Voyages Jules Verne was founded in 1978 with a single bold idea: to run an overland train journey from London to Beijing and on to Hong Kong. From that pioneering first departure in 1979, the company grew into one of the UK's most distinctive specialist tour operators, with a particular focus on history, art, culture, and wildlife. In 1992, Jules Verne placed the first cruise ship on the River Douro in Portugal – an early sign of the river cruise expertise the company would build over the following decades. Now operating as Jules Verne (part of the DERTOUR group), the company offers one of the largest and most varied small-ship cruise programmes available to British travellers.
Jules Verne's river and coastal cruise collection spans some of the world's most celebrated waterways. Itineraries range from the Seine in France – where the scenery that inspired the Impressionist painters unfolds along the banks – to the Douro Valley in Portugal, the Adriatic coast of Croatia, the Caledonian Canal in Scotland, and further afield to the Brahmaputra and Hooghly rivers in India, the Nile in Egypt, and the rivers of Sudan. The breadth of the programme sets it apart from mainstream cruise lines, with departures to destinations rarely served by larger operators.
A defining feature of Jules Verne river cruises is the scale of the vessels. In contrast to large ocean liners, river cruise ships rarely accommodate more than 150 guests – many carry significantly fewer – and their shallower drafts allow access to quieter stretches of water that bigger ships cannot reach. Each voyage is accompanied by experienced cruise directors and expert local guides whose depth of knowledge brings each destination to life beyond conventional sightseeing. The company's ethos has always been to select vessels that reflect the character of the route, whether that means a historic steamship, a traditional barge, or a modern expedition vessel.
Jules Verne holidays are fully ATOL- and ABTA-bonded, providing financial protection for customers booking package travel. The company has won multiple travel industry awards over its 40-plus years of operation. Selected departures are available without a single supplement, and early-booking price guarantees have been offered on many itineraries.
Yes. The company now trades as Jules Verne (dropping the Voyages prefix) and continues to operate escorted tours and cruise holidays. It is part of DER Touristik UK, a division of the REWE Group, which took over the Kuoni travel businesses in 2015.
Voyages Jules Verne was founded independently in 1978, then acquired by Kuoni Travel in 1998. When REWE Group purchased Kuoni's tour-operating activities in 2015 through its DER Touristik division, Jules Verne became part of that larger European travel group. The brand and its specialist itineraries have continued under the shortened name Jules Verne.
Yes. Jules Verne is fully ATOL- and ABTA-bonded, meaning customers' money is protected in the event that the company is unable to fulfil their holiday. The ATOL number and full booking conditions are available on the Jules Verne website.
Most river cruise vessels in the Jules Verne programme carry fewer than 150 passengers, and many carry considerably fewer. The company deliberately selects ships whose size and style suit the character of each route, which is why the on-board experience tends to feel more intimate than mainstream ocean cruising.
The programme has included the Seine (France), the Douro (Portugal), the Nile (Egypt and Sudan), the Brahmaputra and Hooghly (India), the Caledonian Canal (Scotland), and the Adriatic coastal waters of Croatia, among others. The itinerary list has varied by season and year.
Yes. The Jules Verne cruise programme has included itineraries featuring Venice, allowing passengers to experience the city's famous lagoon from the water as part of a wider coastal or river journey through the region.
This brochure is part of the Catalink archive and may no longer be available to order. The information above describes Voyages Jules Verne and their river and coastal cruise programme. For current details, visit the company's official website.
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