A-ROSA has confirmed more details of its first river cruises due to start next month. 

The first trip on the Douro in Portugal will depart on 16 June with weekly sailings on its seven-night ‘Douro Experience’ itinerary, travelling from Porto through the Alto Douro wine-growing valley to the Spanish border and back. 

Cruises on the Danube will start on 19 June, sailing a seven-night ‘Danube Classic’ itinerary. Cruises on the Rhine will resume on 27 June with two different options available – one sailing the southern Rhine from Cologne to Basel and back and one combining the Rhine and the Moselle rivers. 

Cruises in France are set to resume in July and the restart date will be announced shortly, said A-ROSA. It said it is monitoring the developments in all the areas it sails and plans to gradually return more ships into service. 

Currently Germany as banned all but essential travel from the UK and France has imposed a seven-day quarantine on UK arrivals from Monday.

A-ROSA says customers who have been fully vaccinated and those who have recently recovered from COVID will not be required to undertake any testing.

However, all other guests will be required to show proof of a negative PCR test or a rapid antigen test on arrival at the ship. In addition, these guests will be tested, free of charge, using a rapid antigen test before boarding and regularly during the trip. 

The cruise line says that, having successfully operated river cruises for five months in 2020, it has proved it is possible to sail safely. It adds that it will continue to offer buffet dining and spa treatments onboard, its sauna, pool and whirlpool will be open and it offers a range of shore excursions.