This year, it's all about travel brands making their 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 Cruises, 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. 

This episode was edited for length and clarity. Since it was recorded on May 23, more information has been published about Celebrity's foray into river cruising -- and stay tuned for even more. 

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Travel Insured International https://www.travelinsured.com

Summer series

This episode is the finale of our annual Summer Series, where we feature some of our favorite recent Folo by Travel Weekly discussions. New episodes return to the Folo Sept. 15!

Related reports

New: Celebrity River Cruises reveals room categories and first itineraries https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Celebrity-River-Cruises-room-categories-first-itineraries

New: Viking's advance bookings surge amid continued expansion https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Viking-sells-out-2025-capacity-expands-global-offerings

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/

 

This year, it's all about travel brands making their 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 Cruises, 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.&nbsp;
This episode was edited for length and clarity. Since it was recorded on May 23, more information has been published about Celebrity's foray into river cruising -- and stay tuned for even more.&nbsp;
Episode sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Travel Insured International <a href="https://www.travelinsured.com">https://www.travelinsured.com</a>
Summer series
This episode is the finale of our annual Summer Series, where we feature some of our favorite recent Folo by Travel Weekly discussions. New episodes return to the Folo Sept. 15!
Related reports
New: Celebrity River Cruises reveals room categories and first itineraries <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Celebrity-River-Cruises-room-categories-first-itineraries">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Celebrity-River-Cruises-room-categories-first-itineraries</a>
New: Viking's advance bookings surge amid continued expansion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Viking-sells-out-2025-capacity-expands-global-offerings">https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Viking-sells-out-2025-capacity-expands-global-offerings</a>
Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More companies are attracted to river cruising&nbsp;<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.