Tauck to Launch Two New River Boats in France in 2026
Tauck’s new ships will sail the Rhone River and River Seine.
Photo: Tauck
Tauck will add two river ships to its fleet in spring 2026. Both ships will sail French rivers.
The first of the two ships, which will sail on the Rhone, will be 443 feet long and accommodate 130 guests in 68 cabins. It will have 22 300-square-foot suites on the upper (Diamond) deck, 34 225-square-foot cabins on the middle (Ruby) deck, and 12 180-square-foot cabins on the lower (Emerald) deck.
A slightly smaller (410 feet long) ship will hold up to 125 guests and sail along the River Seine. Accommodations will include 20 300-square-foot suites, 30 225-square-foot cabins, and 12 180-square-foot rooms.
At 180-square-feet, the Category 1 cabins on both newbuild ships will be 20% larger than the Category 1 cabins found on Tauck’s other river ships.
“With our two new riverboats, we’ll continue to prioritize our guests’ comfort and the quality of their onboard experience, rather than following the industry norm of maximizing revenue by maximizing passenger capacity,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. “Other lines’ 135-meter ships carry a full 46% more people than Tauck’s riverboats, and you simply can’t provide the same service or quality of experience with nearly half-again as many guests.”
As with all Tauck ships, all Category 1 cabins on the new ships will have the single supplement waived on every sailing.
The ships, which have not been named yet will be built in Serbia and The Netherlands, respectively.
More details of the ships’ facilities will be revealed at a later date, but Mahar said that “wonderful enhancements are in the works.”
The announcement of the new ships comes as Tauck concludes a record year, including double-digit growth (percentage-wise) over last year’s passenger levels. Demand for Tauck’s 2025 sailings is also up, with pre-season bookings likewise up double-digits year-over-year.
Tauck opened its 2026 river cruises for preliminary bookings earlier this month and clients are able to reserve space on the 2026 itinerary and departure date of their choosing. All guests who book 2026 cruises now will have the opportunity to cancel their bookings, and receive a full refund of their deposits, when pricing and final itinerary details are announced in early 2025.
