12-05-2025
Trafalgar's river cruise debut is seen as just a first step
Trafalgar's expansion into Europe river cruising next year with two itineraries on two ships is likely to just be the beginning for the tour operator.
Trafalgar will charter the ships from sister brand Uniworld Boutique River Cruises to begin sailing the Danube and Rhine beginning in April. Uniworld will operate the ships, with Trafalgar leaning on the river cruise line's nautical experience, but the vessels and itineraries will be Trafalgar's and representative of that brand, said Melissa DaSilva, the deputy CEO of TTC Tour Brands.
Melissa DaSilva
"It seemed like a natural extension for us because it's still taking travelers into a destination where they can be culturally immersed and really connect with the destination in a meaningful way," she said.
The May 6 opening of reservations for travel advisors, ahead of the opening to the general public, already showed promise, DaSilva said. More bookings came through that day than what Trafalgar usually sees when a land itinerary is unveiled.
"I think that for those travelers who love Trafalgar, they are going to be blown away by what we offer on the river," she said.
Uniworld's River Queen (built in 1999) will become the Trafalgar Verity while the River Princess (built in 2001) will become the Trafalgar Reverie. The 128-passenger vessels, Uniworld's oldest, were being rotated out by the river cruise line as it builds new ships, DaSilva said.
She added that the itineraries and offerings will reflect Trafalgar, not Uniworld, the price point will be lower than Uniworld's and the experience will not be all-inclusive. Meals will be included, as will activities and use of the gym, but alcoholic drinks other than beer and wine will be available at a cash bar.
"I don't want people to confuse the two and think that they're going to get a Uniworld experience at the Trafalgar price tag," she said. "They're very, very different clientele, and they are very, very different experiences."
Trafalgar's Best of the Danube itinerary will be an eight-day sailing calling at Budapest; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna and Linz, Austria; and Passau, Germany. The cruise will offer two-night extensions in Prague and Budapest. The tour operator's signature Be My Guest event offered on every tour will be incorporated into its river cruises. On the Danube, it will be a dining experience at Austria's oldest winery, Weingut Nikolaihof.
The 10-day Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam sailing will travel through Amsterdam; Cologne, Koblenz and Strasbourg, Germany; and Basel, Switzerland, with the signature event an experience at a family-run farm. A two-night extension in Lucerne will be offered.
DaSilva said the itineraries will be slower-paced than Trafalgar's typical land tours.
There is a "good possibility" that Trafalgar will eventually buy the Uniworld ships, DaSilva said, but its growth will not stop there.
Trafalgar is already eyeing expansion, with plans to add another Uniworld ship to its fleet in 2027. More ships may be added after that, she said, with the "distinct possibility" that Trafalgar will build ships of its own, DaSilva said.
There are also plans to expand itineraries, with Christmas market cruises already slated for 2026.
A new option for Trafalgar's loyal customers
Several travel advisors said they are on board with the expansion, though some did wonder about the industry -- and rivers -- becoming crowded.
"At a time when other companies are also dipping their toes into river cruising, will the market become oversaturated?" said Teri Engelhart of Wandering Hart Travel in Madison, Wis.
The same day that Trafalgar shared its news, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions said it would enter European river cruising. Celebrity River Cruises announced earlier this year that it would debut in Europe in 2027 with an initial order of 10 ships.
The brands entering river cruising, paired with forthcoming ships from existing lines in the coming years, could pose problems with navigating locks, Engelhart said. Still, she applauded Trafalgar for expanding from land tours and said she looks forward to seeing the brand's river cruise operations.
"They definitely have loyal customers who I'm sure will want to cruise with them, and maybe even some of their land-only travelers will give river cruising a try," she said.
Brenda Daisey of Cruise Planners in La Grange, Ky., also spoke to Trafalgar's guest loyalty, saying that the "longtime trusted brand in the industry" has a high rating among repeat clients.
"Seeing a travel company with new options and expansion in their service is a win-win in my eyes," she said, adding she hopes Trafalgar and other newcomers will "step up in crafting new itineraries to take travelers off the beaten path, to spread the wanderlust spirit out and not create a bottleneck to the region."
