Why does no departure date appear?

Because our inventory is empty for this ship as of 27 August 2026. Her first cruise under this banner nonetheless took place on 15 August 2026, and eight departures are announced for the year.

Is the ship exclusive to this line?

No. The owner also charters her to other clients, notably in the conference market. The company selling you the trip leases her under a multi-year contract.

She was delivered in 2025 by a Dutch yard. One hundred and thirty-five metres, three decks, sixty cabins, one hundred and twenty travellers. Her first cruise under this banner dates from August 2026.

Should gratuities be budgeted on top of the fare?

No. They are included on only four ships in this fleet, all owned by the line. On the chartered ships, this one among them, they stay on the traveller's account.

Are alcoholic drinks included?

No, not on this ship. She is one of the four the line names as excluded from that inclusion, which applies on all its other ships. It is a gap to budget for.

What sets this ship apart?

A two-level amphitheatre, a wellness area of more than two hundred square metres across three levels, and a modular studio with complete audiovisual equipment. You do not find that elsewhere on a European river.

How many dining venues?

Five: a main restaurant, a bistro, an aft lounge with a full bar, a grill and an upper-deck bar. That is a lot for a river ship of this size.

Does the ship have a lift?

Yes. As on all European river ships, it generally does not serve the sun deck, which stays reachable by stairs alone. That matters for anyone counting on the upper deck.

Does National Geographic organise this trip?

A brand licence agreement, extended to 2040, which now also covers co-branded river cruises. National Geographic does not own the line and operates no ship.

Where does the ship sail?

The Rhine and the canals of Holland and Belgium: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Delft, the Rhine gorges, Germany and France depending on the route chosen.

Is there any traveller feedback?

None so far. She is a new ship, with no yard period and no documented flaw. That can be good news or an unknown: we would rather say so than leave it out.

Is the ship suitable for a traveller with reduced mobility?

No adapted cabin is documented on any ship in this fleet, and the line publishes no accessibility policy. Having a lift is not enough to answer that question.

What should be checked before booking?

The real dates at source, since our inventory is empty, and the exact content of the package: on this ship alcoholic drinks are not included, unlike on most of the others.

Is my money protected if a supplier fails?

In Quebec a licensed agency deposits the sums it receives into a trust account separate from its own funds. The Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents then steps in for the cases set out in law.

Connect

Q: Who owns the ship?

A Dutch river shipowner who presents himself as a charter-only company: he builds and operates ships, then leases them whole to brands and to companies.

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Connect

The Connect is a next-generation European river ship from Lindblad Expeditions, built in 2025 and designed as a premium charter vessel accommodating up to 120 guests. It features cutting-edge technology, luxurious amenities, and wrap-around floor-to-ceiling picture windows offering unobstructed views of the passing landscapes. This modern river ship is specifically designed to sail through iconic destinations in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and beyond, as part of immersive cultural river cruise itineraries. Sustainability and regional connection are central to its concept, delivering a refined and meaningful travel experience that enhances every journey. It is particularly suited to travelers seeking a contemporary, elegant, and immersive European river cruise focused on cultural discovery and upscale comfort.

Itineraries of the Connect

Price and Availability Notice
Prices displayed are provided for informational purposes only. They reflect the rates in effect at the time of their most recent update and are shown in Canadian dollars, per person, based on double occupancy, unless otherwise specified.

Supplier rates, exchange rates, taxes and fees, room or cabin categories, and promotions are subject to change at any time. The applicable price is the one confirmed by a travel advisor at the time of booking, subject to availability. Only the confirmed price shall be considered valid.

It is the traveler's responsibility to confirm the price, inclusions, and applicable terms and conditions before making a reservation. While every effort is made to keep our content up to date, transmission, display, or pricing errors may occur. In such cases, the correct price will be communicated to the traveler before any booking is confirmed. Certain terms, restrictions, and exclusions may apply.

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decks plans

Main Deck

Librairy

Upper Deck

Reception

Sun Deck

Outdoor cinema

Technical specifications

Passengers: 120
Decks: 3
Length: 135 m
Width: 12 m

First cruise on 15 August 2026, and no dates on our side

The Connect belongs to a Dutch river shipowner who presents himself as a charter-only company: he builds and operates ships, then leases them whole to brands and to companies. The company selling you this trip charters her under a multi-year contract. The ship is therefore not exclusive: the same owner also charters her to other clients, notably in the conference market.

Her first cruise under this banner took place on 15 August 2026, twelve days before we measured our inventory. Eight Rhine departures are announced for 2026, and the programme continues into 2027. Our system nonetheless shows no dates: the gap is on our side, not the ship's.

A river ship designed differently

One hundred and thirty-five metres, three decks, 60 cabins, 120 travellers, delivered in 2025 by a Dutch yard. What sets her apart are spaces you do not find elsewhere on a European river: a two-level amphitheatre, a wellness area of more than two hundred square metres across three levels with fitness zones, a yoga studio and a sauna with a full-height window, and a modular studio of around one hundred and twenty square metres with complete audiovisual equipment. Five distinct dining venues, including a bistro, an aft lounge with a full bar and a grill on the upper deck. A lift.

The announced route covers the Rhine and the canals of Holland and Belgium, with Amsterdam, Antwerp and Delft, the Rhine gorges, Germany and France. Alcoholic drinks are not included on this ship.

Finally, a common-sense reservation: she is a new ship. No traveller feedback, no yard period, no documented flaw. That can be good news or an unknown, and we would rather put it that way.

The other ships in the fleet

The Sea Cloud II is a sea-going sailing ship. The Lord of the Glens sails in Scotland. The National Geographic Explorer and the National Geographic Endurance are polar expedition ships.

An owner's ship, a line's voyage

Let us name things. This hull does not belong to the company selling you the trip. It belongs to a local shipowner and is chartered. The line's own regulatory filing with the securities authority separates its owned ships from its chartered ones.

Practical consequence: the signature features of the owned fleet do not carry over here automatically. Read this ship's page rather than the line's. And know that the owner often sells his own departures in parallel, sometimes at a different capacity from the one the line announces.

On the brand: the National Geographic partnership is a licence agreement, not a link of ownership. The trip is designed and operated by the line, under brand licence.

Leaving from Quebec

The international flight is not included in the fare. Some essential internal flights are, when the itinerary says so. From Montreal, most of these regions need at least one connection, often two, and door-to-door time exceeds what the brochure suggests.

A rule learned the hard way: arrive at least a day before embarkation, two if the time difference is large. On an expedition there is no catching up: the ship has sailed.

We assemble flight, expedition, hotels, transfers and insurance into one file, with the protection of Quebec's compensation fund for travel agency customers. Tell us about the trip before picking the date.