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APT River Cruises vs Travelmarvel River Cruises
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of APT River Cruises and Travelmarvel River Cruises.The Low Down
Initially providing coach touring around Australia and NZ to the local market, APT have grown exponentially over the last decade to now offer trips around the world, and are well known for their European river cruises. Over the last few years APT have introduced small ship expeditions that cruise the waters through Asia, Europe, Canada and off the coast of Kimberley. Catering primarily for the retired market, their trips aren't cheap, but in APT's case - you get what you pay for. Look out for their great Fly Free offers, and Earlybird Savings. The team here at Global Journeys have travelled multiple times by coach, cruise & river with APT, and we definitely recommend them as a quality, consistent, reliable Operator, and our past client reviews back that up.
Travelmarvel, is the sister brand of APT. Positioned as a premium Operator, but a step down from APT with regards to pricing, inclusions and the age of it's river ships. After a few years Travelmarvel will inherit APT's ships as newer ones are built. Travelmarvel & APT share the same past passenger Rewards Scheme, and many of our clients like prefer to spend a little less, knowing they are still backed by one of Australasia's premier river cruise operators. As Platinum Partners of APT & Travelmarvel, our consulting team have an in-depth knowledge and have personally experienced travelling with Travelmarvel and would relish the opportunity to help organise your next river cruise. Stats
No. of Trips
37
No. of Departures
444
Avg. Trip Length
15 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$720
Fleet Size
8 Ships
Known For
Aussie Specialist
Ship Styles
River Cruises
No. of Trips
73
No. of Departures
829
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$531
Fleet Size
10 Ships
Known For
Contemporary Cruises
Ship Styles
River Cruises
In Their Own Words
We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Life-enriching, relaxing and unique – an APT river cruise is the ultimate holiday experience. Discover unforgettable destinations as you travel in total comfort and style. From Europe to Africa and the mighty Mekong River, APT has a diverse range of river cruises, and you’ll wake up most mornings in a new location, ready to explore fresh and exciting sights. Timeless luxury, exclusive experiences, life enriching moments and true personalisation. APT offers all-inclusive holidays so everything is taken care of. We invite you to join us; you won’t be disappointed.
Make the most of Europe’s waterways on Travelmarvel’s three new European river ships: Polaris, Capella and Vega. Combining state-of-the-art design with more dining options and social spaces, the contemporary-class ships will offer a relaxed new standard of cruise.
Or perhaps a river cruise on the life-giving Ganges or Mekong to get to the heart of these colourful and spiritual nations. Experience life in their small villages, whose communities have much to teach us about their local culture and customs.
Recent Reviews
4.7
The River Cruise we looked forward to with much anticipation but did not deliver. 0
Magnificent Europe
Joanne and Mark, VIC, Australia, Jul 2026
We were so excited about this cruise through beautiful scenery and we were looking forward to slowing down and relaxing on deck with a cocktail or two but this was not the case. We were notified the night before boarding that we would not be boarding the ship we had paid for, but instead another ship for the next two days. This happened four times due read more to low river levels and each time we had to be up early and cases packed ready to move on again. It was tiring and we never really got time to enjoy services on ship. We could not have washing done because we were on the move which was a problem for us because we were away for almost five weeks.
The four days we got to experience the Solara were enjoyable. The staff and cuisine on ship amazing and it would have been delightful to be able to sit up on deck and enjoy the scenery but this only happened twice because they closed off the top deck! Our cruise director Evelin did everything she could to make the cruise enjoyable under the circumstances we were experiencing. I personally would not advise cruising the Danube during the summer season , its not worth the money invested.
The four days we got to experience the Solara were enjoyable. The staff and cuisine on ship amazing and it would have been delightful to be able to sit up on deck and enjoy the scenery but this only happened twice because they closed off the top deck! Our cruise director Evelin did everything she could to make the cruise enjoyable under the circumstances we were experiencing. I personally would not advise cruising the Danube during the summer season , its not worth the money invested.
Thanks APT for supporting us navigate the difficulties caused by the outbreak of war in the middle east.We were able to change our flights and undertake our planned trip from Budapest to Amsterdam. Special thanks to Global Journeys staff for their guidance and patient reassurance. The cruise was all we had hoped for and the ship, staff, meals and organisation read more were excellent. We met a diverse range of fellow travelers whose company we enjoyed. We would have no hesitation in recommending APT to others.
All I can say is WOW and what a wonderful experience my husband and I had on our 15 day APT River cruise that departed from Amsterdam on Friday 29th August 2025 and finished in Budapest. We traveled on the APT Solara and the service from both the bar and restaurant staff was first class and the food was always exceptional. All APT staff on board The read more Solara are to be commended for their exceptional service. We would like to also make a special mention of our fantastic Cruise Director Navena Robertova who went above and beyond to make sure all passengers had a great time both on board the boat and during our excursions which were fantastic. We met many wonderful people on this cruise which was so much fun. This APT European cruise was flawless and we recommend it to anyone who may be considering a river cruise.
We had a brilliant cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam on the new APT ship Ostara. The Global Journeys team of Grace, Hannah, Tracey & Georgie did an amazing job of booking the river cruise with APT and ironing out a few problems with accommodation. Once on our way, everything worked seamlessly, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise; great ship, crew, read more food, wine & a great selection of tours. Minor hiccup was the ship swop because of low water in the rivers, but even this was handled very well, and we ended up getting on the sister ship Solara! No problem at all. A big shout out for the cruise director Anya, who was absolutely brilliant. All in all, a fantastic trip, professionally organised by Global Journeys. Thanks again, Greg & Kerry.
Unreal Prague To Paris 0
Magnificent Europe - Prague to Paris
Des & Jeanette , NSW, Australia, Aug 2025
What a fabulous trip and experience! Everyday the scenery was breathtaking and the guides were a wealth of knowledge enlightening us in each city & towns as we explored them. The extra tours and options were fantastic as were the many little extras provided. Both Ships were amazing even with a changeover due to low water. Our journey planning was easy read more thanks to Tracey from Global Journeys being very efficient with attention to detail. We look forward to our next adventure.
Beautiful new boat APT Solara. The food the staff and the unlimited drinks all excellent. Multiple Restaurants but dining at 3 is by invitation only. The Captains Table is excellent but the Bistro offers the widest choice and the most flexible seatings si it was preferred by many by the end if the trip. Excellent BBQ on the top deck for a couple of read more lunches. Some shade upstairs but not alot especially if the boat is sailing. Owners suite fabulous - so many inclusions and amazing views of the river. Thanks Tracey for pulling it all together and getting us a great price.
4.7
The Duoro Valley was spectacular but the actual cruise felt like a coach trip where we used the Travelmarvel Estrela more as a hotel. Of course there was cruising and we passed through some impressive locks, but often excursions would bus us to a winery while the ship continued along the river, returning us to meet it at a different location. Consequently read more I felt that I missed out on a lot of the relaxing river cruising I was looking forward to. The Estrela was quite a new ship, but not very well designed. The bathrooms were minute as was the pool on the sundeck. The dining room and lounge with their very low ceilings need much better sound damping. It was a pleasant trip but did not live up to my expectations. Hannah Perry at Global Journeys handled our booking very well and was always available to answer queries.
A wonderful holiday despite difficult circumstances 0
European Gems
Peter and Ruth, NSW, Australia, Jul 2026
We planned and booked this holiday over 12 months ago and were impressed by the quality of service provided by Tracey Standing at Global Journeys. Nothing was too much trouble even when a small war started on our route to Europe threatening to prevent our getting there. Tracey was able to book us alternate flights, taking us around the world the other read more way (via Canada), as a contingency plan then was able to get our money back when we didn't actually need them.
The Travelmarvel cruise was an excellent product too. Their staff were all highly skilled and very effective at working around difficult circumstances. Due to low water levels in the Rhine/Danube river system we were unable to make the full journey on a single ship and ended up traveling on four different ships with buses shuttling us between navigable portions of the rivers. In many ways we probably managed to see more of Europe than we would normally see just from the river. Through the efforts of our Cruise Director Bernadett we covered every one of the locations we were booked to see and there was a sound clear plan and effective control measures every time we had to relocate. (With over 150 passengers that adds up to a lot of cats to herd). I would go on a similar Global Journeys/Travelmarvel trip again in a heartbeat without any concerns about what fate throws at us. (I might wait until it rains again in Europe though.)
The Travelmarvel cruise was an excellent product too. Their staff were all highly skilled and very effective at working around difficult circumstances. Due to low water levels in the Rhine/Danube river system we were unable to make the full journey on a single ship and ended up traveling on four different ships with buses shuttling us between navigable portions of the rivers. In many ways we probably managed to see more of Europe than we would normally see just from the river. Through the efforts of our Cruise Director Bernadett we covered every one of the locations we were booked to see and there was a sound clear plan and effective control measures every time we had to relocate. (With over 150 passengers that adds up to a lot of cats to herd). I would go on a similar Global Journeys/Travelmarvel trip again in a heartbeat without any concerns about what fate throws at us. (I might wait until it rains again in Europe though.)
Our river cruise was incident-free, well organised, and attention to detail could not be faulted. For our age group, it was paced, and every request was attended to with professionalism. The ship was clean and comfortable, and the meals were well presented with a good choice. We did enjoy the friendly atmosphere created by the ship's crew.
I recommend this cruise. The service and food were excellent. The journey was beautiful and the tours inland through the mountains were well worth doing.
Tracey was outstanding, always available, answered our many detailed questions and worries, promptly and really cared about us. TM was terrific, we would like to have had a detailed dynamic map on the screen in the cabin, so we knew exactly where we were at any moment. We missed the Iron Gates which we were disappointed about due to water level issues. read more Yes would book again, but never a 'non definite departure 'again.
Great Food, Great Service...but 0
Lisbon with Douro Discovery
Rosemary and Neil, NSW, Australia, Apr 2026
We were very impressed with both the food and the service given on the ship. There was a great range of food and it was always served with a smile. The cabin, though understandably small, was well maintained and there was plenty of room for storage with cases tucked away under the bed. The evening entertainments were enjoyable and well chosen. However, read more when we arrived on board and were directed to our cabin, we received no information regarding what happened next. All there was, was a piece of paper from the Travelmarvel CEO and a safety video being shown on the cabin TV. It was up to us to go out and ask to actually find out that the daily schedule was posted near the tour desk and that it could be accessed eventually through the TV. We understand that saving paper is important but a brief “How to” on the back of the CEO’s welcome would have easily solved our confusion.
The guided tours and accompanying guides were generally good and we enjoyed them, but often it was quite a lengthy trip away on a bus. We figured we could have simply done a bus tour! We usually found that, where the ship docked, there was little or nothing to do if you didn’t take the excursion. At times, as well, we felt the Tour Director on the boat was too verbose. Simple, straightforward explanations and directions would be been better, especially as over half of the passengers were of an age that complicated explanations meant important information was either not understood or was forgotten. So, if you just wanted a few calm days on a boat with great food and service, it was fine.
The guided tours and accompanying guides were generally good and we enjoyed them, but often it was quite a lengthy trip away on a bus. We figured we could have simply done a bus tour! We usually found that, where the ship docked, there was little or nothing to do if you didn’t take the excursion. At times, as well, we felt the Tour Director on the boat was too verbose. Simple, straightforward explanations and directions would be been better, especially as over half of the passengers were of an age that complicated explanations meant important information was either not understood or was forgotten. So, if you just wanted a few calm days on a boat with great food and service, it was fine.
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