Rather than asking whether APT Luxury is “worth it” in abstract, it is more useful to look at what the line does differently and how that feels once you are on the water.

What “APT Luxury” includes

APT has been in the touring world for close to a century, and its Luxury collection sits at the top of that experience. For UK guests, the sense of being looked after starts at home, with private home-to-airport transfers, international flights arranged for you and someone else worrying about the paperwork.

Once you are on board, “all inclusive” is exactly that. Meals, quality drinks, sightseeing, tips, port charges and APT’s own Signature or Enrich experiences are wrapped into the fare. Instead of signing for every drink or adding up excursions as you go, you can simply get on with enjoying the river.

Ships that feel like modern boutique hotels

APT’s newest ships, Solara and Ostara, have drawn attention from design magazines as well as cruise fans. Interiors by Melbourne studio Hecker Guthrie swap heavy décor for pale stone, blond timber and huge windows, so the rivers are the star of the show rather than the chandeliers. 

Guest numbers are deliberately kept low, which means more space per person and suites that feel thoughtfully laid out. Even the entry categories have a sense of calm and breathing room, while top-tier suites and French-balcony cabins give you proper seating areas and broad river views that invite long, lazy afternoons.

Dining that follows the river

Food sits at the centre of the APT Luxury experience. On Solara and Ostara you can move between six distinct dining venues, more than you will find on most European river ships, plus in-suite dining available to every guest. Settings range from relaxed bistro corners to intimate, wine focused rooms and an open air grill. The star turn is Grüner Bar & Dining, a hydraulics powered bar and restaurant that rises to sun deck level in port, so you can nurse a glass of local Grüner Veltliner with the river laid out around you. Across all of them, menus track the regions you sail through, using seasonal, locally sourced produce and wines rather than serving the same greatest hits from Amsterdam to Budapest.

In practice that means chefs using those six venues, and the option to dine in your suite, for everything from ambitious multi course tasting menus to genuinely interesting vegetarian dishes and lighter plates. Mornings come with the sort of generous breakfast spread that makes a second coffee inevitable, especially when you are watching castle topped hillsides slide past the window.

Service and experiences with the details handled

With a high crew-to-guest ratio, staff have the time to notice how you like to travel. That might be remembering your morning order, finding a local beer you mentioned in passing or quietly rearranging pillows while you are at dinner.

On shore, guided excursions are generous and often include experiences that are exclusive to APT guests, from private openings to after-hours concerts. A dedicated Cruise Director works alongside local guides, so logistics and storytelling are both covered.

Who will love APT Luxury

APT Luxury particularly suits travellers who value time and ease as much as they value destinations. If you prefer to pay once, know that the important elements are included and then relax into the trip, the fully inclusive structure works in your favour. If good design, food and service are key parts of a holiday for you, the extra polish on board quickly becomes noticeable.

Where Cruise Collective fits into all this

For Cruise Collective members already considering a higher-end river cruise, APT Luxury is one of the names on the shortlist. On selected APT Luxury river and yacht journeys, members can save up to £200 per person, which helps narrow the gap between browsing the brochure and actually pressing “book”.

If your idea of a great river holiday is seamless planning, beautifully designed ships like Solara and Ostara, generous inclusions and the feeling of being quietly well looked after from home pickup to home again, APT Luxury river cruising is very much designed with you in mind.