No slowing down for river cruising: 2026 looks even better than 2025
River cruise lines say that despite economic uncertainty in the U.S., 2025 bookings remain strong and 2026 is already outpacing this year.
Their success, the companies say, is a result of not just demand but smart marketing and adjusting to trends.
Viking, which dominates the river industry and captures the market majority, saw $897.1 million in total revenue for the first quarter of 2025, a nearly 25% jump year over year. The line said it has effectively sold out its river capacity for this year, at 95%, and reported 28% of capacity already sold for 2026.
With a fleet of about 80 river cruise ships, Viking is off to a "remarkable start" for the year, said chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen during the company's Q1 earnings call on May 20.
As the largest river cruise company, and the only public one, Viking's earnings may not be representative of the entire sector. But several smaller, privately held lines said they are also thriving in 2025 and are expecting even better results next year.
Tauck said 2026 bookings are pacing nearly 30% ahead of 2025 bookings, Riviera Travel said 2026 river cruise bookings are 42% higher than 2025 bookings were at this time last year, and CroisiEurope said 35% of 2026 capacity is sold out.
Also, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and Amadeus River Cruises all said that 2026 bookings were outpacing 2025, which is on track to be their strongest year ever.
And while some lines, including Viking, have reported that much of their 2025 capacity was already booked before this year's economic turbulence, Cleveland Research found that bookings for river and luxury ocean cruises had picked up steam in late April and early May.
Travel advisor Lisa Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Travel, an agency that specializes in river and ocean cruising, said river cruise success is due in part to the lines adjusting to uncertainty in the U.S. economy, which is causing her clients not to pull back on bookings but is leading them to more thoughtful spending.
Lisa Fitzgerald
"The economy isn't stopping travelers from going on vacation, it's simply changing how they spend," Fitzgerald said. "River cruise lines are tuned into this and are adjusting with thoughtful promotions to attract both repeat guests and first-timers."
She also credited lines for reacting to trends and "not standing still" by adding new itineraries and enhancing experiences, both on and off the ship. For example, she said, clients have inquired about shoulder season departures as they watch "where every dollar goes."
Observing this trend and seeing a boom in demand, Avalon Waterways added more Christmas market sailings and harvest-time cruises for the offseason, said president Pam Hoffee.
Avalon is on pace for a record-breaking 2025, and 2026 is "off to an exceptionally strong start," with bookings trending ahead of this time last year, according to Hoffee.
AmaWaterways says 2026 sales are pacing double digits ahead of 2025. Pictured, the new AmaSintra in Portugal. Photo Credit: AmaWaterways
Riviera is generating success by focusing on niche markets, such as amplifying its efforts to attract solo cruisers by waiving single supplement fees. This segment has grown "significantly," said Stuart Milan, Riviera's North America president, even outpacing traditional bookings.
Amadeus is on track for this year to be its strongest yet, a spokesperson said, and early signs point to 2026 "being a banner year" and outpacing 2025.
Amadeus' gains are in part tied to intentional efforts by the line to bring in industry veterans, invest in the travel advisor channel and amp up its marketing efforts, the spokesperson said.
AmaWaterways chief sales officer Alex Pinelo said at the 2025 ASTA Travel Advisor Conference in Salt Lake City that the market is "at an all-time high." Last year marked the brand's best year on record, he added, and by the second week of 2025, the company's sales had already passed 2024 year over year.
Looking ahead, 2026 sales are pacing "double digits" ahead of 2025, he said, and future demand will be met with 10 new ships being added to its fleet by 2027.
Pinelo touted traveler desire to visit rivers outside of Europe -- like the Nile in Egypt, the Mekong in Vietnam and, most recently, the Magdalena in Colombia -- as one of the ways AmaWaterways has found success. Cleveland Research said these three rivers "are key itineraries to watch."
Tauck reported "enjoying a very, very strong year across our entire river cruising portfolio," a spokesperson said.
Tauck said it is "virtually sold out" for this year, with 2026 bookings pacing nearly 30% ahead of 2025 bookings year over year.
CroisiEurope said it has seen similar numbers to Viking, with 90% of its 2025 capacity sold out and 35% of 2026 capacity booked.
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