Riviera Travel
River Cruising
Riviera Travel is the line I recommend when clients want a genuinely five-star river cruise without the eye-watering price tag. The ships are Swiss-built, the excursions are well-organised, and the included drinks package has become increasingly generous. They're not trying to be Viking — they're carving out their own lane as the best value proposition in European river cruising.
Riviera Travel has been quietly building one of the most compelling river cruise operations in Europe since Michael Wright founded the company in Burton-on-Trent in 1984. What started as escorted coach tours to the French Riviera has grown into a fleet of 16 Swiss-built five-star river ships, each named after celebrated British writers -- from the William Wordsworth to the Jane Austen and Emily Bronte. The newest additions, Riviera Radiance and Riviera Rose, launched in 2025 with a third new build, Riviera Resplendence, joining the fleet on the Rhine in 2026. A dedicated solo-traveller ship, the MS George Eliot, is slated for 2027 -- the first of its kind in the world.
What sets Riviera apart in the crowded European river cruise market is a deliberate positioning in the premium-value segment. These are genuinely five-star ships with generous inclusions at prices that consistently undercut Viking, AmaWaterways, Emerald, and the luxury operators above them. The company has been named a Which? Recommended Provider for 13 consecutive years -- a stamp of consumer trust that no competitor in any category of travel has matched. Cruise Critic awarded Riviera Radiance the 2025 Best New River Ship, and the line swept multiple categories at the 2024 Wave Awards, British Travel Awards, and Silver Travel Awards.
Riviera sails the Danube, Rhine, Douro, Seine, Rhone, Moselle, Main, and Dutch Waterways, with 428 sailings programmed for 2026 -- the largest season in company history. New for 2026, the line has expanded into Asia with a chartered Mekong vessel and added the Nile to its portfolio. Five new themed itineraries covering gastronomy, gardens, and music round out a programme that caters to cultural curiosity without pretension. The ships are chartered from Scylla AG of Switzerland, the same shipbuilder behind Tauck's fleet, and carry 114 to 178 guests depending on the vessel -- intimate enough to foster genuine social connection onboard.
Riviera Travel's inclusion package improved significantly in 2025 with the addition of all-inclusive drinks, and for 2026 the offering has expanded further. The standard fare now covers accommodation in a river-view cabin or suite; all meals including full breakfast with cooked-to-order options, buffet lunch, and four-course a la carte dinner; all-inclusive drinks from 10am to midnight daily encompassing wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, and soft drinks; one expert-guided excursion at every port of call led by English-speaking local guides using headset systems; complimentary Wi-Fi; all port charges; onboard entertainment and enrichment; and bicycles available for guest use on newer ships.
For UK-departing passengers, the fare also bundles flights from a local airport and transfers -- a substantial value-add that is not standard across the industry. Australian travellers will need to arrange their own international airfares, but the onboard value proposition remains strong regardless.
What is not included: gratuities (discretionary, suggested at EUR 8-12 per person per day), premium excursions beyond the one-per-port inclusion, spa treatments, laundry, travel insurance, and pre/post-cruise hotel stays. Compared to fully all-inclusive luxury operators like Scenic and Tauck, the main gap is gratuities and the depth of excursion choice. Compared to Viking, Riviera's drinks inclusion is significantly more generous -- Viking offers only beer and wine at meals -- and the per-diem rate is comparable or lower.
The dining aboard Riviera Travel ships has drawn consistent praise from passengers and reviewers, and it is one of the areas where the line punches well above its price point. The Main Restaurant, located on Ruby Deck, serves all three meals: a buffet breakfast with cooked-to-order eggs, bacon, sausages, and pastries; a varied buffet lunch with hot and cold dishes, salads, and regional specials; and a four-course a la carte dinner with open seating. Dinner service typically runs from 7pm to 9pm, and the menus are adapted to reflect the waterways being sailed -- expect Hungarian paprika-spiced dishes on the Danube, French cassoulet on the Rhone, Portuguese specialties on the Douro, and Austrian and German fare on the Rhine and Main.
The 135-metre ships add a second dining venue, the Riverview Kitchen, at the stern with an open kitchen concept and panoramic windows. At lunch it serves casual fare -- burgers, pizza, grilled fish, and chips. In the evening it transforms into a relaxed grill restaurant. On the newest Riviera Radiance and Riviera Resplendence, a third restaurant called Mosaic offers a warm, intimate setting on Diamond Deck with European dishes spanning meat, fish, vegetarian, and vegan options. All three restaurants are complimentary.
The all-inclusive drinks package covers an honest selection of European wines chosen by the onboard sommelier, draft and non-alcoholic beer, spirits, cocktails, and soft drinks. Passenger reviews describe the wine quality as "perfectly acceptable" -- not premium labels, but well-paired with the food and comparable to what Viking offers. Themed dinner evenings, cooking demonstrations on select itineraries, wine tastings on Douro and Rhine sailings, and Captain's dinners add variety to the programme. Dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and low-sugar are accommodated with advance notice, though more specialist requirements like halal or kosher should be confirmed directly at booking.
The atmosphere aboard Riviera Travel ships is relaxed, sociable, and distinctly British. On a ship carrying between 114 and 178 guests, you get to know your fellow passengers quickly -- particularly over pre-dinner drinks in the Panorama Lounge and during excursion groups. The Cruise Director facilitates introductions and organises social activities including quizzes, trivia, card games, and pre-dinner gatherings. The social tone is warm without being pushy, and solo travellers consistently report finding it easy to make friends.
Evening entertainment is understated and low-key. Expect live piano or acoustic music in the Panorama Lounge, local cultural performers boarding at various ports -- classical quartets, folk musicians, folk dancers -- and after-dinner conversation over included drinks. This is not a production-show environment. The ship is generally quiet by half past ten, and passengers who want vibrant nightlife will need to look elsewhere. Enrichment programming includes destination talks, language lessons, and lectures by regional experts on history, wine, and culture. Themed sailings covering gastronomy, gardens, and music offer deeper engagement for those with specific interests.
The dress code is refreshingly simple: smart casual at all times, no formal nights, no dinner jackets. Men are asked not to wear shorts in the dining room at dinner. One or two evenings may be a touch smarter for the Captain's dinner, but a collared shirt is the ceiling. The passenger demographic skews towards retired British couples in their late 60s to mid-70s, with the nationality mix running around 80 to 90% British. Americans are a growing presence, and small numbers of Australians and New Zealanders sail each season.
Riviera Travel is fundamentally a UK-focused operator, and Australian travellers should understand that context before booking. There is no Australian office, no local phone number, and no AUD pricing. All fares are quoted in GBP or USD, and the included UK flights and transfers do not apply to international passengers.
That said, Riviera is fully bookable from Australia through specialist river cruise agents who carry Riviera inventory, and the value proposition translates well once you factor in the quality of the ships, the generous inclusions, and the per-diem rates that sit comfortably below the Australian-heritage operators like Scenic and Emerald. For an 8-night European river cruise, expect entry-level per-diem rates of approximately AUD 350 to 540 per person on Emerald Deck, rising to AUD 810 or more for Grand Suites on the newest ships.
The predominantly British passenger base is worth noting -- you will be in a distinctly British social environment with British humour, British conversational cadence, and proper baked beans at breakfast. Most Australians find this entirely comfortable, but if you prefer a more international mix, Viking or AmaWaterways may suit better. If you want an Australian-heritage operator, Scenic and Emerald are the obvious alternatives, though at a higher price point.
For Australian travellers making the journey to Europe, longer itineraries offer the best return on your airfare investment. The 15-day Budapest to the Black Sea, the 15-day Grand Cruise of France, and the new Mekong programme through Vietnam and Cambodia are well suited to travellers coming from the other side of the world. The Douro combined with Porto and Lisbon is another strong option. Amsterdam, Budapest, and Paris are all accessible from Australia with one connection, making them convenient embarkation points.
Riviera Travel occupies a distinctive position on the pricing spectrum -- above Viking and Avalon in terms of inclusions and ship quality, but meaningfully below the luxury tier of Scenic, Tauck, and Uniworld. For an 8-night European river cruise in 2026, published entry-level fares start from approximately GBP 1,999 (around AUD 3,860) for themed itineraries, with standard Rhine and Danube sailings from GBP 2,249 (around AUD 4,340). Extended voyages like the 15-day Grand Cruise of France start from GBP 4,029 (around AUD 7,775), and the new Mekong programme from GBP 4,599 (around AUD 8,875).
When you break those figures down to a per-diem rate and factor in the all-inclusive drinks, included excursions, and Wi-Fi, Riviera consistently delivers among the strongest per-diem value in European river cruising. The no-single-supplement policy on Emerald Deck cabins across every departure is a genuine differentiator for solo travellers -- most competitors charge significant supplements across all cabin categories.
Booking early offers real advantages. The annual programme typically launches at frozen prior-year prices, wave season runs from January to March with promotional offers, and popular solo-dedicated sailings and newer ships sell out well ahead. Deposits are USD 600 per person for voyages of seven nights or more, with the full balance due 101 days before departure. The cancellation scale increases from loss of deposit only (101+ days) through to 100% (within 15 days). Travel insurance is not included and is strongly recommended, particularly given the potential for water level disruptions on European rivers.
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