Why are European River Cruises Cheaper in July/August?

We are looking at a river cruise for 2016 and are a little mystified about pricing. We are used to holidays where the July August school holiday period carries a premium price but in River cruises the price goes down for these months & then back up again.

I have read that it is about travellers wanting to avoid the high summer heat but is that the full explanation? As the ships have air conditioning is it such a big deal?

Many people avoid July/August because they don't like the crowds.

I enjoy these months mainly because it stays light well after dinner. I just sit on the sun deck and enjoy the cool breezes as the sun goes down.

The prices may be cheaper but the airfares are higher offsetting any savings.

Many people avoid July/August because they don't like the crowds.

 

I enjoy these months mainly because it stays light well after dinner. I just sit on the sun deck and enjoy the cool breezes as the sun goes down.

 

The prices may be cheaper but the airfares are higher offsetting any savings.

Could be that river cruising appeals to retired people and we mostly prefer the spring and fall because the weather is still nice but not as hot and since schools are in session just about everywhere it's less crowded. Although to be honest, I haven't really noticed the European cruises being cheaper in July and August.

I have read that it is about travellers wanting to avoid the high summer heat but is that the full explanation? As the ships have air conditioning is it such a big deal?

It's not the heat inside the ships. River cruises are very port intensive and most river cruise lines inlcude excursions in the price, which involve a greater or lesser degree of walking. I for one don't want to be sightseeing in the hottest part of summer day after day when I can go in the cooler months.

Thanks for the replies.

As I live in Europe the summer flight prices had not occurred to me as being significant. If purchased in the UK a Danube cruise including flights/transfers, for example, is about 20% cheaper in July/August than in May or September.

Hot and crowded, low water?

We are looking at a river cruise for 2016 and are a little mystified about pricing. We are used to holidays where the July August school holiday period carries a premium price but in River cruises the price goes down for these months & then back up again.

 

I have read that it is about travellers wanting to avoid the high summer heat but is that the full explanation? As the ships have air conditioning is it such a big deal?

I suspect it is partly that, and partly the fact that most people on river cruises don't have children at home, so there isn't the school holiday demand there would be for holidays where a lot of kids will be going.

Pricing is always related to supply and demand. If demand for a river cruise in July or August is low, prices are adjusted. Airfare likewise is adjusted almost daily from the time bookings open for a flight and when the metal leaves the ground. Cruise line price adjustments have not reached that point yet, but often people on board paid far different prices from other people just down the hallway in the same kind of cabin.

100% to avoid the crowds. Many big cities in Europe and their historic sites become crowded in July & August. River cruising doesn't attract families, so they are not looking at generating revenue from families but from the older passengers or couples with more income who are able to travel during the fall or spring.

OP, I see you are in the UK. That makes a huge difference. For those of us in the US, July and August cruise pricing is much higher than the shoulder season. I can tell you we definitely paid hundreds more to cruise in August vs. the spring or fall. What cruise line are you looking at?

And talk about crowds? You should've seen Stonehenge in May - it was literally wall-to-wall people. We were packed in shoulder-to-shoulder. Many tourists and schools aim for the shoulder season now due to the lower prices. It's become so popular, that a lot of companies have raised their shoulder season pricing and lowered the usually higher summer season prices.

I pulled this from GCT's 2016 Great Rivers cruise 14 nights Amsterdam to Vienna. Indeed, as OP questioned, July and August are less expensive than May, June and Sept . . . Not just a UK phenomena.

JANUARY

n/a

FEBRUARY

n/a

MARCH

from $2,795

APRIL

from $3,995

MAY

from $4,195

JUNE

from $3,995

JULY

from $3,795

AUGUST

from $3,795

SEPTEMBER

from $4,595

OCTOBER

from $3,795

NOVEMBER

from $2,795

DECEMBER

n/a

So August is still $1,000 more pp than March. July & August are only $200pp less than June. Notice how high the shoulder season (May & September) prices are - wow! :eek:

Personally, I like going in August. Weather in most of Europe is much, much cooler than it is at home. ;)

Personally, I like going in August. Weather in most of Europe is much, much cooler than it is at home. ;)

Yes, on the Rhine, the Danube, the Elbe, the Seine even the Douro. Warmer on the Rhone and around Venice. It's nowhere near as hot and humid as in most of the United States at that time of the year.

Reading here, I think that most people do not realizes that the Mediterranean countries have a different climate from the countries north of the Alps. The Alps are a formidable weather barrier of a kind that does not exist in the US. Our mountains run north to south and allow hot and cold fronts to move far up and far down with the jet stream.

I've not river cruised, but here's my thoughts....most passengers on river cruises are retired and prefer nice sight seeing temperatures. That's probably may-June and Sept-Oct. I did go to Venice the last week of July/first week of August. It was so oppressively hot that I went to town from 9-12, back to ships pool from 12-3, and then back to town. When I River cruise, it's shoulder season for me!

I've not river cruised, but here's my thoughts....most passengers on river cruises are retired and prefer nice sight seeing temperatures. That's probably may-June and Sept-Oct. I did go to Venice the last week of July/first week of August. It was so oppressively hot that I went to town from 9-12, back to ships pool from 12-3, and then back to town. When I River cruise, it's shoulder season for me!

Oh my....I love Venice but would not want to be there in the summer!!

I adore Venice, too. Can't wait to go back!

Have to say that Venice has never been a favorite of ours. We were there for one night last year on our way home from a 2 week trip (our 5th stay in about 30 years) and were very happy we had not booked for longer.

It was better 30 years ago than it is now, as it is completely run over with day trippers from the large cruise ships, and I hate that awful people mover.

Italy is my favorite country but I will not return to Venice again.

Different strokes :)

I've not river cruised, but here's my thoughts....most passengers on river cruises are retired and prefer nice sight seeing temperatures. That's probably may-June and Sept-Oct. I did go to Venice the last week of July/first week of August. It was so oppressively hot that I went to town from 9-12, back to ships pool from 12-3, and then back to town. When I River cruise, it's shoulder season for me!

Venice is SOUTH of the Alps. All of Italy is south of the Alps and hot in summer. North of the Alps, summer weather can be rainy, cool or warm and sometimes hot, but not for weeks on end.

Venice is SOUTH of the Alps. All of Italy is south of the Alps and hot in summer. North of the Alps, summer weather can be rainy, cool or warm and sometimes hot, but not for weeks on end.

Problem with Venice in the summer isn't the climate as much as the aroma!:D

Ah viva la siesta. Makes for late nights and of course early mornings. Pardon my mangling of language.

Summers along the Danube can be very hot and humid--our last trip the days in Vienna were 100 F.--not great for touring or being out of a/c. We also prefer shoulder season for river cruising--fewer children on field trips and fewer tourists. Pat

It was better 30 years ago than it is now, as it is completely run over with day trippers from the large cruise ships, and I hate that awful people mover.

 

It's not just Venice. We lived in Rome for 1 year in the mid-70s and 4 years in the mid-80s. We went back with our kids (who were born in Rome but left when one was 3 3/4 and the other a newborn) in June 2011. We were absolutely shocked by the crowds in Florence, Rome and Venice. All the local guides said it was due to cruise ship passengers. We kept telling out kids to come back (on their own dime :p) some spring or fall.