The ever increasing popularity of river cruising

Arosa, the German river cruise company, got a new owner earlier this year. The company has also got a new deal with the UK tour operator Shearings that will charter the Arosa ships. A new ship will join the fleet in 2019, on the Douro: http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/302689/a-rosa-to-build-new-ship-to-sail-portugals-river-douro

The Douro has seen a big increase in ships in the last few years. Will it mean double-docking and more crowded places, seeing that on the Douro sailing is restricted to daytime? Or is there still much room for more docking places?

notamermaid

Food on river cruises...

always a subject for much debate, comparing. liking and not liking. For those happy to go beyond where they have ever gone before as regards food and those who want to "experience" food rather than just eat it, here is an article on what AmaWaterways wants to offer you: https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/epicurean-journeys-await-with-amawaterways.html

notamermaid

Crystal's Walter Littlejohn talked at the christening of the Crystal Debussy about Crystal's river cruising plans: http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/304445/crystal-will-build-more-river-ships-only-if-there-is-sufficient-demand

notamermaid

Uniworld's 2019 itineraries are out: https://www.cruisetradenews.com/uniworld-launches-2019-europe-programme/

I really like their 10-day itinerary on the Rhine and Moselle. As it does not cover as much ground as a sailing from Amsterdam to Basel these ten days could be a more intensive look at the area and the day-to-day description certainly gives the impression that it does. As regards airports it is Frankfurt and Cologne, but the great thing about this is that, if you had to, you could also make it back to Frankfurt without too much hassle on a high speed train.

https://www.uniworld.com/eu/river-cruise/europe/rhine/magnificent-moselle-and-rhine/2019-frankfurt-to-cologne/day-to-day/

It is the first time that I have read about a visit to the Roman villa Borg on a river cruise itinerary. Ebblewoi in Frankfurt, really nice. If you are going on this trip try and go up with the chairlift in Boppard!

notamermaid

Uniworld's 2019 itineraries are out: https://www.cruisetradenews.com/uniworld-launches-2019-europe-programme/

 

 

I really like their 10-day itinerary on the Rhine and Moselle. As it does not cover as much ground as a sailing from Amsterdam to Basel these ten days could be a more intensive look at the area and the day-to-day description certainly gives the impression that it does. As regards airports it is Frankfurt and Cologne, but the great thing about this is that, if you had to, you could also make it back to Frankfurt without too much hassle on a high speed train.

 

 

https://www.uniworld.com/eu/river-cruise/europe/rhine/magnificent-moselle-and-rhine/2019-frankfurt-to-cologne/day-to-day/

 

It is the first time that I have read about a visit to the Roman villa Borg on a river cruise itinerary. Ebblewoi in Frankfurt, really nice. If you are going on this trip try and go up with the chairlift in Boppard!

 

 

notamermaid

This one also appealed to me. I have spent over a week in Amsterdam (on 2 different trips), and since I did Vienna to Basel, I have gone upstream from the Main to Basel. This trip doesn't duplicate much that I have done before (except Rudesheim) but covers the places that I haven't seen; the Moselle and the castle section of the Rhine. I also like the fact that it really is a round trip to Frankfurt. (I have taken the train between Frankfurt airport and Cologne so I know how easy it is.)

gnome12,

glad to read you also like it. It is a good mix of excursions and towns I find, unusually also leaving out Koblenz. Knowing both Koblenz and Bonn quite well I would say that this is perhaps a bold move, but hope it will do well with cruisers as Bonn for me has some merits that Koblenz has not (although Bonn does not have a stunning fortress with views) and is certainly superior for shopping.

notamermaid

Some info on the AmaLea: http://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/AmaWaterways-brings-wellness-program-to-new-ship

notamermaid

The bigger the better?

That is not necessarily the case as regards ports on a river cruise. Small places can come as a pleasant surprise, says travelweekly's Michelle Baran: http://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/On-Europes-rivers-its-the-smaller-ports-that-shine?ct=river

I would tend to agree. One exception (and yes, I am biased) that is Rüdesheim on the Rhine stands out. That small town is not for me. And big, yes, my river cruise has left me with a longing to see Budapest again, I just did not have enough time there.

And if you are willing to venture out into the hills on a coach, a half hour trip will bring more enchanting places closer to you that could delight. Let us see what river cruise companies will offer us as regards "new" places in the near future. A nice amount of new options has already been introduced in 2017 and 2018.

A river cruise that goes to none of the (very) familiar towns and villages - now that would be a challenge and an economic adventure. Would it work? I would like to see a company try it out!

notamermaid

Agree about Rüdesheim. Did not go to mechanical museum or have the special coffee. Wandered town and not impressed. We really liked Beilstein.

Hope we get some new interesting small towns.

Themed cruises are a great idea and for the Danube one certainly lends itself: music! Tauck has a classical music-themed cruise and this is the experience of a writer of the British newspaper "The Telegraph": https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/river-cruises/best-cruises-for-classical-music/

notamermaid

The founders of AmaWaterways will join passengers on the Danube this November: https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/amawaterways-announces-dual-november-founder-s-cruises

notamermaid

The founders of AmaWaterways will join passengers on the Danube this November: https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/amawaterways-announces-dual-november-founder-s-cruises

 

 

notamermaid

Oh those lucky pax! You know everything will be extraordinary on that sailing

Two articles, one on Riviera Travel UK and one on Vietnam, combined in one page: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Pandaw-River-Cruises-Intimate-Vietnam-vibes

notamermaid

Some details, infrastructure-related and economic facts about river cruising in France: http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/river-cruising-in-france-growth-is-back.html

notamermaid

River cruising is getting ever popular with the British: http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/310798/river-cruise-passengers-surpass-200000-for-first-time

Sort of going full circle in history, I suppose. Seeing that it all started with British, rich (and sometimes odd ;)), young gentlemen on the Rhine in the early 1800's...

notamermaid

Yup we are defiantly still odd, now we all enjoy the ‘Grand Tour’. Keep on cruising CA

Notamermaid, did you see the ARD program Hartaberfair on 3rd. Sept., about Mass Tourism. On the same level as Venice, Durovnik and Santorin Passau was included in this group.

Here is the link to the mediatheke:

http://mediathek.daserste.de/Hart-aber-fair/Wir-Kreuzfahrer-und-Billigflieger-wer-z/Video?bcastId=561146&documentId=55710200

For other interested party's it is only available in German.

G.M.T.,

Thank you for the link. I am not a television person unless it is some documentary on specific topics. I watch those recorded, sometimes weeks later. "Hart-aber-fair" being normally a guarantee for civilised talking I did devote some time to your recommendation yesterday. And stayed with it all the way to the end!

It was an interesting bunch of people from a professor of tourism of sorts (ex-TUI, a German travel operator of the massive type) to a lady from Greenpeace. I found the photo they showed of a cruise ship next to the old town of Venice striking, it looked surreal, but Bernd Plasberg (the presenter) was quick to point out that it is indeed not a photoshop thing, but the real deal. If I had not thought this before, my decision not to go to Venice this decade would have been taken there and then. San Turin? Never. Dubrovnik. Probably not ever. Give me an old castle in the middle of nowhere in Britain anytime...

Now Passau, that is a different matter. When I was there in 2012 on a land trip I really enjoyed it. Early Spring and not many people about. I did not even notice the river cruise ships or any crowds of tourists. When I took my river cruise in 2013 in Spring I likewise did not see any crowds of people. Just a couple of Asians here and there, German day tourists, the like. The busiest place was the railway station platform as many got off the train to go to at least two river cruise ships embarking on their cruises on that day. I cannot agree with the local gentleman in the TV programme (a short embedded clip from Passau) saying that the "real" shops for the locals close and are replaced by those serving only tourists. It sounded as if that was a deliberate thing. One thing does not automatically lead to the other. All inner city structures in Germany have changed due to supermarkets, online shopping, rising house prices. Passau could well be more affected by this trend towards "cheap tourist kitsch" shops as this is where money can be made these days (shop owners think). In 2013 I could not see this trend in Passau, but that was five years ago. In 2018 it might be more evident. Since 2013 much water has flowed down the Danube and at least seven more river cruise ships plough her waters. I have lost count of how many have been introduced to the rivers of Europe in recent years, but most of those are deployed to the Rhine and Danube. And we travel enthusiasts and professionals have not finished yet filling the river with ships and tourists.

Passau indeed has a berthing problem as is very evident in the current low water level situation. See those many ships "outdocked" to Engelhartszell and elsewhere...

notamermaid

CroisiEurope will be extending their fleet in 2019: https://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/croisieurope-cruises-introducing-its-newest-2019-itinerary

notamermaid

U by Uniworld with a new Seine itinerary: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/U-by-Uniworld-doing-a-new-Seine-cruise-next-year

notamermaid

The boss is coming...

The Crystal president will join passengers on a river cruise in October of 2019: http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/tom-wolber-to-host-crystal-river-cruise-on-the-moselle.html

notamermaid

44 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

The boss is coming...

 

The Crystal president will join passengers on a river cruise in October of 2019: http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/tom-wolber-to-host-crystal-river-cruise-on-the-moselle.html

 

notamermaid

 

Bet there are NO bus journeys or ship swap - this is why the Moselle has been chosen.

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The boss is coming...

 

The Crystal president will join passengers on a river cruise in October of 2019: http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/tom-wolber-to-host-crystal-river-cruise-on-the-moselle.html

 

notamermaid

 

Would be more impressed if he was joining a cruise on the Rhine or Danube to see how things are being handled during problem times.

Introducing the AmaMagna (preview video):

https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/AmaWaterways-Shows-Off-AmaMagna-in-Preview-Video

Notice the mistake in the text. The AmaMagna will be almost twice as wide not twice as long.

notamermaid

Cruising the Amazon river:

https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Rainforest-Cruises-offers-luxury-Amazon-package

and U.S. rivers:

https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/US-river-cruise-lines-struggling-keep-up-with-demand?ct=river

notamermaid