Smithsonian Journeys and AmaWaterways have opened bookings for a 2028 river cruise program with 50 departures spanning 15 itineraries, two new European voyages and three Mekong sailings.

The partners will sell curated, expert-led departures on the Danube, Rhine, Douro, Seine and Rhône, with a single Cambodia-Vietnam itinerary operated three times in 2028. The new eight-day sailings are "Waterways of Holland and Belgium: Timeless Cities, Art and Heritage" (from $3,639 per person, double occupancy) and "Cruising the Rhine and Moselle Rivers" (from $4,759).

What does the 2028 lineup add?

The Low Countries itinerary — set for July 22–29 and Sept. 2–9, 2028 — covers Amsterdam, Bruges, Rotterdam and Antwerp. The Rhine-Moselle program runs three windows: May 31–June 10, Oct. 4–14, and a holiday-timed Dec. 23, 2028–Jan. 2, 2029 departure that gives sellers a Christmas Markets crossover product inside the same sailing series.

How is the rest of the 2028 calendar built?

Eleven returning eight-day cruises gain new 2028 dates alongside the newcomers. Starting rates per person, double occupancy:

• Holland and Belgium in Spring: Tulip Time — $4,439
• Along the Seine: Paris to Normandy — $4,379
• Burgundy and Provence — $4,279
• Upper Danube: Bavaria to Budapest — $3,139 (lowest entry point in the program)
• Lower Danube: Gems of Southeast Europe — $4,429
• Christmas Markets along the Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) — $4,139
• Christmas Markets along the Rhine (Amsterdam to Basel) — $4,239
• The Captivating Rhine: Amsterdam to Basel — $3,439
• Portugal's Douro River Valley — $4,079
• Rhône: Colors of Provence — $4,739
• Taste of Bordeaux — $4,939

Two longer products round out the schedule: the 15-day "Grand Danube" from Germany to Romania (from $7,179) and the 16-day "Along the Mekong: Charms of Vietnam and Cambodia" (from $6,688), with three 2028 dates between January and November.

Why does the joint program keep expanding?

Smithsonian Journeys, the travel arm of the Smithsonian Institution, has built the collection around onboard lectures from Smithsonian Journeys Experts and optional pre- and post-cruise land extensions. The pricing ladder — from $3,139 to $7,179 — gives travel advisors a spread that runs from the shortest eight-day cruises to the 15-day Grand Danube, widening the upsell path within a single brand.

"The continued popularity of our river cruise program reflects travelers' desire for experiences that are both enriching and effortless," said Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president of Smithsonian Journeys. "Our 2028 collection introduces two enriching new itineraries while continuing to offer our most popular journeys throughout Europe and Southeast Asia."

Travel agents can book the full 2028 calendar now through Smithsonian Journeys, with AmaWaterways as the operating line. Holiday-window sailings — Danube and Rhine Christmas Markets, plus the Rhine-Moselle New Year departure — will draw the heaviest demand, since each runs only one or two dates per season. For advisors selling river cruises to cultural travelers, opening 2028 inventory a year ahead of sail date should support stronger group-buying leverage and better cabin selection than last-minute 2027 bookings now allow.