Demand for river cruises is so strong that the phone in Beth Schulberg's office doesn't stop ringing.
On the other end are hopeful passengers eager to see what the river cruises are like, owner Schulberg said. Cruise and Travel Expert Located in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
These customers have more choices than ever before. About 20 river vessels made their debut this year, with a similar number expected next year. Looking ahead, 2027 will be a particularly important year for the river industry.
At least 25 new ships (and counting) will debut this year, and at least one new route. Celebrity River Cruise It will enter the market with two ships, with the promise of more coming soon.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises says Expansion in 2027 This will be the largest yet, with three new ships and one charter vessel. Tucker said it two newbuildings The arrival of 2027, coupled with the new schedule, represents the largest growth spurt in the company's history. Ama water channel general Add three ships That year, at the same time Amadeus River Cruise, Viva Cruises and Emerald Cruises & Tours A new ship will be added each. vikings Eight more ships will be added. In the country, American Cruise Lines Three additional vessels will be added, with an additional three vessels expected in 2028.
Despite the growth, travel advisors are not worried the industry will reach saturation point.
“If you look at the numbers for the ocean, [river] said Michelle Wiseman Kredi of Krusin in Fort Lauderdale. The American public is beginning to understand this. ”
Celebrity river cruises will launch in 2027 with the Celebrity Compass (pictured) and Celebrity Explorer. Photo Credit: Celebrity River Cruises
As river lines increase capacity, they are also adding destinations. In 2027, Viking will expand to Brahmaputra River Viva to be launched in India Po river cruise Italy and Riviera tours will sail mekong river first.
Kredi and other consultants said the river cruise customer base is expected to expand in 2027 as Celebrity enters the industry.
The company's priority bookings were snapped up within minutes, mostly by Royal Caribbean Group customers eager to try the river, president Laura Hodges Bethge said in a release. group discussion at the CruiseWorld conference in Fort Lauderdale earlier this month.
Viking Cruises will launch its first river cruise in India in 2027, sailing on the Brahmaputra River. Photo Credit: Vikings
But where will the ship dock?
The shipbuilding boom did worry Schulberg.
“I’m not worried about having too much inventory, I’m worried about where exactly it’s going to sit,” she said.
according to cruise mapperA website dedicated to tracking cruise ships, there are 687 river cruise ports in Europe. Competition for space is fierce and ships are often tethered to each other, forcing passengers to disembark through neighboring ships.
As an example of how difficult it is to find prime space, Viking CEO and Chairman Torstein Hagen said on an earnings call that the company worked for seven years to secure a spot in front of the Eiffel Tower.
As a consultant, it's important to know where a ship will dock, Schulberg said, because ships sometimes have to go to less-than-ideal locations instead of prime spots in the center of their destinations.
One solution for lines might be to visit smaller, lesser-known ports, like smaller ocean cruise ships do, or have riverside communities build new docking spaces to attract tourists. But Schulberg said not all destinations were keen on increasing cruise tourism infrastructure amid concerns about overtourism in Europe.
Creedy also said she would like to see more stops. But, she added, one way to cope with Europe's limited space is to leave Europe.
Latin America has huge potential for river cruises, she said. Amazon river cruises are already growing in popularity and offering new options, with AmaWaterways launching river cruises in Colombia this year, and board chairman and co-founder Rudi Schreiner said Colombia is poised for more growth as a river cruise destination.
“I know the guests are interested,” Creedy said. “I think global expansion is genius.”
