As travellers continue to swap rushed airport dashes for slower, more meaningful journeys, a new trend is gathering pace: Combining luxury cruises with iconic rail adventures.
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Part of the wider slow travel movement, cruise and rail holidays are booming as holidaymakers look to see more of a destination rather than simply pass through it.
These hybrid trips promise the best of both worlds – blending bucket-list rail journeys, immersive land tours and ocean voyages into one seamless escape.
But why are they becoming so popular?
“Travellers increasingly want the journey to be as memorable as the destination,” cruise and travel expert, Kaye Holland, tells Euronews Travel.
“Rail travel offers a slower, more immersive way to experience a region, while cruising provides convenience and the ability to visit multiple destinations in a single trip.
“Together, they appeal to travellers looking for richer experiences without the stress of organising complex itineraries themselves.”
Why choose a cruise and rail journey?
From August this year, travel agent Inspiring Travel is tapping into the slow tourism movement, and is offering a combined trip on the Orient Express Corinthian, the luxury brand’s first ever yacht, and the newly-revamped La Dolce Vita Orient Express train.
Passengers who can afford the hefty price will explore the Adriatic coast and across Italian landscapes, cruising from Dubrovnik to Venice before hopping on the train to Rome, all in utmost luxury.
For those travellers who want to experience a journey but have slightly shallower pockets, travel agency Cruise.co.uk has launched its cruise and rail collection for 2027.
The company is offering six distinct itineraries, all offering scenic train journeys combined with luxury cruising through some stunning landscapes.
Guests will stay in handpicked hotels and can choose from a wide selection of guided excursions.
Cruise.co.uk says it’s a “multi-centre holiday where the transport is a highlight, not just a necessity”, where travellers can see the “interior” of a country – its mountains, lakes and villages – from the train, before seeing its coasts from the deck of a ship.
Taking two forms of transport also means you can see a lot more, as opposed to only seeing a place from above if you opt to fly.
The best cruise-rail journeys
The new Cruise.co.uk itineraries have been planned by the company’s in-house rail specialist, Rob Carroll, and all include seat reservations, overseas transfers, and local city taxes.
Most departures are limited to a maximum of 25 guests, and all packages include return flights and overseas transfers.
Standout trips include a 13-night Western Mediterranean Cruise, which takes passengers on a seven-night cruise on Sun Princess from Barcelona, followed by a five-day escorted tour of northern Italy, including Lake Garda by rail, as well as a boat trip to Sirmione and a train to Venice. This option costs from £2,499 (€2,889) per person.
A 12-night itinerary featuring the Swiss Glacier Express, the Bernina Red Train and Mediterranean cruising is another highlight.
Starting from £2,799 (€3,236) per person, guests will experience an escorted tour on the iconic Bernina Red Train as well as other rail journeys to Zermatt and Rome, and a seven-night cruise on Enchanted Princess, alongside hotel stays across Switzerland and the Italian capital.
There are also routes taking in the Balkans by water and rail, and a 15-night journey which will visit the Rockies, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and several US national parks, before taking in the American west coast by sea.
“They offer a relaxed, rewarding and cost-effective way to travel, with every detail taken care of from start to finish,” says Tony Andrews, Managing Director of Cruise.co.uk.