Barrhead Travel reports 31 percent growth in river cruise holidays this year

LONDON (July 28, 2025) – UK travel agent, Barrhead Travel, has introduced an exclusively chartered river cruise to its holiday offering in response to the surging demand in river cruises.

With river cruise holidays up 38 percent in 2024 and up 31 percent so far this year, the travel agency is now offering holidaymakers the chance to book onto a luxury river cruise through Europe with award-winning operator APT.

The eight-day trip journeys through some of Europe’s most iconic river cities and towns, including Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Munich to name a few.

APT cruise ships are known for their luxurious, modern and customer-focused experiences, suitable for all ages. With many holidaymakers eager to combine destination exploration with curated excursions, Barrhead Travel’s latest cruise option has been designed to meet that growing interest.

Guests can expect the support of Barrhead Travel hosts on board as well as a dedicated onboard cruise team for any requests or guidance during their trip.

The APT Travelmarvel cruise package includes everything from return flights from any UK airport, overseas transfers, daily excursions throughout the cruise as well as onboard meal and drinks packages (beer, wines, spirits and soft drinks).

Meet and greet service at regional airports, welcome drinks reception, top deck BBQ, and a special illuminations cruise are amongst some of the highlights specially organised by Barrhead Travel.

Barrhead Travel reported its best ever year for cruise bookings in 2024, with river cruise one of the fastest growing products. The most popular river itineraries include the Danube, the Rhine and the Douro in Europe while further afield, the Mekong and the Nile are increasing in popularity.

Nicki Tempest Mitchell Managing Director at Barrhead Travel said

“Cruise holidays have been on the rise for the last decade but the last couple of years have seen a significant surge in demand for river cruising.

“River cruising offers a totally different experience – you sail right into the heart of a destination, getting to see the sights and scenery winding by from the comfort of your cabin. In Europe, river cruising is one of the most efficient ways to city-hop: unpacking only once and often arriving straight into the middle of the city.

“With the growth in demand, it was the perfect opportunity to charter our own ship in partnership with our friends at APT. We’re excited to bring this high-quality cruise to the market, just for our customers, and have worked hard to curate a stunning itinerary at our favourite ports of call.”

Barrhead Travel’s exclusive river cruise will depart on 25^th August 2026. Prices start from £2195pp.

Barrhead Travel’s retail network is open seven days a week until late as well as offering evening support through their online service, call centres and social media channels.

Find your nearest Barrhead Travel store by visiting https://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/storelocator 

About Barrhead Travel
Since it was founded in 1975, Barrhead Travel has expanded from a traditional ‘bucket and spade’ travel agent to a multi-faceted travel group offering bespoke holidays and cruises to all corners of the globe.

In addition to its retail network which spans over 90 locations across the UK, the group has a number of specialist divisions including Touring & Adventure, cruise and USA.

With a focus on people development, it operates its own in-house Training Academy which provides comprehensive training programmes for its colleagues. The group is an advocate for youth employment and operates its own Modern Apprenticeship programme.

The company has won many awards over the years, the most recent including Best Travel Agency in Scotland for 24 years running and Best UK Cruise Retail Agent. For the last two years, it has also been named as one of the Best Companies to work for.

Barrhead Travel sits within The Vacation Group division of Internova Travel Group.