Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, the UK based destinational cruise operator, said it has introduced a European river cruise programme that will run from early April to early November 2018.

The 156 passenger capacity Brabant, 110 metres in length and built in 2006 and which the company will charter, will operate a series of cruises on the Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle – on a total of 30 departures in 2018, on durations ranging from five to 25 nights, complemented by a selection of shore excursions, designed to enhance guests’ experience of the destination.

“Fred. Olsen will be bringing its unique style of ‘destination exploration’ to the river cruise market, with exciting itineraries visiting some of Europe’s most stunning rivers, canals and valleys,” the company said in a statement.

Justin Stanton, Sales and Marketing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “At Fred. Olsen, we specialise in creating a ‘home-from-home’ atmosphere on our ocean cruises, and we are proud to be bringing our many decades of expertise and rich sailing heritage to the river cruise market for the very first time. In fact, the name Brabant harks back to Fred. Olsen’s historic passenger ship of the same name from the 1920s.”