Cruising Archives - Com Namibia

L’intérêt pour les départs en intersaison ou en hiver ne cesse de croître. Les voyageurs sont séduits par des destinations plus calmes, une moindre affluence et la découverte des voies navigables européennes à différentes périodes de l’année - DepositPhotos.com, ggkuna

PONANT

If a cruise immediately evokes the sea, the world’s rivers are not to be overlooked, notes the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in a recent release.

In 2027, 21 new ships are slated to enter service, notably on the Rhine, the Danube, the Douro, the Seine, the Mekong, the Amazon, as well as in North America.

“Among the additions planned for 2027 are AmaWaterways’ three ships – the AmaRudi, the AmaFiora and the AmaMaya – while Celebrity Cruises will introduce the Celebrity Compass and the Celebrity Seeker, thereby marking its entry into this market“, states the CLIA in a press release.

De son côté, Emerald Cruises ajoutera l’Emerald Lumi sur la Seine et l’Emerald Nova sur le Douro, tandis qu’Uniworld lancera le S.S. Audrey, le S.S. Marlene et le S.S. São Rafael.

D’autres navires viendront également enrichir l’offre :

– l’AMADEUS Mira d’Amadeus River Cruises,

– le RV Brasilian Dream de CroisiEurope,

– le Century Diamond de Century Cruises,

– le Riviera Reflection et le Riviera Alba de Riviera Travel,

– le Spirit of the Lorelei de Saga,

– le Scenic Aria de Scenic,

– le TUI Luzia de TUI River Cruises

– le VIVA UNIQUE de VIVA Cruises.
À cette liste, s’ajouteront les nouveaux navires de la compagnie American Cruise Lines.

“Encore plus d’opportunités pour les agents de voyages”

For Andy Harmer, the CLIA’s chief executive for the United Kingdom and Ireland, “River cruises continue to offer a wide range of choices, and the investments we are seeing for 2027 testify to the incredible diversity of the sector. […] For travel agents, this means even more opportunities to offer their clients the river cruise that best suits them“, he added.

To support this trend, CLIA is expanding training and exchange opportunities dedicated to river cruising.

In October, it organized in Manchester the “River Cruise Forum”, bringing together travel agents, river cruise operators and industry partners for a full day dedicated to working sessions, networking and product training.

From March 5 to 8, 2027, the association will also host a conference called “RiverView”, whose seats were fully booked shortly after registrations opened in September.

“Participants will take part in a two-night cruise from Budapest to Vienna, with a stop in Bratislava. The stay will continue with an extra night in Vienna, where working sessions and guided ship tours will take place“, states the CLIA.

Find our feature on river cruises by clicking here.

What trends for river cruises?

In a press release, CLIA highlights several trends—emerging and established—for river cruising:

– an increasing demand for far-off destinations : travelers no longer limit themselves to traditional European rivers; they are now exploring destinations in Asia and South America, seeking immersive cultural experiences and the serenity that comes with traveling with a reputable operator.

– a demand for shorter cruises : itineraries of three, four or five nights offer an alternative to traditional urban stays. They attract travelers who wish to explore multiple destinations without taking a full week off.

– an appeal for immersive journeys : passengers seek experiences that go beyond standard sightseeing, prioritizing local culture, cuisine, traditions and opportunities to interact with local communities.

– more off-season travel : interest in departures in the off-season or winter continues to grow. Travelers are drawn to quieter destinations, fewer crowds, and the possibility of discovering European waterways at different times of the year.

– a surge in solo river cruises : demand from solo travelers is rising, aided by the sociable nature of river cruises, the smaller size of ships, included excursions, and a broader range of departures and accommodations specifically designed for solo travelers.

Et si la prochaine révolution environnementale du tourisme fluvial ne se jouait pas uniquement sur l'eau… mais aussi sur les quais ? - DepositPhotos.com, zhukovsky

MSC Croisières

« Ships pollute. » How many times have I heard this remark at the edge of a quay or during a meeting with elected representatives?

Environmental issues are now at the heart of all reflections, and river tourism is no exception to this rule.

Companies are investing in more efficient ships, working on new propulsion systems, reducing their consumption, improving the management of water and waste. This is an indispensable evolution.

But over my years spent alongside companies, crews and territories, I have gained a conviction: the environmental transition of river tourism is not only played out aboard ships. It also happens… on the quays.

And before asking companies to go further, we must first ask whether the stopovers truly give them the means to do so.

Also read: River tourism: a good stopover is when everything flows smoothly

Cutting the engines… but you also need to be able to plug in

I had the chance to lead a stopover that was the first in France to be equipped with electric charging stations allowing boats to cut their engines during their mooring.

I remember that at first, some crew members welcomed this novelty with measured enthusiasm. It required pulling heavy cables, transporting them, and connecting them… It demanded a little more time and new habits.

Then things evolved.

The crews quickly realized the benefits. Passengers enjoyed a quieter environment. The local residents appreciated the disappearance of engine noise. Everyone’s comfort improved.

As is often the case, it simply required a bit of pedagogy and an adaptation period.

This experience taught me one key lesson: you can ask boats to cut their engines, but if there is no electric outlet, what alternative can you offer them?

Ecology cannot rely solely on obligations. It also requires proper infrastructures.

Passenger waste: is the problem really the bin… or its size?

One day, an elected official shared his irritation with me. Passengers returned from their excursions and quickly filled the small bins placed near the quay, and municipal services had to intervene more often.

His remark was understandable. But another question deserves to be asked: were these facilities sized to accommodate several hundred visitors arriving at once?

Travelers who use a bin are not committing an incivility. On the contrary, they are adopting the behavior we expect of them.

The real issue may lie elsewhere.

A cruise stopover does not generate the same needs as daily attendance. Planning larger containers, temporarily boosting collections, or installing additional drop-off points during the season is often a far more effective response than blaming visitors… for using the bins provided to them.

Waste at the edge: a reality we know little about

A boat is not merely a means of transport; it is also a hotel, a restaurant and a living space.

Dozens of people work there and sometimes several hundred travelers stay aboard. Waste is therefore inevitable.

Yet storage capacities remain limited and health constraints are significant.

Especially during the summer period, some waste cannot be kept for long without causing nuisances. It happens that the crews use the stopovers to deposit glass in the town’s sorting columns.

Some see this as a problem. I see more of a question of organization.

Why not imagine a genuine collection service dedicated to boats?

Like water, electricity or other port services, this collection could be organized by the community or a contractor and billed to the companies.

Everyone would benefit: the crews would have a clear solution, the municipality would master the organization, and the waste would be collected in proper conditions.

Buses also have their constraints

Understand before judging

In the end, everyone is already making efforts. Companies invest. Crews adapt their practices. Local authorities look for solutions. Territories develop gentler mobility.

But we sometimes tend to analyze each difficulty in isolation.

Sustainable development rests above all on a global vision: understanding the constraints of the shore, understanding those of the territories, then building together appropriate responses.

We often speak of the transition of ships. It is essential. But perhaps it is time to also talk about the transition of stopovers?

For a vessel does not become more sustainable solely thanks to the technologies it carries. It becomes so also thanks to the infrastructures, services and organization it finds when it docks.

A genuinely shared responsibility

It is not about opposing companies to communities, nor about designating a single responsible party.

The environmental transition of river tourism is a collective responsibility.

Companies must continue their investments, territories must adapt their equipment, stopover managers must anticipate needs, ports, service providers and communities must work together.

It is precisely this cooperation that will bring forth concrete solutions. For sustainable development is not decreed: it is organized. It is built thanks to the innovations of the companies, but also thanks to the engagement of the territories that host them.

Ultimately, a sustainable stopover is not merely a port where a boat consumes less; it is a stopover that gives all actors the means to act.

And if the next environmental revolution of river tourism did not play out solely on the water… but also on the quays?

Also read: Our special dossier dedicated to river cruising

A propos d’Aurélie Feray

Aurélie Feray - Photo : AF Fluvial Conseil

Founder of AF Fluvial Conseil, Aurélie Feray accompanies territories and stakeholders in river tourism on issues of stopovers, passenger experience and tourism development.

Through her columns, she shares a ground-level view of the behind-the-scenes of river tourism, how stopovers operate and the links between boats, crews, destinations and travelers.

Contact : [email protected]

River Cruising: 21 New Ships Enter Service in 2027