October 26, 2024, 8:22 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Whether on the Danube, Rhine, or Douro, river cruises are as popular as ever. What new products will providers be offering in the upcoming year?
River cruises are in demand. Accordingly, providers will be launching new ships in 2025 or adding existing ships to their fleets in order to expand their offering. An overview.
Overview
“Amara” is new at Amadeus
The Munich-based provider Amadeus Flusskreuzfahrten is expanding its fleet with the “Amadeus Amara”. A maximum of 164 passengers can be accommodated on the new build. It has a draft of just 1.3 meters thanks to its lightweight construction, which should ensure reliable operation even with seasonal fluctuations in water levels, according to Amadeus. The maiden voyage is planned for July 2025 and will initially operate on the Danube.
Phoenix Reisen with new build from the Netherlands
208 passengers, 135 meters long: these are the key figures for the “MS Aurelia”. The new build from the Dutch shipping company Rijfers will be sailing for the Bonn-based provider Phoenix Reisen from 2025. The “MS Aurelia” will initially set sail from Cologne for the Netherlands, with stops in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
New to Phoenix, but not new builds, are the “MS Junker Jörg” and the “MS Ganges Voyager”. They will operate in the Baltic Sea region and India, respectively.
Relax instead of “one, two, three” at Viva Cruises
“One”, “two” – “three”? No, the new ship from the Düsseldorf-based provider Viva Cruises differs from the names of previous new builds (“Viva One” and “Viva Two”) and is called “Viva Enjoy”. Bookable voyages in 2025 will take place either on the Main, Rhine, or Danube, with space for up to 190 passengers.
The maiden voyage of the “Viva Enjoy” was originally planned for 2024, but had to be postponed due to delivery bottlenecks, according to Viva Cruises. However, she is due to set sail on her maiden cruise on January 20, 2025.
New river cruises for Scotland, the Adriatic, and Portugal at Thurgau Travel
Swiss river cruise operator Thurgau Travel has three new ships in operation. The “MV Lord of the Highlands” is designed for exploring Scotland and has been converted to sail through the historic locks of the Caledonian Canal. The ship only holds 37 passengers.
The “My Solaris”, a yacht for 39 passengers sailing along the Adriatic coast, and the “MS Douro Spirit”, which takes a maximum of 124 guests up the Douro from Porto, are sailing in the south.
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Fifth Danube sister at Nicko Cruises
The Stuttgart-based provider Nicko Cruises is also announcing a new addition to its fleet, the “Celina”. The ship, which was built in 2004, will receive a comprehensive makeover for the 2025 season. It will sail on the Danube with a maximum of 178 passengers. Like its four sister ships “Bolero”, “Maxima”, “Viktoria”, and “Belvedere”.
With material from dpa