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Celebrity Cruises Begins Offering Ocean-River Cruisetour Packages

Ralph Grizzle

Some interesting news for river cruisers and ocean cruisers alike: Celebrity Cruises is getting into the river cruise market by offering combination ocean cruise and river cruise vacations in Europe as part of its Celebrity Explorations brand. The line has partnered with Amras Cruises to provide river cruise vacations to Celebrity’s guests. Amras is the North American-branded arm of Austrian-based Luftner Cruises, which operates a fleet of 12 ships within Europe, almost all of which begin with the prefix, Amadeus.

Celebrity Cruises, typically known for their oceangoing voyages and large cruise ships, will branch out into river cruising next year in conjunction with Amras Cruises. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.
Celebrity Cruises, typically known for its oceangoing voyages and large cruise ships, will branch out into river cruising next year in conjunction with Amras Cruises. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.

“Our guests want to continue seeing more of the world with Celebrity, and we are dedicated to providing them with the most destination-rich vacations,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “By introducing these river-and-ocean cruise packages, travelers can immerse themselves in Europe more so than ever before, with the ease of choosing a vacation package exclusively created by Celebrity.”

All told, Celebrity is offering 11 different river-and-ocean cruise packages for the 2015 season. These explore the Danube, Rhine, Rhone, and Seine River and are then paired with a Celebrity cruise through the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Russia, Turkey, and other destinations only accessible by sea.

Luftner's Amadeus Silver sails the Danube on a very unique voyage this fall. Photo courtesy of Luftner Cruises
Celebrity has partnered with Amras Cruises, better known as Austrian-based Luftner Cruises.  Photo courtesy of Luftner Cruises

These new combination voyages will range in length from 16 to 24 nights, and will include:

  • Seven-night Amras Cruises river cruise, including gourmet dining; select beverages, featuring regional wine and beer; fully guided tours and excursions; Wi-Fi and more.
  • Dedicated Celebrity Cruises Destination Concierge to ensure a seamless and personalized river cruise experience.
  • Flights to a major European city near the ocean cruise port – Rome, Italy; London, England; Barcelona, Spain; Athens, Greece; or Istanbul, Turkey.
  • One- to two-night luxury hotel accommodations before embarking on the ocean cruise
  • Convenient transfers from the airport to the hotel and the ocean cruise port.
  • Celebrity Cruises Classic Beverage Package, including wine and spirits.
Relax and do as the Austrians do in the Vienna Cafe. Photo courtesy of Amadeus Cruises
Relax and do as the Austrians do in the Vienna Cafe aboard Amadeus Silver, one of Amras Cruises’ European-based river cruise ships. Photo courtesy of Luftner Cruises

With Viking River Cruises expanding into ocean cruising for the first time in 2015 with the new Viking Star, it’s likely that more lines may follow suit with other special crossover offers.

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Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
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Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
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Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
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