Cruise Frog guide
Riviera Travel
Riviera Travel is a British tour operator best known for all-inclusive river cruises on Europe's waterways, on a fleet of ships built and operated with Swiss partners. It also sells escorted tours, yacht cruises in Croatia and grand tours, and has a North American office in Fort Lauderdale.
Style
River
riverboats through towns and cities, a port most days
Best for
- Couples
- Solo travelers
- History and culture
- Value seekers
- First-time cruisers
Fleet rating
No ships rated yet.
About Riviera Travel
The company traces its roots to the early 1980s, when founder Michael Wright ran camping holidays in the south of France; its first coach trip, to Paris, ran in 1984. Escorted tours across Europe followed, then long-haul trips, and in 2009 its first river cruises. By 2014 it carried more than 110,000 guests a year and called itself the UK's largest escorted tour operator. Its river fleet now numbers thirteen ships on the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Seine, Rhône and Douro, from the 2013 Lord Byron to Riviera Radiance (2025) and Riviera Resplendence (2026). Riviera Reflection and the Mekong ship Riviera Alba follow in 2027, when George Eliot also becomes a solo-travelers-only ship.
Most of the ships are 110 or 135 metres long with four decks and 116 to 178 guests. Fares include drinks through the day (wine, beer, cocktails, house spirits), all meals, daily guided excursions, Wi-Fi, port charges and a Riviera cruise director, and more than 80% of cabins have a French or full balcony.
What Riviera Travel is known for
Riviera Travel collects a long list of consumer and trade awards. Its own pages cite USA Today 10Best readers' choice honors every year from 2021 to 2025, including best river cruise line in 2025, a top-five place in Condé Nast Traveler's 2025 readers' choice river lines, World Cruise Awards and Travel Weekly recognition, Which? recommended-provider status for 14 years, and 'Excellent' ratings from thousands of Trustpilot and Feefo reviews. Points to weigh: most ships date from 2013 to 2019 and several are presented by Riviera as classics with traditional interiors, up to a fifth of cabins have no balcony, there are no wheelchair-accessible cabins on any ship, and Riviera posts updates when Rhine and Danube water levels force itinerary changes.
Who it's for
Riviera suits couples who want a comfortable, sociable river cruise with drinks, excursions and Wi-Fi included at fares the company pitches as good value, and who enjoy culture-heavy itineraries with daily guided tours. Solo travelers are a particular focus, with solo-only departures, no single supplement on those sailings and, from 2027, the solo-exclusive George Eliot. First-time river cruisers will find a simple, inclusive format and a guarantee that refunds the trip if guests are unhappy by the end of the second day. Families should look elsewhere, since children under 12 are not allowed on the ships, as should wheelchair users, who will find no accessible cabins.
- Couples
- romantic dining, quiet spaces, balcony cabins
- Solo travelers
- studio cabins, low or no single supplement, easy to meet people
- History and culture
- port-intensive itineraries, lectures, included excursions
- Value seekers
- low fares and frequent deals
- First-time cruisers
- easy to book, short itineraries, nothing intimidating
How it rates
None of Riviera Travel's ships has been rated yet. A line's rating is the average of its ships' scores.
Where Riviera Travel sails
Ships
Douro Elegance2017 · 124 guests · DouroDouro Elegance is a 2017 river ship that Riviera Travel uses on Portugal's Douro, with 62 cabins for 124 guests and a crew of 36. Her interiors use wood, gold detailing and…
Douro Splendour2018 · 124 guests · DouroDouro Splendour is a 2018 river ship that Riviera Travel sails on Portugal's Douro, with 62 cabins for 124 guests and a crew of 36. Her décor draws on traditional Douro river…
Emily Brontë2017 · 169 guests · Rhine · DanubeEmily Brontë is a 135-metre Riviera Travel ship with 88 cabins for 169 guests and a crew of 44. Riviera dates her to 2017, though German Wikipedia and her Commons category give…
Geoffrey Chaucer2019 · 176 guests · Rhine · DanubeGeoffrey Chaucer is a 135-metre Riviera Travel ship built in 2019, with 88 cabins for 176 guests and a crew of 44. Riviera presents her as one of its classic five-star ships…George Eliot2018 · 132 guests · Rhine · DanubeGeorge Eliot is a 110-metre Riviera Travel ship built in 2018, with 70 cabins for 132 guests and a crew of 36. From the 2027 season Riviera is converting her into what it bills…
Jane Austen2015 · 140 guests · SeineJane Austen is one of Riviera Travel's smaller ships, 110 metres long and built in 2015, with 74 cabins for about 140 guests and a crew of 36. Riviera stresses her relaxed…
Lord Byron2013 · 140 guests · RhôneLord Byron is a 110-metre Riviera Travel ship with 74 cabins for about 140 guests and a crew of 36, dated 2013 by Riviera and 2012 by German Wikipedia, which makes her the oldest…
Oscar Wilde2017 · 167 guests · Rhine · DanubeOscar Wilde is a 135-metre Riviera Travel ship built in 2017, with 88 cabins for 167 guests and a crew of 44. Riviera markets her as a classic rather than a new ship, with a more…
Riviera Radiance2025 · 178 guests · DanubeRiviera Radiance is the first of Riviera Travel's newest generation of river ships, a 135-metre vessel completed in 2025 with 89 cabins for 178 guests and a crew of 44. She…Riviera Resplendence2026 · 178 guests · Rhine · DanubeRiviera Resplendence, completed in 2026, is the second of three 135-metre sister ships that began with Riviera Radiance, with the same 89 cabins for 178 guests and a crew of 44…Riviera Rose2025 · 116 guests · DouroRiviera Rose is an 80-metre ship built in 2025 for Portugal's Douro, carrying 116 guests in 58 cabins with a crew of 38. Riviera describes her as a boutique hotel spread over…
Thomas Hardy2017 · 176 guests · Rhône · DanubeThomas Hardy is a 135-metre Riviera Travel ship with 88 cabins for 176 guests and a crew of 44, dated 2017 by Riviera and 2016 by German Wikipedia. Her suites start at about 17…William Wordsworth2018 · 176 guests · Danube · RhineWilliam Wordsworth is a 135-metre Riviera Travel ship from 2018 with 88 cabins for 176 guests and a crew of 44. Riviera calls her a classic river ship, with a bright lobby…Coming soon
Where to fly in
- Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO)3 Riviera Travel ships sail from Porto, Portugal1 lounge on Lounge Frog
- Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)2 Riviera Travel ships sail from Budapest, Hungary5 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS)1 Riviera Travel ship sails from Lyon, France2 lounges on Lounge Frog
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)1 Riviera Travel ship sails from Paris, France21 lounges on Lounge Frog
Quick answers
What is Riviera Travel known for?
Riviera Travel collects a long list of consumer and trade awards. Its own pages cite USA Today 10Best readers' choice honors every year from 2021 to 2025, including best river cruise line in 2025, a top-five place in Condé Nast Traveler's 2025 readers' choice river lines, World Cruise Awards and Travel Weekly recognition, Which? recommended-provider status for 14 years, and 'Excellent' ratings from thousands of Trustpilot and Feefo reviews. Points to weigh: most ships date from 2013 to 2019 and several are presented by Riviera as classics with traditional interiors, up to a fifth of cabins have no balcony, there are no wheelchair-accessible cabins on any ship, and Riviera posts updates when Rhine and Danube water levels force itinerary changes.
Who is Riviera Travel best for?
Riviera suits couples who want a comfortable, sociable river cruise with drinks, excursions and Wi-Fi included at fares the company pitches as good value, and who enjoy culture-heavy itineraries with daily guided tours. Solo travelers are a particular focus, with solo-only departures, no single supplement on those sailings and, from 2027, the solo-exclusive George Eliot. First-time river cruisers will find a simple, inclusive format and a guarantee that refunds the trip if guests are unhappy by the end of the second day. Families should look elsewhere, since children under 12 are not allowed on the ships, as should wheelchair users, who will find no accessible cabins.
Where does Riviera Travel sail?
Riviera Travel's ships in service sail Danube (8 ships), Rhine (6 ships), Douro (3 ships), Rhône (2 ships) and Seine (1 ship).
Does Riviera Travel have new ships coming?
Yes: Riviera Travel has 2 new ships on the way: Riviera Alba (due 2027) and Riviera Reflection (due 2027).
How many ships does Riviera Travel have?
Riviera Travel has 13 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Douro Elegance, Douro Splendour, Emily Brontë, Geoffrey Chaucer, George Eliot, Jane Austen, Lord Byron and Oscar Wilde, and 5 more.
Who owns Riviera Travel?
Riviera Travel is part of Silverfleet Capital Partners.
Where is Riviera Travel based?
Riviera Travel is headquartered in Burton upon Trent, United Kingdom. It has operated since 1984.
Cruising with children
Riviera’s river cruises are an option to consider with older children who enjoy sightseeing. Check the age threshold before discussing cabin or excursion choices.
Read the Riviera Travel family guide →