Tauck has disclosed the names of the 2 new riverboats it would launch next year, and announced that the ships will each be considerably longer than the four sister-ships that currently comprise the company’s fleet. The hot ships, the ms Inspire and ms Savor, will both be 443 feet long, in comparison to Tauck’s existing ships which every measure 361 feet. Despite being 23% longer, the 2 newbuilds will only accommodate 130 guests each, or simply 10% greater than its current ships.
“Our existing riverboats – what we’re now calling our Jewel Class vessels – have already got the bottom passenger-to-ship-length ratio on Europe’s rivers,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. “The two new riverboats – our Inspiration Class vessels – actually raise the bar even higher.”
To illustrate his point, Mahar cited other leading river cruise lines whose premier class ships also are 443 feet long; the similar length as Tauck’s newbuilds. “When our Inspiration Class ships launch next year they’ll each have just 130 guests aboard, whereas other major lines carry as much as 190 guests at the same length ships,” said Mahar. “That’s an extra 46% more passengers aboard ships of exactly the same length. You only can’t deliver a similar relaxed, intimate atmosphere in the event you put nearly 50% more passengers into an analogous space.”
INDUSTRY-LEADING GUIDE-TO-GUEST RATIO
Even though Tauck’s newbuilds may have far fewer guests aboard, the ships will nonetheless be staffed with more service personnel than another river cruise line, in accordance with Mahar. “Each Inspiration Class riverboat can have a Tauck Cruise Director and 3 Tauck Directors aboard to take care of guests’ needs and supply exemplary service,” noted Mahar. “By contrast, other ships carrying way more guests are frequently staffed by only a single cruise director.”
The Tauck Directors may also accompany shore excursions, in accordance with Mahar, where they’ll divide guests into small groups of not more than 25, with each group personally guided by a neighborhood expert. “River cruises offer incredible opportunities for authentic, in-depth explorations of every destination, so we place tremendous emphasis on ensuring that our shore excursions – all of that are included in our cruise prices – are absolutely world-class,” said Mahar. In contrast, noted Mahar, other cruise lines will routinely have groups of 100 or more led by a single local guide.