Solid Sales: European River Cruises
By Jonathan Siskin
From early indications 2008 will be a strong year for European river cruises as a growing number of Americans are booking river cruises that feature the Danube, Rhine, Rhone, Seine, Moselle and other rivers that crisscross the Continent. One of the main selling points for river cruises is the intimate onboard atmosphere as it typically carries a maximum of 150-200 passengers. Another advantage of a river cruise is that boats dock in cities such as Prague, Vienna and Budapest that are inaccessible to the mega-ships and passengers are literally in the middle of the city, many times walking distance to the main squares. Clients are never far from land on a river cruise and seasickness is not a concern as sailing is smooth from start to finish as river ships are built with top-notch stabilizers that make the ships feel as if they glide. With newcomers and new ships being built specifically for this market, the competition on Europe’s rivers is heating up, which may keep prices in check, too.
Amadeus Waterways is investing about $100 million to build four river cruise ships over the next two years. Two of the four ships are set to launch this year, and two will launch in 2009, which will bring the company's fleet size to six (not including several ships Amadeus charters). All the ships are being built in Holland and have the same dimensions as Amadeus' existing ships, the Amadagio, which launched in 2006, and Amalegro, which launched last year.
The Amacello is set to launch this month and the Amadante in June. In 2009, Amadeus will introduce the Amalyra and the Amadolce. The new ships will all operate on Europe's Danube, Main, Rhine and Moselle rivers.
Amadeus has already established a solid and successful track record with its sister ships, the ms Amadagio and ms Amalegro. “Last year, 2007, was a terrific year for Amadeus with almost 95% of our cabins occupied,” said Kristine Karst, VP of sales. “Much of our success has been due to word of mouth that has generated the highest amount of new and repeat business.”
Both ships are less than two years old and offer 160-170 square- foot outside cabins as well as junior suites ranging in size from 236 to 255 square feet on the upper deck. Each offers hotel-like amenities including French balconies on the upper two decks and flat screen TV with internet access.
There is superb dining in the single seating restaurant, and quality wines from Europe’s most famous wine regions included with every dinner. Guests relax on the sun deck, in the whirlpool and take advantage of bicycles to explore towns and villages along the way. Onboard, there is fitness equipment, a hair salon and a masseuse. Every cruise features folklore performances, lectures and themed dinners.
Visit www.amadeuswaterways.com
Amadeus ships are leased and chartered to a host of tour operators and among the latest to join their company is Sky Vacations, the tour division of Sky Bird Travel. The association of the two companies provides agents with one of the best values for river cruising available today because Sky Bird also has agreeements with more than 60 carriers for one of the largest selections of air carriers from points in the U.S. to all of Amadeus Waterways points of embarkations and arrivals. For more information on Sky Bird’s consolidator activities, see JF’s Consolidator Supplement in this issue. Call 888-666-3113 ext 2649; www.skybirdtravel.com
Likewise, Uniworld Grand River Cruises has invested millions of dollars toward upgrading and expanding its fleet. The most recent refurbishment took place on the River Baroness that now boasts a new marble lobby and reading room plus lavishly-appointed staterooms. The Baroness inaugurated a nine- day Paris and Normandy itinerary that sailed on the Seine from Paris though Northern France and back to Paris.
Uniworld’s Grand River Cruise Specialist Program provides agents with sales tools essential to selling river cruises. Upon completion of the program, agents earn complimentary cruises and savings for themselves and their clients—the specialist program can be accessed on Uniworld’s website. Visit www.uniworld.com/agency
Also on tap for 2008 is the debut of the first “space-ships” of Scenic Tours River Cruising that will sail on 15-day cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest with calls at Cologne, Vienna and Budapest. The Scenic Sapphire and Scenic Emerald will offer exclusive activities and sightseeing opportunities as part of its Scenic Free Choice program which allows guests to personalize their river cruise and comp land touring experiences to suit their individual tastes. Fares begin at $4,295 per person double.
Visit www.scenictours.com
River Suites
A new entry in the European river cruise market this year is Jewel River Cruises, which will launch its first vessel, ms (Jewel Imperial Blue late this summer. The world's first all-suite river vessel will accommodate 70 guests in 35 suites divided into three categories that vary in size. Luxury amenities not found on other river ships include a specialty restaurant, wellness spa, no more cigar lounge and wine bar. The Imperial's Blue's maiden voyage is a 10-day cruise from Paris to Rouen along the Seine, and for the remainder of the year will offer a total of 22 sailings of seven to 10 days with the last departure on November 20.
During the cruise, guests can participate in private behind- the-scenes tours of the Louvre and Opera Bastille, a culinary class with a Michelin three-star chef, private vintage wine tastings with master winemakers, and a helicopter ride over the Champagne countryside. Seven-day cruises start at about $5,999 per person double.
Visit www.jewelrivercruises.com