Last year, we told you of our excitement regarding just a how big 2019 is going to be for river cruising. And as we gear up for forthcoming arrivals and new routes, there have already been some interesting changes and announcements from various different cruise lines. So, after a busy few months for river cruising, here are a few stories you may have missed.

U Drops ‘By Uniworld’

Hot on the heels of the release of two new themed river cruises, U by Uniworld has announced that it’s rebranding as U River Cruises. It is hoped that the change will help it stand on its own and shows a determination to continue evolving and developing a product that is still in its infancy. Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge made this clear by saying "This brand is not going away. It will continue to evolve, grow and elevate."

Avalon Waterways Makes It Easier To Extend Your Trip

Avalon Waterways intends to launch a new booking option called AvalonYourWay to make it easier for guests to add land extensions to their river cruise. Avalon is part of the Globus family of brands, which includes a number of other travel companies that you may be keen to use. The new system will allow you to add hotel stays from Monograms, escorted tours from Globus and sightseeing extensions courtesy of Avalon’s own expert guides. AvalonYourWay will be available in 2020.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Eyes A Sister For Brabant

Although it has a rich history of ocean cruising,Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is still relatively new to the world of river cruising, having launched its first ship, Brabant, in 2018. However, sales figures have already been encouraging for 2019 and so the line has started negotiations regarding a second ship. Like before, the plan is to charter the vessel from Lüftner Cruises and the idea is to also expand the choice of rivers available.

Tauck Brings Renowned Chefs On Board

Foodies certainly have some great reasons to sail with Tauck later this year, as the cruise line welcomes chefs Jacques Haeringer and Luca Manfe on board for special itineraries. Manfe, who will join the October 28th 2019 ‘Blue Danube’ sailing, is known for winning season four of the American version of Masterchef and is a lover of Italian ingredients.

Haeringer is the owner and executive chef of a French/Alsatian restaurant in Virginia, has written two cookbooks and appeared on TV shows such as NBC’s Today Show and The Talk on CBS. He will grace the August 14th 2019 ‘Danube Reflections’ sailing. Both chefs will host tasting events on board, talk about their culinary influences, present cooking demonstrations and, in Manfe’s case, prepare a five-course gala dinner complete with wine flights.

If you would like more information about any of these news stories, or you would like to book a river cruise with one of the cruise lines mentioned, call our team on 0800 954 0064. Alternatively, you can contact us via the website.