River cruise lines are taking some steps to ensure that the passenger experience remains intact. Not only do they have multiple ships on the same route, which can be swapped if one part of the river becomes inaccessible, but many ships are also designed with shallow drafts, i.e. their keels, or the lowest points of the vessel, are not far beneath the water surface. This means the ships can sail in shallow rivers. In addition, should the conditions make river cruising entirely impossible, some cruise lines also convert it into a land vacation taking the guests to their destinations in a coach with stays at hotels, along with meals and guided tours 13 . Price and difficulty in matching the cruise line’s schedule with the client’s needs are other challenges that advisors face. Some advisors also said that they don’t have a strong enough relationship with the supplier’s Business Development Manager (BDM) (14%). Many of these advisors have less than five years of experience in the industry and could use additional tools (i.e. focused training and attention) from suppliers. Water levels are a prime concern for those booking river cruises. Concerns about rerouting and disruptions remain a primary challenge while convincing clients to book a river cruise, said nearly half of the advisors. CHALLENGES FACED IN SELLING RIVER CRUISE 13 https://www.tripsavvy.com/europe-s-drought-will-happen-again-here-s-how-that-might-affect-the-future-of-river-cruising-6542670 15% 3% 7% 10% 12% 14% 14% 16% 19% 28% 45% 47% None, I have plenty of clients interested in river cruising Quality of current river cruise ships is lacking Not enough sales and marketing support from the river cruise lines Customer interest in river cruises isn't as strong as it was a couple of years ago A lot of my clients had taken river cruises and want to do something else I don’t have strong BDM relationships Not enough expertise to sell with confidence I am not educated on all of the river lines Clients are not interested in river cruises Schedule did not match with client’s vacation time/preferences Total cost of river cruising too high Concerns about rerouting and disruptions due to low/high water TRENDS IN RIVER CRUISE 2024 CHART 16 | 33 ©Steve Heap