A-Rosa has ordered a new four-deck ship with new onboard technology to reduce the line’s environmental impact.
The 140-cabin ship, due for delivery in spring 2021, will sail on the northern Rhine.
The line claims it will be the first vessel to sail on the Rhine with four decks.
It will be able to switch to battery power when approaching ports of call and will be equipped with a shore power connection.
This means the battery can be charged overnight, so the vessel can leave the port emission-free.
There will be an enlarged spa and wellness area with sauna, whirlpool, gym, ice room, heat-bench and various treatment rooms.
The ship will have the line’s first dedicated kids club area on board and 12 28 metre-squared cabins, which can sleep up to five people.
Jorg Eichler (pictured), A-Rosa’s chief executive, said: “This new ship features innovations never seen on a river ship cruise ship before and it heralds the future of travel on the rivers – both in terms of use of space and sustainability.
“With 140 cabins, a length of 135 metres, a width of 17.7 metres plus a fourth deck, this ship enables us to offer more space than ever before.
“At A-Rosa we have been setting new standards for the industry for many years – we always want to be different and this new ship allows us to continue to do just that.”
He added: “Sustainability is so important for us both in terms of the environmental and social responsibility.”
Lucia Rowe, the line’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said she believed the ship would prove popular with British passengers.
She said: “This new ship really is a prototype on Europe’s rivers and something we haven’t seen before.
“It will open up river cruising to a completely different market segment with a host of new facilities and features tailored to the whole family.
“We want to attract the growing multi-generational sector and encourage a much younger audience to consider river cruising as a family holiday choice.”
“We have taken a tailor-made approach with this ship, building in line with what the river can accommodate and creatively offering more space for more experiences which is what today’s families want.
“I expect this new concept to be hugely popular with UK customers and we look forward to working with the UK trade going forward to educate them on all that the ship will have to offer and how and who to sell it to.”