Themed cruising 78 river cruising
- Specialist ships set sail for success -
River cruise operators are gunning for growth with an ever-expanding range of themed cruises and new offerings for families, says Maria Harding
one more indication of how dynamic the river cruise sector’s drive for growth has become. The entertainment giant will launch the new `family friendly’ concept next summer, on a series of River Danube cruises linking Budapest, Hungary with Vilshofen, Germany. AmaViola – a new AmaWaterways vessel – is being specifi cally designed for families, with cabins able to accommodate family groups of three to fi ve people; interactive games and other family-oriented onboard activities. Shore tour options will include bike rides along the river bank and archery lessons in medieval
N
ews that Disney is linking with AmaWaterways to offer family- oriented river cruises in 2016 is just
castles along the way. Ken Potrock, Senior VP of Adventures by Disney – the company’s tour operating division, which will market the new cruises – hopes the initiative will draw families to a sector currently dominated by older travellers. But Disney won’t have the family sector all to itself; US-owned operator Tauck (
tauck.co.uk) has been courting the family market for some time, and already has a series of dedicated multi- generational family river cruises on offer for this year. They include a seven-night ‘Blue Danube Family Riverboat Adventure’ cruise between Budapest and Munich, departing June 20 and July 18 this year and throughout July 2016.
Priced from £2,420 pp, cruise-only, the family-friendly voyage includes an Imperial Evening in a Viennese palace, a visit to one of the world’s oldest amusement parks, and a cycling trip to a village near the Danube. Guests also get to try their hand at making marzipan in Passau, and to join onboard classes in strüdel making. Also on offer from Tauck is a seven-night
`Bon Voyage France!’ family river cruise from Paris to Lyon aboard ms Swiss Emerald. Priced from £2,995 pp cruise-only (but with two Paris hotel nights included to make a nine-night holiday), this itinerary departs on June 29 and July 13 this year, and on June 29 and July 20 in 2016.
Family-friendly activities include a chocolate- making demonstration and tastings, and a family cooking class with a three-starred Michelin chef. There will also be opportunities to learn the game of pétanque and play it with French locals, and a visit to a horse ranch in the Camargue. While Disney and Tauck go after the family vote, established river cruise operators
This page: A marzipan lesson (top) and Clock Tower Gate in Cartagena (left). Opposite page: Dutch tulip fi elds (top right)
Save up to £1400* per couple on 2016 Avalon River Cruises
To find out more call 0800 440 2672 or contact
agencysales@avaloncruises.co.uk
We are a member of ABTA & all our flight inclusive holidays are protected by the ATOL scheme. *Savings of up to £1400 per couple are only availble on North Sea to the Black Sea 2016 bookings, made by 30 June 2015. Correct at time of send (22 May 15)
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