Riviera Travel offer luxurious cruises on the rivers of Europe all a great value for money. They include everything you need with which to enjoy your cruise, allowing you to see towns steeped in history and culture whilst never worrying about a thing. Your excursions are included and you’ll even be able to personalise your trip to ensure you get the most out of the destinations you visit.
Gary Buchanan has sailed the Seven Seas during his 33-year career as an award-winning specialist cruise writer. Author of four books about cruising, he regularly contributes to prestigious newspapers such as The Telegraph and magazines including American Express Departures. He is a pundit on all things cruise and is looking forward to enhancing the content library for Panache Cruises.
“Offering a very British vision of river cruising, Riviera Travel launched its first ship in 2013. Since then the company has consistently won awards for outstanding service, quality and exceptional value for money aboard its fleet of four- and five-star vessels, most of which are Swiss-built and operated. I look forward to ‘Riviera Plus’ - a new initiative for 2021 where guests in top grade accommodation get unique benefits.”
There are other services payable onboard too including drinks.
Your cruise with Riviera is inclusive and great value, which means all your meals will be included in the restaurant onboard. Starting with dinner on the day of your embarkation and ending with breakfast on your departure day, you will even enjoy packed lunches if you choose one of the full day coach tours. If you prefer to stay on the ship, you can enjoy your lunch in the restaurant onboard instead.
There is a range of dining experiences for you to enjoy onboard, all at a premium quality. The main restaurant serves 60 buffet options at breakfast with regional and international specialities being the highlight of a four-course dinner. If you wish to have a more intimate dinner, there is a restaurant at the stern of most ships, offering stunning panoramic views for just 28 guests at a time.
Smaller tables offer an informal feel to your dining in both restaurants and the highly trained staff are on hand to service your every need. Highly trained chefs take time ashore to visit producers and markets to ensure you get the very best fresh ingredients from the places you are visiting.
Tea, coffee and water is available on your cruise and is included within the price you pay. If you wish to enjoy some alcoholic drinks throughout the duration of your cruise, you will have the opportunity to purchase one of the drinks packages available. In doing so, you’ll be offered a selection when you’re in the restaurant including white, red or rose house wines, wine suggestions by the glass, draught beer, and soft drinks including non-alcoholic beer and juices. If you don’t wish to purchase a package, you can buy individual drinks when you so desire.
There are lounges onboard, designed in true elegance and style to ensure you have maximum comfort whilst you relax with a drink and chat to new friends. Well-stocked bars offer every drink you could desire while you sail along the world’s waterways.
You have your pick of the bunch of surprisingly spacious cabins on your Riviera ship. Over 80% of the Staterooms and Suites have a full or a French Balcony and all of them include:
Your options will include:
Facilities onboard the ships do vary from vessel to vessel but the majority of them do include a variety of areas which include a swimming pool for you to enjoy a refreshing dip after a long day of sightseeing. You’ll also be able to keep up your fitness regime in the gym onboard and when you have finishing your exercise regimen, you’ll be able to enjoy a detoxifying session in the sauna and steam room.
In some ships, you’ll also find a hair salon for you to change your look whilst onboard or even just have a refresh. There is often a treatment room too with a qualified technician who will be able to conduct sessions to make you feel rejuvenated.
There are several activities available onboard your Riviera Travel ship to help keep you entertained when exploring, exercising and chatting to new friends just isn’t enough! The library is home to an array of books to immerse yourself in and it’s also where you will find board games with which to have some fun. On the sundeck you can recline and watch the world sail by or you can try your hand at putting on the golf green or challenge your strategy in a game of chess.
Of an evening, there will be some entertainment to enjoy including live music and even live theatre. You’ll also have the opportunity to listen to some insightful lectures from the regional experts Riviera invite onto their ships.
The real enjoyment of a Riviera Travel river cruise however comes in the form of the destinations you visit themselves. The cruises are balanced to ensure you see a variety of places and get the most out of the rivers you sail down, all supported by a carefully crafted programme of excursions which are all included in the price you pay.
The team of cruise directors and local guides are chosen for their knowledge of the regions and are all English-speaking. You’ll also find them engaging and entertaining which always helps! In every destination you’ll be offered a choice of excursions or guided tours in order for you to see the places you visit in detail but on your terms so maximise your pleasure.
If you wish to get a little more out of your holiday and explore even deeper, Riviera offer additional enrichment activities. You can choose an extension to your holiday once you get off the ship and stay in a place for a few days to discover it in more detail.
Whilst on your cruise, in addition to the excursions included in the price, you will find a range of additional options that you can book for a fee. These will include experiential experiences such as mastering your cooking skills in a cookery class, getting closer to the local cultures and seeing the wonders of the destinations from a different perspective. All combine together to take your holiday to the next level.
Sustainability plays a big role in the Riviera Travel ethos and they seek to continually improve the standard of their holidays from a sustainable tourism perspective.
Immersing yourself in the destinations and local experiences is important for your enjoyment but it must always be done respectfully. That’s why Riviera use the local guides and drivers to capitalise on their expertise, ensuring cultures and landscapes are honoured and preserved.
Other initiatives include a partnership with Water-to-Go which allows customers to drink clean water without the need for single use plastic bottles as the use of these is being reduced across the fleet. 90% of the waste that is produced onboard is also recyclable but the goal is to get that figure to 95% in the medium term.
A volunteer team operates at the head office of Riviera Travel to ensure all avenues to make them a greener company are followed as rigorously as possible.