Disney have today announced that they will be partnering with AmaWaterways to bring the Disney brand to river cruising! The new venture will be the first time that a river cruise company will bring a family orientated cruise through the rivers of Europe.
Disney and AmaWaterways will be offering family-focused river cruises, starting with the Danube in 2016. The venture, run in conjunction with Adventures by Disney, will give people a new way of exploring various cities along the river and its many attractions and historical sites.
Not settling with any old boat, AmaWaterways are having a new one built with families in mind. The usual river cruise cabins are comfortably sized for two people but this new ship will have cabins capable of holding up-to five people.
AmaWaterways is tailoring the ship itself to fit the needs of families by creating cabins with connecting doors as well as adding pull-out couches in some of the suites.
Eight Disney Adventures guides will join each cruise to offer tour options in each port and on-board activities, such as teen dinners, kid-oriented movie nights with popcorn, family friendly karaoke parties and Austrian folkloric dancing lessons for the whole family.
Teens will be given a gift bag that includes such items as footballs. Adventure Guides can lead excursions to nearby parks.
The vessel will start by offering week-long sailings, visiting Budapest, Hungary and Vilshofen along the Danube.
Should this be successful you can expect to see more family-oriented river cruises open up in the future.
The project’s Disney head, Ken Potrock, clearly feels optimistic about the venture; “We think the Disney brand will bring families to the river cruising category, and we think that’s a very exciting development for the industry.”
What do you think? Is this the kind of holiday that you would take with your family? With river cruising offering experiences on a smaller ship, can it really create the Disney magic?