It has been a busy couple of weeks for the announcement of new river ships, with many different cruise lines releasing details of vessels set to make their mark on the world’s waterways over the next few years. The news comes as we patiently await the debut of AmaMagna in November, an exciting, double-width ship that will break boundaries in the industry.

Here are some of the new additions that have been recently revealed.

A-Rosa’s Eco-Ship

Scheduled to arrive in 2021, this ship will be ground-breaking in a number of different ways. Firstly, the use of battery power is championed as a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of a river cruise line, allowing the vessel to glide in and out of port emission-free. Secondly, plans are in place to create four decks as opposed to three, which is the standard in the European river cruising world. A-Rosa hopes this will result in guests having much more space to relax and feel at home.

The third way in which this ship differs from most is that it is aimed at multi-generational families, with the hope of introducing a younger audience to this kind of holiday. A-Rosa has always bucked the trend when it comes to children’s clubs, but there will be even more facilities on board this time around. Large cabins will offer a home-from-home to up to five people, a kid’s pool will provide somewhere for them to splash away to their hearts’ content and a special area of the restaurant will give the older children somewhere to eat with their friends away from prying parental eyes.

Tui’s Triple Debut

Having inherited Marella Cruises following its merger with Thomas Cook, Tui has now announced its intention to make a foray into river cruising too. Three ships have been purchased from Werner-Tours and Reiseburo Mittelthurgau Fluss and will be refurbished and renamed Tui Maya, Tui Isla and Tui Skyla ready for a summer 2020 launch.

Just like the ocean cruises, there will be plenty of flexibility and inclusivity offered to guests. Different board options will be available, whilst gratuities and a generous £120 shore excursion credit will be bundled into the price. The ships themselves will be stylish and modern, offer plenty of seating areas in which to relax, and are set to go on sale soon.

AmaSiena Sailing From 2020

Prior to the launch of AmaDouro, which took place in Porto earlier this week, AmaWaterways announced another ship that will be joining the fleet in 2020. Due to sail along the Main, Danube, Rhine and Moselle Rivers, it will bear the name AmaSiena.

Guests can look forward to many of the luxurious facilities found on other AmaWaterways ships, including twin-balcony cabins, The Chef’s Table restaurant, a sumptuous spa and fitness area, and a fleet of bicycles that can be borrowed to aid onshore explorations. Plus, a heated swimming pool on the sundeck will feature a swim-up bar. With a capacity of 156 guests, the new ship will be the sister to AmaMora, AmaLea and AmaKristina.

American Announces Fourth And Fifth Modern Riverboats

American Cruise Lines has been busy expanding its fleet in recent years and now we’ve received word that it will reach 15 ships by the end of 2021. Two new additions to their modern riverboat collection are on the way after the first, American Song, was launched in 2018. This is soon to be followed by American Harmony in August and a third vessel, which we recently learned will be called American Jazz, in 2020.

Making their debuts in 2020 and 2021 respectively, the fourth and fifth modern riverboats will share the same basic layout as the other three but a few tweaks and extras are expected to continue to enhance the cruise offering along the Mississippi, Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Geoffrey Chaucer To Provide Travel Tales Throughout Europe

British river cruise operator Riviera Travel has also revealed the latest ship to be joining its fleet in 2020. Continuing the naming convention of christening the ships in honour of iconic literary greats, the vessel will be named MS Geoffrey Chaucer. Yet another of the five-star offerings from the cruise line, this addition will have very similar features to the other 135-metre members of the fleet.

Dining options will include an al-fresco restaurant, there will be a small plunge pool on the sundeck and a spa will help soothe those aching feet after a day on shore. You’ll be able to choose from five different itineraries during the ship’s debut season: ‘Heart of Europe’, ‘The Blue Danube, Bruges, Medieval Flanders’, ‘Amsterdam and the Dutch Bulbfields’, ‘Amsterdam, Kinderdijk and the Dutch Bulbfields’, and ‘Budapest to The Black Sea’.

If you would like us to help you plan your cruise on any of these new ships, you can call our experienced team on 0800 954 0064. You can also keep up with all the latest news by signing up to our mailing list.