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Imagine Cruising branches into river sector with packaged holidays

Imagine Cruising branches into river sector with packaged holidays
UK luxury retailer Imagine Cruising is launching its first range of river cruise holidays for summer 2015. The programme features A-ROSA, Amadeus and Viking River Cruises.

'By applying the successful Imagine "Tailor Made" approach covering every aspect of the holiday, we have created a range of river cruise holidays that offer outstanding value for money,' said Peter Shanks, development director for Imagine Cruising.

With the UK river cruise market estimated at 125,000 customers in 2014, growing by over 20% annually and with 16 new ships being introduced this year, river cruising is rising in popularity.

Imagine Cruising's customer research has led to the development of a 'Tailor Made' programme for 2015 featuring 37 river cruise holidays to the Rhone, Rhine, Danube and Seine rivers.

The research found 70% of ocean cruisers would consider a river cruise and 73% of customers prefer a tailor-made holiday including pre- or post-cruise stays. Prague, Budapest, Paris and Amsterdam are the four most popular destinations, and customers want all aspects of their river cruise holiday taken care of by experts.

Imagine Cruising’s river cruise packages include flights, transfers, four-star city hotel stays and a seven-night full-board river cruise.

Among the choices are Budapest and the Danube, a 10-night programme starting at £1,249 that includes three nights in Budapest and a seven-night Danube cruise with Amadeus. A 10-night Prague and the Danube package, priced from £1,199, pairs three nights in Prague and a 10-night Danube cruise with A-ROSA.

Other options, also 10 nights, include Amsterdam and the Rhine; Frankfurt, Cologne and the Rhine; Lyon and the Rhone and Paris and the Seine.