A new year has begun, and with it comes good tidings from the travel world. Just like there are nine new ocean cruise ships coming online for 2024, so, too, are there many fresh and returning riverboats from inland waterway lines ready to set sail this year.
From AmaWaterways’ highly anticipated debut on Colombia’s Magdalena River to a third vessel from Viva Cruises, here’s what to consider for your river cruise clients — a wide variety of international ships to suit any preference.
Amadeus River Cruises
Said to be reminiscent of the line’s existing Amadeus Cara and Amadeus Riva, German-flagged Amadeus River Cruises will introduce its new Amadeus Nova in 2024. The four-deck vessel will welcome guests in 12 suites with balconies, plus 67 exterior cabins, most with drop-down panoramic windows.
Beyond the usual interior lounge, bar, restaurant, reception area and shop, guests onboard Nova might also enjoy the Amadeus Club and Cafe Vienna, as well as fitness and massage rooms below deck and a heated pool up on the sun deck. There will also be an outdoor putting green, a chess board and a shuffleboard at the stern, and the wind-protected River Terrace at the bow.
Furthermore, Nova will be environmentally friendly, utilizing a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system supplemented by battery and solar power.
Amadeus River Cruises will unveil Amadeus Nova this year.
Credit: 2024 Amadeus River CruisesAmaWaterways
AmaWaterways has two riverboats scheduled for 2024 — one in Colombia and one in Egypt. AmaMagdalena will navigate Colombia’s Magdalena River beginning in November, and AmaLilia will join the brand’s fleet on the Nile River in March.
AmaMagdalena will accommodate just 60 guests, in either 237-square-foot, twin-balcony staterooms; 306-square-foot Luxury Suites; or 516-square-foot Grand Suites. Rounding out the venues will be a reception area, a lounge, a gym, a restaurant, a hair and nail salon, a massage room and an outdoor pool.
AmaLilia will join AmaWaterways’ fleet on the Nile.
Credit: 2024 AmaWaterwaysA second ship from AmaWaterways on the Magdalena — AmaMelodia — is scheduled for June 2025.
AmaLilia will be a little wider and carry a few more passengers than the existing AmaDahlia (82 guests, versus 72) when it begins navigating the Nile. Its 41 staterooms will include 13 suites, and the riverboat will sail the line’s 11-night Secrets of Egypt & the Nile itinerary.
Avalon Waterways
Avalon Waterways will introduce the Avalon Alegria in March, when it sets sail along the Douro River in Portugal. The 102-guest ship will be one of the line’s signature Suite Ships, outfitted with 37 Panorama Suites that feature alfresco balconies, plus 14 Deluxe Staterooms. Clients will also find an outdoor swimming pool and an aft club lounge onboard. Avalon says it plans to do the Douro differently by offering its varied “Classic,” “Discovery” and “Active” Avalon Choice shore tours.
Avalon Alegria features a Sky Deck.
Credit: 2024 Avalon WaterwaysCentury River Cruises
Century River Cruises may be less known in the North American market, but Richard Xie, the line’s deputy general manager, says the China-based brand is planning a new ship — Century Voyager — for international clientele to be launched in July. (The line will also bring out a second ship for the domestic Chinese market.)
The 650-guest Century Voyager will take travelers along the Yangtze River. In addition to onboard amenities, the Three Gorges Museum will be outfitting the ship with items from its collection for passengers to admire. The riverboat will also be environmentally conscious thanks to electric propulsion, lower emissions and reduced noise. Century Voyager will sail one of the line’s longer regional itineraries.
Riverside Luxury Cruises
Now that Riverside Luxury Cruises has taken over the former Crystal River Cruises fleet of five vessels, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will charter one ship from Riverside as its own starting this March. S.S. Victoria — previously dubbed Crystal Bach — will be considered one of the brand’s signature Super Ships, operating with an all-Uniworld crew and adhering to the line’s usual high-end standards and luxurious onboard amenities.
S.S. Victoria’s initial itinerary will be the eight-day Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time voyage, before undertaking the eight-day Castles Along the Rhine route, the 10-day Magnificent Moselle and Rhine circuit and the eight-day Belgium Holiday Markets itinerary.
S.S. Victoria, from Riverside Luxury Cruises, will join Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ fleet.
Credit: 2024 Riverside Luxury CruisesRiverside itself will relaunch Riverside Debussy — formerly Crystal Debussy — in March as well, following the line’s already-launched Riverside Mozart and Riverside Ravel. The all-inclusive, all-suite Debussy will first embark on a six-day route between Brussels and Amsterdam, visiting Gent, Belgium; Middleburg, Germany; and Vissingen, Wilemstad, Dordrecht and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The last of the five post-Crystal riverboats, Transcend Advance — once Crystal Mahler — is already sailing under temporary charter from Riverside as a means of introducing the new Transcend Cruises line to the market. Transcend will unveil its first purpose-built riverboat in 2025, when Advance transfers its charter to Uniworld to become S.S. Elisabeth.
Riviera River Cruises
Also arriving in July is Porto Mirante, a 118-guest vessel from Riviera River Cruises. Porto Mirante joins Douro Elegance and Douro Splendour, which are already sailing on Portugal’s Douro River. The boat is a response to demand from travel advisors and their clients, and it will sail the brand’s eight-day Highlights of the Douro Valley and Salamanca River Cruise route.
Porto Mirante will feature a skylit two-level atrium, an upper bar and lounge, a lower restaurant, a fitness center, a sun-deck sky lounge and a zero-edge splash pool. Accommodations will include 59 cabins measuring 172 square feet with either a window or a French balcony. Passengers can expect double beds (convertible into twin beds), a bathroom with a rain shower, a desk and a chair, a flat-screen television, air conditioning and more.
Viking
This year, Viking will launch Viking Hathor; the ship is part of the company’s plan to add one ship in Egypt each year from 2023 to 2025.
The intimate, 82-guest Hathor will sail the Nile on the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, which includes a week onboard the ship, plus bookended days touring in Cairo. Those already familiar with Viking’s Egyptian fleet will know Hathor as an identical sister ship to Viking Aton and Viking Osiris, as well as to the upcoming Viking Sobek.
The Library on Viking Osiris.
Credit: 2024 VikingViva Cruises
Viva Cruises — an in-house line from operator Scylla AG, which also charters to the likes of Riviera River Cruises — is new to the North American market as of 2022. In September 2024, it will launch its third riverboat, following Viva One and Viva Two, with the nearly identical, 190-passenger Viva Enjoy. Despite being a relatively small vessel, it will boast a trio of restaurants, a gathering lounge, a sun deck and a fitness and wellness space. Out of the gate, Viva Enjoy will embark on a 12-night voyage from Frankfurt, Germany, to Vienna, Austria.
More River Cruise Happenings In 2024 (and 2025)
For clients who might be wondering about domestic options, there are no new U.S. riverboats announced for 2024 specifically, though American Cruise Lines is currently constructing another five maiden river vessels and coastal catamarans, set to launch through 2025.
Further absent of newbuilds this year are American Queen Voyages (AQV), Emerald Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Tauck. However, AQV will offer new five- and six-day itineraries (shorter than its existing nine-day or longer ones) starting in February onboard its latest ship, American Countess, on the Lower Mississippi River.
Meanwhile, corporate cousins Emerald and Scenic are releasing their sailing schedules through 2025.
As for Tauck, while there may not be any new hardware to announce, the line will embark on six new European river itineraries this year, ranging from the eight-day Hidden Waterways of Flanders and Holland trip to the 14-day La Belle Vie: The Rhone, Geneva & The Riviera tour, which goes from Cannes, France, to Geneva, Switzerland (or reverse).
