Tauck Christens New Riverboats ms Lumière and ms Serene in France

WILTON, CT (March 31, 2026) – Tauck celebrated the christening of its newest riverboat, ms Lumière, during a ceremony in Lyon on March 27, welcoming some 50 guests including Tauck leaders, travel advisors, supplier partners and members of the media. Purpose-built to expand Tauck's presence on the Rhône and Seine, ms Lumière and her sister ship ms Serene incorporate new design elements to enhance the onboard guest experience and connection to the rivers and destinations they explore. A separate, private christening for the ms Serene, took place a couple days later, christened by godmother and Tauck Vice Chair of the Board, Jennie Norman.

The celebration in Lyon was attended by the ms Lumière's co-godmothers, Kristen Mack, Vice President of Tauck Director Operations, and Brenna Shay, Tauck Director Manager, who officially christened the new ship during a ceremony along the Rhône River.

"Our past river cruising patrons have played a meaningful role in shaping the evolution of our river cruise fleet," said Jennifer Tombaugh, CEO of Tauck. "Celebrating the christening of ms Lumière is a wonderful milestone, and these new ships allow us to welcome more travelers to these beautiful rivers while incorporating ideas and insights we've gathered from our guests and teams over the years."

Every detail on the new ships has been designed to create a more seamless connection to destinations beyond the ship. Built to take advantage of the temperate climates and scenic beauty of Europe's wine regions and bucolic rivers, both new ships feature resort-style Sun Decks with swimming pools and full-service bars, striking sky-lit atriums, and panoramic lounges that maximize the connection between guests and the passing landscapes.

The 135-meter ms Lumière accommodates a maximum of 130 guests and features twenty-two spacious 300-square-foot Tauck Suites on the upper Diamond Deck. Slightly smaller, the 125-meter ms Serene, hosts up to 124 guests and offers many of the same design enhancements and expanded public spaces.

During their time aboard, guests enjoyed a preview of several of the ship's new amenity spaces, including The Retreat, an expanded wellness area on the Diamond Deck featuring a fitness center, massage treatment room and lounge space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. The ship's Sun Deck, complete with a swimming pool, full-service bar and shaded day beds, quickly became a favorite gathering spot, while evening cocktails were served at Arthur's, the ship's casual dining venue offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Guests attending the christening festivities also enjoyed a series of experiences leading up to the ceremony, including a special guided exploration of Lyon and time aboard the new ship to experience its design and amenities firsthand. Celebrations continued onboard with special events including a celebratory sail-away gathering along the Rhône. Later, guests sailing aboard ms Serene on the Seine enjoyed an evening departure from Paris, with the Eiffel Tower illuminated against the night sky.  

"The addition of ms Lumière and ms Serene represents a significant step forward for our river cruising portfolio," said Jeremy Palmer, President of Tauck. "Demand for France continues to be exceptionally strong, and these ships allow us to expand our presence on these rivers while welcoming more guests in the years ahead."

Following her christening, the ms Lumière prepared to host Tauck itineraries along the Rhône River, including journeys such as Savoring France: Paris, Lyon & Provence. The ms Serene operates along the River Seine on itineraries including Family Fun Along the Seine: Paris to Normandy and the new for 2026 Bordeaux, Paris & the Seine.

The addition of ms Lumière and ms Serene is part of Tauck's broader river cruise fleet expansion that will increase river cruising capacity by more than 30% compared to 2025. In 2027 the company will introduce two additional riverboats designed for the Seine and Portugal's Douro River. The new Seine vessel will share the same design philosophy as its sister ship the ms Serene, while the new Douro ship will sail alongside sister ship ms Andorinha, incorporating many of the guest-favorite features that have defined Tauck's river cruise experience on that river. This four-vessel expansion over two years represents the highest volume increase in Tauck's river cruising history.

About Tauck: Founded in 1925, Tauck has been family owned for four generations. The company is a world leader in upscale guided travel, with more than 170 land tours, safaris, river cruises, small ship ocean cruises and family travel adventures to 65+ countries and all seven continents. Tauck was named "Best Tour Operator" in Virtuoso's 2025 Global Awards, and in each of the last 28 years, has been honored in Travel + Leisure magazine's annual "World's Best Awards," and has been named to the Best River Cruise Lines list by Condé Nast Traveler for 13 consecutive years.  

Those interested in more information can contact their local travel professional, call Tauck at 800 468 2825, or visit the company's website at www.tauck.com (www.tauck.ca in Canada, www.tauck.co.uk in the UK, www.tauck.com.au in Australia/New Zealand).

- end -

PLEASE NOTE: Supporting images are available for download here.