The River Cruise Line is introducing a new ship for its 2020 season.

The addition of MS Arena marks the first significant expansion since the company was purchased by Arena Travel in early 2017.

The River Cruise Line’s MD Steve Goodenough said: “We are very excited to launch the MS Arena for 2020. River cruising continues to grow in popularity and we have seen our offering go from strength to strength in the last few years. The addition of the new ship will enhance our programme significantly and we look forward to offering our partners the chance to experience it for themselves.”

The ship will be available exclusively to customers of The River Cruise Line and will sail from spring 2020 on the Dutch Waterways, Rhine and Danube, including routes to the Black Sea.

MS Arena is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment. Cabins will include panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, French balconies and flat screen TVs in every room, plus free wifi. The main deck superior and upper deck superior cabins will also have hotel-style beds. 

Several new cruises will be available aboard the MS Arena for 2020, including:

• Treasures along the Rhine & Moselle – a 10-day journey from Amsterdam to Cologne. Prices start from £1,149pp, departing on 9 May 2020
• Historic Cities of the Danube – a six-day cruise visiting Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. Prices start from £695pp, departing on the 1 or 6 October 2020
• Journey along the Danube to the Rhine – a 13-day itinerary beginning in Budapest and travelling westwards via Bratislava and Vienna to Bavaria, before cruising through the Rhine Gorge to Cologne. Prices start from £1,495pp, departing on 16 October 2020