next year’s newcomer, Amadeus Riva – a ship that, says the line, will be fitted with "the very latest technologies in sustainable travel."

Finally, Viking’s ever-expanding river fleet will have grown to 80 ships by the end of this year, with a further addition, the exciting new 82-passenger Nile cruiser Viking Aton, that’s due to set sail in early 2023.