Sometimes it’s tough to keep up with the latest announcements in the river cruise industry, as cruise lines do what they can to shake things up and try to bring in more guests. Luckily, we’re on-hand to keep you up to date with all the news.

In an unsurprising revelation, Viking River Cruises has revealed it will launch four more ships in 2020. The operator has continuously added numerous vessels for many years now, even setting the Guinness World Record for most christened in 24 hours, in 2014. What is new, though, is the fact that these will be Seine Ships, a new class designed specifically for the waterway that connects Paris to the English Channel.

As such, they will be custom-built for these waters, complete with specially-made hulls and engines. As well as being smaller than Viking River Cruises’ traditional Longships, their tailored design will allow them to dock just 10 minutes from the Eiffel Tower, at Port de Grenelle. This means less time travelling to the heart of Paris and more time enjoying this fantastic destination.

The four new additions – to be named Viking Radgrid, Viking Kari, Viking Fjorgyn and Viking Skaga – will host 168 guests but will otherwise boast similar public venues to the other ships in the fleet. They will sail eight-day Seine River cruises entitled ‘Paris to the Heart of Normandy’ from May next year.

New From U

Adding to the announcements, U River Cruises has launched three exciting new itineraries for 2020 and beyond. ‘Vienna Vibe’, ‘Amsterdam and Brussels Bound’ and ‘Eastern Europe Escape’ will help younger cruisers see even more spectacular sights on board The A and The B.

‘Vienna Vibe’ is an eight-day trip between Vienna and Nuremberg, stopping in Krems, Melk, Linz, Passau and historic Regensburg along the way. As well as overnight stays in Nuremberg and Vienna, your cruise will include excursions that take you into Schönbrunn Palace after hours and along the Wachau Valley on a bike ride. There will also be optional ‘U Time’ activities, such as hiking to Aggstein Castle, a day trip to Munich and an urban art tour of Linz Harbour.

‘Amsterdam and Brussels Bound’ does exactly what it promises – takes you along the Dutch and Belgian Waterways between the two countries’ capitals for eight days. The included excursions offer the chance to admire Rotterdam’s contemporary architecture, whilst optional extras can take you to the Kinderdijk windmills and onto the waters of Ghent in a kayak. There are overnights in Rotterdam, Middelburg, Antwerp and Brussels.

Finally, ‘Eastern Europe Escape’ is an eight-day Danube River cruise between the wonderful cities of Belgrade and Vienna. Walking tours of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Mohács are all included in your cruise fare. Plus, ‘U Time’ gives you the option to also add things like Viennese Waltz lessons, a treasure hunt through Pécs and a visit to Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad.

On top of all that, U River cruises has also added new onboard perks. The most enticing of these is a free happy hour every day, so you can take in views from the sundeck with your favourite drink in-hand. You’ll also be joined by two U Hosts and a local DJ in the evening.

If you would like to know more about Viking River Cruises’ new ships or U’s new itineraries, you can speak to the team by calling 0800 954 0064. Don’t forget to sign up to our mailing list to keep up with more of the latest announcements.