Europe is the global hub of the booming river cruise industry. Each year, new luxury vessels join the waterways, offering passengers every comfort. These ships are expensive to build, yet companies recover their investment within just a few years — proof of the sector’s enormous profit margins.
But for workers, the reality is very different: longer hours, low wages, poor living conditions, reduced protections, and even pay discrepancies. Cost-cutting in the race for higher profits comes at the expense of the crew. The industry can afford to do better — it must treat its workers with dignity and respect.
Our Demands
ETF affiliates call for Fair, Safe and Equal jobs for all river cruise workers — both nautical and hospitality staff. Workers deserve better and should not settle for exploitation.
What We Do
The ETF River Cruise Working Group is stepping up action by:
- Reaching out directly to workers on board, with support from the ITF.
- Organising visible activities and campaigns to raise public awareness.
- Producing tools and resources, including a dedicated worker database.
- Engaging in dialogue with companies and the sectoral association IG River Cruise.
Get Support
If you have a problem or question, contact us at rivercruise@etf-europe.org. Please state the vessel you work on and your nationality so we can connect you with your local representative.
Download our brochure and share it with your colleagues — together we can win fairer conditions in the river cruise sector.
