River cruises are one of the most popular areas of travel, and European river cruises are experiencing a boom, according to Avalon Waterways, one of the largest river cruise lines that caters to North Americans.
"Unless we screw it up, the [growth in] demand will continue for years," Patrick Clark, the Avalon Waterways managing director told USA Today.
The river cruise industry has only captured a small portion of the pool of people who can afford and would enjoy the experience, according to Clark. A new ship, the 166-passenger Expression is scheduled to spend the summer on the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers.
"The entire river cruise market to Europe is 500,000 people [a year] as opposed to 15 million taking ocean cruises, and there is a high level of interest from that 15 million in river cruises," Clark said.
The key demographic for river cruisers is baby boomers between the ages of 55 and 70, according to Clark. There are more than 100 million people in English-speaking countries that fit that demographic.
The typical river cruise carries only 150 to 190 passengers, a much smaller number than the large ocean ships that typically carry 3,000 or more passengers, making them an attractive alternative to travelers. Many of Avalon's cruise passengers are turning to river cruises after an ocean cruise experience, looking for a smaller, more intimate experience, according to Clark.
River ships are smaller, which allows them to get much closer to destinations, docking in the center of towns where passengers can more easily walk to attractions or join guided walking tours.
"If you go into a port [on a big ocean ship], you can't do that," Clark said. "First, it's got to be a big enough port to accommodate the ship, and then you queue up and you have to go on coaches and sign up for [extra-charge] excursions.
"It's a totally different experience," he continues.
Clark describes river cruises as trips that appeal to travelers who "want to go through a country as opposed to around the edge of it."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
