Don’t miss a thing in 2020 with Jane Archer’s cruise calendar.
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Eyes down and diaries out because it’s time to get to grips with the new ocean ships, river vessels and itineraries launching in 2020.
With everything from Nile newbies to fjord favourites, there is plenty to excite both seasoned cruisers and clients ready to test their sea legs. And it has already started, with new ships from Uniworld – one on the Mekong, the other on the Nile – in action as soon as the new year festivities were over.
The following is just a taste of what should be on your cruise calendar this year. Prices are per person, cruise-only, unless stated otherwise, and other inclusions might apply. Contact the relevant cruise lines for details.
January
What’s new? CroisiEurope adds Nile cruises on the 106-passenger Steigenberger Royale to its portfolio. The one-week voyages, round-trip from Luxor, can be boosted to 11 days by adding three nights in Cairo.
Book it: From £2,403 for 11 days departing January 29.
February
What’s new? Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new Seven Seas Splendor will be christened in Miami on February 21 by supermodel-turned-godmother Christie Brinkley.
Book it: From £7,989 including flights for a 15-night Miami to New York sailing departing April 1.
March
What’s new? Virgin Voyages enters the cruise industry with Scarlet Lady, an adult-only ship with cabins that have mood lighting and foldaway beds so they can double as daytime lounges.
Book it: From £1,570 for a four-night Fire and Sunset Soirees cruise round-trip from Miami, departing April 1.
“Tauck is also heading to Portugal, as it starts cruising the Douro river for the first time.”
What’s new? Uniworld launches eight-day cruises round-trip from Porto on the Douro in northern Portugal on new river ship Sao Gabriel.
Book it: Prices start at £4,099 departing April 12, including flights.
What’s new? Tauck is also heading to Portugal, as it starts cruising the Douro river for the first time with the new 84-passenger Andorinha.
Book it: From £3,890 for an eight-night sailing round-trip from Porto, departing June 12.
Clia calendar
March 5: Expedition & Adventure Expo, Manchester
March 10-12: River Cruise Roadshow
March 10 – Manchester
March 11 – Newcastle
March 12 – Birmingham
April 26-28: Clia Conference 2020, Southampton
May: New to Cruise Learning Days (dates and venue tbc)
October 27-29: Luxury & Expedition Showcases (venues tbc)
November: River Cruise Conference
April
What’s new? The River Cruise Line sets sail on the Dutch Waterways, Rhine and Moselle on its newly chartered river ship, Arena.
Book it: From £499 for a five-day Delights of Amsterdam and the Dutch Waterways cruise departing April 1, including ferry and coach travel.
What’s new? Riviera Travel continues its literary launches with the new 176-passenger river ship Geoffrey Chaucer.
Book it: From £1,049 for a five-night Dutch Bulbfields sailing round-trip from Amsterdam, departing April 2.
What’s new? APT Travelmarvel’s new river ship, Polaris, sets sail on its maiden 15-day European Gems cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest.
Book it: From £2,195 including flights, departing April 3.
“Amadeus River Cruises’ new Amadeus Imperial enters service with a couple of tulip‑themed voyages.”
What’s new? Celebrity Cruises’ new Edge-class Celebrity Apex follows a christening in Southampton with a mini season of no-fly voyages to Europe and Norway.
Book it: From £1,299 for an eight‑night sailing to Spain and Portugal, departing April 5.
What’s new? Amadeus River Cruises’ new Amadeus Imperial enters service with a couple of tulip‑themed voyages on the Dutch and Belgian waterways.
Book it: From £1,479 for an eight-day round-trip cruise from Amsterdam, departing April 14.
What’s new? Avalon Waterways’ new river ship, Avalon View, is christened in Ybbs in Austria on April 6 by its godmother, the US TV host Meredith Vieira.
Book it: From £1,988 for a seven-night Danube Dreams cruise departing August 20, including flights.
May
What’s new? Star Clippers offers new cruises between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu in Borneo that overnight in Kuching and call into Tiga Island for a day of swimming and snorkelling.
Book it: From £2,240 for 10 nights, departing May 9.
What’s new? P&O Cruises embarks on a summer fjord fest as Iona, a new ship built for the British market, starts a season of no-fly voyages from Southampton to the Norwegian fjords.
Book it: From £819 for seven nights, departing May 23.
What’s new? A barbecue fest is also on the cards as American Queen Steamboat Company’s paddle wheeler, American Countess, sails north to spend summer on the Ohio River.
Book it: From £2,995 for an eight-day Memphis to Alton cruise, with one night in a hotel pre-cruise, departing May 24, including flights.
June
What’s new? Princess Cruises celebrates as new ship Enchanted Princess is named in Southampton on June 30.
Book it: From £1,699 for a 10-day maiden voyage from Southampton to Rome, departing July 1.
What’s new? Ponant’s new ship, Le Jacques Cartier, enters service with a series of northern Europe and Baltic cruises. Sister ship Le Bellot launched in March.
“Star Clippers offers new cruises between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu in Borneo.”
Book it: From €4,610 for eight nights sailing the Norwegian fjords from Bergen, departing June 19.
What’s new? CroisiEurope’s first-ever ocean-going ship, La Belle des Océans, spends summer exploring cities and communities along Canada’s St Lawrence River.
Book it: From £4,694 for 11 days, departing June 26.
On the rivers
• Cheese, chocolate and wine feature on new eight-day, food-themed cruises on the Rhone with Emerald Waterways in July and August. From £1,895 in July, including flights.
• Fred Olsen River Cruises sails to Luxembourg on four new seven-night Rhine and Moselle itineraries this summer. From £1,599 including flights in August.
• A-Rosa Cruises is stepping up its family focus with new kidfriendly excursions to waterparks in Avignon and Budapest, Vienna’s chocolate museum and the zoo in Amsterdam.
• Celebrity chef Rick Stein is cooking, tasting and talking on an eight-day river cruise on the Rhone with Scenic, in partnership with Tripsmiths, which departs on April 23. From £3,040 including flights.
July
What’s new? AmaWaterways’ new AmaSiena river ship launches on the Rhine on July 22 with a dedicated wellness host to help keep passengers in shape.
Book it: From £4,653 for a 10-night Rhine & Moselle Delights cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, departing August 2.
What’s new? Silversea Expeditions’ new Silver Origin is christened in the Galápagos Islands ahead of embarking on a year-round programme of wildlife-spotting voyages between Baltra and San Cristobal.
Book it: From £7,740 for seven nights, sailing August 22.
August
What’s new? Silversea’s new luxury ship, Silver Moon, enters service on August 6, featuring a new culinary-cum-cultural experience called Sea and Land Taste (SALT).
Book it: From £3,780 for a seven-day Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona cruise departing August 17, including flights.
“Silversea’s new luxury ship, Silver Moon, enters service on August 6.”
What’s new? Single cabins and suites with butlers await as Saga Cruises’ new 999-passenger Spirit of Adventure sets off on a maiden voyage around the Baltic on August 21.
Book it: From £4,704 for the 17-night Baltic inaugural, round-trip from Dover.
September
What’s new? Uniworld launches debut 11 and 15-day holidays pairing an Amazon cruise on the Aria Amazon with Lima and Machu Picchu.
Book it: From £11,799 including flights for an 11-day Peruvian Rivers and Rainforest Discovery cruise-tour, departing September 23.
Polar expedition ships
• Hurtigruten’s eco-friendly hybrid-powered ship Fridtjof Nansen launches in March and will spend summer in northern Europe and winter in Antarctica. From £4,476 for a 15-day Norway and North Cape cruise departing April 1.
• Crystal Cruises’ new 200-passenger expedition yacht, Crystal Endeavor, explores Asia, Australia and New Zealand after launching in early August. From £14,137 for a 16-night Tokyo to Taipei cruise departing September 13.
October
What’s new? Scenic’s expedition yacht, Scenic Eclipse, seeks out wildlife, rainforests and colonial cities on a voyage through Costa Rica and Peru.
Book it: From £8,125 for a 14-day cruise from Puerto Caldera to Lima departing October 9, including flights.
What’s new? Seabourn returns to Istanbul after several years away with new Greece and Turkey cruises.
“Scenic Eclipse seeks out wildlife, rainforests and colonial cities on a voyage through Costa Rica and Peru.”
Book it: From £3,299 for a seven-night sailing from Istanbul to Piraeus (for Athens) departing October 17, including flights.
What’s new? APT’s new river ship, AmaMekong, embarks on its debut Vietnam and Cambodia Highlights cruise-tour, pairing seven nights on the Mekong with hotels in Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap.
Book it: From £5,390 including flights for a 15-day holiday, departing October 31.
November
What’s new? It’s all about music as MSC Cruises’ new MSC Virtuosa launches with decks named after instruments and two Cirque du Soleil at sea shows.
Book it: From £779 for a week’s Mediterranean cruise round‑trip from Barcelona, departing November 6.
What’s new? Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas sets sail on November 9 with a series of western and southern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale.
Book it: From £576 for six nights, departing November 28.
“Odyssey of the Seas sets sail on November 9 with a series of western and southern Caribbean cruises.”
What’s new? Carnival Cruise Lines unveils Bolt, the first rollercoaster at sea, on November 14, as new ship Mardi Gras departs Cape Canaveral on its inaugural voyage.
Book it: From £889 for a seven-day Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruise, departing November 21.
What’s new? Holland America Line has timed a voyage from San Antonio to Buenos Aires via Antarctica to be off Puerto Madryn in Argentina for the total solar eclipse on December 14.
Book it: From £3,469 for 22 nights on Westerdam, departing November 27.
December
What’s new? Celestyal Cruises ventures out of its Greek homeland with four voyages in the Adriatic, round-trip from Venice, on Celestyal Olympia.
Book it: From £699 for one week departing December 5.
What’s new? Variety Cruises, sold in the UK by Seafarer Cruises, adds a taste of the exotic with new seven and 11-night sailings around the Society Islands and Tuamotos on yacht Panorama II.
“Celestyal Cruises ventures out of its Greek homeland with four voyages in the Adriatic.”
Book it: From £1,773 for a week’s cruise, departing December 10.
What’s new? Viking Cruises launches one-week voyages on the Nile round-trip from Luxor on the new 82-passenger river ship Viking Osiris.
Book it: From £6,495 including flights for a 12-night holiday departing January 6, 2021, that pairs Egyptian capital Cairo with a week on the river.
Read more
Ask the expert: Predictions for 2020 booking trends
Celebrity speakers and special guests on cruise ships in 2020
Ask the agents: Expedition cruise tips
