Arosa Cruises

AROSA Cruises (officially A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH, translated "A-Rosa River Ship") is a German company operating passenger riverboats on Main, Rhine, Danube, Rhone, Saone and Moselle itineraries.

Company history and changes

A-ROSA Cruises (a-rosa.de/en) is a Rostock Germany-based company. As river cruise line brand, "A-Rosa" is currently owned (since 2018) by the UK-based Duke Street Capital (headquartered in London England). The brand was previously owned by Atlantis International Ltd (Florida-based US travel company, also specializing in maritime services - surveying, risk consulting, average adjusting, claims management, cargo recovery). Its last owner (until 2018) was Waterland Private Equity LLP (Manchester-based investment group).

The company was founded in 2000 as a P&O Princess Cruises subsidiary to serve the German market. Alongside sister line AIDA, A-ROSA Cruises reflected AIDA's unfussy sensibility with less-structured dining, relaxed dress codes, and active onboard experience.

Arosa cruise company's operations started with three ships - Blu, Bella, and Donna. Following the 2013 merger between P&O and Carnival Corp, A-ROSA was sold off to the private company A-ROSA Flussschif (run by Lars Clasen, who created the A-ROSA brand). In 2009, Waterland (independent private equity investment group) acquired a majority stake in A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH. In the following years, the cruise company enjoyed significant growth and became the largest and most successful on the German passenger source market.

In January 2018, Waterland Private Equity LLP announced the sale of its interest in A-ROSA River Cruises. Arosa's new (current) owner is the UK-based Duke Street Capital, which acquired the whole company. Duke Street Capital (1988-founded) is a private equity firm investing in middle-market Western European companies. In 2019, Duke Street had ~GBP 2,6 billion total assets, the largest of which are Wagamama (restaurant chain), Gala Bingo (online), ERS-Equity Insurance Group (motor insurances), Burton's Foods (biscuits manufacturer), Esporta Clubs (health and fitness), GettyImages (online free stock media), The Original Factory Shop (department store), Marie Brizard (alcoholic beverages), Payzone UK (consumer payments).

In January 2020, A-ROSA partnered with CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) to expand its operations to the Australia New Zealand market. By CLIA Australasia as a River Marketing Affiliate, A-ROSA access a worldwide-known community of premium cruise companies and top-rated travel agencies from across the region as well as Executive Partners from various cruise travel industry supporting businesses.

On two Rhine voyages on Arosa Sena ship in August 2023 (Aug 5-12 and Aug 12-19) were offered the river cruising industry's first onboard swimming lessons. The program was via partnership with Wasserlust GmbH (swimming schools in Hamburg and Dusseldorf). The onboard lessons were for children (between 4,5 and 7 years of age) and cost EUR 100 per kid. Each course had max capacity 6 participants. Per voyage were offered a total of 6 swimming lessons (duration 40–50 min each) led by a qualified, Wasserlust-certified instructor. After completing the course, the kids received Wasserlust Certificates for Beginner and Intermediate levels.

Fleet's newest vessels are Arosa Alva (2019, on Douro River) and Arosa Sena/Emotion (2022, on Rhine River).

This Europe-based passenger shipping company targets predominantly younger and active travelers. Its riverboats have the industry's largest spas and feature sundeck swimming pools. Onboard wellness facilities deserve special mention, being served by certified massage therapists and trainers and offering latest beauty treatments and large-sized riverview gyms and saunas.

Indoor and outdoor open-seating restaurants emphasize on buffet stations. The food quality equals that found on other luxury vessels, and even the buffet aspect is upscale. The cuisine is mainly Mediterranean, with fresh and healthy choices. All cocktails are cruise price-included.

Staterooms are on 3 decks (as on most large European riverboats) with standard cabins sized 155 ft2 (14 m2). The cheapest are on Lower Deck (deck1) and with porthole windows (2/3 of the way up the riverside walls). Family staterooms are with sofabeds, which is also rare in the river cruise market. Cabins on Decks 2 and 3 are with French balconies and convertible to twins Queen-size beds. Some A-ROSA also have large-sized Suites.

During the day, the heart of each AROSA ship is its Sun Deck/top deck. This is a large outdoor area outfitted with a giant chessboard, shuffleboard, comfortable seating (loungers and deckchairs), shaded seating (retractable awnings). At other times, the bow-located Bar Lounge (indoor) is the prime spot for daily scheduled enrichment activities and live entertainment in the evenings. Most AROSA boats have a swimming pool on their sundecks. The newest bota (Arosa Sena) even has a separate/exclusive pool for kids.

Complimentary bicycles (onboard bikes) can be used on shore excursions (group and individual land tours). Also complimentary are provided Shore Excursions in each of the visited call ports along the cruisetour's route. These offers include also "food and wine" tours, culture-history and leisure (walking/biking tours) led by local professional guides (speaking both German and English).

A-ROSA's deals are also inclusive of airport and land transfers, taxes, onboard tips (gratuities), English-speaking professional staff service. On all Arosa ships, kids up to 15 years of age (including 15-yo) travel free of charge when the cabin is booked "Premium All-Inclusive". The children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. During school holidays, kids enjoy complimentary onboard childcare service (8 am - 9 pm) and supervised fun activities - like pizza baking, treasure hunts, dance parties, trivia quizzes.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Arosa River Cruises suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all boats) canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through early-July 2021.

Operations were planned to resume in 2020 on Rhine River (June 17), Danube River (June 20), French rivers (July 11) and Douro River (October 28). Eventually, all voyages (Douro-Danube-Rhine) scheduled for 2020 were canceled.

AROSA's schedules for 2021 were canceled for the ships Bella (restarted on March 8, 2022), Luna (restarted on March 20), Viva (restarted on March 28).

All affected bookings received full refunds, including on prepurchased through A-ROSA Flusskreuzfahrten packages and services. With rebooking were offered EUR 50 pp in OBC (onboard credit) plus 30% discount on a future cruise booking.

The list operated by Arosa Flussschiff destinations includes Europe's largest rivers Danube and Rhine, also Main and Mosel, and France's Rhone and Saone rivers. Currently, the A-ROSA cruise company owns eleven riverboats operated in Europe exclusively.

Follows the list of all Arosa river cruise ships. Launch years (shown in brackets) allow you to see the fleet's expansion from 2009 onwards (1 new boat per year).

• Arosa Alva (2019)
• A-Rosa Aqua (2009)
• A-Rosa Bella (2002)
• A-Rosa Brava (2011)
• A-Rosa Donna (2002)
• A-Rosa Flora (2014)
• A-Rosa Luna (2005)
• A-Rosa Mia (2003)
• A-Rosa Riva (2004)
• A-Rosa Silva (2012)
• A-Rosa Stella (2005)
• A-Rosa Viva (2010)
• A-Rosa Sena/E-Motion (2022) - new class / 5-deck riverboat with 2 swimming pools (adult and kids)

In 2024 starts the charter deal with Avalon Waterways for multi-year chartering of two boats - Arosa Alea (fka Avalon Affinity) and Arosa Clea (fka Avalon Creativity). Both sisterships are 2009-built and smaller-sized (LOA length 110 m, max passengers 138).

2026 river cruise season

The fleet of 15 vessels operates 60+ distinct itineraries across key European waterways, including the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Seine, Rhone, Saone, and Douro.

Coinciding with ITB Berlin, A-ROSA has released its 2026 Booking Preview, which details the upcoming season’s itineraries, including short cruises, Wine & Gusto sailings, and festive-themed voyages. The Premium All-Inclusive fare remains a core feature, now with greater flexibility under the A-ROSA Premium fare structure. This allows passengers to customize their experience by selecting additional options such as travel arrangements, hotel stays, transfers, excursions, or the Premium Plus beverage package.

While many established routes continue, select itineraries have been refined based on guest feedback. Notably, developments for the 2026 season center on the Danube and Rhine, with an enhanced focus on “Relaxed Cruising” - designed to offer a more immersive and unhurried experience. The popular 9-night Danube Panorama cruise sees a significant increase in departures, operated by A-ROSA FLORA. This itinerary includes extended stops in Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava, as well as calls at Tulln, Linz, and Esztergom. Additionally, Melk and Durnstein, 2 highly requested destinations, are included in various Danube sailings, such as the 4-night Danube Christmas Markets cruise, which are offered by 4 of A-ROSA’s 5 Danube-based vessels.

On the Rhine, 6 A-ROSA ships will operate 30+ distinct itineraries, making it the most diverse cruising region in the fleet. The 7-night northern Rhine sailings feature extended stays in major cities across the Netherlands and Belgium. Among these, the Northern Rhine Experience itinerary includes overnight stops in Antwerp and Nijmegen, alongside visits to Ghent, Rotterdam, and Duisburg. The Rhine Experience Netherlands & Belgium voyage offers an in-depth exploration of Brussels, complemented by contrasting visits to Willemstad and Vlissingen. Meanwhile, the Rhine Experience Ijsselmeer cruise combines coastal fishing villages with a stay in Amsterdam, while the Rhine Experience Amsterdam & Rotterdam is tailored for guests seeking to experience the nightlife of the Dutch capital.

A-ROSA SENA continues its well-established itinerary, featuring an extended evening stay in Amsterdam, with the addition of Nijmegen and Dusseldorf in 2026. Long stops in Rotterdam and an overnight visit to Antwerp remain part of the schedule. A new addition for the season is the 7-night Rhine Wine & Gusto cruise aboard A-ROSA SILVA, commencing on September 25th. This itinerary follows the Rhine’s renowned wine regions, offering onboard vintner menus and curated tastings.

In this section, you'll find all their itineraries/schedules with dates and prices. Additionally, you can track Arosa's riverboats with our VesselFinder map for ship tracking integrated into every page below. This way you'll be able to see where your Arosa ship sails through the year, when and for how much, plus where is the A-Rosa riverboat right now - in real-time!

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All river passenger shipping line companies and their fleets are listed there.