Tauck has celebrated the christening of its newest riverboat, ms Lumiere, during a ceremony in Lyon on 27 March, welcoming 50 guests including Tauck leaders, travel advisors, suppliers, and members of the media.
Purpose-built to expand Tauck’s presence on the Rhone and Seine, ms Lumiere 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 was attended by the ms Lumiere‘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 Rhone River.
“Our past river cruising patrons have played a meaningful role in shaping the evolution of our river cruise fleet,” Tauck CEO Jennifer Tombaugh said. “Celebrating the christening of ms Lumiere is a wonderful milestone, and these new ships allow us to welcome more travellers 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 maximise the connection between guests and the passing landscapes.
The 135m ms Lumiere accommodates a maximum of 130 guests and features twenty-two spacious 300sqft Tauck Suites on the upper Diamond Deck. Slightly smaller, the 125m 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 centre, 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 favourite 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 Rhone. 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 Lumiere and ms Serene represents a significant step forward for our river cruising portfolio,” Tauck president Jeremy Palmer said. “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 Lumiere prepared to host Tauck itineraries along the Rhone River, including journeys such as Savouring 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 Lumiere and ms Serene is part of Tauck’s broader river cruise fleet expansion that increases river cruising capacity by more than 30 per cent compared to 2025. In 2027 the company introduces two additional riverboats designed for the Seine and Portugal’s Douro River.
The new Seine vessel shares the same design philosophy as its sister ship the ms Serene, while the new Douro ship sail alongside sister ship ms Andorinha, incorporating many of the guest-favourite 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.
