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The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Barrhead Travel launches European cities river cruise
The eight-day journey will set sail on August 25 next year, cruising through the heart of European destinations including Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Munich. Barrhead Travel said: 'The exclusive sailing with APT's premium brand, Travelmarvel, comes in response to unprecedented demand, with the agency reporting a 31% increase in river cruise bookings year to date, following a 38% surge in 2024. Read more 'The charter marks a significant milestone for UK-based travel retailers, showcasing Barrhead Travel's confidence in the river cruise sector and its dedication to delivering tailored, high-quality travel experiences.' It added: 'Holidaymakers will enjoy a premium onboard experience aboard one of Travelmarvel's contemporary river ships, renowned for their relaxed atmosphere, exceptional service, and curated itineraries.' Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, managing director of Barrhead Travel, said: 'Chartering a cruise ship is a significant step for the agency and a clear signal of our intent to lead the way in the UK river cruise market. 'We're seeing record-breaking interest in river cruising as holidaymakers look for more immersive experiences that combine comfort, culture, and convenience. This exclusive charter allows us to bring something truly special to our customers and our team of specialists have worked hard to curate a stunning itinerary at our favourite ports of call.' Barrhead Travel, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was sold to US-based Travel Leaders Group in 2018, and was by that time one of the UK's biggest travel agents. Travel Leaders Group is part of Internova Travel Group, which has its head office in New York.
Times
3 days ago
- Times
On board the chic new sailing through Portugal's Douro Valley
'Nine months of winter and three months of hell' is the traditional definition of the harsh climate in Portugal's Douro Valley. Short bursts of intense summer heat are followed by long, cold and rainy winters. And, oh dear, so it proves when I arrive in Porto on an April morning to a mixture of hail, torrential rain and the chilliest of breezes. But who cares when I'm heading for a short taster cruise down the fabulously winding, port-packed Douro River on a swish new ship with a difference. The Estrela is the first vessel on the river operated by the Australian company APT and it switches between itineraries, offering both all-inclusive luxury cruises and more budget-friendly journeys under its four-star Travelmarvel brand. The latter are designed to appeal to those who want to enjoy all the Douro's attractions but aren't looking for door-to-door cosseting. On a five-star APT trip it's a hedonistic whirl of oysters, champagne, sorbet palate cleansers between delicious four-course dinners, espresso martinis on tap, and 'insider' experiences, including lunches in barrel-lined port house cellars. On a Travelmarvel cruise the menu is simpler — but still includes Portuguese specialities such as caçoila, a hearty beef stew and, of course, flaky pasteis de nata custard tarts. There are soft drinks, beers and local wine during lunch and dinner, and while there's an excursion each day, some trips have to be paid for. But the ship and the terrific crew, mainly from Vietnam and Myanmar, are the same and the itineraries only slightly different. The sleek Estrela, painted matt taupe rather than the traditional gleaming white to blend in with its surroundings, is the usual giant floating shoebox because there's only so much you can do to customise a river cruise ship sailing through the narrow locks and under the low bridges of European rivers. This one can accommodate 116, has a laid-back, airy feel and decor that's a pleasing riff on a Mediterranean beach house, with lots of pale stone, wicker furniture, blond wood and natural linens; I love the elongated raffia lampshade and sawn-off tree trunk bedside tables in my stateroom, as well as the picture window whose top half glides down to the halfway point at the push of a button to create a French balcony. Having just one restaurant keeps things simple and there's a small lounge at the front of the ship for late breakfasts and light lunches. There's no spa or gym on board, so I have a great excuse to just unwind on sailing days. When the sun finally shows I hang out on the top deck, home to a pool that's the largest on the Douro (although it's still pretty dinky) and, true to its Aussie heritage, a sunken barbecue and bar. • 10 of the best cruise lines for first-timers Golfers desperately missing their tee times can take aim on a mini three-hole putting green, but I'm happy just to get comfortable on one of the many squishy sunloungers, perfectly positioned to take in the view of endless sheer-sided gorges and 50-shades-of-green terraced hillsides planted with vineyards, as well as the succession of dams and locks en route. These were built on the orders of the Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar in the late 1960s, designed to tame the river and generate hydroelectric power for northern Portugal, and to my mind they're just as impressive as the landscape. On our way to Regua we pass through the big daddy of them all, the cathedral-like Carrapatelo, the deepest lock in Europe, lifting boats a whopping 35 metres. It's an incredible feat of engineering and it's enormous fun to watch the whole process, boggling at what a tight fit our ship is as we squeeze through. • 17 of the best river cruises in Europe for 2025 From Regua we board a coach to Quinta da Pacheca, an 18th-century estate that's a minnow in port production terms, producing 600,000 bottles a year compared with 12 million at the more well-known Sandeman, but brilliantly innovative: guests can stay overlooking the vineyards in glamping pods designed to look like huge wine barrels, take jeep tours through the vines and wallow in a red grape bath in the spa. Our guide for the morning is more sanguine than me about another downpour: 'It's fine if it rains now, we just need good weather for the vines from the end of May.' We're ushered indoors to see the lagares, huge stone vats in which grapes are still crushed by foot. At the tasting afterwards, there's an introduction to fresh and fruity pink port, the great hope of the port industry and designed for cocktails, although my pick is the luscious, chilled 30-year-old tawny, perfect with cheese. (I'm also alarmed to be told that the bottle of young vintage ruby port I bought last year and has been languishing in my fridge needs to be chucked away: it should have been drunk within three days.) • Read our full guide to cruise holidays Sadly I'm not able to experience the whole itinerary; the Estrela will usually sail across the border into Vega de Terron for a day trip to golden sandstone Salamanca, Spain's most famous university town, and a flamenco show before heading back via the village of Barca d'Alva, followed by a visit to the baroque Mateus Palace and its glamorous garden. I'm gutted not to have a nostalgic sip of the slightly fizzy pink staple of 1970s dinner parties (and Saddam Hussein's favourite wine), but apparently although the palace provided the classic image that adorns Mateus Rosé bottles, the wine wasn't actually produced there. Instead, the highlight of our return trip is a night-time cruise through Porto when the bridges, including the city's main landmark, the extraordinary iron double-deck arch Dom Luís I, built by a student of Gustave Eiffel, are extravagantly lit up and the weather plays ball. Up on the top deck, the scenery stuns and the port flows. Life on board the Estrela is as smooth as the Douro Brookes was a guest of APT Touring, which has eight nights — seven all-inclusive on board and one B&B in Madrid — from £4,795pp, including flights and transfers on a Madrid to Porto sailing (
West Australian
16-07-2025
- West Australian
Short, sharp travel sale is a marvel
Travelmarvel's 'Freedom to Explore Sale' runs from July 15 to 30, 2025, with savings on destinations and tours of eight days or more departing in 2026. It covers destinations in Europe, Asia, Canada and Alaska, Africa, South America and New Zealand. MY PICK + Travelmarvel's flagship 15-day European Gems river cruise has savings now up to $7100 per couple, with prices now starting from $4745 per person. + In Canada and Alaska, there are savings of up to $3500 per couple on the popular 21-day Reflections of the Rockies and Alaska Cruise. Prices now start from $11,545 per person. + With savings of up to $2500 per couple, the 11-day A Taste of Vietnam is now from $2945 per person. Hundreds of tours and cruises are on sale until July 30, or until sold out. See travel agents and or call 1300 208 712.
West Australian
28-06-2025
- West Australian
Revealing a lesser known stretch of the Danube
Most river cruises in Europe focus on the Upper Danube — Amsterdam to Budapest — but I'm joining the Travelmarvel Capella on a seven-night, eight-day journey down the Lower Danube from Budapest to Romania. It's a Balkan adventure which covers 1150km, five countries, and two time zones. It is a great way to see a part of the world that is unfamiliar to many people. A Travelmarvel spokesperson says the Balkan Adventure itinerary has been part of the program for several years, but its popularity has grown recently because of increased interest in 'less touristed' regions of Eastern Europe. Budapest is a blur, transferring by coach from airport to ship; a mix of elegant 19th-century mansions, churches, and drab 'panel buildings' constructed from prefabricated concrete slabs in the drive for large-scale industrial housing that started at the end of the 1950s led by Big Brother, the Soviet Union. They're an eyesore. A representative meets me — and others joining the cruise — at the airport, so it's an easy transfer. The river ship is docked at passenger cruise port Mahart 2, which is on the Pest (mind your pronunciation, it's 'pesht') side of the city — I'll explain in a moment — in between the Elizabeth and Liberty bridges. It turns out the name Budapest is a compilation of previously separate settlements either side of the Danube — Obuda, Buda and Pest — first joined by the Chain (Szechenyi) Bridge that opened in 1849 (and had to be rebuilt after World War II because it was bombed by the Germans) before it became a single city in 1873. Buda refers to the hilly part with the castle, which houses the Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest History Museum; and Pest to the flat part. 'Careful you only hold on to the silver railings if you have to, not the green ones because they're gates and they will move,' a crew member tells us as we board the ship. Not that you'd know it's a ship when you step inside. The reception area where we're allocated our cabins looks more like a luxury hotel foyer. Check-in time is 3pm. I'm in a 15.5sqm French balcony suite on the upper deck. It has a queen-size bed, a small sitting area, separate bathroom, toilet, wardrobe, full-length mirror, lots of drawers (not that I use them) and kettle with selection of teas. There's no iron, for safety reasons. A shower is in order after more than 20 hours in transit, then it's off to a mandatory safety briefing followed by a four-course Hungarian dinner with matched wines and Hungarian musicians. The dining room downstairs is a sea of faces, with people talking and laughing like they've known each other for years. Some, it turns out, have — and this is their second, third, or fourth river cruise. As soon as they finish one, they book the next. 'We'd never go on ocean cruises; the ships are huge and there are too many passengers,' several people tell me. I don't know anyone on the first night, and feel like a fish out of water. Wandering around, I spot a vacant space next to two women who are happy to have me join them. What are the odds they would live just a couple of streets from me in the same suburb back home? Yes, it's a small world. Most passengers are from Australia (they're certainly very vocal); a handful from New Zealand, and some from Britain. Most are doing a 14-day return trip to Budapest. The menu is a feast — every night — with a choice of 'chef's selection', so you don't have to think, or a la carte. There's always an entree, soup, main and dessert, with accompanying red and white wines. Likewise, lunch, which also includes a buffet selection — and there's always a queue for ice-cream. It's fine dining, but more casual buffet meals are available most evenings at McGeary's, an Irish-style bar. 'The beer's barely cold,' an Aussie shrugs, halfway into the trip. No problem — it's whisked away and a chilled one comes out a few minutes later. By the third night, I've joined a raucous group, and we finish the cruise together. No request is too much for the waitstaff, with one surprised to see me eating a plate of sliced tomatoes for lunch and bringing out a menu so I can choose some 'proper' food. I'm really not hungry. You get three square meals, pastries in the lounge for 'early' and 'late' risers, as well as late-night snacks (10pm) in the lounge. Most passengers are in their 70s, and there are no children. It makes me wonder if these cruises cater to specific age groups, but apparently they don't. The only requirement is that guests are over 12. There are plenty of activities on board, including origami, painting classes, and book club for anyone who wants to spend an afternoon relaxing on the ship. Likewise, there are optional half-day tours — in Hungary, to a wine tasting in Villany; in Serbia, to a family farm — in addition to the town and city tours on the itinerary. Room staff are friendly and meticulous, commenting I must miss my 'fur baby' because I've got dogs all over my pyjamas, and arranging them like a butterfly on the bed, which is turned down each evening. We spend the first night in port, with an organised tour through the city the next morning. There's the option of heading back to the ship for lunch, but I prefer to wander off to visit: + New York Cafe Totally opulent, with prices to match, and a haunt for artists and writers over the years — though you're likely to see more influencers today. It opened in the mid-1890s as the European headquarters for the New York Life Insurance Company. Today, it's part luxury hotel, part coffee house, spread over several levels. My 24-carat gold New York 'cortado' — equal ratio of espresso to steamed milk — is $19.50. + Ruin Bars A mish-mash of quirky drinking holes that emerged in post-communist Budapest's abandoned buildings in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. If you like shabby without the chic, you'll love spending a couple of hours here. There's a kitchen upstairs. Most places are open from 3pm-4am on weekdays, noon-4am on Saturdays, and 9am-4am on Sundays. + Shoes on the Danube Promenade Sixty pairs of rusted iron shoes set into the concrete embankment of the Danube, on the Pest side, not far from the Parliament building. It's a monument and memorial conceptualised by film director Can Togay and created by sculptor Gyula Pauer to Hungarian Jews, including children, shot dead on the banks of the Danube in the winter of 1944-45 by members of the fascist Arrow Cross Party. The idea was the bodies would fall into the water and be carried away. Often, victims would be forced first to remove their shoes — in short supply during WWII — so they could be used or traded on the black market. If the shoes were worn out, they were killed with them on. The captain's 'welcome cocktail' is on the second night — and we leave Budapest, illuminated and radiant at night. Standing alone on the upper deck, looking at the magnificent neo Gothic-style Parliament building, the person I miss most is my late mother. She would love this. The Danube, the history, the sound of languages she could speak. For a quiet, aching second, I want to trade places — just to let her have it all. To see the lights. To feel the wind. To be here instead of me. No photo can ever capture this moment. I don't even notice the ship is moving — which is something to consider if you get seasick, because there's no chance of this happening on a cruise like this. It's totally silent, apart from the sound of frogs and birds on riverbanks past midnight a couple of hours out of Budapest, and the only noise I hear is an occasional rumbling, which is the ship's hull scraping the bottom of the riverbed. All shipping communication downstream from Budapest is in Russian as we head to the sleepy port town of Mohacs and travel by coach to Pecs, Hungary's fifth-largest city, where the World Heritage-listed burial chambers and memorial chapels of Sopianae, the Roman predecessor of Pecs, are located. A more recent landmark is the Pecs 'padlock wall', a myriad of padlocks inscribed with lovers' names in a pledge to undying love and devotion. The idea is you throw away the keys if you're sure it will last; otherwise maybe hang on to them, just in case. . . One is inscribed 'Olgi & Laci 26.10.2015.' I wonder if they're still together. Suddenly, our tour guide bursts into the national anthem, Himnusz, on the coach and shares her family recipe for Hungarian chicken paprikash with dumplings. Oh, by the way, each Hungarian consumes 3kg of sweet paprika a year. Next, down the Danube, there's Osijek and Vukovar (Croatia); Belgade (Serbia); Ruse (Bulgaria), which is actually closer to Bucharest than Sofia and, finally, Giurgiu (Romania) for a coach transfer to Bucharest with a walking tour of the old town before airport transfers for people heading home. 'Romania was a kingdom; then the communists came and destroyed everything,' I overhear a tour guide say. It's a similar sentiment in Hungary and Bulgaria. There are still scars of war in Osijek and Vukovar, which has been largely rebuilt after most of it was destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), otherwise called the Homeland War. And given what tour guides say in each city, animosity towards Serbs still runs deep. We're told schools in Vukovar remain mostly segregated, and the first 'mixed' marriages took place only in 2006. Along the way, we sail through Djerdap Gorge and the Kazan — the narrowest and deepest part of the Danube — before passing through the monumental Iron Gates lock system with its massive hydroelectric power station, a joint project between Romania and the former Yugoslavia (now Serbia). The first stage was completed in 1972, and the second in 1984. It has not come without environmental or social cost. Villages were submerged in the process. I've never seen so much concrete. There's a glitch docking at Osijek because the Drava River, a tributary of the Danube, is too low, so the Capella diverts to Aljmas and we bus it. At each port, there's a coach tour of the town with extensive historical and political commentary, followed by lunch back at the ship — though there's always the option to skip this and go exploring on your own. I make the most of it in Belgrade with several spare hours, visiting: Hotel Moskva Built in the Russian Succession style, it opened in 1908 on Terazije Square in the centre of Belgrade, inaugurated by King Peter Karadjordjevic, father of Alexander I who proclaimed the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918 and changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia in 1929. There's an outdoor cafe with a good selection of cakes. Eternal Flame Located in the Park of Friendship, the 27m-high concrete obelisk topped with a bronze fire sculpture originally conceived with a gas-lit flame was unveiled in 2000 as a memorial to the victims of the 78-day NATO bombing of Serbia — without UN Security Council approval — in 1999 during the Kosovo War. It's been shrouded in controversy from the start, graffitied, vandalised and renovated — but the flame remains unlit. Our guide tells us earlier in the day the Monument of Gratitude to France — a symbol of friendship and co-operation between Serbia and France during World War I — erected in Kalemegdan Park in 1930 was covered in black cloth during the NATO bombing in a symbolic gesture of mourning for the perceived betrayal by France, a NATO member. Clearly, people in Belgrade love their dogs. I've never seen so many pampered pooches paraded on city streets, but why do so many young Serbian men walk around shirtless? One even catches my eye in the centre of Stari Grad (Old Town). It's 34C. Maybe he's hot. I get up at 5.30am as the ship's about to enter Djerdap Gorge, a 100km-long natural border between Serbia and Romania with a series of canyons flanked by steep cliffs either side. King Decebalus' sculpture — the tallest rock relief in Europe at 55m high — is on the Romanian boundary marking a heroic figure who's been celebrated since the country was founded in 1859. At the entry, on the Serbian side, there's Golubac Fortress perched on the water's edge; Tumane Monastery, which dates back to the 14th century and is known for its miracles — still — is 9km away, just outside the village of Snegotin. The narrowest — 150m give or take, depending who you ask — and deepest part of the Danube is here, so curiosity finds me on the bridge with Captain Jugoslav Bastijancic, glued to the sonar readout as we pass through the 'Little Kazan' and the 'Big Kazan' (the word means cauldron in Turkish): 70.2m, 73.1m, 73.4m, 77.4m, 79m, 78.5m, 79.1m 78.6m, 78.8m, 79.2m. . . Officially, the deepest point of the Danube is here: up to 82m, so we come close enough. It all depends on the exact position of the ship. 'Depending on season, especially before the start of winter and at the end of winter, the Danube can rise by 7-8m in some parts,' the captain explains. He's been a river ship captain for 19 years, following in the footsteps of his father, and knows the Danube like the back of his hand; the flow of currents along its entire length. It's a knowledge only experience brings. We're doing 23km/h at the moment, but the previous evening, passing his village in Serbia, he slowed the ship and blew the horn so locals could come out and wave. 'It's all computerised, but there's no autopilot, I drive,' he says. 'A few new ships have this technology, but it can't be used effectively until all ships have it so they can communicate with each other.' + Travelmarvel is Australian-owned APT Travel Group's 'premium' cruising and touring brand. It also has a flagship luxury brand called APT. + Travelmarvel has three river ships operating across Europe: Capella, Polaris and Vega, all launched in 2021. Each one accommodates up to 178 passengers. The Rigel is due to join the fleet in 2026. + The eight-day Balkan Adventure along the Danube runs from April to August each year and costs from $3995 a person, excluding airfares. There are savings up to $1600 a couple for early-bird 2026 bookings. + There is also a 14-night Budapest-return Best of the Balkans tour along the Danube. + Designed specifically for cruising Europe's rivers, its hull was built in Romania, with final outfitting and interior finishes completed at a specialised shipyard in the Netherlands. + 89 cabins, configured with either a queen or twin beds. + Cabin types are window stateroom, French-style balcony suite, or owner's suite. + Facilities include indoor and outdoor lounges, a restaurant, an Irish-style bar, upper terrace with bar, fitness centre, sundeck with barbecue and plunge pool, complimentary wi-fi, bicycles, and elevator access between decks. Olga de Moeller was a guest of APT Travel Group. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
The Age
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
The 15 big cruising trends you'll want to get behind
Land and sea connections Last year we reported on the rise of land tours before and after a cruise, which range from port-city hotel breaks to short, guided getaways to inland destinations. But far more ambitious land-sea journeys are becoming more common, too. Cruise lines want a slice of the lucrative land market, and customers in an uncertain world are increasingly keen on single, seamless holiday packages. Some travel companies with both land and cruise arms are perfectly placed to deliver. Scenic is unrolling a collection of worldwide Grand Journeys in 2026 that range from 41 and 86 days and match land journeys with ocean and river cruises. Examples include a Portugal to Switzerland and Machu Picchu to Caribbean journey. See Nile River cruising In the last 15 years Egyptian tourism has been battered by the Arab Spring and COVID, and it looked as if the Gaza conflict might put tourists off again. Yet this ancient country, as it has done numerous times over the last two centuries, is becoming a hot destination all over again. Bookings on the Nile surged this year, the season has been steadily lengthening, companies such as Scenic and Travelmarvel are making a return in 2025 and 2026 respectively, and new ships are launching. A total solar eclipse over Egypt in 2027 is creating further demand for special eclipse cruises. Viking Cruises recently launched two new ships and is taking its Nile fleet to 10 by 2026. Its popular cruise-tour will be bolstered by 221 new departures by 2027. See Expedition cruising Nothing new about this style of small-ship adventure, but this once niche segment is booming. Ten years ago, fewer than 100,000 passengers took an expedition cruise. This year, four times as many set sail on some 100 expedition ships belonging to 20 cruise lines. Australians shine on the expedition front, with Aussie-owned companies such as Aurora Expeditions, Chimu Adventures, Coral Expeditions and Scenic sending ships to the far corners of the Earth. APT also offers expedition cruises on chartered ships. Expedition ships average 160 passengers with cruises lasting an average 11 days. As for the next big things within expeditions, expect more millennial, Gen Z and solo travellers, and increasing itineraries in 'water-water' destinations such as the Indian Ocean and West Africa. See Ships with sails OK, you're allowed to raise your eyebrows at the thought of sails on ships being the way of the future rather than a relic of the past. Only a few companies such as Star Clipper and Windstar offer cruises under canvas. But if research and development go the right way, a more futuristic 'sailing' ship might become more common as companies seek alternative propulsion systems to fossil fuels. They won't only be very small ships, either. Orient Express Silenseas, due to sail in mid-2026, will have French-developed SolidSail technology, with three huge sails made from glass panels reinforced with carbon fibre. Ponant and Hurtigruten are looking at adding sails to their new ships, too, while Carnival Corporation is studying vertical rotors that will be powered by wind. See Persian Gulf cruising Why this region didn't emerge as a cruise destination long ago is a mystery: it has good tourism infrastructure and airline connections, a predictable climate, distinctive culture and conveniently close ports. You'll have plenty of opportunity to cruise the Persian Gulf in future, with Dubai's cruise terminal positioned as a major hub, and other new terminals gracing harbourfronts from Bahrain to Muscat, Kuwait, Doha and Abu Dhabi. MSC Cruises is a regional regular and homeports MSC Euribia in Dubai over the winter cruise season. Small-ship company Celestyal Cruises has extended its Persian Gulf options and will have two ships in the Gulf this coming season. Explora Journeys meanwhile is launching into the 2026-27 season, and many other cruise lines make occasional visits. Expect more to come. See Cruise-free ports It isn't all good news in cruising. A growing swell of public pressure against overcrowding and pollution is seeing more ports ban or limit cruise ship arrivals. From July this year ships carrying more than 2500 passengers will be turned away from Nice and adjacent Villefranche-sur-Mer, long staples of the Mediterranean cruise circuit. Some are calling for ships to be banned entirely from the French Riviera. Nice joins a list of other cruise-sceptic ports from Juneau in Alaska to Palma, Majorca in Spain that have put varying limits on cruise ships. Cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bordeaux and Venice have moved ships out of city centres. In Europe, you might expect more noisy anti-cruise demonstrators holding signs and placards, or chanting and banging saucepans, as you disembark your ship. Alaska cruises Alaska has long been a cruise staple, but the next few years will see more ships than ever before sail its glacier-nibbled coastline and fabled Inside Passage that runs between the coast and islands of Alaska and British Columbia. By 2026, Royal Caribbean will have four ships homeported for Alaska cruises, Princess will offer itineraries on a record eight ships, and MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages will send ships for the first time. Azamara returns after a seven-year absence. The boom has been fuelled by Americans looking for post-pandemic domestic destinations, increased ship capacity and the development of new ports and more varied itineraries. More ships are now visiting smaller ports such as Valdez, Kodiak Island and Homer. See The vast majority of river cruising is undertaken in Europe and a great chunk of that on the Rhine and Danube rivers. But we'll see more river cruises developed elsewhere in years to come as demand for river-cruising grows and European rivers get more familiar – and congested. Two choice examples are up and running this year, with AmaWaterways offering cruises on Colombia's Magdalena River and Australia Star launching on our own Murray River. Cruising isn't new to the Murray but the new ship, a partnership between Murray River Paddlesteamers and APT, ups luxury levels. The Mekong, Peruvian Amazon, Ganges, Mississippi, Chobe River in Botswana and Intracoastal Waterway (partly on rivers and canals along America's east coast) are also tipped for growth. See Great Lakes cruising The outsized lakes that straddle the border of Canada and America have hovered under the radar for a long time, with only local companies St Lawrence Cruise Lines and Pearl Seas Cruises sailing there. Then Viking Cruises began operating its expedition ships on the lakes in 2022 and found so much international demand that it doubled capacity the year after. It is adding two new itineraries in 2026. Now things are hotting up even more, with American small-ship company Victory Cruise Lines returning to the region this year with itineraries that visit all five lakes, and French expedition company Ponant also sending two ships to the Great Lakes. Numbers are still modest, with only 22,000 passengers projected in 2025. An uncrowded cruise destination awaits – for now. See Winter cruising in Europe As summer crowds and heat continue to surge, we'll be seeing more off-season cruising in Europe – although soon it will hardly be off-season at all, and the steep discounts once offered on fares will steadily shrink. The attraction? Fewer tourists in monuments and museums, seasonal atmosphere and an alternative experience, though unpredictable weather and short daylight hours are downsides. A flotilla of cruise ships is now sailing the Mediterranean into November and resuming as early as February, and even in the Baltic Sea some are lingering right through winter. Copenhagen expects more than 50 cruise ships to arrive this 2025-26 winter season. Cruises to see the Northern Lights in Norway and Christmas-market river cruises on the Rhine and Danube are also growing in popularity. See Ocean lines take to rivers Time will tell if this is the next big thing, but two ocean cruise companies have already announced a move into the river-cruise market and, given its potential for more expansion, we might assume others are considering it. This year French expedition company Ponant acquired a stake in Aqua Expeditions, a boutique operator on the Amazon and Mekong rivers. The hefty bank balance of Ponant's parent company Artemis Group suggests expansion of Aqua Expeditions might be on the cards. Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises has announced an order for 10 river ships, open for booking this year but the first not sailing until 2027. The company remains tight-lipped on details but will sail first in Europe before expanding to other world rivers. See Short-break cruising Loading Sometimes it pays to look to Americans, who form the world's largest cruise market, to see what might be happening elsewhere soon. And considering the trend towards three-and four-day cruises among Americans, you can bet they might soon be booming in Australia, too. Short-break cruising is increasingly popular because it provides a quick getaway at a budget price. Many younger first timers want to see if they enjoy the cruise experience. Cruise lines like it because onboard revenue is higher per day than on longer cruises. Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and Royal Caribbean all offer short-break cruising from Australia, which range from between two and five nights. Short cruises also make for interesting add-ons while visiting destinations such as Singapore, Europe or the Caribbean. See
