14-05-2025
Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More travel brands are attracted to river cruising
Brinley Hineman
I was considering the topic of this insight and digging through my story ideas folder when Lindblad Expeditions announced its partnership with Transcend Cruises. Minutes later, Trafalgar unveiled its foray into river cruising. That's on top of Waldorf Astoria planning to sail the Nile.
It seems everyone wants to dive into river cruising.
It's no surprise.
The river cruise market has grown at an annual rate of 10% to 15% in the last decade, according to CLIA. The industry is poised to continue to grow, it said. The business has been attracting other major brand names, such as Celebrity Cruises, which is debuting on Europe's waterways in 2027.
Some established lines have welcomed the competition, such as Rudi Schreiner, the CEO of longtime river operator AmaWaterways, who said at the ASTA River Cruise Expo in March that there's room on the water for expansion. More brands equal more innovation, he said.
National Geographic-Lindblad's Transcend partnership
The Lindblad Expeditions partnership with Transcend Cruises involves a multiyear charter through at least 2028 (though executives told me this is likely just the beginning) and will turn river cruising into river exploration, featuring Lindblad's expertise in expedition cruises.
"We all know that river cruising is a large and exploding area where people are really seeking to get into it," Transcend chief revenue officer Kimberly Daley told me.
The two Rhine itineraries will operate under the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand: Rhine River: Castles, Culture and Culinary Delights and Holland and Belgium: Medieval History and Scenic Waterways, both eight days long.
The sailings will feature National Geographic experts and focus on exploring the region rather than just observing it. To accomplish this, Lindblad CEO Natalya Leahy told me the company would apply its expertise in expedition cruising to the Rhine, with a focus on soaking up the region and including cultural experiences on the ship, not just while on excursions.
"We don't just take people to places," she told me. "We show them how to see it. That differentiates us."
Trafalgar to lean into Uniworld's river cruise expertise
Then there's land tour operator Trafalgar, part of The Travel Corp., which will charter two ships from sister brand Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. But Trafalgar has signaled that it plans to invest and grow its river cruise portfolio after the 2026 launch, with plans to add a third Uniworld ship to its fleet in 2027. Eventually, it might build its own ships.
Trafalgar's entry into river cruising will better serve clients who don't want to take repeat tours, deputy CEO Melissa DaSilva told me.
"Some of our guests, they don't want to take a tour every year, and so we were definitely missing out on an opportunity to have our travelers come back and travel with us," DaSilva said. River cruising, she said, "seemed like a natural extension."
Trafalgar will rely on its expertise in land tours for cruise excursions and lean on Uniworld for its experience in river cruising. The Trafalgar sailings will not impact Uniworld, since the company was rotating out its older ships as it builds new vessels.
One of the key differences between Trafalgar and Uniworld is that Trafalgar will not operate on an all-inclusive model. The price will also be lower than that of Uniworld. For instance, Trafalgar's Best of the Danube itinerary starts at $2,999, while Uniworld's Enchanting Danube itinerary goes for $3,999.
Growth with Waldorf and other lines
And if you thought growth for 2026 was over, think again.
Waldorf Astoria is also getting in the game with Nile River cruises between Luxor and Aswan on four- and six-night itineraries.
That's not to mention new ships coming next year from Viking, Emerald Cruises, Tauck, Uniworld, Riviera Travel and AmaWaterways.
