With the rise of expedition yachting in remote destinations such as Antarctica, Greenland, and Indonesia’s Raja Ampat, there’s a general belief that all corners of the globe are now accessible by private yacht charter.
But there’s still one type of waterway where chartering is largely untapped: the world’s great rivers, both well-traveled and remote. But in the last year, this boundary has started to shift with a new generation of luxury riverboats that are dock in historic cities like Budapest on the Danube or distant backwaters such as La Han Bay in Vietnam.
“River cruising is the beneficiary of a larger travel trend in which luxury travelers are looking to do nothing,” Daniel Levine, director of New York consultancy Avant-Guide Institute, tells Robb Report. “By that, I mean they can visit multiple ports and soak up plenty of culture and history, all without changing hotels.”
This new fleet of river cruisers can access inland cities and remote stretches of countryside that are inaccessible to large oceangoing vessels. Plus, Levine says, there’s an added advantage to river travel: no seasickness.
One leader of the new set of purpose-built riverboats is Aqua Expeditions, the luxury river cruise operator whose first vessel, Aria Amazon, set sail on the Peruvian Amazon in 2011. Over a decade later, the fleet has grown to three river ships, none with more than 20 suites, cruising both the Amazon and the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia, along with two oceangoing yachts in the Galapagos and Eastern Indonesia.
“On my river ships, 30 percent of departures are now private buyouts, similar to traditional charters,” says founder Francesco Galli Zugaro. These clients, mainly multigenerational family groups or large gatherings of friends, are people who tend to vacation on yachts, rather than the typical cruise ship crowd. Most of them have come to the riverboats, says Galli Zugaro, after chartering one of Aqua Expeditions’ two yachts.
Galli Zugaro says the vessels adhere to similar standards as a superyacht, with the same bespoke itineraries as a private charter. “Guests have the run of the ship, of course, but they can also customize their experiences to be as active—or not—as they want,” he says. “We recently had 20 couples, all friends, buy out one of our boats. They doubled the number of biking experiences we normally offer.”
The desire for off-the-beaten-track travel is fueling this new interest in riverboat charters, says Frédéric Crétin, a Monaco-based charter broker at superyacht brokerage Camper & Nicholsons. “We’ve had a surge in enquiries for the Peruvian Amazon, especially with Americans since it’s not too far from home,” says Crétin, who manages whole-boat bookings for the Aqua Expeditions fleet.
Heritage Line operates five traditionally-styled ships along the upper and lower Mekong River and in Vietnam’s Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. “Our vessels, particularly our small ship sailing charters on Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, have seen an increase in private stays,” says CEO John Tue Nguyen. “We now average 12 to 15 charters annually, including families, multi-generational bookings and VIP travelers.”
In Egypt, a gap in the market to showcase the country’s temples in a private, exclusive way, was behind the launch of the Nile River’s first-ever luxury charter yacht in 2022, Berge. “Our clients are mostly royal families, politicians, celebrities, and athletes,” says Armen Kazazian of Kazazian Cruises, the yacht’s owner. “They don’t want to share the Egypt experience with hundreds of other people.”
The 180-foot, nine-cabin vessel has recently been joined by a sistership, the 196-foot, nine-cabin Arax. True to superyacht protocol, charters are secured with an official MYBA (The Worldwide Yachting Association) contract, and in the lead-up to the charter, a preference form is sent out to gather information on dietary preferences and daily routines to ensure everything is ready for your arrival.
But river charter differs from traditional yachting as well. “Because the Nile is calm, the build requirements aren’t as strict,” says Kazazian. “You can have huge, full-width windows and bigger spaces.” Exteriors tend to be boxy, and not particularly attractive. But the interiors can be just as elegant and even larger than many superyachts. On board Arax, the Owner’s suite is 1,500 square feet.
The differences also include having no water toys as on a conventional superyacht charter. “But we overcome that with the destination and experiences, such as candlelit dinners on private islands,” says Kazazian.
Inland cruising has multiple benefits, says Matthew Shollar of Transcend Cruises, Europe’s first charter-only, river-cruise company. “You’re not just in coastal locations and you can take your whole group off the boat to a spa, or go biking, or shopping,” Shollar says. “And a riverboat always docks close to your destination.”
In September 2025, the company’s first ship, the 443-foot Transcend, will launch, with a second identical vessel following in early 2026. Penned by Tillberg Design of Sweden, both are built to European riverboat specs but draw inspiration from superyachts for style and amenities, including a 2,600-square-foot indoor/outdoor fitness, spa and guest wellness facility.
“The single most expensive piece of equipment on board is a hot tip from superyachts, a 144-inch C Seed unfolding television,” continues Shollar. “It’s a worthwhile investment for guests to enjoy everything from silent discos to movie nights on the sun deck.”
While the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) trade is set to be Transcend Cruises’ main market, the founders know that there’s a demand for private buyouts—especially given their vessels’ capacity to accommodate up to 120 people, or ten times the 12-guest standard on most charter yachts. The vessels’ 60, 210-square-foot cabins can be converted into 30 larger 420-square-foot suites.
The company soft-launched Transcend Advance this summer to better examine the private market’s potential. It took over a five-star vessel from Riverside Luxury Cruises. One client, celebrating his 60th birthday party, had never considered a riverboat charter, but was lured by being able to host many more guests. “We designed a six-day itinerary that was flexible and unique,” says Kimberly Daley, Transcend’s chief revenue officer. “It enabled him and his friends to see chartering in a whole new way.”
Transcend will sail “the highest-demand European waterways,” including the Rhine, Danube and Moselle, offering waterside access to historic cities like Trier, Budapest and Belgrade.
But a second collection of smaller luxury barges is carrying charter to canals and smaller waterways. Both Belmond’s 128-foot Coquelicot and European Waterways’ Kir Royale launched in France’s Champagne region this year, with a max capacity of six and eight guests, respectively, and the possibility of whole-boat bookings. This combination of space, intimacy, pastoral views and access to exceptional vineyards can’t be replicated on oceangoing yachts.
While luxury riverboats are still a small niche compared to the larger world of superyacht charters, they offer another kind of cruising experience.
