industry forecast â?–
cindy bertram
A Viking Longship in Passau, Germany
River Cruise Industry
Looks Ahead to
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nce a small niche, the river cruise industry has evolved into a mainstay and continues to blossom with new ships, amenities and upgrades. In fact, calmwater cruising is booming. Cindy Bertram of Leisure Group Travel spoke with several river cruise industry leaders to get insights on how river cruising is evolving, why it’s a prime market for groups, extra features and distinct selling points. Participating were Timothy Beebe, vice president, marketing, American Cruise Lines; Patrick Clark, managing director, Avalon Waterways; Richard Marnell, vice president marketing planning, Viking River Cruises; Rudi Schreiner, president, AmaWaterways; and Guy Young, president, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. Cindy Bertram: What are key differences between the river cruise experience and ocean cruising that 20 December 2011
Solid Growth group leaders and planners should be aware of? Timothy Beebe: There are several key differences. First, river cruises take guests to unique ports and river towns often inaccessible by other transportation. Due to the smaller size of river cruise ships, the vessels often are able to dock right in the heart of town, with no ushering back and forth on smaller boats from ship to land. Ocean cruising is provided mostly by larger ships. When docked, cruise ship crowds dominate the areas visited; the oversaturation takes away from the true experience of the location visited. River cruising is also extremely calm as the ships cruise calm rivers and inland waterways.
Patrick Clark: River cruises offer an all-inclusive way to explore a destination in comfort. Ships dock in the heart of villages and cities on the rivers, providing easy access for experiencing included shore excursions and exploring sights, dining with locals and enjoying the culture. The majority of Avalon staterooms include floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors/French balconies and the amenities of an upscale resort room. Guests have a wide range of dining options onboard with complimentary choices of wine, beer or soft drinks with dinner. There is nightly music and also local entertainment on selected evenings. Richard Marnell: The cruise concept is the same for both; unpack once LeisureGroupTravel.com