Low water persists on the Rhine and Danube, with cancellations and swaps
Low water is still disrupting sailings into mid-October. Kaub, Maxau, Budapest and Pfelling remain the critical gauges. Riviera cancelled its Oct 14 and Oct 16 sailings and is reviewing the rest of October. Avalon is offering a rebooking, a Globus/Cosmos land tour, or a refund. AmaWaterways says it has cancelled no departures and emails guests about 14 days before sailing. Scenic and Emerald are revising itineraries.
Rain is forecast through about Oct 24, but relief is not assured. Action: contact clients sailing in the next two to three weeks now, and check each line's current policy before you promise anything.
Lines pledge to absorb low-water costs as CroisiEurope shrinks its 2027 Danube fleet
At a CLIA event, AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Riviera, APT and others said they will not pass adjusted-itinerary costs to clients. That covers hotels, coaches and alternate ports.
The supply side matters more for 2027 selling. CroisiEurope will run one Danube ship in 2027, down from four, and mirror that in 2028. Less Danube capacity may mean tighter inventory and higher prices. Advisors selling 2027 Danube should review itineraries earlier and favour deployments where sister-ship swaps are possible.
Refunds or future credits: advisors split as itineraries change
Clients are being offered future cruise credits rather than refunds when itineraries are heavily altered. One example is an Amsterdam–Basel sailing turned into a Netherlands/Belgium cruise. Advisors report fewer cancellation options and lower compensation, and policies vary by line.
The commercial point is liability. Document each supplier's terms, set expectations at booking, and treat travel insurance and cancel-for-any-reason coverage as part of the sales conversation rather than an add-on.
Christmas Markets space tightens as displaced guests rebook
UK agents report strong late demand for festive sailings. Many passengers displaced from August and September have moved to Christmas departures, which is squeezing inventory. Advantage reports sales up 29% year on year, and 2027 forward bookings are described as strong.
This cuts against the weak-confidence narrative. Advisors with Christmas Markets clients should lock in space now. November and December water levels are the main risk to watch.
AmaWaterways adds a Machu Picchu extension to Colombia sailings
AmaWaterways' first Peru program is a 5-night/6-day post-cruise extension on Magic of Colombia. It comes in two tiers: Boutique (Luxury Collection) and Iconic (Belmond). UK pricing adds £4,081 or £6,620 to cruises from £5,176, and early-booking pricing ends Nov 30.
The extension starts in April 2027. It runs on select 2027 departures and on every 2028 departure. For advisors it is a high-ticket land add-on to pitch to Colombia clients.
Riviera launches a trade loyalty program; Tauck opens 2028 river bookings
Riviera Travel announced Riv Rewards, an agent loyalty program, at its Agent Committee meeting. It also previewed 2028 products and a 2027 'Wave' campaign, and said it is strengthening river cruise communications after the low-water period. Details are thin, so UK Riviera sellers should ask about incentive and commission terms.
Tauck will open 2028 river cruises for preliminary booking later this month, and clients can already reserve a preferred departure. It has two 2027 Seine wellness departures (Jul 28 and Oct 11) and plans five wellness departures in 2028. That supports early 2028 holds and a wellness pitch.