Tauck has announced that it will introduce two new riverboats in France for spring 2026. The vessels will navigate the Rhone and Seine rivers following their construction in Serbia and the Netherlands, and their names based on more than 1,000 ideas submitted by Tauck guests, employees and travel advisors.
Editor’s note: This article will be updated as more details are revealed. It was last updated on March 5, 2025.
Sailing on the Rhone with be MS Lumiere. The riverboat will measure 135 meters (about 443 feet) in length and accommodate 130 guests in 68 cabins. Of these cabins, 22 will be 300-square-foot suites, 34 will be 225-square-foot staterooms and 12 will be 180 square feet.
The Seine riverboat, MS Serene, will be slightly smaller at 125 meters long for 124 guests. The respective suite and stateroom count will be 20, 30 and 12. On both ships, the smallest 180-square-feet Category 1 cabins will be 20% larger than those on Tauck’s other vessels, and they will continue to cater to solo travelers by waiving all single supplements.
Renderings of Category 5 suites (sized at 300 square feet) show dual French balconies, a seating area and a king-size bed oriented towards passing vistas. Additional amenities will extend to guests in 225-square-foot cabins.
A rendering of a Category 5 suite
Credit: 2025 Tauck“The name Serene is perfect for our new ship on the Seine, bringing to mind tranquility and rejuvenation,” said Jennifer Tombaugh, CEO of Tauck. “The River Seine itself is a gently flowing, meandering river that evokes a spirit of calm and escape that was captured beautifully in paintings of the waterway by the region’s Impressionist artists, including Monet and Renoir.”
And the moniker Lumiere evokes images of light, inspiration and discovery according to Tombaugh, who added that the Rhone is a swifter and more lively waterway, “akin to a spark of inspiration." Lyon's annual Festival Lumiere mirrors the vessel's name.
The riverboats will continue Tauck’s existing formula while also unveiling reimagined spaces. Details regarding their restaurants, lounges, spas, gym facilities and sun decks begin with a pool, bar, shaded day beds and four-top alfresco dining tables at the latter.
A rendering of the new sun deck and pool
Credit: 2025 TauckThe line has also announced an expanded Retreat wellness area lined with floor-to-ceiling windows and featuring a fitness center, massage room and lounge space with a coffee, juice and snack bar.
“With our two new riverboats, we’ll continue to prioritize our guests’ comfort and the quality of their onboard experience, rather than following the industry norm of maximizing revenue by maximizing passenger capacity,” said Dan Mahar, CEO of Tauck. “Other lines’ 135-meter ships carry a full 46% more people than Tauck’s riverboats, and you simply can’t provide the same service or quality of experience with nearly half-again as many guests.”
As a result, the new vessels will tout more spacious cabins, 80% of which will be 225 square feet or larger, as well as less crowded public venues. Both will be overseen by a dedicated Tauck Cruise Director and up to three Tauck Director guides. Bundled into all-inclusive fares will be all shore excursions, gratuities, onboard drinks (encompassing wine, beer and spirits), airport transfers, taxes, fees and more.
“We’ve been listening carefully to what our guests have been saying, and to feedback from the Tauck Cruise Directors and Tauck Director guides who work onboard our riverboats, and we’re reimagining our public spaces with some fresh and fun innovations,” Mahar said. He further teased that there are more enhancements on their way, and the company looks forward to sharing them in the months ahead.
Available itineraries include a new 11-day “Bordeaux, Paris & the Seine” trip onboard Serene, in addition to the line's regular “Family Fun Along the Seine: Paris to Normandy” route. The inaugural sailing will include a seven-night Seine itinerary and a three-night extension in Bordeaux and Saint Emilion.
Tauck reported a record sales year in 2024, amounting to double-digit percentage growth over the previous year’s passenger levels. What’s more, demand for the line’s 2025 voyages is strong, as pre-season reservations have also increased by double digits year-over-year, and 2026 cruises are already open to book.
