From Europe’s most iconic rivers to the Nile and beyond, the newly available collection is defined by rare access ashore and ships purposefully designed for the destinations they explore
NEW YORK, New York (August 14, 2026) – For the first time in nearly a century, The APT Travel Group is introducing its luxury and premium river cruises to the U.S., marking a defining milestone in the company’s North American expansion. Drawing on a heritage of more than 1,200 annual journeys across 57 countries and seven continents, APT has reimagined the modern river cruise through sophisticated, destination-responsive design and a breadth of exclusive experiences on board and ashore.
“Nearly a century after APT Travel Group began with a single bus in Melbourne, bringing our river cruises to the United States marks an exciting new chapter for our family-owned business,” said Lou Tandy, Family Principal and Director of APT Travel Group. “We’ve always had our own point of view on travel — combining beautiful contemporary design and genuine destination expertise with a distinctly Australian sense of relaxed luxury. It’s less about formality and more about freedom, authenticity and experiencing a destination in a way that feels personal.”
At the forefront are APT Solara and APT Ostara, 154-guest sister ships operated by APT Luxury Travel, the group’s five-star, all-inclusive brand. Designed in collaboration with acclaimed Melbourne architects Hecker Guthrie, the ships bring a refined, relaxed luxury offering, highlighted with six distinct dining venues, the most for any river ship in Europe. Among their signature innovations, the Grüner Bar & Dining rises by hydraulic lift from Deck 3 to the open Sun Deck, transforming into an open-air venue with uninterrupted 360-degree views — a world-first innovation.
Beyond the ship, APT’s 7- or 15-day Magnificent Europe journey between Budapest and Amsterdam offers exclusive experiences reserved only for guests of APT, from morning tea at Namedy Castle hosted by Princess Heide von Hohenzollern to a private evening at Vienna’s City Palace, where cocktails are followed by a full orchestra and operatic performance. These trips provide further exclusivity to guests through a selection of curated cultural, active and culinary inclusions.
The expansion continues along the Nile, where Travelmarvel, the APT Travel Group’s premium touring and cruising brand, is launching its Treasures of Egypt and the Nile tour in September 2026. The itinerary combines a stay in Cairo with a voyage between Luxor and Aswan aboard Travelmarvel Sirius, the brand’s first dedicated Egypt river ship. Fully qualified Egyptologists lead every shore excursion, bringing rich context to the temples, tombs and monuments that trace more than 3,000 years of history.
APT river cruises are now available to book in the United States. To explore the river cruise collection and view The APT Travel Group’s other incredible journeys please visit https://www.aptouring.com/en-us.