River cruising gains interest during coronavirus as travelers look for safer options
River cruise companies booming amid COVID-19 travel outlook
Although cruise lines have suspended operations into the thick of summer due to the novel coronavirus, the river cruise industry is staying afloat as demand picks up for the near future.
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“What makes river cruising appealing to travelers is the minimal packing, maximized leisure and vacation time that you get compared to any other means of transportation,” Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of river cruise line AmaWaterways, told FOX Business. “On a river cruise ship, you go to bed at night to wake up in the morning in the next city.”
AmaWaterways has seen double the bookings for 2021 river cruises compared with this year, marking a banner year for river cruise suppliers. AmaWaterways river cruises include a choice of up to 20 small-group shore excursions within the confines of a small-group setting, typically around 100 to 150 people per cruise.
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According to the AmaWaterways’ co-owner and senior vice president of sales, Gary Murphy, the company saw its best month ever for future bookings in June.
Even though ocean cruising season has been wiped out as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, river cruising has reaped a newfound interest for travelers looking for safer alternatives.
The river cruise industry is seeing double the amount of bookings for the year to come.
“As I look at our revenue reports from our river cruise supplies they all show similar stats,” Kelly Bergin, president of the OASIS Travel Network, said in a statement.
As the cruise industry adapts to uphold new standards induced by the pandemic, AmaWaterways is taking several steps to acclimate, including eliminating buffets, adjusting the layout of dining spaces and possibly reducing the number of passengers per ship. The group number for off-boat excursions will also be minimized to six or seven people total.
"More than 60 percent of travel advisors say river cruises are accounting for between 25 percent and 50 percent of all their cruise bookings, and 75 percent of the advisors are seeing small ship cruise bookings (250 passengers or less) grow to upwards of 25 percent of their cruise business," according to a survey by cruise company Scenic Group.
Moreover, advisers reported that more than 34 percent of their clients want to convert canceled or suspended vacation bookings to small-ship river cruises, the survey shows.
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The survey also points to which river cruise destinations are leading the way, with most clients looking to North America in 2020 and Europe and the Arctic in 2021.
American Cruise Lines, a domestic river cruise line and the first U.S. cruise line to pause operations due to the pandemic, is aiming to resume its itineraries in late July or August with 75 percent capacity to offer more room on board and ensure 450 square feet of space per passenger.
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“Through the pandemic our guests and travel agents have been remarkable, standing by us and ready to cruise when we are able to travel safely,” American Cruise Lines President and CEO Charles B. Robertson told FOX Business. “We continue to build through the crisis at our affiliated shipyard, proof of our confidence in a strong resurgence of demand.”
American Cruise Lines private balcony (American Cruise Lines)
As international travel bans remain in place and domestic travel picks up for summer 2020, travelers can access river cruise boats with ease by driving or by flying on an airline and driving directly to the cruise port.
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American Cruise Line’s newest fleet of modern riverboats and coastal ships is exemplary of what passengers are looking for as travel resumes. The inherent design of the ships allows for more spacious leisure, including all-private balconies with cabins, outdoor casual cafes and lounge areas on top decks.
American Cruise Lines top sun deck (American Cruise Lines)
”I feel we are in one of the strongest industries,” AmaWaterways’ Schreiner said. “Once travel comes back and people are allowed to freely travel around the globe again, river cruising will be highly sought after. The demand we are seeing will only continue to grow. People will find ways to get to a destination and explore it.”
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