APT Adds Rigel and Nile Ship Ahead of 2027 Centenary

APT Travel Group will enter its centenary year in 2027 with four ships on the Rhine, Main and Danube, a fleet scale its European management says it has never had before. The Rigel departed Amsterdam on her inaugural sailing on June 30, 2026, joining Travelmarvel sisters the Polaris, the Capella and the Vega.

"The Rigel gives us scale and confidence we did not have before," Paul Melinis, managing director for the U.K. and Europe at APT Luxury and Travelmarvel, told Cruise Industry News for the 2027 European River Market Report. "Four ships on the Rhine, Main and Danube means we can react quicker to demand."

Where does the fleet stand now?

The upstream APT Luxury brand operates the Solara and the Ostara, both launched in 2025. Each carries 154 passengers and comes with hydraulic bar lifts between decks plus multiple dining venues. The economy-plus Travelmarvel tier runs the four-ship European fleet.

Melinis says the expanded tonnage has strengthened APT's position in the U.K. and Ireland, now its most important growth market alongside the Australian and New Zealand base. Demand across the two islands for 2027 is, in his word, very strong.

Pricing sits at the heart of the pitch. "We are at the top of the deck when it comes to affordable luxury and I'm really proud to say that we have managed to really get that price point right," Melinis said.

Why return to the Nile?

Beyond Europe, the 124-passenger Travelmarvel Sirius debuted on the Nile in September 2026, marking APT's first Nile cruising in more than a decade. The ship sails seven-night round trips from Luxor, with an Abu Simbel visit by private charter flight folded into the fare.

"It's not a case of us adding ships just for the sake of it. Egypt is a destination with genuine long-term appeal," Melinis said. One ship on a resurgent river, in other words, is a bet on destination demand rather than fleet arithmetic.

What keeps repeat guests booking?

The company, which started with a single converted truck in Melbourne in 1927, leans on service as its differentiator. APT's research among repeat guests found customer service ranked as the most important factor in choosing a river cruise line, with food second. Nearly 60 percent of repeat guests take at least one river cruise per year — a retention rate most tour operators would trade a fleet for.

Is overcapacity a risk?

Melinis is relaxed about new competition entering the market. "When big companies are investing so heavily, it just validates the strength of our market," he said. "We are a family and we are very disciplined. We don't need or want to have to chase scale like some because our philosophy has always been that we chase quality."

He stays watchful on infrastructure limits, though. "There are, of course, limits to docking and lock infrastructure," Melinis said. "But the key is to protect your inventory, protect your value and protect the overall guest experience."

For sellers of river product, the read is straightforward: a family-owned operator holding price and inventory discipline into its hundredth year, with two growth markets and a second continent now in play.