A Guide to New Riverboats Launching for 2025

Amadeus Amara in early July 2025 – Photo credit: Amadeus River Cruises

River cruisers will be spoiled for choice in 2025, with 19 riverboats from seven lines set to launch (and 10 just from Viking, alone).

Here’s a guide for what to expect next year on the waterways.

Amadeus River Cruises

Amadeus River Cruises has scheduled its 164-guest Amadeus Amara for early July 2025, billing it as a technologically innovative new vessel. In particular, the ship’s light weight and stabilization system-enabled shallow draft will accommodate consistent operations, even when water levels fluctuate. A reduction in water resistance will further minimize its fuel consumption, as will an efficient hull shape, autopilot feature and solar panels.

Guest-facing amenities will extend to an indoor pool at the stern, plus 12 suites with reading nooks, walk-out balconies and 70 cabins with drop-down panoramic windows.

AmaWaterways

Delayed from 2024, AmaWaterways will welcome its new AmaMagdalena in Colombia in January 2025, followed by its sister ship, AmaMelodia, in June 2025.

Both AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia will have a reception area, a main lounge, a fitness room, a restaurant, a hair and nail salon, a massage room and an al fresco pool, with the ships differing only slightly in passenger count and cabin configuration. AmaMagdalena will carry 60 guests and include two 516-square-foot Grand Suites. On AmaMelodia, the 64-guest ship’s Suites will each split into a 275-square foot Junior Suite and a 237-square-foot Category B stateroom.

In addition to these changes, the 102-guest AmaSintra — sister ship to AmaDouro — will set sail on Portugal’s namesake river starting on April 11, 2025.

Riviera River Cruises

Riviera River Cruises will debut two new riverboats for 2025, using the line in its name for the first time: the 178-guest Riviera Radiance will debut on the Danube, and the 114-guest Riviera Rose will deploy on the Douro.

Radiance will represent the first in a new class from the company and will be defined by its split-level bar and restaurant, the line’s largest-ever suites (up to 344 square feet) and an added third dining venue — Mosaic — plus a bistro, a spa and wellness area, a fitness center and a pool-outfitted sun deck.

The smaller Rose, meanwhile, will showcase a singular restaurant, fitness center and sun deck with a sky lounge, bar and pool.

Transcend Cruises

Transcend Cruises will launch its first dedicated newbuild in the fourth quarter of 2025, recently signing a contract with the Den Breejen Shipyard.

The up-to-120-guest vessel will feature 60 matching staterooms that can pair up to become 30 suites.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

In fact, Transcend’s initial riverboat — formerly the Crystal Mahler from now-defunct Crystal River Cruises — will become S.S. Elisabeth for Uniworld Boutique River Cruises in 2025 (under charter from Riverside Luxury Cruises). As an identical sister ship to 2024’s S.S. Victoria, Elisabeth will carry 110 guests in 55 staterooms and suites (up to 759 square feet), some of which come with walk-in closets and fireplaces. Options extend to two-bedroom accommodations with connecting suites.

Other venues will encompass a fine dining restaurant, rooftop bar and grill, snack bistro, massage room, gym and pool.

Viking

Viking will introduce a staggering 10 riverboats in three regions in 2025, including another two 82-guest vessels — Viking Amun and Viking Thoth — purpose-built for Egypt, and seven more not-yet-named signature Longships for Europe.

Additionally, the 80-passenger Viking Tonle will set sail on the Mekong River in October 2025 as a sister ship to the 2022-launched Viking Saigon. Its Scandinavian style will apply to its pool and al fresco Sky Bar on the upper deck, its Spa & Fitness Center and its private veranda or French balcony staterooms. It will navigate between Kampong Cham, Cambodia, and My Tho, Vietnam, on the line’s 15-day “Magnificent Mekong” route.

Viva Cruises

Another ship pushed back from 2024 to January 2025 is Viva Enjoy from Viva Cruises. As a refresher, Viva is the in-house line from operator Scylla AG, which also charters ships to Riviera River Cruises. It also recently launched Viva One and Viva Two, which Enjoy will nearly match as a third in the series. The 190-passenger vessel will showcase three restaurants, a lounge, a sun deck and a fitness and wellness area.

What About the Other River Cruise Lines?

There are several river cruise lines that are not unveiling any new hardware in 2025, including American Cruise Lines, Emerald Cruises, Riverside Luxury Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Tauck. Avalon Waterways will not debut a new ship, but the brand will be bringing back its Avalon Artistry II to the fleet to sail the Bordeaux region for the first time, deploying on the Garonne and Dordogne rivers.

This article originally appeared in TravelAge West.