Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.
Among the many reasons river cruises entice travelers: close-up scenery, calm waters, and the convenience of easily accessing ports from docks rather than having to rely on tenders. Further, river vessels are intimate, rarely carrying more than 200 passengers and often fewer than 100. That means no lines or crowds to contend with on the ship.
Keeping pace with the popularity of river cruising, companies including Viking, AmaWaterways, Celebrity, and American Cruise Lines are building new ships at a dizzying pace and offering new itineraries beyond classic routes like the Rhine and Danube.
Here’s a look at what’s new and upcoming on the waterways of the world.
New River Cruises in South America
AmaWaterways’ newly built 60-passenger AmaMagdalena recently started offering weeklong cruises on Colombia’s Magdalena River between Cartagena and Barranquilla (starting at $3,089 per person). Excursions include bird-watching and cultural experiences like the world-famous Barranquilla Carnival and a jazz performance in the UNESCO city of Mompox.
Despite its name, CroisiEurope offers river cruises in other regions, like Brazil’s Amazon. The family-owned line is building the 32-passenger Brasilian Dream in order to offer 11-day cruises starting in 2027 along the Amazon, Rio Negro, Solimões, Arapiuns, and Tapajós rivers. The focus will be on wildlife such as pink dolphins, monkeys, sloths, caimans, and many species of birds, from eagles to macaws.
New River Cruises in Europe
Polar expert Lindblad Expeditions is getting into European river cruises for the first time by chartering the newly built 120-passenger Transcend Connect to operate 8-day Rhine cruises starting in 2026 (starting at $6,450 per person). The cruises will feature historians and naturalists, in the spirit of Lindblad’s popular expeditions in other parts of the world.
Century Cruises, which has plied China's Yangtze River for decades, plans to branch out to Europe as well, with four new vessels geared to both Chinese and American passengers. Details are still being ironed out.
New River and Coastal Cruises in the United States
To celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S. in 2026, American Cruise Lines is launching a new series of longer cruise packages, including a 32-day Revolutionary War–themed cruise (starting at a whopping $30,105 per person) between Albany, New York, and Washington, D.C. The trip will hit many relevant historic places along the way, including Boston; Newport, Rhode Island; New York City; West Point, New York; Annapolis, Maryland; and Jamestown, Virginia.
The voyage will be undertaken by three of the cruise line’s newest ships: American Legend, American Patriot, and American Pioneer.
Always coming up with new itineraries, American Cruise Lines now has routes along all sides of Florida’s coast. Debuting in March 2026, a brand-new, 8-day trip along the Gulf Coast between Pensacola and New Orleans (starting at $4,380) takes place aboard the 180-passenger American Symphony. Excursions will focus on the rich maritime and military history of the area, with visits to battleships and old forts, plus chances to learn about the shrimping trade and the cultural riches of New Orleans.
New River Cruises on the Nile
Famed luxury hotel brand Waldorf Astoria is building a riverboat for the Nile. Set to debut in 2026, the 58-passenger, all-suite riverboat will offer 4- and 6-night Egypt itineraries between Luxor and Aswan, with excursions to the awe-inspiring temples in Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, among other noteworthy sights.
Century Cruises will also soon offer Nile River voyages, first on already existing riverboats and then via the line’s own fleet. Catering to Chinese travelers and other nationalities, Century’s Nile trips are expected to get going by 2027.
New River Cruises in India
Starting in 2027, Viking is heading to India to cruise the Brahmaputra river between Guwahati and Nimati Ghat in the northeastern state of Assam aboard the brand-new, 80-passenger Viking Brahmaputra. (The river is pictured at the top of this page.) Focused on culture and natural wonders, the cruise will have passengers visiting Guwahati’s fascinating Kamakhya Temple and marveling at the one-horned rhinos of Kaziranga National Park.
The 7-night cruise (starting at $7,999 per person) combines with a guided land program with overnight stays in the Golden Triangle cities of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.