Alexandria, VA; June 25, 2026 – The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) today announced several major updates for the 2027 ASTA River Cruise Expo, taking place March 10–14, 2027 in Vienna, Austria. The event is slated to be the largest ASTA River Cruise Expo yet, with expanded participation from leading river cruise brands, more capacity and more ship tours than ever before.
Celebrity River Cruises will return for a second year as Title Sponsor, continuing its collaboration with ASTA as the brand prepares to launch its first river cruise sailings later in 2027. Through special activations and advisor-focused engagement opportunities, Celebrity will showcase the elevated hospitality, design innovation and immersive experiences it plans to bring to Europe’s iconic rivers.
ASTA also announced that Captain Sandy Yawn will serve as the 2027 ASTA River Cruise Expo keynote speaker, sponsored by Tauck. Best known as the first female superyacht captain on Bravo’s hit reality television series Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandy brings more than 30 years of international maritime experience and a powerful story of resilience, leadership and perseverance. Her career has taken her through extraordinary challenges, from breaking barriers in a male-dominated field to surviving a near-fatal accident, cancer, a heart attack, pirates and fires at sea.
Her keynote will draw on her remarkable career at sea and the leadership principles that have guided her through stormy waters. Captain Sandy will share lessons on inspiring a crew, learning from failure, empowering teams to achieve a shared win and knowing when to stay the course or chart a new path.
“The ASTA River Cruise Expo has quickly become one of the most important gatherings in river cruising because it puts advisors directly where they need to be: onboard ships, in conversation with supplier leaders and immersed in the product their clients are asking about,” said Zane Kerby, President and CEO of ASTA. “The growth of this event reflects the momentum we are seeing across the river cruise market and ASTA’s commitment to giving advisors the access, education and relationships they need to turn that momentum into business.”
The 2027 event will be the largest Expo yet and feature at least 14 river cruise brands and a minimum of 18 ships, offering advisors more capacity and ship inspection opportunities than ever before. Century Cruises and Trafalgar River Cruises will also participate for the first time, expanding the lineup of brands represented at the event.
The five-day Expo gives travel advisors the opportunity to experience the best of European river cruising firsthand through immersive education, ship tours, industry networking, onboard meals, a dedicated trade show and organized sightseeing tours in one of Europe’s premier river cruise destination cities. Attendees will gain the latest product knowledge, supplier insights and sales strategies to better serve their clients and grow their business.
Additional details on ship accommodations and post-Expo sailing options will be announced later this summer.
Space is limited. Travel advisors are encouraged to register today to secure their spot at the 2027 ASTA River Cruise Expo.
Tags: ASTA River Cruise Expo Captain Sandy Yawn Zane Kerby, ASTA
