Is the River Cruise Industry Expanding Too Fast?
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
As one of the real champions of Europe River Cruising, I agree, to use a popular term, it is booming! There is no doubt there is significant growth in the river cruise industry.
Fleets are expanding, and there is rising demand to river cruise. These demands include smaller ships where almost all aspects of a good trip are included (accommodations, great food and drink and tours while staying on a mobile vessel) and the chance to experience the landscapes and cultures of countries for an outstanding vacation.
We believe it is one of the best, if not the best way for most travelers to see Europe.
Yet I worry, they may be expanding too fast.
Some Facts and Observations About the Expansion of River Cruising
In a report I read from FMI (Future Market Reports, Inc.) it predicts a future growth rate of 6.1% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) for 2024 to 2034. CLIA (Cruise Lines International Associations), predicts a 10% growth rate annually.
Both Viking River Cruise lines and AmaWaterways report record bookings in 2024 and 2025, with a significant portion of their river cruise itineraries sold out (above 90 % for both years).
Viking has 83 river cruise ships in its fleet and plans to expand to 98 worldwide by the end of 2026 (10 are going to be added to the European fleet, according to RiverCruising.co.uk).
AmaWaterways and Tauck are expanding their European fleet by 2 ships each in 2026.
New company brands are entering the marketplace, such as Celebrity Cruises (2 ships in 2027), and National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions is partnering with Transcend Cruise with 2 ships.
Trends in the Popularity of River Cruising
The intimate, small ship experience with good itineraries and more folks who can afford these higher-end cruises is driving the demand. Passengers often feel a deeper connection to the culture and destinations in these smaller groups.
Specialty cruises are very frequent among most lines, with wine and food cruises, wellness cruises (health and active options) and special themed cruises are offering more options to folks. This trend is driving the average age of 60+ down to 55 or lower.
While 7-day cruises are the norm, many 14-day cruises (or more), with combination of routes and rivers offered by most lines is expanding, and this trend will only increase as lines offer more of these types of longer cruises.
Some Companies Firmly Believe There is Room for Expansion
During the 2025 ASTA River Cruise Expo, I listened to Rudi Schreiner declare that they still room to expand and new companies will bring fresh ideas to the market.
With 2 new companies entering the already crowded and highly competitive river cruise market in Europe it would not be surprising if more chose to enter this lucrative marketplace.
Challenges of Expansion
Some smaller venues just can’t handle too many ships at one time. Several key industry executives said that they must actively manage tourism impact to maintain positive relations with local communities.
Environmental challenges in becoming more eco-friendly are a must to include waste management, reducing engine emissions, and other environmental concerns. Sustainable and green cruise ships and practices must be included in the expansion, to include phasing out older, less green ships.
Overtourism that doesn’t benefit locals must be properly managed. Some solutions include:
1) Using locally sourced foods and wines is a practice that is making river cruising more palatable to local residents.
2) Working with local village and governments to ensure tourism remains meaningful and beneficial to all residents and tour companies.
Docking locations and river cruise infrastructure must support expansion instead of being overwhelmed by the expansion.
Some Bad Examples of the River Cruise Expansion
I really can’t fault the river cruise companies for wanting to expand, as there is sufficient demand to incentivize them to offer more opportunities to their potential clients. After all, the tourist industry is in business to make a profit, but too much of a good thing may backfire.
Yet, overcrowding in the smaller, most charming villages has degraded the overall river cruise experience in our opinion. It will never go back to the early days of 2009 with one ship docked at a port.
Perhaps the best example of this is Dürnstein in Austria, which has only 600 residents. We visited once with 3 river ships docked in this lovely village. The village’s population now was doubled with 2 Viking ships and an AmaWaterways ship. We finally left the village and walked peacefully along the Danube. In once was our favorite stop, it had been denigrated to an overrun nightmare.
Dürnstein only has 600 inhabitants
Some of the wonderful stops on a Danube cruise
Smaller villages such as Riquewihr, Rüdesheim, Miltenberg, Wertheim,
Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Melk can easily be overcrowded. Even larger places with the smaller old towns can easily get overcrowded. Balancing demand with sensible limits is essential if the quality of the visit is favorable for residents and guests.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Riquewihr
Some of the tour groups in Riquewihr
One benefit of river cruising is to introduce you to new places, and we have often come back to visit at a slower pace. There can be no better example of this is Anne’s favorite town of Brugge. During the day, there are many tour groups looking at this amazing town. After the majority of the tour groups leave, it becomes a great place to visit and enjoy. We have learned to avoid some of the most popular spots, to find great food and make reservations early to avoid disappointment.
Some companies are expanding too fast, in our opinion. Viking keeps adding ships, has not really changed their itineraries much, and carries 190 passengers. We have seen tour groups of more than 40 with one guide and the guest struggling to keep up. It is not the quality experience we want for our clients.
AmaWaterways has found some good changes in one of its port stops, such as a wine tasting in Spitz (in the Wachau Valley) that guests could walk to and it was a fun event that benefited the town, even while sailing on the double wide AmaMagna.
Spitz
Additional experiences of this nature are essential to uphold the high standards for which river cruises have become renowned within the travel industry.
Our Final Thoughts
The growth phase of Europe River cruising is definitely here. It is hard to project if the expansion is too fast, but I do think there are some legitimate concerns. How the individual company brands handle this expansion will determine if the rivers become too crowded.
We hope they react responsibly!
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 53 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Riverside Luxury Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
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