Selling river cruises can be lucrative because the average selling price is typically higher than for other types of holidays and the market is less affected by discounting.
TUI, one of the few operators that sells both ocean and river cruises, said the latter ‘often yield a higher average selling price’. River Cruises Senior Trade Relations Manager Steven Heath said this could mean ‘significant earnings’ for agents.
Take a look at TUI’s prices for an ocean cruise in the Mediterranean versus a cruise on the Danube: a seven-night fly-cruise on Marella, its in-house cruise brand, is on sale for around £1,200 to £1,300 per person in early July while a seven-night TUI Magical Danube fly-cruise at the same time leads in at £1,800 to £1,900.
Laura Wilson, Head of Business Development for Fred. Holidays, the general sales agent for Amadeus River Cruises said: “River cruising can be more lucrative for agents than ocean cruise sales. The lead-in price point is generally higher for entry-level river cruises.”
As river cruising is still an emerging market, it’s currently less affected by the discount culture that ocean cruising can experience, added Laura. “This means that, generally, agents can retain more of their earnings and maintain better margins on river cruise bookings.”
James Hill, owner of specialist brand GoRiverCruise, agreed that, while there is some discounting in the sector, selling river cruises can be more profitable than selling ocean cruises because prices are higher as more is included.
For instance, river cruises often include all meals, drinks with lunch and dinner and one excursion. Most – but not all – throw in wifi, and the luxury lines such as Uniworld, AmaWaterways, Scenic, APT and Viking also include transfers, additional excursions, fine wines and gratuities – all of which is reflected in the price.
“With the all-inclusive nature of many operators, this means the commissionable amount is good,” said James. However, he warned that the higher price tag can make river cruises a harder sell. “When people are used to mainstream ocean cruising, they are often staggered at the five-star river fare – even when they are advised that rivers tend to be all-inclusive,” he said.
The trick to getting a booking over the line is to emphasise all that’s included in the fare, said Pandaw Head of UK Sales Joseph Grimley. “When you take into account the included excursions, the value for money is fantastic in comparison to ocean cruising.”
It’s also good value when you consider how many destinations are included in one holiday, and it’s a particularly good option for those looking to visit popular cities where good quality hotel accommodation is increasingly hard to find, say operators.
For example, a three-night break staying at the four-star Hotel Das Tyrol in Vienna with Kirker Holidays starts at £1,024 per person during peak season, including flights, private transfers, breakfast, and a museum city card; a week-long Danube fly-cruise visiting Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava costs from £1,800 and £2,500 but it’s twice as long, includes three cities instead of one, and all food and excursions.
Excursions are another key selling point, especially on the more upscale cruise lines. “Some of the inclusions on a river cruise are very special,” said Uniworld Head of Sales UK Angela Sloan. “In Venice, we offer experiences such as an after-hours lighting ceremony inside St Mark’s Basilica and early morning access to Doge’s Palace – as well as all the fine dining and wines onboard.
“You won’t get all of that included in a city break. I looked online at hotels, and you are talking a lot of money to stay in an equivalent hotel. This sort of offering presents a huge opportunity for agents.”
River cruises can be good value for solo travellers as some lines such as Avalon Waterways, Uniworld and Scenic offer cabins for solos with zero or reduced single supplements. “We’ve worked hard to educate solo travellers on just how fantastic the river cruise experience can be for those travelling solo,” said Mundy Cruising Director of Sales, Marketing and Operations Alex Loizou.
“Active itineraries with small group tours, sociable dining venues, and relaxed evening entertainment provide plenty of opportunities to meet others and with many cruise lines also offering 0% solo supplements, it represents excellent value as well.”
Riviera Travel offers dedicated solo cabins and dedicated solo sailings. Head of Trade & Partnerships UK & Ireland Vicky Billing said: “We have noted an increased interest in solo holidays, and we are proud to have a vast variety of itineraries both in Europe and further overseas that allow single guests to explore the world with confidence, expert guidance and social connection.”
As lines are adding more river ships – and Celebrity is about to enter the market with 10 ships in 2027 – there will be lots in future for agents to sell. Panache Cruises CEO James Cole said: “There is so much potential to increase our sales in river cruising over the coming years. We have sold over £5 million of river cruising in the last 12 months and we envisage growing our sales significantly over the coming years.”
In the meantime, however, cruise lines say customers need to plan ahead because capacity can be tight. “2026 is already booming for us; in 2025 we do have some limited availability, but more for those travellers who have more flexibility with their travel dates,” said Angela from Uniworld.
“We are over 90% sold for this year,” added Scenic and Emerald’s Head of Sales Jonathan Davies. “We do have limited stock left for 2025, but ultimately customers are looking ahead for 2026. We are much further ahead for next year than we were for this time last year. It’s a good position to be in and it’s why agents should be speaking to customers about river cruising now.”
