A travel advisor’s education can come in many forms. But not many conferences promote agent learning by directly “engaging all the senses.”
So says Laura DeVeiga, director of agency development at WorldVia Travel Network, who attended the American Society of Travel Advisors' (ASTA) fourth River Cruise Expo last week on behalf of the host agency.
In an event that continues to break its own attendance records, the 2025 River Cruise Expo welcomed 1,665 attendees to Vienna, Austria, this year. Seventeen ships from nine lines docked along the Danube River for the event. (The first iteration of the expo, in 2022, welcomed just 500 advisors to Budapest.)
“There is something truly remarkable about the approach ASTA takes with this event,” DeVeiga said. “It is an immersive experience unlike any other. Even the most seasoned travel advisors, who have a deep understanding of the industry, rarely have the opportunity to fully engage their senses — touching, feeling, tasting and truly experiencing these ships firsthand. Having them all together in one place for direct comparison creates an unparalleled, hands-on learning experience for advisors.”
The event’s massive growth is due, in part, to this all-hands-on-deck approach to education. The ASTA group made a whopping 11,900 meal reservations onboard the ships over the course of the event, and reserved 10,200 on-ship education sessions on a variety of topics, from refining sales strategies to optimizing content on social media and training for interactions with the media.
In addition, a general session, taking place at Vienna Congress and Convention Center, featured two new components this year: a consumer media roundtable moderated by Travel Weekly’s Arnie Weissmann, and a fireside chat with two river cruising icons — Viking’s Tor Hagen and AmaWaterways’ Rudi Schreiner — moderated by Jackie Friedman, chair of the board of directors with ASTA. A one-day tradeshow also featured more than 100 travel suppliers.
“I was surprised there were 1,600 [attendees], because the venue maintains an intimate feel, especially during interactions with river cruise lines and the classes offered,” said Kelly Ireland, first-time attendee and travel advisor/owner of My Aqua Breeze Vacation. “The opportunity to connect directly with top executives from the river cruise lines is invaluable."
At last year’s event, 23% of attendees hadn’t yet sold a river cruise, said Zane Kerby, President and CEO of ASTA, who mentioned that he would still like the event to grow slightly (both in attendees and ships/partners) for the 2026 installment in Amsterdam (taking place March 15-26). This year’s general admission to this year's event began at $899 per advisor (exclusive of flights and ship accommodations); next year’s registration is currently open and begins at a rate of $999 for general admission.
The general session included presentations from the river cruise lines in attendance (pictured here is AmaWaterways’ co-founder, Kristin Karst)
Credit: 2025 ASTAA Crash Course in River Cruises
The Expo, if done right, should equate to “two years of education in four days,” according to Alex Pinelo, chief sales officer for AmaWaterways.
But part of that includes having an ironclad strategy before even setting foot at the convention center, said Stacey Kerstner, member development director for Virtuoso, who was a first-time attendee of the Expo and who stayed onboard her first river cruise ship this week, the S.S. Maria Theresa from Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
“Travel advisors should attend with a solid strategy in mind that’s focused on their clients,” Kerstner said. “It’s the perfect opportunity to gather valuable insights and experiences that can be brought back, shared through photos, and used as a powerful follow-up tool to connect with current and future clients."
And Ireland said that her years selling ocean cruises taught her that “nothing compares to firsthand experience.”
While online information and brochures are helpful, they can't replace the understanding that comes with personally experiencing it — what it feels like to be on that ship, in that cabin or in the dining room. I need to feel it.
“While online information and brochures are helpful, they can't replace the understanding that comes with personally experiencing it — what it feels like to be on that ship, in that cabin or in the dining room,” she said. “I need to feel it.”
And one ship does not fit all, she added.
“Interacting directly with the crew, witnessing the ships in action and taking in the decor allowed me to truly grasp each brand's unique offerings,” she said. “This knowledge is invaluable because it enables me to match my clients with the cruise brands and experiences that best suit their needs and preferences. It's an opportunity to personalize my services and ensure my recommendations are on point.”
Trends in River Cruising Today
AmaWaterways was present with four of its ships, joining Amadeus River Cruises (with one ship), Avalon Waterways (with three ships), Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours and Emerald Cruises (both members of The Scenic Group, with one ship each), Riverside Luxury Cruises, Riviera Travel, Tauck, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises (with one ship each) and Viking (with two ships).
Many cruise executives took to the general session stage to speak on their expansions with new ships and destinations (including AmaWaterways, which is heading to Colombia later this year, and Avalon Waterways, which is soon heading to Bourdeaux, France, for the first time), and touted the various ways they attract new river cruisers, such as sailings dedicated to solo travelers (from Riviera Travel), a focus on luring in younger clientele and families (like Riverside Luxury Cruises and AmaWaterways) or the benefits of booking themed or group sailings.
Other lines spoke to their commitment to travel advisors, including by paying advisor commission early (Avalon Waterways) or offering bonus commission to ASTA Verified Travel Advisors (Amadeus).
Viking’s chairman and CEO, Tor Hagen, and AmaWaterways’ co-founder and CEO, Rudi Schreiner, reflected on the evolution of the segment, and said future challenges include how to manage overtourism in port cities, how to give back to local communities the ships visit and how to best navigate issues like changing water levels and booking docking positions as the travel style grows and expands.
