In a bid to attract regular cruisers back to classic routes like Amsterdam to Basel, river lines are including new ports of call and offering shorter cruises in 2021.

Lines like Viking and APT have changed the routes of their classic ‘Romantic Danube’ and ‘Magnificent Europe’ itineraries. For example, APT in 2021 will visit the charming German city of Koblenz instead of Cologne and Bonn.

Meanwhile, lines like Travelmarvel will explore many new ports on the Rhine, Moselle and the lower Danube, giving regular river cruisers, new itinerary options.

Uniworld and APT are also offering more options for guests to sail shorter week-long segments of their full 15-day itineraries.

Scenic is launching two new French culinary cruises aimed at foodies and Riviera Travel is adding many more departures throughout the season for their Holland and Belgium cruises due to guest demand.

See what the lines are rolling out in 2021.

Viking

Viking is launching a new eight-day cruise-only Portugal itinerary. The ‘Douro’s Valley & Vineyards’ Porto roundtrip is identical to the line’s ‘Portugal’s River of Gold’ itinerary but with the two-night land portion in Lisbon.

The line’s eight-day ‘Romantic Danube’ itinerary is also updated to feature two full days in Vienna and will sail to and from Regensburg and Budapest in 2021 rather than Nuremberg and Budapest.

APT

The line has made quite a few updates to their popular ‘Magnificent Europe’ Amsterdam to Budapest itinerary as well as itineraries in the Balkans and France. The 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’ now visits Koblenz in lieu of Cologne and Bonn. The Namedy Castle visit will also  feature a cocktail reception or morning tea.

The Grand Empress Steam Train experience will take a different route in 2021, travelling the scenic Danube Bend from Esztergom to Budapest (or vice versa), with touring in Esztergom instead of visiting Gödöllő Palace. The Grand Empress Steam Train will operate on cruise departures between April and September in 2021.

The line is also offering the ‘Magnificent Europe’ as two shorter segments, seven-night ‘Highlights of the Rhine & Main’ and ‘Danube Discovery’.

In the Balkan itineraries, Bratislava and Vienna have been removed from the itinerary, giving passengers more time in the Balkan countries. Their ‘Grand Voyage of Europe’ itinerary, the combination of seven-night ‘Balkans’ and ‘Magnificent Europe’ cruise are also now offered in both directions.

In France, their itineraries now operate Arles to Chalon-sur-Saone rather than Arles to Lyon.

Travelmarvel

Travelmarvel is sailing to new ports in the Rhine, Moselle and the lower Danube in 2021. The right-day ‘Rhine & Moselle’ classic Amsterdam to Basel route is now visiting Cochem, Strasbourg, and Breisach the Black Forest region where guests can experience a Black Forest cake demonstration and tasting at Black Forest Museum Vogtsbauernhof.

The 15-day ‘Best of the Balkans’ Budapest roundtrip also features nine new ports for the line. They include Mohacs, Vukovar, Belgrade, one of Bulgaria’s most elegant cities Rousse, Giugiu, Vidin, Novi Sad, Kalocsa and Puszta. On this sailing, guests will also get to cruise through the famous Iron Gates and visit a local Serbian family at their village home. At Puszta, they can catch the traditional horse show, featuring the Magyar cowboys.

The lower Danube itinerary is also offered in an eight-day one-way variation with ‘Balkan Adventure’ from Budapest to Bucharest and ‘Legends of the Balkans’ from Bucharest to Budapest.

Scenic

Scenic is launching two new culinary cruises sailing France in 2021. The first one is a 12-day ‘Tastes of Southern France’ Paris to Lyon itinerary  with gastronomic highlights such as a welcome dinner featuring regionally sourced truffles, a dinner featuring Bresse and joined by a Michelin starred chef and onboard tastings. For excursions, guests will get to visit a local Cooperage for a barrel making demonstration, attend a cooking class in Vonnas at the acclaimed restaurant of three Michelin starred chef Georges Blanc and gain after hours access to the Valrhona Chocolate museum.

The second itinerary is the 12-day ‘Flavours of Bordeaux’ Paris to Bordeaux itinerary takes guests to the finest vineyards in the world. Itinerary highlights include a welcome dinner with featuring regionally sourced truffles, oyster and champagne cocktail reception, seafood dinner sourced fresh from Arcachon Bay and onboard tasting. Onshore, they will experience a tasting at a Lillet producer, visit Moon Harbour in Bordeaux to view whisky production, take an excursion to the Pomerol wine growing region and enjoy dinner at Chateau d’Agassac.

Uniworld

The line has two new itineraries and a luxury train journey extension offered in Europe in 2021. The first new itinerary is an eight-day ‘Classic Germany & Amsterdam’ from Amsterdam to Nuremberg aboard River Princess. The line has also combined this new itinerary with their popular ‘Authentic Danube’ to create a new long itinerary, the 15-day ‘Rhine, Maine & Danube Discovery’ from Amsterdam to Vienna.

They will also be offering a new luxury train journey as an extension on select sailings of the ‘Venice & the Gems of Northern Italy’ itinerary. Complete your voyage on the luxurious Golden Eagle Danube Express train travelling from Venice to Zurich.

Riviera Travel

The line has introduced a new seven-night ‘Amsterdam, Cologne and the Best of Holland & Flanders’ itinerary which is available throughout the season, following feedback from guests who have enjoyed cruising around Holland and Belgium in spring. This new itinerary will visit Cologne, Amsterdam, Ghent and Antwerp.