river news bulletin - Widgety
RIVER NEWS BULLETIN November 2016 | Jane Archer Jane Archer is the UK’s leading cruise journalist writing for trade titles including Travel Weekly and Cruise Trade News. She is also the Daily Telegraph Travel’s cruise expert.
NEW VESSELS Taking the plunge
Douro Delights Get ready for big demand for the Douro in Northern Portugal as three new vessels launch on the river in 2017. First up on April 4 is CroisiEurope’s 132-passenger river boat Miguel Torga. Three days later, look out for Riviera Travel’s Douro Elegance. It has capacity for 126 and superior and deluxe suites equipped with tea and coffee-making facilities. One month on, Emerald Waterways makes its Douro debut with Emerald Radiance. The vessel has a pool on the sun deck and Riverview Suites with perks including a complimentary minibar and four items of free laundry a day. Emerald’s sister company Scenic launched Douro river cruises in April 2016 on the new Scenic Azure. The growth comes after a bumper year for the Douro, which is seen as a ‘safe’ option by those scared away from France by the terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice. Cruises are mostly seven days round-trip from Porto and include a one-day excursion in Salamanca in Spain. 0208 328 1281, croisieurope.co.uk; 01283 744370, rivieratravel.co.uk; 0808 102 1234, emeraldwaterways.co.uk
NEW ITINERARIES
Sail the Ayeyarwady in style with APT … Clients looking to do Myanmar in style can now cruise the Ayeyarwady from Yangon to Mandalay on the 60-passenger Samatha, a new river cruise boat launched this year by APT. Its 17-day cruises include calls at Pyay, Magwe, Salay, Bagan, Sagaing, Mingun and Mandalay for included excursions to teak monasteries, pagodas and local villages. Signature experiences include trips to the teak U-Bein Bridge in Amarapura and the golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Prices also include flights, all drinks on board and gratuities, and meals created by Vietnamese TV chef Luke Nguyen. Those who want to see more can add a three-night stay at Inle Lake.
Emerald claims LGBT first The UK’s first Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender river cruise has been launched by Emerald Waterways. Departing July 29 2017, it’s a one-week voyage that follows a standard route along the Danube between Budapest and Nuremberg with stops at Bratislava, Vienna, Melk and Passau but excursions and on-board entertainment will be tailored to interest the LGBT community. Emerald is also throwing a free drinks package into the package. 0808 102 1234; emeraldwaterways.co.uk
A plunge pool and suites with balconies are among features on Amadeus Provence, a new vessel that Amadeus River Cruises is launching on the Rhône and Saône in France next spring. It is modelled on the company’s new-generation Silver vessels but smaller (110 metres long instead of 135), with capacity for 140 passengers instead of 168. It will sail one-week cruises round-trip from Lyon that include a night in Avignon and full day in Arles and optional tours to Beaune to taste wine, the Pont du Gard Roman viaduct, Camargue Nature Park and Ardèche Gorge, 0043 512 365781; amadeusrivercruises.co.uk
… or get active in Europe Thought river cruising was a leisurely way to see Europe? Think again. With guided bike tours of up to 104km, APT’s new Cycling Magnificent Europe and Bordeaux by Bike cruises in Germany, Austria and France are definitely not for those looking to take life easy. The 15-day Magnificent Europe cruises between Budapest and Amsterdam depart April 30 and September 17 and include bike tours around Vienna and Cologne. An 18km cycle ride from Regensburg visits Walhalla, a Parthenon-like building overlooking the Danube; from Würzburg there’s a 65km bike ride to the medieval town of Rothenburg. The eight-day Bordeaux cruises depart July 6 and September 28 and include a 56km bike ride from Bordeaux to Cadillac. For those feeling very fit, a 104km cycle ride from Libourne goes along the Dordogne River and through the vineyards of Bergerac. 0800 046 3002; aptouring.co.uk
N O V 2 0 1 6
Go wild for the Brahmaputra
More overnights from Crystal The ocean-going trend for overnights in port is coming to the rivers in 2018 with new itineraries from Crystal Cruises that linger longer in Budapest, Amsterdam, Cologne, Koblenz and Passau. The cruises are on the new 106-passenger Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel launching April and May 2018. Crystal Debussy will cruise the Rhine, sailing around Holland and Belgium from Amsterdam and through Germany and France to Basel in Switzerland. Cruises range from one week to 10 nights and include overnights in Amsterdam, Rudesheim, Koblenz and Cologne. Crystal Ravel is sailing one-week cruises on the Danube between Vienna and Budapest, and 14-night voyages between Basel and Vienna that journey along four waterways – the Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal and Danube. All include an overnight in each city at the start and end of the cruise. 020 7399 7604; crystalcruises.co.uk
Saga has launched a 12-night cruise tour that combines three nights in Kolkata, India, with a one-week cruise on the Brahmaputra, a river that flows at high speed from the Himalayas south to the Ganges. Clients will visit Peacock Island in search of the endangered Golden Langur monkey, learn about the Neo-Vaishnavite culture in Majuli Island and see one-horned rhinos and maybe even a Bengal tiger (but that is very unlikely!) on a jeep safari through Kaziranga National Park. The cruise is on the 46-passenger Mahabaahu, and includes yoga sessions in the mornings and talks about the history, culture and wildlife of the region during sailing time. Eight departures are available between January and November 2017 with optional extensions including three nights in Darjeeling or a six-night Golden Triangle tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. 0800 300 400; saga.co.uk/rivercruises
PRODUCT UPDATE TRADE UPDATES New face at AmaWaterways
It’s a family affair Chocolate, crêpes and cowboys are among the heady mix of fun attractions Tauck is using to lure families on to the Rhône River in France next summer. The chocolate is new – a chance to see how it is made at the Valrhona Cité du Chocolat – as is a guided bike around Paris. Kids can also join a scavenger hunt in the Louvre, watch cowboys in the Camargue pit their wits against the region’s black bulls, discover the art of making (and tasting) crêpes and learn to play pétanque. Two departures coincide with UK school holiday, on July 27 and August 1. 0800 810 8020; tauck.co.uk
Jamie Loizou has joined AmaWaterways as sales, marketing and digital director with responsibility for raising brand awareness and delivering growth in UK and Europe. He was previously with Mundy Cruising. The river cruise line opened its first UK office in September, It is based in Guildford and headed by managing director Stuart Perl. Contact: 0800 520 2252; amawaterways.co.uk
Marco Rosa at Pandaw Marco Rosa has joined Asia river cruise specialist Pandaw as vice-president sales and marketing. As well as raising awareness of the brand, he will be looking to consolidate and grow the company’s existing relationships with the trade worldwide. Rosa was previously head of worldwide sales and marketing for Belmond and Sanctuary Retreats. 0208 326 5620; pandaw.com
NEW VESSELS Taking the plunge
Douro Delights Get ready for big demand for the Douro in Northern Portugal as three new vessels launch on the river in 2017. First up on April 4 is CroisiEurope’s 132-passenger river boat Miguel Torga. Three days later, look out for Riviera Travel’s Douro Elegance. It has capacity for 126 and superior and deluxe suites equipped with tea and coffee-making facilities. One month on, Emerald Waterways makes its Douro debut with Emerald Radiance. The vessel has a pool on the sun deck and Riverview Suites with perks including a complimentary minibar and four items of free laundry a day. Emerald’s sister company Scenic launched Douro river cruises in April 2016 on the new Scenic Azure. The growth comes after a bumper year for the Douro, which is seen as a ‘safe’ option by those scared away from France by the terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice. Cruises are mostly seven days round-trip from Porto and include a one-day excursion in Salamanca in Spain. 0208 328 1281, croisieurope.co.uk; 01283 744370, rivieratravel.co.uk; 0808 102 1234, emeraldwaterways.co.uk
NEW ITINERARIES
Sail the Ayeyarwady in style with APT … Clients looking to do Myanmar in style can now cruise the Ayeyarwady from Yangon to Mandalay on the 60-passenger Samatha, a new river cruise boat launched this year by APT. Its 17-day cruises include calls at Pyay, Magwe, Salay, Bagan, Sagaing, Mingun and Mandalay for included excursions to teak monasteries, pagodas and local villages. Signature experiences include trips to the teak U-Bein Bridge in Amarapura and the golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Prices also include flights, all drinks on board and gratuities, and meals created by Vietnamese TV chef Luke Nguyen. Those who want to see more can add a three-night stay at Inle Lake.
Emerald claims LGBT first The UK’s first Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender river cruise has been launched by Emerald Waterways. Departing July 29 2017, it’s a one-week voyage that follows a standard route along the Danube between Budapest and Nuremberg with stops at Bratislava, Vienna, Melk and Passau but excursions and on-board entertainment will be tailored to interest the LGBT community. Emerald is also throwing a free drinks package into the package. 0808 102 1234; emeraldwaterways.co.uk
A plunge pool and suites with balconies are among features on Amadeus Provence, a new vessel that Amadeus River Cruises is launching on the Rhône and Saône in France next spring. It is modelled on the company’s new-generation Silver vessels but smaller (110 metres long instead of 135), with capacity for 140 passengers instead of 168. It will sail one-week cruises round-trip from Lyon that include a night in Avignon and full day in Arles and optional tours to Beaune to taste wine, the Pont du Gard Roman viaduct, Camargue Nature Park and Ardèche Gorge, 0043 512 365781; amadeusrivercruises.co.uk
… or get active in Europe Thought river cruising was a leisurely way to see Europe? Think again. With guided bike tours of up to 104km, APT’s new Cycling Magnificent Europe and Bordeaux by Bike cruises in Germany, Austria and France are definitely not for those looking to take life easy. The 15-day Magnificent Europe cruises between Budapest and Amsterdam depart April 30 and September 17 and include bike tours around Vienna and Cologne. An 18km cycle ride from Regensburg visits Walhalla, a Parthenon-like building overlooking the Danube; from Würzburg there’s a 65km bike ride to the medieval town of Rothenburg. The eight-day Bordeaux cruises depart July 6 and September 28 and include a 56km bike ride from Bordeaux to Cadillac. For those feeling very fit, a 104km cycle ride from Libourne goes along the Dordogne River and through the vineyards of Bergerac. 0800 046 3002; aptouring.co.uk
N O V 2 0 1 6
Go wild for the Brahmaputra
More overnights from Crystal The ocean-going trend for overnights in port is coming to the rivers in 2018 with new itineraries from Crystal Cruises that linger longer in Budapest, Amsterdam, Cologne, Koblenz and Passau. The cruises are on the new 106-passenger Crystal Debussy and Crystal Ravel launching April and May 2018. Crystal Debussy will cruise the Rhine, sailing around Holland and Belgium from Amsterdam and through Germany and France to Basel in Switzerland. Cruises range from one week to 10 nights and include overnights in Amsterdam, Rudesheim, Koblenz and Cologne. Crystal Ravel is sailing one-week cruises on the Danube between Vienna and Budapest, and 14-night voyages between Basel and Vienna that journey along four waterways – the Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal and Danube. All include an overnight in each city at the start and end of the cruise. 020 7399 7604; crystalcruises.co.uk
Saga has launched a 12-night cruise tour that combines three nights in Kolkata, India, with a one-week cruise on the Brahmaputra, a river that flows at high speed from the Himalayas south to the Ganges. Clients will visit Peacock Island in search of the endangered Golden Langur monkey, learn about the Neo-Vaishnavite culture in Majuli Island and see one-horned rhinos and maybe even a Bengal tiger (but that is very unlikely!) on a jeep safari through Kaziranga National Park. The cruise is on the 46-passenger Mahabaahu, and includes yoga sessions in the mornings and talks about the history, culture and wildlife of the region during sailing time. Eight departures are available between January and November 2017 with optional extensions including three nights in Darjeeling or a six-night Golden Triangle tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. 0800 300 400; saga.co.uk/rivercruises
PRODUCT UPDATE TRADE UPDATES New face at AmaWaterways
It’s a family affair Chocolate, crêpes and cowboys are among the heady mix of fun attractions Tauck is using to lure families on to the Rhône River in France next summer. The chocolate is new – a chance to see how it is made at the Valrhona Cité du Chocolat – as is a guided bike around Paris. Kids can also join a scavenger hunt in the Louvre, watch cowboys in the Camargue pit their wits against the region’s black bulls, discover the art of making (and tasting) crêpes and learn to play pétanque. Two departures coincide with UK school holiday, on July 27 and August 1. 0800 810 8020; tauck.co.uk
Jamie Loizou has joined AmaWaterways as sales, marketing and digital director with responsibility for raising brand awareness and delivering growth in UK and Europe. He was previously with Mundy Cruising. The river cruise line opened its first UK office in September, It is based in Guildford and headed by managing director Stuart Perl. Contact: 0800 520 2252; amawaterways.co.uk
Marco Rosa at Pandaw Marco Rosa has joined Asia river cruise specialist Pandaw as vice-president sales and marketing. As well as raising awareness of the brand, he will be looking to consolidate and grow the company’s existing relationships with the trade worldwide. Rosa was previously head of worldwide sales and marketing for Belmond and Sanctuary Retreats. 0208 326 5620; pandaw.com
