Tauck’s ms Lumière.
Tauck
European river cruises have emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in travel, so it’s little surprise that the season for these cruises keeps on growing. A few years ago, river ships would set sail in early May, the traditional shoulder season. That season is now history, as many major river cruise lines begin operating on European rivers in March, just a few months after their Christmas market cruise season ends in December.
Expansions are occurring across the continent and at various price points. AMA Waterways has said it will add 10 ships to its European fleet by 2030. Celebrity Cruises is jumping into the deep end with plans to enter the market with 20 river cruise ships in Europe in the next five years. National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions is debuting its first ship this year and another ship in 2027. Scenic and Emerald will be introducing five new ships. Even Trafalgar, a company known for more modestly priced land tours, just entered the market with its first two ships. As for Viking, a line that many Americans first saw advertised on PBS’s Downton Abbey series, it now has more than 100 river ships and approximately 50% of the market, typically carrying 190 passengers on each of its European river-cruise departures.
Sun Deck and pool on the ms Lumière.
Tauck
Then there’s Tauck, the century-old family-owned travel company that’s at the very top of the chain. It’s an outlier of sorts, offering an all-inclusive boutique hotel experience and a fleet of just 10 ships. Two of them were launched in France this past March: the ms Lumière on the Rhone River, calling at ports such as Avignon, Arles, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and its sister ship, the ms Serene, on the River Seine, visiting Rouen and the beaches of Normandy.
“I think the hardest part for the travel advisor and for the consumer, frankly, is matching the right ship to the person and the right experience to the person, so we’ve been very fortunate that we have a very loyal following.”
With just 10 river ships (they’ve just retired the ms Emerald), a fraction of what other lines have, the company’s “smaller is better” formula is pinpointing travelers seeking seamless luxury and spacious ships. It’s pricey, and it’s aimed at the most discerning travelers.
“More than half of our business each year is repeat travelers, and another third comes from word of mouth, and that’s how the business has been built for a hundred years,” Jennifer Tombaugh, CEO of Tauck, said in an interview. “I think the hardest part for the travel advisor and for the consumer, frankly, is matching the right ship to the person and the right experience to the person, so we’ve been very fortunate that we have a very loyal following.”
An All-Inclusive Floating Luxury Hotel
Every river ship is a floating hotel and comes with the promise of unpacking once and being done with it. Tauck aims to provide a more frictionless luxury experience. Its passengers remark that it’s truly all-inclusive (other companies charge for drink packages or some excursions), that shore excursions are kept to a manageable size, and that there’s no tipping. There are on-board bikes and events such as dinner at a one-star Michelin restaurant.
“Because of the attention that Viking brings and because of all the private equity money that’s being put into this industry, you’re seeing a tremendous amount of growth and explosion in interest.”
Tauck is experiencing strong demand for its river ships, with 2026 shaping up to be one of the most impressive years in its history. In 2026, passengers are up +12% year even after a record 2025, with many itineraries sold out. The 2027 dates opened earlier than ever to meet demand and are already pacing more than 40% ahead of 2026, with all regions trending positively.
“Because of the attention that Viking brings and because of all the private equity money that’s being put into this industry, you’re seeing a tremendous amount of growth and explosion in interest,” Tombaugh said.
A cabin on the ms Lumière
PETER BAAS
Bigger Cabins, Fewer Passengers
Viking tends to be lower-priced than Tauck and also offers discounts, including free airfare on some departures. Tauck does not discount. Instead, Tauck positions itself as a luxury boutique river ship, taking far fewer passengers on ships similar in size to the competition. That results in more spacious cabins and uncrowded public areas. They aim for a loftier level of luxury with a higher staff-to-guest ratio. The cruises are all-inclusive and include a choice of high-end shore excursions, and a given excursion on shore might have half the number of passengers as a competitor’s ship.
For example, the new MS Serene is a 410-ft-long riverboat with a maximum capacity of 124 guests across 62 cabins. The ms Lumière is a 443-ft-long riverboat that accommodates 130 guests across 68 cabins.
For comparison, a typical Viking Longboat is 433 feet long and carries 190 passengers. Tauck has even smaller ships that accommodate just 84 or 98 passengers.
“The ship is the ship is the ship,” Tombaugh said. “You have either a 110, 125, or 135 meter ship, so everybody has the same ship,” noting that the size of the locks on European rivers restricts how big the ships can be. “Then it becomes a matter of service and the guest-to-guide ratio.”
It’s also a matter of how you construct the space. More than 80% of the cabins on each of the new Tauck ships measure 225 sq. ft. or larger, with more than 20 Tauck Suites coming in at 300 sq. ft. The suites have double French balconies, walk-in closets, large seating areas, and king-size beds. In good news for solo cruisers, each ship has 2 new 180-sq.-ft. Category 1 cabins with no single-supplement charges. Both new ships feature Sun Decks with swimming pools and bars, sky-lit atriums, and lounges. Cabins have stylish bathrooms with separate showers, in-room minibars, and adjustable heating and cooling. The understated, elegant, and formal on-board environment is a Tauck signature, with enrichment lectures, nightly piano music, in-room movies, culinary demos, and local entertainment.
The Retreat & the Sun Deck
The Retreat on the ms Lumiere
Tauck
On both ships, Tauck built The Retreat, a signature wellness area on the stern of the upper deck. The idea was to make it feel very private and a true retreat, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering river views, a small fitness center, and an intimate indoor/outdoor lounge space.
“The Retreat spoke to the trends we saw around wellness,” Tombaugh said. “This is brand new for a top ship. No other ship has this.”
They also reimagined and expanded the top deck, called the Sun Deck, with a midship heated swimming pool, a full-service bar, day beds, and a variety of seating options. The most dramatic change was moving Arthur’s, an intimate restaurant. On other Tauck vessels, it’s located at the stern, while on the Lumière and Serene, it’s in the bow. It’s named for Arthur Tauck, Sr., the company founder, a travel industry pioneer who began offering land tours in 1925. The restaurant serves lighter breakfast fare and all-day dining options in a space with large windows that offer panoramic river views and direct access to the Sun Deck. A fireplace and leather couches expand on the clubby feel, and the well-spaced tables offer bird’s-eye views as the ship travels along the river.
“I think the good news about river cruising is back to that old metaphor, Red Ocean or Blue Ocean. Red Ocean is the sharks going after each other. And everybody’s stealing market share because there’s no more growth. Well, it’s still a Blue Ocean. There’s plenty of growth.”
Tauck is also aiming to be the most sustainable fleet afloat. On the new ships, which were built in partnership with the Basel-based Scylla (which builds, owns, and operates the Tauck fleet), the aim was to create the most fuel-efficient ships on the river. Part of that is accomplished by adding electric engines to each ship, which are used when the ship needs to idle or arrive at a port at night or early morning, so as not to disturb residents.
Arthur’s on the ms Serene.
PETER BAAS FOTOGRAFIE
“I have huge time appreciation for Viking because they built the category, but I think the good news about river cruising is back to that old metaphor, Red Ocean or Blue Ocean,” Tombaugh said. “Red Ocean is the sharks going after each other. And everybody’s stealing market share because there’s no more growth. Well, it’s still a Blue Ocean. There’s plenty of growth.”
The company will introduce two more ships in 2027: the ms Saudade on the Douro River in Portugal and the ms Reverie on the Seine. Another Rhone ship, Rhône, is scheduled to launch in 2028. Later this year, Tauck is introducing a new six-day river-cruise format during the shoulder season, aimed at time-pressed younger passengers.
“So, yes, there are the design elements, and the technology elements, but it’s really the service on board,” Tombaugh said. “It’s the Maya Angelou quote, that ‘people will never forget how you made them feel.’ The staff knows your name. It’s the service. It’s the care.”
