Brinley Hineman
I've just returned from the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam, and it was a whirlwind -- and a marathon. The show counted 14 river cruise brands, 16 river ships docked in town for the event for advisors to tour and 1,600 attendees there learning the latest about the industry.
And river cruise line executives shared quite a bit of news. Growth and innovation were key themes of the conference.
Here are six takeaways from the event, which will be held in Vienna next year.
Celebrity River Cruises unveils excursion model
I am eager to hear any Celebrity news I can get, and president Laura Hodges Bethge revealed something big: the line's shore excursion model.
Every river line promises to deliver innovation and authenticity to its guests, and it seems like Celebrity is poised to deliver. It will operate four different types of excursion series: Storyteller, Keys to the City, Skillmaster and Celebrity Takeover.
The Skillmaster series is one that I think travelers will go bananas for. It centers hands-on experiences, like a cooking class led by a Hungarian grandmother in her home. And if you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: travelers crave immersive experiences.
Riviera Travel will launch a new ship
Riviera Travel has a new CEO, and it appears it will soon have yet another new ship in 2028.
Though executive vice president Marilyn Conroy didn't share details at the river expo, she did tease that a new ship was coming.
Riviera is also introducing new ships this year and next: The line will debut the Riviera Resplendence on the Rhine and Danube later this year; the Riviera Reflection will launch on the Danube next year.
Amadeus River Cruises will cruise the Douro
Amadeus will begin cruising Portugal's Douro River in 2028 and is building its own ship.
The 55-cabin Amadeus Douro will have hybrid electric engines and sail a seven-night itinerary roundtrip from Porto.
Amadeus will launch the Amadeus Aurea later this year on the Rhine and Danube.
Tauck will aim to introduce Gen X to river cruising
Tauck's newest brand, Roam by Tauck, will introduce river cruising to Gen X.
Michelle Molnar, an associate product director, said that the itineraries mostly feature land tours but also include river cruises to showcase the travel style to those in their 40s and 50s.
It's a smart approach: tour operators are already increasing their focus on Gen Xers as the next generation of the guided tour market steps into the Baby Boomers' shoes.
AmaWaterways debuts cruises with longer city stays
AmaWaterways introduced City Escapes, a river cruise collection that features extended time in cities along the Seine, Rhine and Danube rivers. The itineraries will be during November and December which, aside from the popular Christmas market cruises, is something of an offseason for the rivers.
A key feature of the collection is the ability to spend 24 hours or longer in cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Strasbourg and Budapest, enabling passengers to enjoy iconic destinations without being rushed.
"You spend more time in cities, and that you have the opportunity to dine offshore, to go to museums, to go and have culinary experiences, whatever it is, however you want to immerse in the culture," CEO Catherine Powell told me. "It's really tailored to that shoulder season."
Avalon will launch a new ship in 2028
Avalon Waterways will add a new ship to its European fleet in 2028.
President Pam Hoffee said a formal announcement was forthcoming. The ship will be Avalon's first since 2024 when it launched the Avalon Alegria on the Douro.
The line hopes to add one ship per year to its fleet, growing at what Hoffee said was a sustainable rate.