Today is all about travel brands making an entry into Europe river cruising. We’ve been surprised this year by the number of established names moving in to the Rhine, Danube and beyond: Celebrity, Trafalgar and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions among them. 

With Lisa Fitzgerald, a river-cruise expert advisor and founder of Fitzgerald Travel, and river cruise editor Brinley Hineman, we’re exploring why each of these brands is approaching river, and how they’re doing it in different ways. We’ll also look at the popularity of emerging destinations around the world, and numbers from Viking, the biggest river cruise line. We also talk about Brinley’s trip on Riverside Luxury Cruises – this episode was recorded in mid-May, so that trip has already concluded, and we've included some of her reporting in the show notes. 

This episode was edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Globus Family of Brands. https://www.globusandcosmos.com

At the end of this episode, stay on for a special, bonus discussion about the latest from the Globus Family of Brands between Camille Olivere, Globus' chief sales officer, and Mary Pat Sullivan, the executive vice president of marketing partnerships for Northstar Travel Group, Travel Weekly's parent company.

Related reports

Trafalgar's river cruise debut is seen as just a first step https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Trafalgar-river-cruise-debut-seen-as-just-a-first-step?ct=river

Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More companies are attracted to river cruising https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/river-cruise-attracts-more-travel-companies

River cruise lines are excited that Celebrity is wading into the business -- why? https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/River-lines-react-to-Celebrity-Cruises-entry

No slowing down for river cruising: 2026 looks better than 2025 https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/River-cruise-bookings-surging-for-2026?ct=river

Dispatch, Riverside Debussy: An indulgent, fine-dining experience https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/Fine-dining-in-the-Vintage-Room-on-Riverside-Debussy?ct=river

Fitzgerald Travel https://fitzgeraldtravel.com/

 

Today is all about travel brands making an entry into Europe river cruising. We&rsquo;ve been surprised this year by the number of established names moving in to the Rhine, Danube and beyond: Celebrity, Trafalgar and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions among them.&nbsp;
With Lisa Fitzgerald, a river-cruise expert advisor and founder of Fitzgerald Travel, and river cruise editor Brinley Hineman, we&rsquo;re exploring why each of these brands is approaching river, and how they&rsquo;re doing it in different ways. We&rsquo;ll also look at the popularity of emerging destinations around the world, and numbers from Viking, the biggest river cruise line. We also talk about Brinley&rsquo;s trip on Riverside Luxury Cruises &ndash; this episode was recorded in mid-May, so that trip has already concluded, and we've&nbsp;included some of her reporting in the show notes.&nbsp;
This episode was edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Globus Family of Brands.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globusandcosmos.com">https://www.globusandcosmos.com</a>
At the end of this episode, stay on for a special, bonus discussion about the latest from the Globus Family of Brands between Camille Olivere, Globus' chief sales officer, and Mary Pat Sullivan, the executive vice president of marketing partnerships for Northstar Travel Group, Travel Weekly's parent company.
Related reports
Trafalgar's river cruise debut is seen as just a first step <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Trafalgar-river-cruise-debut-seen-as-just-a-first-step?ct=river">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Trafalgar-river-cruise-debut-seen-as-just-a-first-step?ct=river</a>
Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More companies are attracted to river cruising <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/river-cruise-attracts-more-travel-companies">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/river-cruise-attracts-more-travel-companies</a>
River cruise lines are excited that Celebrity is wading into the business -- why? <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/River-lines-react-to-Celebrity-Cruises-entry">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/River-lines-react-to-Celebrity-Cruises-entry</a>
No slowing down for river cruising: 2026 looks better than 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/River-cruise-bookings-surging-for-2026?ct=river">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/River-cruise-bookings-surging-for-2026?ct=river</a>
Dispatch, Riverside Debussy: An indulgent, fine-dining experience <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/Fine-dining-in-the-Vintage-Room-on-Riverside-Debussy?ct=river">https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/Fine-dining-in-the-Vintage-Room-on-Riverside-Debussy?ct=river</a>
Fitzgerald Travel <a href="https://fitzgeraldtravel.com/">https://fitzgeraldtravel.com/</a>
&nbsp;

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they’ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they&rsquo;ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Hosted by Rebecca Tobin, managing editor of Travel Weekly

The Folo by Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week. 

In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about.  

You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do. 

Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week.&nbsp;
In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about. &nbsp;
You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do.&nbsp;
Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.