Tauck Will Resume Tours in Europe and Africa this Summer

Tauck has announced its plans to resume operations in Europe and Africa in stages, beginning with selected departures of its “Iceland” and “Treasures of the Aegean” small ship ocean cruises in June and July.

Also scheduled for July is the restart of the Wilton, CT-based tour operator’s cruises in the Galapagos Islands as well as its Tauck Bridges family adventure in Costa Rica.

Tauck’s guided safaris in eastern and southern Africa will resume in August, as well as its land tours in Spain, France, and Portugal. Tauck will resume its safaris in eastern and southern Africa with the Aug. 2 departure of “Mountain Gorilla Safari: Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda” and the Aug. 4 departures of “Kenya & Tanzania: A Classic Safari” and “South Africa: An Elegant Adventure.”

August will also mark the resumption of Tauck’s European river cruises, with departures sailing on the Rhône and Seine in France and the Douro River in Portugal. Although no firm date has been set, the company said, Tauck plans to restart its cruises on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers–and the bulk of its remaining European land tours–in early fall as border openings permit. 

In all, Tauck operates more than 70 land tours, river cruises, and small ship ocean cruises across Europe, including Tauck Bridges family trips and a number of small group land tours. 

Tauck’s August sailings on the Douro will mark its first-ever journey on the river, as well as the debut of its new ms Andorinha riverboat. The Andorinha will accommodate 84 guests, compared to up to 112 passengers typical on other cruise lines’ Douro ships of the same approximate size.

The ship’s design and décor will reflect the climate and cultural traditions of the Douro River Valley. Amenities include a pop-up restaurant that rises from the stern of the vessel’s Sun (top) Deck on hydraulic lifts to become a fully functioning eatery with commanding views of the surrounding countryside.

As Tauck has already resumed operations in the U.S., “all the hard work and meticulous planning we’ve put into our relaunch in the U.S. has paid off, and we’ve proven conclusively that we can deliver the Tauck-level experience our guests expect while still following all of the necessary safety protocols,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar.

“One thing we’ve learned time and again over our 96 years is that travel denied is really travel deferred.  When people are unable to travel, it only fuels their desire and determination to do so.  And now – with 97% of our guests having been vaccinated – we’re seeing demand come roaring back,” said Mahar, adding that 90% of Tauck’s 2021 U.S. departures are completely sold out. “2022 has the strongest advance bookings of any year in our 96-year history, and April was our strongest booking month since 2007.”