AmaWaterways to launch ‘biggest river cruise vessel’ in Europe in 2019

AmaWaterways to launch ‘biggest river cruise vessel’ in Europe in 2019

AmaWaterways is to launch the ‘biggest river cruise vessel’ in Europe in 2019.

The ship will be twice as wide as standard river cruise vessels and accommodate 194 passengers.

The ship will sail the Danube with itineraries released by the end of the month.

President Rudi Schreiner said the ship, which will be called AmaMagna, would have more facilities and ocean style cabins.

The announcement was in Amsterdam during a week-long sailing on the line’s newest ship AmaKristina which was sailing a Rhine River itinerary from Basel to Amsterdam.

AmaWaterways was set-up in 2002 by husband and wife team Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murpy.

The cruise line has 20 ships and is expected to launch another five by 2019. It runs cruises around the world, including Europe, Asia and Africa.

The company set-up a UK office in Guildford last year headed up by cruise industry veteran Stuart Perl. Previously, it had been represented by Fred Olsen Travel since 2008.

Ama also has a partnership with APT which has chartered its ships since 2006 for its luxury cruises.

The ship will have multiple dining options including an al fresco glass-enclosed restaurant, an open-water sports platform, with zodiac boats, canoes and recreational equipment. Construction for the new began on March 6.

Schreiner made the announcement during a Rhine sailing on the line’s newest ship AmaKristina.

“As the luxury river cruise market continues to grow, we want to carry on as the leader in industry innovation,” he said.

“While this new double-width concept has been on the table for some time, we believe, given the unique demand that exists, that now is the perfect moment to introduce this style of ship.

“AmaMagna will provide guests with generous personal space, the freedom of multiple dining choices and exceptional stateroom comfort. “Combining this with our award-winning cuisine, noteworthy shore excursions and remarkable onboard service, we feel this ship is a game-changer.”

AmaMagna will feature 97 staterooms – the majority of which will be over 300 square feet.

Additional amenities include a large heated sundeck swimming pool with whirlpool and sky bar, spa area with new treatments, a fitness room large enough for small group classes.

Disney to expand and tweak its river cruise program

Adventures by Disney (ABD) dove into the family river cruise market this year, offering departures on the Danube in partnership with AmaWaterways. How did their early sailings go? Well enough that ABD already announced that it will expand its river trips next year to the Rhine. 

However, there will be one notable change in 2017 when the AmaViola and AmaKristina sail the Danube and Rhine respectively: No 4- or 5-year-olds. 

In its first year of family river cruising, ABD set the minimum passenger age at 4 with a recommended age of 8, but that minimum has been boosted to 6 for year two.

"We continually review our policies and make adjustments from time-to-time as needed," said Amanda Adler, public relations manager for Disney Destinations. "The level of activity on these itineraries is more suitable to children who are eight and older."

Those itineraries include excursions like bike rides, walking tours and sledding into a mine. On a recent ABD Danube sailing, Travel Weekly writer Paul Heney found the company making some adjustments on the fly, like raising the minimum age from 12 to 14 on particularly challenging bike excursions and procuring appropriately-sized cycles for younger guests when the onboard options weren't a great fit. 

Accommodating a virtually all-ages clientele adds extra layers of difficulty to many aspects of a cruise, from designing excursions to crafting dinner menus. But Disney isn't alone in trying to cater to a wide range of clients aboard family sailings. Tauck's family river cruises also set the recommended age at 8, though passengers 4 and up are permitted, and Uniworld's Family Adventures also have a minimum age of 4, with some activities specifically geared toward tweens or teens. 

Uniworld began its multi-generational departures in 2010, and this year it more than doubled its family sailings from five departures to 13 cruises. 

"Uniworld is in touch with its customers and listened to the need for more multigenerational family itineraries," said Ellen Bettridge, Uniworld's CEO. "These departures are designed for families of all ages to participate in programming like hiking, biking, cooking demonstrations, language lessons and more."

As ABD gains more experience on Europe's rivers, we can expect that it will fine-tune its itineraries and excursions to better entertain and accommodate all of its young passengers just as it does on its ocean cruises and in its parks. Ages 6-plus, of course.

Fluctuating river levels could impact Europe cruise itineraries

As another busy summer gets underway in Europe, river cruise passengers could once again face itinerary alterations due to high or low water levels.

Thus far, river cruise lines are reporting that water levels are a bit high on the Danube, Rhine and Rhone rivers, and a bit low on the Elbe.

Viking River Cruises has reported on its website that the Danube, Rhine and Rhone rivers currently have high water levels, which may result in delays, itinerary adjustments, and alternate embarkation or disembarkation points.

The high levels on the Danube are occurring near Passau, Germany, and the high levels on the Rhine are concentrated around southern Germany, Viking reported. Meanwhile, limited rainfall on the has disrupted sailings between Melnik in the Czech Republic and Bad Schandau in Germany, as well as the stretch between Wittenberg and Magdeburg in Germany.

Avalon Waterways on Monday updated its Facebook page to alert passengers that “due to increased rainfall this spring, water levels on some of Europe’s rivers are higher than normal.”

Avalon noted that there are cases where adjustments will be necessary, mostly affecting embarkation and disembarkation locations. “On occasion, when waters have been too high to navigate, we’re making alternate arrangements, which may include transferring guests to hotels. When this occurs, we offer our travelers complimentary accommodations, excursion choices as well as compensation for missed sailing days,” Avalon stated on Facebook.

“Weather forecasts look favorable this week,” the company stated, adding that “we ask that our guests understand that water levels change hourly, so much can change daily. In the meantime, we’re just ‘going with the flow.’”

Severe flooding on France’s Seine River caused river cruise disruptions there earlier this month.

Making a run at the cost-conscious consumer

Making a run at the cost-conscious consumer

At a time when other river cruise lines are scaling back on growth, French river cruise company CroisiEurope this week announced it will launch seven new river cruise vessels this year and next.

Granted not all seven are full-size European river cruise ships — two are 22-passenger canal barges, and one is launching on the Mekong — but still, seven ships is worth noting, especially for a company many of us here in the U.S. didn’t know much, if anything, about as recently as a couple years ago.

By the time these seven vessels are launched, CroisiEurope will have 46 company-owned vessels in its fleet. In 2014, the company carried some 200,000 cruise passengers (compared to the approximately 250,000 passengers carried by Viking River Cruises), although only about 8,000 to 9,000 of those hailed from the U.S. But CroisiEurope is growing its U.S customer base, and quickly.

So, what's the deal with Croisi? Well, the company saw an opening at the lower end of the river cruise market and it is clearly going after it. For a long time, river cruising has grappled with a reputation of being a bit pricey. Travel agents would lament that while they wanted to sell more river cruises, especially since the very inclusive vacation style generally offers lofty commissions, not all of their clients could afford it.

Therein lies the opportunity for CroisiEurope, which after 40 years of building river cruise ships in Europe, is banking on its home-turf shipbuilding ties and a more pared down version of river cruising to bring lower prices to market. And while CroisiEurope’s older vessels do not compete with the sleek newbuilds being churned out by U.S.-facing river cruise lines such as Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Uniworld and all the rest, the company has upped its ship design game and its newest batch of river cruise ships is focused on chicer interiors and enhanced amenities.

Another line going after this segment with arguably even chicer ships is Emerald Waterways, the lower-priced sister brand to Scenic. And it is having a good deal of success too. Having only launched in 2014, Emerald is on pace to have seven river cruise ships in Europe by 2017 (its fifth vessel, the 182-passenger Emerald Belle, was slated to launch this spring, but has been set back by a fire in the shipyard).

As river cruising piques more travelers’ interests, and the travel style opens up to a wider audience, there is clearly going to be more demand for and thus greater opportunity to provide a more accessible river cruising experience.

AmaWaterways introduces enhanced hiking, biking excursions

AmaWaterways is beefing up its biking and hiking tour options for its 2016 Europe river cruises, in response to customer demand.

 “Over the past two seasons, we have seen steadily increasing demand from our passengers for more active excursions,” Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, said in a release. “While we have always maintained a commitment to healthy and active travel, we decided to start the New Year by kicking it up a notch.”

The company introduced an array of new tours that will debut in the upcoming season. AmaWaterways has been carrying a fleet of bicycles onboard its vessels for passengers to use for several years now, but for 2016 it is introducing several new escorted bike tours. They include:

• A tour of the historic waterfront town of Willemstad, the Netherlands;
• Cycling along the Sava River and through Kalemegdan Park in Belgrade, Serbia;
• A ride through the Belgian town of Antwerp;
• Tours of the Wachau Valley along the Danube;
• A ride through the historic town of Bamberg, Germany;
• A tour along the Inn River in Passau, Germany

Additionally, in 2016, there will be new hiking tours in 12 port cities. They include:

• A hike to the castle ruins in Durnstein, Austria, which includes two wine tasting options;
• A hike up Fourviere Hill in Lyon, France;
• A Passau Castle hike in Passau, Germany;
• A hike up Mount Pipet in Vienna, Austria;
• A hike to Chateau Gaillard in Les Andelys, France;
• A hike to the Dom Luis Bridge, Old Harbor Quarter and the cathedral in Porto, Portugal

The new guided biking and hiking tours are included in the cruise fare in addition to AmaWaterways’ standard excursions that are often offered at a variety of paces, including gentle, regular and active.

Last year, AmaWaterways developed a partnership with tour operator Backroads to create a series of river cruises that include Backroads-led biking, walking and hiking excursions, which will have their first departures this year. More information about the Backroads Danube river cruise departures can be found on the Backroads website.

A challenging start to a promising year

By Michelle Baran 
As European river cruise vessels file into winter dry-dock this week, closing up the 2015 season, there is bound to be some nervousness for an industry waiting to see how the 2016 season will play out once it gets underway in the spring.

The dormant winter season offers an opportunity to spruce up older vessels and make final arrangements for the launch of new ones, investments that will hopefully pay off throughout the season. And this coming year has a lot to offer; Both Crystal Cruises and Adventures by Disney (through a partnership with AmaWaterways) will introduce new river cruise products in Europe, and all the major river cruise lines are adding new vessels to their fleets.

Michelle Baran

There’s a lot to look forward to, and yet 2015 ended with a bit of a question mark in the aftermath of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks in terms of how much the attacks will impact travel in Europe (and consequently river cruising) this year. Surely the hope is that a quiet couple months  - fingers crossed - prior to the start of the 2016 season will help keep pre-existing bookings on the books and reinvigorate the flow of new ones to get 2016 back on track to being as robust as it promised before the attacks.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of exciting developments elsewhere in the world to distract from the situation in Europe. Uniworld is starting its first cruises on India’s Ganges River this month, a new product the company has said has exceeded its expectations in terms of how successful the bookings have been.

And back in the US, it will be interesting to see if we hear anything more from Viking about its plans to launch modern-style Mississippi River vessels in 2017 and from the Delta Queen Steamboat Company about whether the fabled 89-year-old Delta Queen will receive the Congressional exemption it needs to sail again.

Indeed, despite some uncertainty as we start off the year, 2016 still promises to be an exciting and interesting one in river cruising, both in terms of the announcements we already know about and in terms of the surprises we’re always counting on the industry to provide us.

New-builds to be delivered in 2016

New-builds to be delivered in 2016:

Finesse, AIDAprima, River Voyager, AmaViola, AmaStella, AmaDessa, America, Samatha, Princess Panhwar, Avalon Passion, Avalon Imagery II, Carnival Vista, Elbe Princesse, Origin, Emerald Belle, Koningsdam, Seven Seas Explorer , Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Scenic Amber, Scenic Spirit, Scenic Azure, Scenic Aura, Seabourn Encore, Dream Cruises' unnamed ship , Grace, Joy, Mein Schiff 5, Ganges Voyager II, Amadeus Silver III, Viking Sea and Viking River Cruises' six Longship class river cruise vessels. 


AIDA Cruises 

AIDAprima (3,250 - March 2016) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (See image) 

Unnamed new class ship (3,250 - Unknown: previously announced March 2016) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
New ship design (6,600 - ) Meyer Werft
New ship design (6,600 - ) Meyer Werft


AMA Waterways 

AmaViola (158 - 2016) ("Certo-class" ship) Vahali Shipyard

AmaStella (164 - 2016) (River cruises in Europe)

AmaDessa ( - 2016) ("Certo-class" ship) Gendt Shipyard
(March 2015: AmaWaterways' Executive Vice President and Co-owner Kristin Karst has confirmed the line will build two more ships in 2017 for river cruises in Europe)


American Cruise Lines 

America (185 - Early 2016) Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp.

Queen of the Mississippi ( - 2017) Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp.
Unnamed coastal cruise ship (170 - Spring 2017) Chesapeake Shipbuilding


APT, Travelmarvel and Maing Fong Company 

Samatha (30 suites - January 2016) Shipyard in Yangon (River cruises on the Burma River in Myanmar)

Princess Panhwar (36 suite - January 2016) Shipyard in Yangon (River cruises on the Burma River in Myanmar)


Avalon Waterways 

Avalon Passion (2016)

Avalon Imagery II (2016)

Avalon Myanmar (36 - September 2015)

Blue Star Line

Titanic II Project (2,435 - Delayed to 2018) CSC shipyard

Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Vista (3,954 - Spring 2016) Fincantieri 

Unnamed Vista class ship (3,954 - March 2018) Fincantieri

Carnival Corp & Plc
March 2015: Carnival Corp & plc is ordering a total of nine cruise ships, five from Fincantieri and four from Meyer Werft. The new ships would be delivered over a four-year period between 2019 and 2022. Fincantieri will build five of the new vessels at its shipyards in Monfalcone and Marghera in Italy while Meyer Werft will construct the remaining four at both its German yard at Papenburg and its new and larger capacity Finnish yard at Turku. June 2015: it was announced that the two at Meyer Werft will be for AIDA Cruises. July 2015: the two at Meyer Turku will be for Costa Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises

Project Edge class ship (2,900 - Fall 2018) STX France (Letter of intent) 

Project Edge class ship (2,900 - Early 2020) STX France (Letter of intent)


Costa Cruises Asia

Unnamed ship (4,200 - 2019) Fincantieri

Unnamed ship (4,200 - 2020) Fincantieri


Costa Cruises 
New ship design (6,600 - 2019) Meyer Turku (See image below at right)
New ship design (6,600 - 2020) Meyer Turku



Croisieurope 

Princesse Elbe (80 - Spring 2016) Saint-Nazaire shipyard (Paddlewheel river cruise ship)

Princesse Apsara (60 - ) (Cruises on the Mekong)

Daniele (24 - ) (Barge) 

Deborah (24 - ) (Barge)

Crystal Cruises

New Crystal Exclusive class ship (1,000 - 2018) Lloyd Werft (Letter of Intent) (See image at left)

New Crystal Exclusive class ship (1,000 - ) Lloyd Werft (Letter of Intent)

New Crystal Exclusive class ship (1,000 - ) Lloyd Werft (Letter of Intent)





Crystal River Cruises

Crystal Bach (110 - March 2017) Lloyd Werft (See image at right)

Crystal Mahler (110 - March 2017) Lloyd Werft

Crystal Ravel (84 - March 2017) Lloyd Werft

Crystal Debussy (84 suites - March 2017) Lloyd Werft



Dream Cruises - Genting Hong Kong
(November 2015: Genting Hong Kong announced the launch of Dream Cruises with the two new ships under construction at Meyer Werft for Star Cruises)

Unnamed ship (3,364 - October 2016) Meyer Werft

Unnamed ship (1,682 cabins - Fall 2017) Meyer Werft






Ecoventura

Origin (20 - January 2016) Shipyard in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Emerald Waterways

Emerald Belle (182 - Early 2016) (Den Breejen Shipyard)

Unnamed sister ship (182 - 2017)

Unnamed sister ship (182 - 2017)

Unnamed sister ship (182 - 2017)

European Waterwayas 
Finesse (8 - May 2016) Hotel barge

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts 

Four Seasons Ocean Residence (48,600 grt - ) Kvaerner Masa (Aker Yards) (Conditional contract)

General Maritime Transportation Company (GNMTC) 

Unnamed ship (1,739 - December 2012) STX Europe St Nazaire
(June 2011: STX France has rescinded the contract and is looking for a new buyer. March 2012: sold to MSC Cruises)

Holland America Line

Koningsdam ("Pinnacle" class ship) (2,650 - March 2016) Fincantieri (See image)

Second "Pinnacle" class ship (2,650 - November 2018) Fincantieri

Knud E Hansen (Naval architects)

New green-design expedition ship (300 - )(See image)

Lindblad Expeditions

Unnamed coastal vessel (100 - Second quarter of 2017) Nichols Brothers Boat Builders

Unnamed coastal vessel (100 - Second quarter of 2018) Nichols Brothers Boat Builders

Lüftner Cruises - Amras Cruises - Amadeus Cruises

Amadeus Silver III (168 - 2016) De Hoop, Holland


MSC Cruises 

MSC Meraviglia (4,500 - May 2017) (Vista project ship ) STX France

MSC Meraviglia sister ship (4,500 - 2019) (Vista project ship ) STX France (See image at right)
(MSC Cruises has options for two further Vista project ships to be delivered by 2022)

MSC Seaside (5,300 - November 2017) Fincantieri

Second Seaside class ship (5,300 - May 2018) Fincantieri(See image below) 








Norwegian Cruise Line 

Norwegian Bliss (4,200 - Spring 2017) Meyer Werft

Breakaway-Plus class cruise ship (4,200 - Spring 2018) Meyer Werft

Breakaway-Plus class cruise ship (4,200 - Autumn 2019) Meyer Werft

OVDS - Hurtigruten - Norwegian Coastal Voyage 

Fram's sister ship (2008) Fincantieri (Option to be confirmed)

Peace Boat

New Ecoship (1,700 - 2020) (Subject to financing by donations or investors) (See image at right)


Pearl Seas Cruises 

Unnamed sister ship of the Pearl Mist (214 -) (Originally the ship would be built at the Irving Shipbuilding, in Halifax, Nova Scotia but in March 2008 Pearl Seas decided to built the second ship in a different shipyard)


P&O Cruises Australia

Unnamed ship (2,400 - 2019/2020) Fincantieri


Polar Cruise Enterprises 

Ursus Maritimus - Ice breaking cruise liner (240 - ) Rauma yard of STX Finland


Princess Cruises 

Majestic Princess (3,560 - Summer 2017) Fincantieri

Fourth "Royal Princess" class vessel (3,560 - 2019 / 2020) Fincantieri

Residential Cruise Line Ltd.

Magellan (residential cruise ship) - Aker Yards (Memorandum of Understanding)

Riva Waterways - Evergreen Tours

Riva Royale (180 - April 2014) Shipyard De Hoop (River ship)

Riva Princess (180 - April 2014) Shipyard De Hoop (River ship)

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Seven Seas Explorer (738 - Summer 2016) Fincantieri Sestri Ponente (See image at right)



Royal Caribbean International

Ovation of the Seas (4,100 - Mid 2016) Meyer Werf 

Harmony of the Seas (5,400 - Mid 2016) STX France 

Third ship of the Oasis class (5,400 - Mid 2018) STX France

Fourth Quantum-class ship (4,100 - Spring 2019) Meyer Werf

Fifth Quantum-class ship (4,100 - Fall 2020) Meyer Werf

Saga Shipping - Saga Cruises

Unnamed new class ship (540 suites and cabins - 2019) Meyer Werft (There is an option for a second ship with delivery in 2021) (See image at left)


Scenic - Luxury Cruises & Tours

Scenic Amber (169 - March 2016) River 'Space-Ships' class (Den Breejen shipyard)

Scenic Spirit (68 - January 2016) Cruises on the Mekong River in Asia

Scenic Azure (48 cabins - March / April 2016) (Portugal's Douro River cruises)

Scenic Aura (24 balcony suites - September 2016) (Myanmar's Irrawaddy River cruises)

Seabourn Cruises

Seabourn Encore (604 - Second half of 2016) Fincantieri (See image)

Seabourn Ovation (604 - Spring 2018) Fincantieri (See image)





Sea Cloud Cruises

Sea Cloud Hussar (136 - November 2010) Factoria Naval de Marin, Spain (She is a three-mast sailing vessel)

Silversea Cruises 

Silver Muse (596 - April 2017) Fincantieri

Unnamed vessel (-) Fincantieri

Unnamed vessel (-) Fincantieri
(October 2014: Shanghai-based ICBC Leasing announced that it had signed with Monte Carlo-based Silversea Cruises for the financing of three cruise ships to be built by Fincantieri in Italy)

Star Clippers 

New five-masted sailing vessel (300 - Late 2017) (Brodosplit shipyard in Split, Croatia) (See image at right)





Sunstone Ships

Project Unlimited (240 - ) (Expedition ship) Meyer Werft (Letter of intent)(See image)

Tauck - Scylla AG

Grace (Inspiration Class ship) (130 - 2016) (See image at left))

Joy (Inspiration Class ship) (130 - 2016)







TUI Cruises

Mein Schiff 5 (2500 - 2016) Meyer Turku(See image sister ship Mein Schiff 3)

Mein Schiff 6 (2500 - 2017) Meyer Turku 

Mein Schiff 7 (2500 - 2018) Meyer Turku Oy

Mein Schiff 8 (2500 - 2019) Meyer Turku Oy



Uniworld River Cruises

Ganges Voyager II (56 - January 2016) (Ganges River Cruises. Haimark Travel is building the ship for Uniworld)

Unknown cruise operator

New Expedition Vessel for Extreme Conditions (60 - December 2014) Kleven Maritime AS (Norway)

Utopia Residences 

Utopia - private residential vessel (105,000 ton - ) (June 2011: the letter of intent for the Utopia is expected to become a firm contract) Samsung Heavy Industries

Vantage Deluxe World Travel

River Voyager (176 - March 2016)
(Ship for European river cruises)

Victoria Cruises

Victoria Emperor (Over 200 - planning stage) (River cruises in China)

Viking Ocean Cruises

Viking Sky (944 - February 2017) Fincantieri (See image sister ship Viking Star - Photo Neven Jerkovic at Shipspotting.com)

Viking Sea (944 - Mid 2016) Fincantieri

New luxury ocean ship (944 - Early 2017) Fincantieri

New luxury ocean ship (944 - Mid 2018) Fincantieri

New luxury ocean ship (944 - End 2020) Fincantieri

Viking River Cruises
October 2014: Viking has placed an order for six Longship class river cruise vessels with Neptun Werft in Rostock. The now ordered ships will be delivered in the Spring of 2016.

Virgin Cruises
Unnamed new class ship (2,800 - 2020) Fincantieri
Unnamed new class ship (2,800 - 2021) Fincantieri
Unnamed new class ship (2,800 - 2022) Fincantieri

Xiamen International Cruise Co Ltd

China Xiamen (2,000 - planning for October 2018) Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry
(August 2015: Cruise Industry News has reported that Xiamen Shipbuilding has dropped plans to build the ship) 

Why Paris is of concern to the river cruise industry, too

It just so happens that France has been on the rise in the river cruising world. The Seine River and cruises on the Rhone and Saone rivers in the south of France have been gaining popularity in recent years, and last year Bordeaux became a new river cruise region that lines have since jumped on with new capacity. 

So, in the wake of the deadly terror attacks in Paris earlier this month, river cruise lines also have a lot to potentially lose if travelers become nervous about upcoming sailings in France — or in the rest of Europe for that matter.

Michelle Baran

Having been on an AmaWaterways river cruise on the Rhine River in Strasbourg at the time of the attacks, I spoke with Ama’s executive vice president and co-owner Kristin Karst in their immediate aftermath.

The company had a river vessel sailing the Seine back towards Paris several days after the attacks and decided to disembark passengers in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a bit further up the Seine from Paris, given the uncertainty in the capital as events unfolded there. Karst noted that AmaWaterways offers a two-night post-river cruise program in Paris, and gave the guests the option to continue with their plans or fly home.

“We had one very large group [and] they wanted to continue and do the two nights in Paris,” said Karst.

AmaWaterways had two more Rhone cruises this month, on Nov. 19 and Nov. 26, and did have some cancellations on those cruises, for which the line offered a 100% future cruise credit. While the news is concerning, Karst noted that an agent had emailed the company several days after the attacks to open up a group booking request for a cruise in Bordeaux, which she found hopeful.

The Paris attacks come at the tail end of what was a challenging 2015 for travel in Europe between the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris at the start of the year, and the migrant crisis that remained in the media spotlight throughout the summer. River cruise lines had the added challenge of low water levels, a nagging problem in Europe since July.

After several years of boom times for the river cruise industry, there is now a large amount of inventory sailing through Europe, and a lot of hype and investment on the line. Like other sectors of the travel industry, the river cruise segment is likely watching closely and hoping this all blows over before the selling season gets under way after the start of the new year. Either way, they’re probably well aware that the Paris attacks will pose some challenges, however short or long-lived.

The Danube, in style

The Avalon Expression on the Danube in Austria’s Wachau, a valley that boasts sights such as Schloss Schonbuhel castle.

By Patricia Schultz 

When Avalon Waterways asked me in 2013 to be the godmother of its then-new Expression Suite Ship, I was both honored and perplexed. 

I had been following the burgeoning popularity of river cruising in Europe but considered myself neither authority nor godmother material. Avalon Managing Director Patrick Clark explained the company's reasoning, pointing out my love for the sites that line Europe's great rivers and featured in my book "1,000 Places to See Before You Die."

"Avalon's mission is to connect those dots and bring our guests there with the utmost in comfort," Clark said. "We're a good match." 

He was right, of course, and I jumped onboard — and that festive May ceremony in the Rhine town of Koblenz will forever remain a special moment for me.

My first real immersion in the comfort and enveloping charms of the Expression, however, didn't happen until last month, when I hosted a one-week cruise on the legendary Danube, Europe's longest river; we would visit four of the 10 countries through which its not-so-blue waters flow. (No other river passes through so many countries.)

Traveling east to west, we began in Budapest and were scheduled to disembark in Nuremberg, Germany, but not before having explored stops in Austria and with a sail-by visit of Bratislava in Slovakia. A rich itinerary like this deserves to close on a high note, and it did, with a post-cruise transfer to. 

Avalon taps the destination knowledge and logistical backup of its Globus Family of Brands sister companies to create an impressive roster of included land programs to cities large (Vienna; Regensburg, Germany) and small (Durnstein and Melk, Austria). Extra-cost options, ranging from Strauss concerts and horse shows to wine tastings, fleshed out each day's possibilities.

Budapest is one of four capital cities sitting directly on the banks of the Danube.

We arrived in Budapest even before Avalon's predeparture package began, wanting extra time to explore one of the four capital cities sitting directly on the banks of the Danube. Budapest is a magnificent city; with eight illuminated bridges and outdoor restaurants with strolling violinists, it exudes a festive air. Walkways line the banks of the Danube, popular with locals and tourists out for nocturnal strolls. 

Avalon's base at the waterfront InterContinental Budapest was peerless for its location, steps from the famous 19th century Chain Bridge (the first to connect Buda and Pest). It is within sight of the city's (and country's) finest hotel, the exquisitely restored Four Seasons Gresham Palace. We lingered there over a palinka (fruit brandy) in the hotel's theatrical bar-lounge, imagining life in the Belle Epoque. 

We had just returned from an excellent Context Walking Tour, an insightful three-hour stroll through the city's golden age, the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries when the Hungarian capital flourished as a center of art and learning, and intellectuals throughout Europe gravitated here; that tour was not part of Avalon's precruise package. Keeping the historical theme alive, we dressed up for a quintessentially Hungarian evening at the Gundel restaurant, in business since the late 1800s. A four-piece gypsy orchestra and a rich menu of classic Hungarian specialties sealed the deal with our new love affair with the city. 

Avalon's coach tour the next day covered the capital city's many highlights and filled in the holes with a crash course on the country's rich and complex history.

But the Expression called, and soon we were boarding the 166-passenger vessel, one of Avalon's 10 Suite Ships. (Its Europe fleet currently numbers 15, with two 36-guest All-Suite Ships sailing Asia's Irrawaddy and Mekong debuting this year.) 

The beauty of river cruising is that you only unpack once, so it might as well be in one of Avalon's spacious 200-square-foot accommodations. They are 30% larger than the industry standard on Europe's waterways and make up 80% of the rooms. (The balance are marginally smaller at 172 square feet, while just two 300-square-foot Royal Suites await a lucky few.) The unquestionable standout feature goes to the "floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic windows that open 7 feet wide to create an open-air balcony," Clark said. Add to that Comfort Collection beds that are positioned to face the windows — not a wall — to watch European vignettes of steep, terraced vineyards and hilltop castles drift by. 

The ship's layout was explained to us the first evening by our personable cruise director, Nancy Paredes. River vessels, she said, are limited by the size of the river locks through which they will travel, so adding a conventional balcony would compromise room space. Hence that remarkable wall of windows. "Comfort," Clark reminded me, "is king."

The mix of excited passengers was predominantly from the U.S., with a good number from Canada and a handful from New Zealand, Australia and the U.K. By the end of the cruise, if we didn't know each other by name, we certainly recognized everyone. 

The casually elegant dining room was a fun spot to sit with fellow guests, sharing culinary experiences that ranged from very good to excellent and were often influenced by our host country and the local markets' (and vineyards') offerings. 

With the record-breaking numbers of river ships that are exiting the boatyards every year, it still seemed like there was plenty of Danube to go around for all of us. Some days we saw more vessels docked at the ports along the way than we did sailing the river itself. It often felt like we had the Danube to ourselves.

Adventures by Disney to offer river cruising

River cruises a big hit, so Disney adds sailings

Adventures by Disney river cruises will be operated by AmaWaterways.

After announcing last month that it is launching river cruises through a partnership with AmaWaterways, Adventures by Disney has already added two more departures "due to popularity and mass interest in the program."

Originally, Disney’s tour operator arm said it would offer four sailings along the Danube River during summer 2016, and one holiday-themed sailing in December 2016. There will now be five sailings in the summer, as well as two sailings in December of 2016. The itineraries will travel through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Adventures by Disney will charter the 170-passenger AmaViola, a ship that is launching in 2016 and is being custom-built to cater to families. Family-friendly features on the AmaViola will be six sets of connecting staterooms, as well as some rooms and suites that can accommodate families of three or four people.

There will be wine tastings, fine dining, music, dancing and an onboard fitness center geared toward adults, and movies, karaoke, relay games, chess lessons on an oversized board, video games and themed nights for young children and teens.

There will be eight Adventures by Disney guides on each sailing in addition to the AmaWaterways crew.

The Adventures by Disney sailings will take place July 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug. 4, Dec. 15 and 22.

Adventures by Disney, which launched in 2005, offers 30 guided vacations on six continents. 

Adventures by Disney to offer river cruising

Adventures by Disney, on Monday said that it is getting into the river cruise game through a partnership with AmaWaterways. 

Starting in 2016, Adventures by Disney will offer four sailings along the Danube River during the summer months, and one holiday-themed sailing in December 2016. The itineraries travel through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Adventures by Disney will charter the 170-passenger AmaViola, a ship that is launching in 2016 and is being custom-built to cater to families. Family-friendly features on the AmaViola will be six sets of connecting staterooms, as well as some rooms and suites that can accommodate families of three or four people. Shipboard spaces are being reimagined to allow for activities geared towards passengers of all ages.

Bookings on the five cruises open Tuesday to past Adventures by Disney guests and members of the Disney Vacation Club. Bookings to the general public open Wednesday.

At an event in New York to introduce the cruises, executives from Adventures by Disney and Ama Waterways said the partnership had been two years in the making.

"We're constantly on the lookout for ... new destinations and new formats," said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager for Adventures by Disney. Two trends they identified, he said, were multigenerational travel and river cruising.

For Ama's part, the line has already been accommodating families, particularly on its Christmas markets cruises, Schreiner said.

On the Adventures by Disney sailings there will be wine tastings, fine dining, music, dancing and an onboard fitness center geared toward adults, and movies, karaoke, relay games, chess lessons on an oversized board, video games and themed nights for children and teens.

There will be eight Adventures by Disney guides on each sailing in addition to the existing AmaWaterways crew.

Unlike the oceangoing Disney Cruise Line, however, the river product will not carry a complement of Disney characters, and there will not be character- or movie-themed excursions. "We bring the stories of Europe to life," but not the stories of Disney, Potrock told the audience.

The Adventures by Disney sailings will take place July 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2016, and will include a nighttime illuminations cruise through Budapest; a horse show at the Lazar Equestrian Park in Hungary; a visit to the Devin Castle in Bratislava, Slovakia; a private marionette performance and strudel making demonstration at the Schonbrunn Palace in Austria; a falconry show at the Hohenwerfen castle in Austria; an Oktoberfest event at a German brewery; and biking in every port.

The holiday-themed sailing, departing Dec. 22, 2016, will include visits to the Christmas markets in Budapest and Vienna, and a boys choir Christmas performance at the Hofburg Palace Chapel in Vienna.

Potrock said the company would gauge interest with the first five cruises but said it was "in a position to very quickly expand."

Passengers can add a three-day pre- or post-cruise extension in Prague.

Adventures by Disney, which launched in 2005, offers 30 guided vacations on six continents. 

Preview 2015: River Cruise

In recent years, the river cruise market has been one of if not the hottest growth sectors in the industry, but heading into 2015, it finds itself on the cusp of a market-changing development in the form of greater diversification among river cruise players.

As they seek to better differentiate themselves, river cruise lines are gradually creating stronger brand identities. 

For example, the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is going after the uber-luxury river cruise space with its six-star brand promise and over-the-top hardware that will extend to its 2015 launch of the 155-passenger Danube cruiser S.S. Maria Theresa. 

AmaWaterways has made a name for itself among foodies and oenophiles for its extensive wine-themed cruises and impressive food-and-beverage program. In 2015, Ama will launch two sister ships in Europe, the 164-passenger AmaSerena and the 164-passenger AmaVista, which will bring the company's European fleet to 16 vessels, all featuring multiple dining venues and a well-curated wine selection.

Meanwhile, Avalon Waterways is going after the choice generation, travelers who want to customize their experience. With its Avalon Choice Cruising program, the company has worked to build multiple dining and excursion options into its river cruises. The line will introduce two newbuilds in Europe for 2015: the 128-passenger Avalon Tranquility II and the 166-passenger Avalon Tapestry II, bringing its European fleet to 15.

Tauck has made its strength as a land operator a standout trademark in its river cruise operation, which is dotted by onshore experiences designed to surprise and thrill passengers (think dinner and entertainment in a remote castle setting). And as it starts to see more success in the river cruise niche it has carved out for itself, Tauck is gradually expanding its fleet, as well. In 2015, it will launch the 118-passenger Esprit, bringing the company's European fleet size to seven. 

For travelers who like brand uniformity, it's hard to compete with the strength of the Viking Cruises brand. Viking has ordered an additional 12 river cruise ships for 2015: 10 Viking Longships and two smaller vessels for the Elbe River. The additions will bring the company's European river fleet total to a staggering 64. Of those, 40 will be Longships, which are all virtually identical vessels, creating a truly uniform experience across rivers and destinations for the passenger who craves the comfort of consistency.

Scenic Cruises, meanwhile, is looking to court boutique hotel lovers with forward-thinking amenities like a new pool concept. Its two 2015 Europe vessels will feature a relaxation pool adjacent to a jet-stream pool for lap-style swimming. And its sister company, newcomer Emerald Waterways, is having fun with public areas like a roof-deck pool that converts into a cinema at night. Emerald is doubling its fleet size to four vessels next year.

Clearly, there's no resting on their laurels for river cruise lines. With stiffer competition, they are getting increasingly innovative, and it's making things interesting. Take French river cruise company CroisiEurope, which is launching a paddlewheeler -- yes, a paddlewheeler -- though not the kind you're familiar with. This will be a smaller European version that will navigate the Loire River in April. The 96-passenger Loire Princesse, the first overnight passenger vessel on the Loire, promises to be a unique offering.

Exotic river rush

Rivers in Asia and South America will continue to see investment into 2015, with a greater emphasis being placed on luxury services and amenities.

AmaWaterways is introducing the 124-passenger AmaDara on the Mekong River in August, featuring a salon and spa services, a swimming pool and an onboard fitness center. One month later, Haimark Travel will launch its Southeast Asia spa-concept vessel. The 24-passenger Mekong Princess will place a strong emphasis on spa treatments and services. 

Avalon is also introducing two 36-passenger Suite Ships in Asia next year, one on the Mekong and another on the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar.

With any luck and a reprieve from political unrest, 2015 promises to be the year cruising returns to Egypt's Nile River, as the country begins to see some semblance of stability after years of turmoil. 

Abercrombie & Kent's Nile fleet is already up and running, while Uniworld's luxury Nile vessel, the River Tosca, is gearing up to begin sailing once again in September. 

Another paddlewheeler here at home

In March, American Cruise Lines will launch its second built-from-the-ground-up paddlewheeler on the Mississippi, the 150-passenger American Eagle. 

The vessel will feature 84 staterooms, 78 of which will have private balconies with sliding glass doors. There will be multiple drinking and dining areas and an outdoor exercise area with a putting green. Elevators will provide access to all five decks.

The American Eagle, which will sail mostly eight-day cruises along the Mississippi, will bring to three the number of paddlewheelers plying the Mississippi in 2015.