Luxury river cruises take travelers directly into the heart of a region. So, guests easily can get up close to and learn about local culture, heritage, eco-beauty and lifestyle. It’s truly easy to mix and mingle with the locals.
So, in a sampling of new developments this year, here are tidbits about what’s happening for several top river cruise lines.
(Shown above is a look at the new Serene, Tauck’s soon-to-launch vessel on the Seine River in France. Photo by Viking.)
1. New Tauck River Vessels to Debut Soon
Starting in late March, Tauck will launch two luxurious new riverboats, Lumiere and Serene, on the Rhone River and Seine River, respectively.
The 130-passenger Lumiere will be christened on March 27, 2026. Co-godmothers will be Kristen Mack, vice president of Tauck Director Operations, and Brenna Shay, Tauck Director Manager.
In turn, the bit smaller, 124-passenger Serene will be christened by Jennie Norman, vice chair of Tauck’s board of directors. Each of the godmothers “brings a deep understanding of our culture and our guests,” says Jennifer Tombaugh, Tauck’s CEO.
Tombaugh adds that “each has played a critical role in shaping the experiences we deliver overall, and especially on Europe’s waterways.”
New Sun Deck and Retreat
Both new river vessels were designed with extensive input from Tauck’s guests. Many of those travelers are valued clients of Pavlus Travel, the world’s larger seller of Tauck.
Highlights? Lumiere will offer 22 luxurious, 300-square-foot Tauck Suites on the upper Diamond Deck; each of those will have two French balconies. New or expanded public spaces will include the Sun Deck, home to a swimming pool, full-service bar, shaded daybeds, and comfortable seating for open-air dining and relaxation.
Most notably, this river vessel will debut The Retreat, a new wellness area relocated to the Diamond Deck. Guests will discover floor-to-ceiling windows, abundant natural light, and river views. This wellness area will also offer a fitness center, massage treatment room, and lounge space.
New Luxury River Cruises
While sailing on Serene, guests will discover many of those same new or enhanced spaces. In addition, this ship will offer 20 sumptuous 300-square-foot Category 5 Tauck Suites, plus spacious cabins across the Ruby and Emerald Decks.
On both ships, 180-square-foot Category 1 cabins will be 20 percent larger than those on Tauck’s other riverboats.
One new-for-2026 Tauck river itinerary is the 11-day “Bordeaux, Paris & the Seine,” operated by Serene. Cities and landmarks guests will visit include Versailles, Paris, the beaches of Normandy, Rouen, Giverny, and Caudebec-en-Caux.
At press time, pricing started at $6,990 per person, double occupancy. So, contact your Pavlus Travel personal travel planner to ask questions and learn more about this new option. The planner will assist you in choosing accommodations and professionally making/managing your booking!
That way, you’ll get the best pricing and superb service (and never pay any added service fee). It’s a great way to make a reservation and let a Pavlus team member handle all the nitty-gritty details. Just sit back, relax and dream about vacationing on a new Tauck river vessel!
2. AmaWaterways Unveils Rebrand, New Ships
Now in its 23rd year of river cruising, upscale AmaWaterways operates 29 ships sailing across four continents. But there’s even more ahead with its accelerated fleet expansion. In fact, by 2030, the river line expects to operate more than 40 ships!
Two new ships recently launched on Colombia’s Magdalena River. On Europe’s Danube River, the line’s new 152-passenger AmaSofia will begin sailing soon. Plus, a new ship will debut on Southeast Asia’s Mekong River in 2027.
But there’s more! Guests are eagerly awaiting the upcoming launches of AmaFiora and AmaRudi on the Rhine and Danube rivers. The latter is the company’s second double-width ship slated for delivery in 2027.
And stay tuned as AmaWaterways expects to make “several major announcements” in the coming months.
New Rebranding
In early 2026, the river line also announced a “rebrand” — debuting a new, modern visual identity. Its new logo is inspired by AmaWaterways’ musical heritage. Its vibrant color palette has destination-specific accents and “real” guests and crew members in photos.
A plus for consumers is the newly redesigned website with more storytelling and streamlined functionality. “Our rebrand reflects who we are today and where we are going,” says Catherine Powell, CEO of AmaWaterways. “There is such an exciting momentum in river cruising right now and we want a brand that truly cuts through, that people feel connected to and know immediately what it stands for.”
Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ co-founder and chief brand ambassador, says: “It fills me with joy to see how beautifully our brand has grown while staying true to the spirit that inspired us from the very beginning.”
Interested in sailing on AmaWaterways? Definitely, contact Pavlus Travel, one of the largest sellers of AmaWaterways in the United States, at 800-528-9300. You’ll receive a guaranteed best AmaWaterways price with top-notch service!
3. River Cruises: New Luxury Cruise & Tour Pairings
If you’ve cruised on European rivers, you may have opted to stay a few nights on land after the voyage. Surrounded by the great cities of Europe, lovely wine regions and historic sights, it’s a “must do” for many luxury travelers.
So, it’s great to know that Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will partner with sister brand Luxury Gold to design new Cruise & Tour itineraries for 2027.
Guests will float along European rivers on a luxurious Uniworld river cruise and seamlessly head out with Luxury Gold on premium, small-group land experiences.
“At Uniworld, our focus is always on creating travel experiences that feel intentional and immersive,” says Ellen Bettridge, Uniworld’s president and CEO. “By pairing our boutique river cruises with some of Luxury Gold’s most popular land itineraries, we’re offering our guests a more expansive way to explore Europe —one that feels seamless and never asks them to compromise on service, comfort or ease.”
Guests will benefit from the ease of a single booking. Plus, they’ll enjoy a vacation with a consistent luxury standard. For example, before and/or after each cruise, guests will have elevated hotel stays paired with the services of a 24/7 travel concierge.
On land, they’ll also receive guided sightseeing, dining and exclusive experiences. While sailing a European river, they’ll float along with an elegant river ship interior, lovely accommodations, fine dining, high-level Uniworld service and curated river excursions.
New 2027 Cruise & Tour Itinerary
Here’s just one example of Uniworld‘s many new itineraries, entitled “Cruise & Tour: Experience the Best of Italy.”
- This new 19-day roundtrip journey from Venice, Italy, will combine a Venetian lagoon cruise with a small-group land tour across the Italian Peninsula.
- Travelers will head out for private cruises along Capri’s coastline and go truffle hunting in Tuscany. They’ll view Michelangelo’s David in Florence, explore Pompeii’s ancient ruins and enjoy an after-hours visit to the Doge’s Palace in Venice.
- If you’re seeking experiences that showcase Italian art, culture, heritage and eco-beauty, this is a great itinerary by land and sea.
At press time, this itinerary was priced starting at $12,779 per person, double occupancy. Multiple departures are offered between May 2027 and early October 2027.
If you are interested in any of the above developments in river cruising, talk with a skilled personal travel planner from Pavlus Travel to get started. Soon, your dream vacation on European rivers will be on the horizon.
4. Luxury River Cruises: Viking and Golf!
One of the most appealing recent partnerships — and one we’re watching for future program development — is Viking‘s new multi-year partnership with the PGA TOUR. It designates the line as the Official Cruise Line of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions.
Running through 2030, the new partnership will center on a brand awareness campaign for Viking through media and digital placements on various PGA TOUR platforms. “We are very pleased to be the Official Cruise Line of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions,” says Richard Marnell, Viking’s executive vice president of marketing.
He notes that both golf and travel are important priorities in the lives of many Viking guests, so partnering with the PGA TOUR is a natural fit. It also builds on Viking’s continued commitment to support cultural programming and events. We can’t wait for more details!
Other New Options Too!
- Avalon Waterways has added seven new Christmas Market cruise departures for 2026 – a 15% boost in capacity and the company’s largest-ever lineup of festive sailings.
- In the U.S., American Cruise Lines‘ new riverboat American Encore will debut in May 2026. During its inaugural season, it will sail the Columbia and Snake rivers.
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