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Talking rivers


A record 150 travel agents from the UK and Ireland attended CLIA’s 4th River Cruise Convention at the Movenpick in Amsterdam. Jo Austin reports


Trends and selling points for the trade


AMAWaterways’ Paul Sharp gave a lively presentation on river cruise booking trends and selling points. Headed up ‘River cruising for dummies’ the session was based on the popular training books. using similar strong graphics. “Consider the vessel a hotel that


moves from city to city which only requires your clients


to unpack


once. River cruises feature small ships; sales are destination- focused; all cabins are outside and the food is delicious. River cruising is exactly where ocean cruising was 25 years ago,”said Paul. “Learn your river calendar”, warned


Paul. Water levels rise and fall and there are times when some rivers are impassable due to low bridges and high waters. The average cost of a river cruise stands at £1,495pp and commission rates are above ocean cruising.


THIS year’s event attracted 150 travel agents and six river cruise operators who made it their prime objective to get their ships in front of this important audience. This was no mean task for some of the vessels, which only had a brief ‘window’ before new passengers embarked for their Christmas Market adventure. New to cruise: Uniworld’s new Managing Director, Kathryn Beadle (formerly of Hurtigruten), gave her first impressions of the river cruise market versus ocean: “There is a lot to learn and agents need to get to grips with the different types of cruise and ships to suit empty nesters,


IN BRIEF Booking early: Steve Goodenough


”It is refreshing to see so many travel agents giving up their weekend to learn about the river cruise product”


DANIELA WAGNER, CEO E-WATERWAYS


AND CHAIR OF CLIA UK & IRELAND, RIVER CRUISE COMMITTEE


of the River Cruise Line claims to have already sold 55% of capacity for next year.


“All the ships we use are


exclusively for the UK market and we are not offering any


However, early bookers will be offered free excursions and added value such as pre-cruise hotels.”


discounts.


In port: Agents were invited onboard Shearings’ Rotterdam, Uniworld’s Antoinette, CroisiEurope’s Lafayette, Amadeus’ Amadeus Silver, A-ROSA’s Brava and Emerald W at erways’ EmeraldSky . AMAWaterways’ AmaCerto and European Waterways’ 12-berth Panache also sailed in for a day.


city breakers, rail lovers, group travellers and multi-generational families.” US rivers: Susan Shultz of American Cruise Lines spoke of 3000 miles of rivers suited to small ship cruising


Grab those early sales


Asia rivers see major growth in bookings


ACCORDING to figures given out by the chair of CLIA’s River Cruise Committee, Daniela Wagner, the number of Brits taking a European river cruise went up 22 per cent last


year, while Nile cruises


suffered a tragic loss of around 57%. CLIA UK and Ireland now has 18 river cruise members. “River cruisers are


getting in


the US. They include the Mississippi, Ohio, Hudson, Columbia and Snake, Talomato and St John’s River.” Mapping it


out: Werney Beyr, Cruise


Director for Scenic Tours and Emerald Waterways enthusiastic


(pictured) gave presentation on the


waterways of Europe. “There are 308 river vessels offering year-round cruising in Europe. Grab those early sales!”


an


younger.“ added Daniela. “And so are river cruise vessels with 20% of today’s fleet being built within the last five years. Fifty new ships joined the rivers in 2014 and 24 more are expected in 2015 to offer an amazing 46,000 berths. Added Jessica Shelton of APT: “The biggest passenger growth is in Asia, with an increase of 19%.” APT is selling year-round Mekong river cruises.


“We are well known to the trade for our ocean product and we have received a very positive response to our arrival in the river cruise market.” JODIE STUART AND LAURA CANN


(PICTURED WITH CLIA’S ADELE FOSTER) REPRESENTED RIVER CRUISE NEWCOMER CMW SIGNATURE RIVER CRUISES


NOVEMBER 16-17


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