Riviera Travel unveils largest-ever river cruise programme for 2026

Friday, Sep 13, 2024 0

* Programme comprises several new itineraries alongside existing favourites
* £50 per booking incentive for agents on offer
* Prices frozen at 2025 levels for a limited time
* Free all-inclusive drinks package available on all 2026 European cruises

Riviera Travel has announced its largest-ever river cruise programme will operate in 2026. 428 sailings are on offer, on 13 river ships, taking in destinations across Europe and further afield. The season features 31 dedicated solo departures.

A pre-sale event is open from September 18, 2024, with the programme going on general release from September 25, 2024. This represents the earliest point at which Riviera has ever put a new booking year on sale, with the launch made in response to overwhelming demand: Riviera’s booked revenue is currently 51% up for 2025 compared to the same period for 2024.

A £50 per booking incentive on all Europe 2026 river cruise bookings is available for agents from September 18 to October 31, 2024.

Included in the programme are traditional destination favourites such as the Rhone, Seine, Rhine, Danube and Douro. New-for-2026 are five specially themed itineraries, an additional Mekong river cruise and a Medieval Germany solo-dedicated departure.

Riviera has also said that 2026 departures are currently frozen at 2025 prices for a limited time, until December 15, 2024.

In addition, a free all-inclusive drinks package is on offer for all 2026 European cruises. The package is available daily from 10am until midnight, and includes wines, beers, cocktails and mocktails, soft drinks and juices, spirits, and tea and coffee.*

New for 2026

The new themed cruises, all eight days in length, comprise:

* Gardens & Natural Beauty of the Rhine
Featuring a scenic cruise through the Rhine Gorge; visits to the castle gardens of Heidelberg and Schwetzingen; vineyards in Rüdesheim; Koblenz’s Schlosspark and Butterfly Garden of Sayn Palace; Rheinaue Leisure Park in Bonn; and the Rose Garden of Saverne. Departing May – October 2026, with prices from £2249pp.

* Gastronomy of the Danube
Featuring the choice of a guided tour of Linz with a tasting of Leberkas, Linzer Torte and a local beer, or a full-day tour of Salzburg; guided tour of Vienna with a visit to a traditional confectioner at Schönbrunn Palace; the opportunity to sample Hungarian and Austrian wines in the cellars of the Esztergom Basilica; and a guided tour of Budapest central market. Departing April – October 2026, with prices from £2149pp.

* Gastronomy of the Rhine & Moselle
Featuring the choice of a visit to the Lindt Chocolate Museum for a guided tour and tasting, or a tour of Cologne; wine tasting in Bernkastel and Rüdesheim; a guided tour in Trier, Cochem and Boppard; and a visit to the Koblenz Wine and Sparkling Wine Museum. Departing April – August 2026, with prices from £2299pp.

* Gastronomy of the Seine
Featuring a tour of the D-day beaches, Arromanches and the ‘longest day’ museum; Caudebec-en-Caux and Claude Monet’s house to see the ‘Water Lilies Pond’ and ‘Japanese Footbridge’; guided tours of Rouen and Honfleur, with a tasting at the oldest Crêperie; the choice of a panoramic tour of Paris or a walking tour of Paris’ Latin Quarter district; and visits to local farms and cider houses. Departing April – October 2026, with prices from £1999pp.

* Music & Art of the Blue Danube
Guided tours in Vienna, Dürnstein, Bratislava and Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart; a behind the scenes tour with the renowned Vienna Boys Choir; visits to Esztergom Basilica and Melk Abbey; and the choice of a visit to the House of Music or the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. Departing April – October 2026, with prices from £1999pp.

A new 16 days upstream or 15 days downstream Vietnam, Cambodia & Hidden Treasures of the Mekong cruise and tour, departing January to November 2026, will visit Ho Chi Minh, with guided visits to the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, Saigon Opera House and Cu Chi tunnels; Phnom Penh, with guided tours of the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex, the Killing Fields Memorial and a cocktail at the famed Elephant Bar; and the temples of Angkor Wat, Ta Phrom and Bayon. Prices start from £4599pp.

The eight-day ‘Medieval Germany for Solo Travellers’ river cruise will visit Mainz, Würzburg, Rothenburg, Miltenberg, Wertheim, Bamberg and Nuremberg. Departing August 2026, with prices from £3249pp.

Vicky Billing, head of trade and partnerships UK & Ireland at Riviera, said: “The trade has been phenomenal at selling our 2025 European river cruises and continue to do so, so what better way to launch 2026 than by rewarding them with a rich incentive.”

Will Sarson, product director at Riviera, said: “The 2026 programme is our biggest ever, as we keep pace with the current exceptional demand for our river cruises. They include a wealth of exciting exploration opportunities at unbeatable value.

“We’re excited to offer all departures currently on offer at the same price as our 2025 sailings. And our free all-inclusive drinks package includes our widest ever range of options, giving guests the perfect excuse to raise a glass or two to mark their getaway.

“Our new themed cruises provide a great opportunity to marry an interest or hobby with tailored holidays that inform and inspire, while our new Mekong option has a range of remarkable tours, not least to the Cu Chi tunnels in Ho Chi Minh. We’re also delighted to add to our solo departures with a dedicated Medieval Germany sailing, which explores some of the country’s most fascinating towns and villages.”

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