It is not uncommon on any given river cruise to see a couple celebrating an anniversary. But as river cruise lines look to expand their reach, court younger passengers and simply play up the romance angle of the intimate cruising style, they are creating more romance-themed packages and marketing themselves more to honeymooners and couples looking to tie the knot.
While Amadeus River Cruises traditionally has hosted a lot of clients that are celebrating their wedding anniversaries onboard, which the company typically acknowledges with a special dessert during dinner on the night of their anniversary, it also charters out its vessels for weddings.
"The most recent wedding charter was an Indian family from Michigan onboard one of our vessels last year," said Marcus Leskovar, executive vice president of Amadeus River Cruises. "The wedding party stayed onboard the vessel and had evening functions and parties not only on the vessel but also at venues that they rented along the way as they sailed from Passau [Germany] to Vienna.
"Wedding charters are actually a pretty good deal if one is looking for a wedding abroad," he said. "Our river vessels offer a great alternative to hotels."
U by Uniworld, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection's chic, lower-priced river cruise line, absolutely markets its sailings to young honeymooners and said that its vessels can also be chartered for weddings.
In fact, U by Uniworld planted the romance marketing seed earlier this year when it was featured on ABC's "The Bachelor" in February. The B, one of the line's two ships, served as the home for the female contestants while they were in France. The company now offers a $150 U Get the Rose romance package inspired by the show that includes a bottle of rose wine at check-in, rose petal turndown service on one night, breakfast in bed, a nighttime experience for two at the Eiffel Tower, a romantic movie on the top deck and one night camping on the top deck in a tent for two (weather permitting).
The package seems made for a romantic wedding proposal, and in fact, two of the social media influencers who sailed on a preview cruise U by Uniworld hosted in October to get the word out about the launch of the line did just that. Kane Vato used the Seine River sailing to surprise his now-bride Pia Muhlenbeck with a proposal in Versailles, one of the stops on the itinerary. The social media power couple shared the proposal with Muhlenbeck's 2 million followers and with a series of YouTube video blogs.
Social media influencers Kane Vato and Pia Muhlenbeck celebrated their engagement in Versailles during a U by Uniworld media preview cruise in France.
Avalon Waterways said it is seeing an uptick in the number of guests celebrating their love onboard, too.
"We've found about 10% of our guests are celebrating a special occasion, but we see that number increasing each year," said Vanessa Parrish, channel marketing manager for the Globus family of brands, Avalon's parent company. "From anniversaries to honeymoons to bucket list trips of a lifetime, we welcome all reasons to celebrate onboard."
Avalon passengers as well as their travel agents can book special celebration packages before their cruise that can include items such as Champagne, wine, flowers, chocolates, a cake or more customizable surprises.
"We take each request as a way to make the cruise special for those traveling onboard and celebrating," said Parrish.
For its part, AmaWaterways has created the Renewal of Vows package to give couples the option to reaffirm their vows on the company's forthcoming megaship, the AmaMagna, which the company bills as its must luxurious vessel to date.
Some of river cruising's lesser-known gems should not be overlooked for a special occasion.
Designed for couples who wish to mark a significant anniversary as well as those renewing vows, the $499 package is available to reserve up to 90 days before sailing and includes a symbolic vow-renewal ceremony led by a designated official; a souvenir vow-renewal certificate; a bottle of Champagne on ice upon arrival; a gift certificate for one manicure, pedicure or hair salon service; a gift certificate for two one-hour massages; a sunset excursion with Champagne; a rose petal turndown service; and a custom-made dessert.
The price of the package will be waived for couples who bring 10 or more guests. The reservations are first come, first served, and the AmaMagna can accommodate up to the three couples opting for the Renewal of Vows package per sailing.
Launching in May, the 194-passenger AmaMagna will be 72 feet wide, almost twice the width of AmaWaterways' existing river cruise ships. More than half of the 98 staterooms will be designated as suites measuring between 355 and 710 square feet. The suites will feature full step-out balconies, open seating areas and bathrooms with double vanities. There will also be four dining venues onboard, the expansive Zen Wellness Studio, spa treatment facilities, a heated pool and a watersports platform.
According to AmaWaterways, the company doesn't currently offer destination wedding services because of the many rules and requirements on obtaining a marriage license in European cities. But it said it is looking into the option and that for the time being will only be holding symbolic ceremonies onboard.
Avalon Waterways offers options to add romantic amenities to cruises, such as in-stateroom Champagne. The cruise line said it has seen an uptick in the number of cruisers who are celebrating a special occasion, including anniversaries.
Opportunity for cruise sellers
Tauck, too, said it doesn't offer formal destination wedding options since performing weddings is a bit more difficult on rivers than on ocean ships, because river cruise ships aren't in international waters. However, Tauck said it has hosted vow renewals, being that they are symbolic rather than legal, and has couples celebrating anniversaries on its cruises all the time.
River cruise sellers and romance specialists said that they see potential opportunity in playing up the romance side of river cruising.
"I have booked many anniversary trips," said river cruise specialist Pete Larson, who owns the agency River Cruise Guru. "Some were interested in doing a wine-themed cruise to celebrate the occasion. I have also been on river cruises where there are honeymooners celebrating their second or third marriage. Couples in the typical river cruise demographic tend to either have been married for many years or they have remarried."
But Larson said he does feel like river cruising is a romantic travel style.
Said Larson, "Fine dining, fine wines, endless vineyards, beautiful sunsets, few crowds, famous places and landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Paris and Venice; yes, I certainly promote romance on the rivers."
Jennifer Doncsecz, president of VIP Vacations, which specializes in honeymoons and destination weddings as well as in cruises, said VIP has been selling a lot more river cruises in the past 18 months, but not for destination weddings or honeymoons.
"Most of our clients that do the river cruises are baby boomers," said Doncsecz, adding, "I wish we did do more honeymooners on river cruises — it [would make] planning so much easier as well as budgeting for the couple while they are traveling."