The new Europe river cruise offering from National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions will kick off with two eight-day itineraries along the Rhine aboard newly-built Transcend Connect in April 2026, the cruise line has revealed.
While the new venture was announced last week, further details, along with renders of the 120-guest vessel, were shared overnight by Lindblad Expeditions CEO Natalya Leahy.
The Rhine River: Castles, Culture and Culinary Delights itinerary will sail from Cologne to Basel, stopping at Germany’s Mainz, Frankfurt and Heidelberg to Strasbourg and Colmar in France’s Alsace region. Meanwhile, the Holland and Belgium: Medieval History and Scenic Waterways voyage from Amsterdam to Brussels will call at historic cities such as Antwerp and Delft, and take in the serene Dutch countryside.
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Each voyage will be staffed by one of the brand’s veteran Expedition Leaders, several knowledgeable Field Staff, and at least one National Geographic Expert. Field Staff will guide guests on private tours, exclusive tastings, and “expertly curated” experiences. “We’re delighted to bring National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ bold new vision of European river expeditions to our guests,” Leahy said. “These new itineraries are crafted with the same pioneering spirit that defines our expeditions around the world, delivering deeply immersive, authentic, and all-inclusive experiences of these destinations.“Guided by veteran expedition leaders and National Geographic experts, enriched by exclusive experiences ashore and aboard a brand-new, state-of-the-art river vessel, these voyages are proof that ‘how you see it matters.’” Launching in 2026, Connect is a brand-new, state-of-the-art European river ship with cutting-edge technology, luxurious amenities and wrap-around “picture” windows. The chartering of the vessel marks a notable expansion of Lindblad Expeditions’ expedition cruise portfolio taking its fleet to 23 owned and chartered mission-built expedition ships operating under the cobrand.
Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.
Each voyage will be staffed by one of the brand’s veteran Expedition Leaders, several knowledgeable Field Staff, and at least one National Geographic Expert. Field Staff will guide guests on private tours, exclusive tastings, and “expertly curated” experiences. “We’re delighted to bring National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ bold new vision of European river expeditions to our guests,” Leahy said. “These new itineraries are crafted with the same pioneering spirit that defines our expeditions around the world, delivering deeply immersive, authentic, and all-inclusive experiences of these destinations.“Guided by veteran expedition leaders and National Geographic experts, enriched by exclusive experiences ashore and aboard a brand-new, state-of-the-art river vessel, these voyages are proof that ‘how you see it matters.’” Launching in 2026, Connect is a brand-new, state-of-the-art European river ship with cutting-edge technology, luxurious amenities and wrap-around “picture” windows. The chartering of the vessel marks a notable expansion of Lindblad Expeditions’ expedition cruise portfolio taking its fleet to 23 owned and chartered mission-built expedition ships operating under the cobrand.
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