By
Susan Parker |
Tauck celebrated 100 years as a family-owned company in 2025. Although its river cruise and small- ship businesses are younger – at 20 and 30 years respectively – they are both set to grow, says Tauck’s president Jeremy Palmer. “We are entering Tauck’s second century with a lot of hope for the future. River cruising and small ships are growth areas where we are investing more money.”
The company currently has eight river ships and is adding two newbuilds in both 2026 and 2027. There are also more on the horizon. “We have incredible demand so we are basically doubling capacity across our total business, with the biggest growth on the Seine and the Douro,” says Palmer.
One of the newbuilds debuting in 2026 will be 135 metres in length and cater for 130 guests, while the other will be 125 metres and accommodate 124 passengers. While most river ships are around this length, Tauck prides itself on keeping its passenger numbers 30 per cent lower than its competitors to provide “more space and a more personalised, intimate service,” says Palmer.
The vessels will have some new features, such as a health retreat, a dining concept upfront called Arthurs after the founder, and a sun deck. As with all the river ships, family-run company Scylla is responsible for the building programme and ship and onboard operations. The hulls will be built in Croatia and Serbia, then the vessels will be outfitted in a shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Netherlands.
“We are incredibly blessed to work with Scylla, one of the oldest companies on the rivers,” says Palmer. “The team helps us to custom-design our river boats and because of our full-time charter agreements, we have more input as to what the cabins and spaces will look like. The ships will not only offer an elevated guest experience but also, with Scylla’s leadership, look forward in terms of environmental sustainability.”
The two newbuilds will run on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) wherever there is sufficient supply and on electricity when manoeuvring. There are also plans to retrofit the existing fleet to run on HVO or to retire them. “Our goal is eventually for all the fleet to be there,” explains Palmer.
Tauck’s small-ship charter business is growing too, from about 10-15 groups annually prior to Covid to more than 50 charters in 2026. “One of the nice problems we have is that small ship is the product line that sells out the fastest,” says Palmer. “The big reason for that is our repeat patrons who have travelled with the ship or on land and, for example, want to go to Japan on a cruise. We keep adding vessels because of the demand.”
Ponant is the company’s primary charter partner, but it also works with Silversea Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Metropolitan. “We are continually looking to grow because the demand is there, but only if it is Tauck-type cruising,” says Palmer.
Tauck has been able to move from placing groups onboard to chartering full ships, which gives it the flexibility to put its own stamp onboard and on the itineraries. “Chartering enables us to have more discretion over the sailing, the time in port and more,” explains Palmer. “If going to see the northern lights at Bear Island or adding an extra Norwegian fjord day is important to our guests, we’re willing and able to do so when chartering.”
All itineraries and shore excursions on Tauck’s cruises are designed and run by thee river cruise line
Guests are at the heart of everything at Tauck. “Our product is driven by our guests and this focus is the secret to our success,” says Palmer. “One element of this is that we provide guests with the best way to see the destinations they want to visit.”
All the itineraries and shore excursions are designed and run by Tauck. “We don’t use traditional shore excursion companies when we go to a destination; we have local partners with contacts or our own contacts,” says Palmer. “We try to respect the smaller, off-the-beaten-track destinations we visit by interacting with the local community and spending time there.”
The personal touch is a vital component of Tauck’s onboard offering. For example, there is one onboard director per 40 guests, a cruise director/ship liaison employee on each sailing, and staff in the reservation centre personally handling every booking. “The more we can provide that human touch in an increasingly artificial intelligence-driven world, the more we can lean into our guests and our communities,” explains Palmer. “As we grow, that connection will become even more authentic and personal, and that is a wonderful thing.”
Discover more insights like this in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.