Over the past year we've mentioned the growing trend toward families traveling on river cruises, which has led operators to modify ships and routes, and even brought Disney into the market.
Last week, at an industry convention in Amsterdam, that trend was the talk of the day. Lucia Rowe, chair of the River Cruise Committee of the Cruise Lines International Association, told the group that “One of the key trends is the change in the demographic of river cruisers. It is no longer a niche market for the elderly. More and more younger people and families are coming onboard and we are encouraging this. Another trend is the interest in themed cruises where passengers want to learn a new skill or learn about a certain topic."
That's the trend that's drawn new entrants, and led companies such as Uniworld and Tauck that already offered multi-generational cruises to expand the offerings. Steve Spivak, a vice president of Tauck, told the group that the key is not what river cruises offer compared to ocean cruises, but what they don't: No huge terminals, no empty sea, no long trip into town, and more opportunities for family activities together.
For more quotes and insights, click HERE for CruiseCritic.com's report.
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