Like European hotel stays, flights abroad and just about everything else in travel, river cruises are getting more expensive. To get an idea of how much prices have changed in recent years, we compared average daily rates for weeklong Seine River cruises in 2019 to those in 2025, using equivalent itineraries and stateroom categories across five major river cruise operators.

In 2019, the average per diem was $529 per person. For 2025 departures, that figure has jumped to $634 per person per day. This represents a significant increase of nearly 20 percent—translating to more than $1,400 extra per couple for the same weeklong cruise. Such a drastic change in pricing is crucial for those researching the cost of river cruises, as it directly impacts…

In a landmark leadership transition at AmaWaterways, Rudi Schreiner—CEO and co-founder of the luxury river cruise line—is stepping into a new role as Chairman of the Board, with President Catherine Powell poised to take over as Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2025. The announcement marks a new chapter for a company that has helped define modern river cruising since its founding in 2002.

Schreiner will continue to lend his vision and insight as Chairman, while co-founder Kristin Karst remains deeply involved as Global Brand Ambassador and board member. Together, Schreiner and Karst have cultivated a company driven by passion, design innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in both service and experience.

Last week, while touring South Africa, I was able to visit the Bo-Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town. It’s a neighborhood on the slopes of Signal Hill known the world over because of the pictures of its wildly-colored homes.

The colorful homes are a nice touch, but there is so much more under the surface to appreciate there, so much that it’s hard to sum it up in a few words.

The history goes way back. Cape Town was established as a colony by The Dutch East India company in 1652, about 27 years after The Dutch West India Company had established New Amsterdam in America, later to be renamed New York when the colony was taken over by the British. New Amsterdam was the third European colony…

If you’re looking for a getaway in Miami or a pre- or post-cruise weekend there, I have a recommendation for you. In fact, I have five.

I didn’t really intend to spend the week of Seatrade moving from one hotel to another. But as my serendipitous soujourn in the Sunshine State progressed, I found myself enjoying spending a week in a single city—but having a different experience each night. Call it an FIT of a unique sort. Corporate or kitschy, funky or functional, elegant or oceanside, Miami has every kind of hotel with every kind of amenity you might be looking for…

— Travel Research Online
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