| A river cruise revolution

RIVER cruise ship design has changed “dramatically” over the last decade, APT Travel Group David Cox has told Cruise Weekly.

“When we entered the European river cruising market 15 years ago, we set out to reinvent what the experience could be, and competition across the category has driven real innovation ever since,” he said, referring to the new expansive cabins and elevated experiences onboard APT’s ships.

“Today, guests expect their ship to feel like a five-star hotel: sleek, light, bright, contemporary and aligned with its destination.”

The cabins on APT’s ships have evolved over time, as the line has worked to maximise cabin space while retaining the balcony experience through windows that open the room to the river.

One of the biggest shift in cruise ship design has been in the creative uses of space, as seen on board APT Solara (pictured) and APT Ostara, featuring distinct dining venues with their own menu and culinary experience, a departure from the single-restaurant model that was previously on ships.

“Wellness is also a major factor that needs to be incorporated into the design and one we’re already moving on,” Cox added.

“The ships of the future will incorporate wellness into the experience itself, through the spaces, the programming and the dining philosophy.”

Meanwhile, Stacey Van Harn, director of Hecker Guthrie, which designed APT’s ships suggested the way that technology will continue to play a significant role in the guest experience.

“In the future, I can envisage a level of personalisation of the guest experience becoming more accessible, [such as] the ability for guests to alter lighting, temperature, and other functionality of their cabins to suit their preferences through in-cabin apps and smart control systems,” she told Cruise Weekly.

“Things like this will start to get more automated as this technology improves and becomes more widely adopted.”

Look out for the CW river cruise special report . JHM