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River cruises making a big splash among travellers

The Scenic Sapphire cruise is seen here in Avignon, France (Tully Luxury Travel)

Last year, Lorri Christou, her husband and another couple visited France.

They did not tour by train, rent a car, fly or take any of the usual means of transportation.

Instead, Christou took a river cruise on the Seine, and she loved its convenience.

“It was such an easy vacation, and I’ve done Europe others way which were just not as stress-free because you get to a place and you’ve got to figure out what you want to do, they did it all for me and it was amazing,” she said.

Christou, who is senior vice-president of marketing and communications at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), is one of the growing number of travellers who are embarking on river cruises.

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There are 170 river vessels that are members of CLIA, the world’s largest trade association representing the cruise industry. 27 new ships are on order for 2016, 18 of which are for river cruises. 

While it is still a relatively small part of an industry worth billions of dollars (between five and 10 per cent), the annual growth rate of river cruises is much faster when compared to ocean cruises.

For CLIA members between 2009 and 2014 the annual growth for river and ocean cruises was 25 per cent and seven per cent respectively.

Christou’s cruise had all the amenities of an ocean voyage, but on the Seine it was never too far away from shore and offered plenty of opportunities for day trips in France, including a visit to some Christmas markets, something she had never done before.

“It truly was a magical experience, one that you can’t put into words,” she said.

A Christmas market in France, like the one Christou visited on one of her many side trips from the cruise.
A Christmas market in France, like the one Christou visited on one of her many side trips from the cruise.

In addition to being smaller (river cruise ships generally hold 50 to 120 people) and cheaper to build, the flexibility and ability to get acquainted with local culture offered seem to be the big draws for travellers.

“It really does allow people to experience multiple destinations and, obviously, destinations you can’t get access to on the ocean,” said Christou.

“The thing that’s great about a river cruise is that you unpack once and the ship takes you everywhere. It is just such an easy way to travel and an amazing way to see the world.”

Many of them have bikes on board, ideal for days spent exploring Europe’s frequently cycling-friendly cities, or offer walking tours.

“People are looking for a more intimate experience and getting away from the big ships,” said Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel.

The rivers of Europe are the former highways and allow you to see cities and towns that are set up right on the river banks,” emphasizing that river cruises are more “relaxing” and allow passengers to avoid confines of packed tour buses. 

River cruises also often feature cuisine that that is reflective of the local cultures.   

This more immersive experience, compared to ocean cruises, seems to attract a wider demographic, including families, according to Christou.

“Five to ten years ago when the industry started it was targeting a much older audience because it such an easy experience, but today I think that the river cruise industry has evolved, so they’re providing a lot more adventure experiences,” she said.

River cruising has been traditionally popular in Europe because of the major waterways that crisscross the continent and connect it to many of its storied cities. Popular destinations revolve around the Rhine – which touches parts of Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany and France – and the Seine.

“It is just a great way to see Europe,” said Christou, who has booked a river cruise between Budapest and Prague this Christmas.

But Christou said there are increasingly more offerings in Asia, such as the Mekong River – which flows through Vietnam and Cambodia  the U.S., the Amazon and on the Nile. Some of these rivers might otherwise be difficult to reach. 

Crystal Cruises is one of the companies that has expanded its offerings to cover rivers.

It recently purchased the Crystal Mozart, which made its maiden voyage on July 13th from Vienna along the Danube to cities such as Salzburg, Bratislava and Budapest.

The Crystal Mozart on its inaugural voyage, sailing through Budapest. (Crystal Cruises/Facebook)
The Crystal Mozart on its inaugural voyage, sailing through Budapest. (Crystal Cruises/Facebook)

The company’s CEO, Edie Rodriguez, said she took a river cruise into Budapest a few years ago and was blown away.

“There’s nothing like coming into to Budapest on the river, especially at night, it is quite a spectacular scene,” she said.

Crystal is also building six other rival vessels, with four set to debut in 2017 and two others in 2019. Rodriguez said there is no “true leader” in the industry and she wanted to put “our stake in the ground.”

“The demand was so great that we had to speed to market, so we went out and bought a vessel,” she said. 

“It has grown tremendously. I go back to 2001 to 2002 … it was nothing to an American mind or Canadian, it was very European, it was very old world, and then little by little new river companies started to pop up and market to the U.S.”

Geraldine Ree, senior vice-president of franchise and supplier performance for Expedia’s cruise offerings, said the online travel company’s river cruise business is booming.

She said about 40 per cent of its European cruise business comes from river cruises. Just 10 years ago, it made up less than 3 per cent.

Ree said Canadian travellers are most frequently drawn to offerings on the Danube, because of its access to cities such as Prague, Vienna and Budapest.

“These cities can’t be reached by an ocean cruise and offer such a spectacular and scenic vacation experience,” she said.

She added that the Rhine is also popular for its scenery and historical sights, while Canadians have also been drawn to dedicated wine cruises. 

Ree said daily prices for river cruises on average hover around $600 per person, while luxury ocean cruises are at about $750. However, price points vary based on what’s included. Though, for the most part, river cruises are all-inclusive.

Meanwhile, Tully said those interested in taking a river cruise should look for early booking discounts and Canadian dollar rates. She said the best times to travel are the shoulder seasons of May and October.