• AMAWATERWAYS. The festive, traditional Christmas Markets of Vienna, Regensburg, Cologne, Prague and Paris are among the highlights of AMAWATERWAYS’ winter holiday voyages on the great rivers of Europe. Strolling through bustling village squares decorated with lights and Christmas trees, passengers can shop for everything from home-made gingerbread to hand-carved wooden toys, returning at the end of the day to a ship festooned with a holiday décor. In addition to such special touches as a formal Christmas Dinner and New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner, the company is offering “wonderful winter savings” with “Companion Cruises Free!” pricing. Passengers traveling in single accommodations may elect to waive the single supplement charge.
• AVALON WATERWAYS. Travelers can experience the holiday season the Central European way with Avalon Waterways on deluxe “Christmastime” river cruise vacations on the legendary Danube and Main Rivers. They will enjoy the enchanting atmosphere of 1,000-year-old-Prague and delight in the sights, smells and tastes of local Christmas markets in Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Würzberg, Bamberg, Miltenberg and Vienna. And, when they’re ready to return to the ship after festive sightseeing, they’ll enjoy moving scenery from their spacious staterooms complete with floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies as well as regionally inspired cuisine aboard award-winning ships. Cruisers booking before November 3, 2009 can receive 50 percent off airfare on already reduced winter savings.
• UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES. Come one, come all with Uniworld’s 2 for 1 Savings and Single Supplement Waived Offers on 2009 Europe Holiday River Cruises. Cherish all the glory and magic of the season in grand European style as you cruise along the magical rivers during this festive time of the year. Uniworld’s 2 for 1 Savings and Single Supplement Waived offer applies to the following cruises: European Holiday Markets, Vienna to Nuremberg, December 14; Rhine Holiday Markets, Basel to Cologne, December 20; and Rhine & Main Holiday Markets, Nuremberg to Cologne, December 17. Cruises include: elegantly appointed riverview staterooms, meals with complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks, celebratory events and entertainment, fully escorted shore excursions, and all transfers on arrival and departure days.

Last week, I sailed on the maiden voyage of Uniworld River Cruises’ new Nile River ship, the 84-passenger all-suite River Tosca.

The ship marks a new strategy for Uniworld, which until now has only chartered ships in Egypt. But the Tosca is an attempt by Uniworld to have more control of its Nile product and to bring the European river cruise experience Uniworld has finessed over the years to the Nile River.

Not totally surprisingly, the company’s first such attempt has been a challenging one, to say the least.

Uniworld may have building ships in Europe down pat. But Egypt is not Europe, not by a long shot. What Uniworld found was that getting the quality of workmanship and service available in Europe is not something to be taken for granted in Egypt.

The ship’s launch was delayed until last week (the four previous sailings were done on another ship as the Tosca continued to be readied), and it is still a work in progress.

For instance, the lobby and lounge areas exude a certain Arabesque sophistication. The marble lobby floors with Egyptian detailing lead to a wooded lounge area with a pleasant, colonial feel.

But head towards the cabins on the upper levels of the ship, and the wood floors on the stairs, in the hallways and rooms are scratched and chipped. Other little details around the ship — a bit of misplaced paint here, loose floor tiles there — look as though they were rushed or finished improperly.

But according to Jan Wlodarczyk, resident manager of the River Tosca who was transferred from Uniworld’s European operations team to make sure the Tosca meets Uniworld standards, anything that needs to be replaced or touched up, will be finished within the next couple weeks.

He said that there are several European workers on board, in addition to the Egyptian staff, working overtime to iron out any last-minute kinks.

Despite a late start and some initial setbacks, the passengers on board are raving about their roomy cabins, designed in Uniworld’s trademark boutique hotel design style with chic, all-white armchairs, decadent fluffy beds and marble bathrooms. And the sun deck, complete with a pool and shaded cabanas from which to watch the Nile river gliding by is downright bliss.

Additionally, the three daily meals served in the dining room have been consistently pleasing, a combination of European and Egyptian recipes and spices.

Maybe Uniworld is learning the hard way the difference between Europe and Egypt, but the passengers are learning the slightly easier way.

Under the new promotion, AMAWATERWAYS all-inclusive premium cruise vacations start as low as $1,899 per person for a 7-night European river cruise, including roundtrip airfare from New York.

The new WLRCS is valid for bookings made between Oct. 12 and 31, and supports CLIA’s “World’s Largest Cruise Night” initiative. Passengers can take advantage of this Free Airfare offer on the following river cruise programs:

• Winter Heartland, from Prague to Paris, with special hosts AMAWATERWAYS President, Rudi Schreiner, and Executive V.P. of Sales, Kristin Karst. This itinerary features festive Christmas Markets and departs December 18, 2009;
• Christmas Time Cruise, from Prague to Budapest, with Christmas Market visits in Nuremberg, Regensburg and Vienna. Departures are available November 20, December 13 and 25, 2009;
• Blue Danube Discovery, from Budapest to Prague, with special host AMAWATERWAYS Vice President, Business Development, Ron Santangelo; departing November 13, 2009;
• Christmas Wonderland, from Amsterdam to Paris, featuring Christmas Markets in Frankfurt, Cologne and Düsseldorf. Departures are available November 18, December 2, 12 (with special host AMAWATERWAYS Sales Executive Doris Pak) and 16, 2009;
• Paris to Amsterdam, on the enchanting Rhine and Mosel rivers with calls that include Cochem, Rüdesheim, Mainz and Cologne. Departure on April 15, 2010;
• Romantic Danube, from Prague to Budapest in the colorful springtime. Departures are available April 10 and 14, 2010;
• Enchanting Rhine Cruise-new for 2010-beginning with a land program in Zürich and Lucerne, followed by a 7-night cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, departing on April 11, 2010;
• Europe’s Heartland Cruise, beginning with a land program in Prague, followed by a 7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Trier and a post-cruise land program in Paris. Departure set for November 12, 2009, with special host AMAWATERWAYS Executive V.P. of Sales, Kristin Karst. Promotion also available for November 3, 2010 departure (reverse itinerary).
• Magnificent Europe Cruise, featuring a 14-day sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest. Departures set for April 24; June 10; July 18 and August 15, 2010.

Bikes!

The recent trend of carrying bicycles onboard for passengers to use — so far, AMA and Uniworld River Cruises both have bikes — makes for a perfect compliment to the river cruise experience. I am partial because I enjoy being active on trips, as well as exploring new places in new ways. But there really is something magical about biking through the European countryside, winding along cobblestone streets, passing quaint storefronts, stopping for a picnic in an orchard, all by bike. Much of Europe is very bike-friendly, with bike paths separated often entirely from the main driving roads. Obviously, the weather must cooperate to make biking a viable option, but if it’s sunny out, be sure to give the biking a shot. For some, it might completely enhance the river cruise experience like it did for me.

Outdoor grilling

First, river cruise companies all started building a casual alternative dining lounge at the aft of the ship, and I thought that was a pretty nice option for those nights when some of us don’t feel like facing the more social dining room. But when Avalon Waterways introduced outdoor grilling on the top sun deck this year, I really couldn’t believe more ships don’t have that option. Again, weather is critical. But, on a nice sunny, day, with a light breeze from the gliding ship, a grilled sauasage and a beer, there’s no better way to experience the river.

Better beds and bedding

I don’t think anyone can object to the improved quality of beds and bedding in the staterooms onboard river cruise ships in recent years. The comfortable mattresses and fluffy bedding almost make up entirely for occasionally being jolted awake in the middle of the night by the ships’ engines starting back up. How can you not fall right back asleep under those Egyptian cotton sheets?

There are so many other enhancements that have been made and continue to be made — from increasing the number of suites onboard, to the use of headsets during excursions to better hear their guides, from improved bathroom toiletries (Tauck wins in this category with delectable L’Occitane products) to including wine and beer with dinner, for better or for worse. Even ensuring that more and more staterooms have floor-to-ceiling windows or French balconies is a significant improvement in river cruise ship design. But the above were some of the standouts. As for future improvements, there will likely be more. I’m personally hoping for a better, more cohesive spa, Jacuzzi, sauna and fitness center experience.

Here, a roundup what’s new in the market for 2010 and beyond.

Avalon continues on newbuild path

Avalon Waterways, owned by the Littleton, Colo.-based Globus family of brands, will continue adding ships to its young fleet of leased ships into 2010.

This spring, Avalon plans on launching two new 138-passenger ships, Avalon Felicity and Avalon Luminary, which will be virtually identical to sister ships Avalon Scenery and Avalon Creativity that launched this year.

As with their sister ships, the Felicity and Luminary will be built with sky grills (a new feature on Avalon ships), an alternative lunch dining option on the outdoor roof area of the ship that can accommodate up to 40 passengers. They will both also feature elevators, which not all river cruise ships have.

The ships will both feature 65 staterooms (172 square feet each), and four junior suites (258 square feet each).

Avalon is not letting any of its existing leases lapse in 2010, so the Felicity and Luminary will bring the company’s total fleet size to 10.

On deck: one additional ship in 2011 and two more in 2012. No specifics on those ships have been released yet. Nor has Avalon said if and when it will let go of some of its older vessels.

AMA keeps pace

Next year, the Chatsworth, Calif.-based AMAWATERWAYS will launch Amabella, a newbuild, which will bring the company’s fleet size to 11.

The Amabella will be the seventh ship that AMA owns, in addition to four ships AMA leases. The company also plans to launch another ship in Europe in 2011, though no further details have been confirmed about that vessel.

AMA Waterways offered the Mekong River for the first time this September, with the launch of 92-passenger La Marguerite, built by Indochina Sails of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and being leased by AMA. The company is tentatively looking to expand its Mekong River program with a second ship in 2011.

At Uniworld, Viking no new ships but updates continue

After renovating and launching the River Beatrice in Europe this year, as well as introducing its first newbuild in Egypt, the 42-suite River Tosca, Uniworld River Cruises does not have any newbuilds coming on in 2010, but is planning on touching up some of its existing vessels.

Of the notable projects for the coming year, the Los Angeles-based Uniworld is adding French balconies to the River Countess and River Duchess ships; refurbishing staterooms on the River Empress; refurbishing all the public areas on the River Baroness; and refurbishing the public areas and cabins on the River Queen, according to Uniworld President Guy Young.

At Los Angeles-based Viking River Cruises, the emphasis will be on further renovation of its Russia vessels. According to the company, the Viking Pakhomov in Russia will undergo a total renovation, similar to the overhaul of the Viking Surkov and Viking Kirov, which will result in larger staterooms with hotel-style beds, among other updates. The Viking Lomonosov, too, will undergo an interior refurbishment, and both are slated for completion in 2011.

Tauck sticks with three ships, adds itineraries instead

After Tauck World Discovery launched its third vessel in three years, the Swiss Jewel, this April, the Norwalk, Conn.-based tour operator has no plans for additional new ships in 2010.

But, it does plan on adding two new itineraries next year: the 12-day Strasbourg to Prague Serenade, and the 19-day Romance of the Rhine and Danube, bringing its portfolio of river cruise itineraries in Europe to nine.

All three Tauck ships, including the Swiss Sapphire and Swiss Emerald, accommodate 140 passengers and are leased.

Peter Deilmann Cruises brought luxury river cruising into the 21st century, and now its successors are carrying the torch into the future, innovating and updating river cruise ships and services to create a modern, high-end travel experience.

European river cruising takes place in what is, at maximum, a 38-by-410-foot vessel, dimensions dictated by the locks and bridges the vessels must past through and under along Europe’s rivers.

But even within that box, the 21st century river cruise experience has evolved.

“If you compare the amenities of the Avalon Artistry [built in 2004] at introduction with the Creativity at her christening [in August],” said Patrick Clark, managing director of Avalon Waterways, “we have added an elevator, rear club lounge, whirlpool on the sundeck, sundeck grill and outside forward viewing area; increased the percentage of floor-to-ceiling windows/French balcony staterooms; enlarged the shower; added flat-screen TVs, additional dining options — the late-riser breakfast, afternoon cake and coffee and an alternative lunch option — and added beer or soft drinks as a choice with wine at dinner.”

With companies like Avalon Waterways and AMA Waterways building new ships with new amenities at a rapid pace, older companies like Uniworld River Cruises and Viking River Cruises have had to work hard to stay relevant in this new, young-ship market.

“With the added competition and rapid growth, the river cruise sector has undergone changes, to the ultimate benefit of the customer,” said Guy Young, president of Uniworld. “What we have seen is a very marked evolution in the service standards onboard the ships. Basic service no longer satisfies the needs of travelers attracted to river cruising.”

Consequently, Young said, the number of onboard staff has increased, and the quality of the staff has improved.

As for the ships themselves, “20 years ago, you did not have a river cruise ship with spacious staterooms, hotel-style beds, comfortable mattresses, luxurious linens and other fine amenities,” Young said. “You also didn’t have all-inclusive wine with dinner, an all-English speaking staff, Internet, TV.”

To keep up with the evolving demands of the marketplace, Uniworld, for one, adopted an aggressive refurbishment schedule.

“All of our ships have been completely refurbished since 2005, and we have a strict capital improvement plan whereby all of our ships undergo a refurbishment every four years,” Young said. “Our two oldest ships are the River Ambassador and the River Baroness, and these are also two of our most successful ships in terms of load factors.”

For instance, Uniworld’s River Ambassador (pictured below) entered service in 1993 and was refurbished in 2006. The River Baroness entered service in 1994 and was refurbished in 2005. Truth be told, the Ambassador’s refurbished interior is not all that different in look and feel from Uniworld’s newest ship, the River Beatrice, which launched in 2007 and was refurbished this year.

Part of the reason is that Uniworld’s parent company TravCorp also owns the Red Carnation Hotel Collection of luxury boutique hotels, which consults on Uniworld’s interiors.

That investment in creating fresh design appeal is not unwarranted in a market where Avalon is on course to introduce two new ships in 2010 and recently announced that it will add three new vessels in 2011.

AMA plans on introducing an additional ship in 2010, one more in 2011, and possibly an additional program on the Mekong River in 2011.

And this year, Tauck World Discovery unveiled its third Tauck-branded river ship, the Swiss Jewel.

“You keep your customers enthralled with new ships,” Ron Santangelo, vice president of business development at AMA, said of the recent emphasis on newbuilds.

Meanwhile, Viking River Cruises, whose 19 ships constitute one of the biggest river fleets in Europe, has a huge amount of inventory to sell compared with even the fast-expanding fleets of its competitors. Uniworld will have 10 company-owned ships when its first Nile vessel launches this fall, and Grand Circle Travel, a direct-to-consumer operator, owns 15 river vessels in Europe and Russia.

It’s no surprise, then, that travel agents say Viking is the go-to river cruise line for competitive pricing, such as ongoing two-for-one river cruise deals. It is, many in the industry have said, what keeps Viking in the running against its younger contemporaries.

Which isn’t to say, Viking isn’t innovating as well. Viking’s Legend, which launched this summer, has only three engines, as opposed to the standard five. The engines are diesel-electric and are linked to a computer that determines how much energy is needed for propelling the ship as well as for all other functions. Viking estimates the technology will help cut fuel costs by 15% to 20%.

As for whether there’s room for further innovation on river cruise ships, “I absolutely believe that will continue,” Santangelo said. “People will continue to come up with some unique ideas and make the product interesting. And any limitations onboard are compensated for by the opportunities ashore.”

AMAWATERWAYS’ World’s Largest River Cruise Sale features select November and December 2009 departures starting at only $949 per person. Showcasing in this promotion is a 7-night Europe’s Heartland Cruise from Trier to Nuremberg; a 7-night Christmas Time Cruise starting from Nuremberg and finishing in Budapest; and a 7-night Christmas Wonderland cruise traveling from Trier to Amsterdam. Pre and post land programs, including deluxe hotel accommodations, daily buffet breakfast and city tours are also available.

“Christmas Markets and cities bedecked in holiday décor create a vibrant setting for a spectacular vacation,” said Rudi Schreiner President of AMAWATERWAYS.  “Our holiday river cruises create memories that last for a lifetime,” said Schreiner.  “For 2010, we’ve selected cruises that showcase European river vacations at their finest.  With trips on the Danube, Mosel, Rhine, the Volga-Baltic Waterways in Russia and the Douro River in Portugal, travelers will have a wide selection of exciting itineraries to choose from.”

The line’s benefits provide savings up to $1,300 per stateroom on select April through November 2010 departures.  New bookings are eligible for a $500 cruise savings, complimentary stateroom upgrade and $150 in shipboard credits. Prices for a 7-night cruise start from $1749 per person (itinerary and departure dates vary). Choose from a collection of enriching river cruise programs:

• Romantic Danube cruises departing from the beautiful city of Prague and finishing in Budapest.  Departures are available April 10, 14, 24 and 28; July 8 and August 5, 2010.
• The Legendary Danube cruise on July 29, 2010 travels from Prague to Budapest, with stops in Nuremberg, Passau and Vienna.
• The Enchanting Rhine cruise sails between Amsterdam and Basel, with post land programs in Lucerne and Zurich, departing on April 8 and 11 and August 4, 2010.
• Europe’s Heartland Cruise begins in Paris, features a 7-night cruise from Trier to Nuremburg and ends in Prague. Departures are set for July 22, September 2, October 28 and November 3, 2010.
• Magnificent Europe cruise features a 14-day sailing starting in Amsterdam and traveling to Budapest, passing through the heart of Europe and crossing the continental divide. Applicable departures are April 24; May 2; June 6, 10; July 18, 22; and August 15, 2010.
• The Black Sea Voyage begins in Budapest with a 7-night cruise and ends with one night in Plovdiv and 3 nights in Istanbul. Available departures are April 9 & 14; and August 6, 2010.
• 12-night Russian Waterways cruise departs from excitement-packed Moscow and disembarks in sophisticated St. Petersburg.  Available departures are September 15 and 27, 2010.

Cruising Portugal and Spain includes 3 nights in Lisbon and a 7-night cruise traveling through the Douro River Valley.  Departure dates are April 13; June 1 and 29; July 27; August 24 and October 12, 2010.

AMAWATERWAYS’ World’s Largest River Cruise Sale is applicable to new FIT bookings only made between October 1 and October 31, 2009, not combinable with other promotions and is limited to availability. Rates vary based on program and departure date. Other restrictions apply; please call for details.

Several companies offer weeklong cruises on the River Douro. The cruises usually begin (and end) in Porto, with included hotel nights in Lisbon before the cruise begins. Tied up alongside the pier near Porto’s wine cellars today is Uniworld’s Douro Queen, which will embark mostly American and British passengers today at 4 p.m.

“This has been an amazing year for Douro river cruises,” says Cesario Santos, hotel director on Douro Queen. “It seems that people are suddenly becoming aware of northern Portugal’s beauty and tourism potential. The emphasis in the past has always been on Lisbon and the south.”

I can certainly vouch for Santos’ sentiment, and it’s clear that those departing Porto today are in for a real treat, especially with the harvest in full swing in this wine-producing region. “It is a stunning landscape,” says Santos, who comes from Porto. ” You don’t have one single spot on the river that isn’t a ‘wow.’ “

Posted from my Blackberry.

This month, one of the biggest river cruise ships in the world, the Victoria Jenna, launched on China’s Yangtze River.

Victoria Jenna, owned and operated by Victoria Cruises, which specializes in river cruises on the Yangtze, set sail on Sept. 6, symbolizing the growth and development of China’s upscale river cruise market.

Victoria’s eighth ship, Victoria Jenna is a 378-passenger ship, with 189 cabins, including 149 staterooms, 35 junior suites, three deluxe suites and two Shangri-La suites. The five-passenger-deck ship is 439 feet long and 62 feet wide with a gross tonnage of approximately 8,000.

All cabins on the Victoria Jenna have televisions with HBO and CNN, private bathrooms with shower and bathtub and private balconies. The Jenna features two dining rooms (a single-seating, main dining room and an a la carte restaurant), four elevators, a fitness room, lecture room, a library/reading room, the Yangtze Club (a nightclub with theater-style seating), cocktail lounge, beauty parlor and mini-spa, gift shop, observation deck, business center, Internet access, health clinic and an atrium lobby.

In addition to onboard activities such as Tai Chi lessons, and nightly entertainment options, shore excursions include the Three Gorges Dam in Sandouping, a smaller boat ride down the Yangtze’s scenic Daning or Shennong River tributaries to the Small Gorges.

The Jenna will sail Victoria Cruises’ Three Gorges Highlights program, both upstream and downstream between Chongqing and Yichang, as well as the roundtrip Three Gorges Explorer itinerary sailing from Chongqing to Yichang and back.

Additionally, Victoria Cruises plans to renovate its Victoria Anna and Victoria Katarina ships this winter season to increase the number of suites as well as enhance the look and feel of the vessels.

American river cruise companies Avalon Waterways and Uniworld River Cruises are among those that charter Victoria ships.

Last year, two other noteworthy upscale ships launched on the Yangtze, Century Cruises’ 264-passenger Century Diamond (pictured), with 112 standard cabins, four executive cabins, 14 deluxe cabins and two suites; and Sanctuary Retreats’ 124-passenger Yangzi Explorer, which includes the Yangzi Spa with six treatment rooms.

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent offers Yangtze River cruises on the Yangzi Explorer.