National Geographic-Lindblad Begins European River Cruising
The 120-passenger Transcend Connect launched the company’s first European river itinerary on August 15.
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions began its inaugural European river cruise program on August 15, when Transcend Connect departed on the Holland & Belgium: Medieval History & Scenic Waterways itinerary.
The sailing follows the Rhine and other waterways in Holland and Belgium, with calls including Antwerp and Delft. The itinerary covers the region’s scenery, artistic heritage, Jewish history and culinary offerings.
Built exclusively for charter operations, the 120-passenger Transcend Connect was named at the Den Breejen shipyard in the Netherlands earlier that month.
The company plans to expand the program in September with Rhine Rivers: Castles, Culture & Culinary Delights, also aboard Transcend Connect. That itinerary will travel through the Rhine Gorge and visit Mainz, Frankfurt and Heidelberg in Germany, as well as Strasbourg and Colmar in France’s Alsace region.
A second new-build vessel, Evolve, is scheduled to join the program in 2027. National Geographic-Lindblad describes it as a sister ship to Connect and plans to use it for Christmas market sailings, effectively doubling the co-brand’s river cruise offerings in Europe.