
Riviera Travel
Riviera Travel is the UK's leading river cruise and tour operator. For 40 years our experts have been bringing to life the world’s most fascinating destinations.
Like you, we love to travel and we are passionate about what we do. We personally select every aspect of your holiday and we are dedicated to ensuring that the content and detail of each itinerary is thoughtfully balanced, so there’s time for you to explore at a relaxing pace. We offer you a superb choice of holidays but we also ensure each of these has been honed to perfection. Our focus is on quality not quantity.
What to expect from Riviera Travel
Welcome on board, fellow explorer. We are Riviera, the well-travelled collective — united by chronic curiosity and incurable wanderlust.
We want to see more of the world, and we know it’s mutual — because we travel well. Treading lightly. Taking nothing for granted. Exploring, not exploiting. We are for those who like to journey in style and in great company. Thinking about joining us? Find out more about travelling the Riviera way.
What is the Riviera difference?
1. Exceptional holiday experiences
From speaking with thousands of our guests over the years, we have learned what the main difference is between Riviera Travel and others. We aren’t just a travel company: we are a well-travelled collective. Our guests become friends - interested and interesting, they're eager to get to know each other as they travel.
Our itineraries are created by explorers with a deep understanding of each destination. They personally select every aspect of your holiday for a thoughtful balance of adventure and relaxation, authentic experiences and free time. Our guests always have the freedom to customise their adventure by adding extras such as drinks packages, hotel upgrades, enhanced experiences with our Signature tours, extensions on our river cruise and additional excursions you can add to your trip - there are always ways to make it your own.
2. Outstanding value for money
If you’ve joined one of our holidays before, you know just how great they are and how much is included in the price. If you’ve yet to join us, you’re in for a treat… ​
Unlike some of our competitors, our holidays include everything you need to enjoy your time away. Like expertly crafted itineraries (made by explorers), excursions, hand-picked accommodation, direct flights from your local airport at no extra cost, transfers and the services of a Riviera Tour Manager who’ll look after you throughout.
Our prices are fair and straightforward — no smoke and mirrors, promotional trickery, or hidden extra fees. You’ll never find us inflating our prices just to offer artificially big discounts, the way so many of our competitors do. We just offer amazing value for money, all the time.
3. Customer service is in our DNA
We’ve been doing what we do for nearly 40 years — which means we’ve spent more than 14,000 days making and keeping our guests happy. We’ve seen it all, and whatever ‘it’ is, our team knows how to take care of it — and of you. Even if things don’t go as planned for reasons outside of our control, you can be sure that we are on it: finding alternative travel options, organising hotels, and keeping you informed. Giving you a way to travel the world without a worry in the world.
Book with confidence
24/7 access to UK based team
We’re on hand before and during your holiday. If anything were to go awry during your travels, you can call our emergency number at any point.
Price promise
Book early confident in the knowledge it will be our lowest price. In the very rare event we do reduce the price after you've booked, we'll automatically send you a Future Travel Voucher for the difference in value, plus an extra 25%
Happiness guaranteed
You’re always protected by our Happiness Guarantee; if you’re not happy by day two of your holiday, we’ll bring you home with a full refund.
Quality promise
You cannot find the same quality experience for less with a competitor – and if you do, we’ll match the price.
Your money is safe and secure
No matter what, your money is safe and secure and fully protected by ABTA and ATOL.
Riviera Travel Ships
MS Emily Bronte
It would be very easy to simply describe the MS Emily Bronte as ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level.
MS Thomas Hardy
It is extremely difficult to convey just how extraordinary this outstanding ship really is and exactly what distinguishes the MS Thomas Hardy from similar vessels. It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.
MS William Shakespeare
Our long history with the MS William Shakespeare dates back to 2015.
Built to our exacting specifications - with the help of one of Europe's most experienced luxury ship builders - no expense was spared to ensure you travel in complete comfort. Sustainably sourced tropical hardwoods, highly polished brass and wrought iron fittings add to the elegant décor. And we've made sure our ship features everything you'd expect in a boutique hotel - plus a few extras.
Now operated by Starling Fleet, a member of the long-established River Advice alliance, one of the leading companies operating on all European rivers for both the UK and international markets, this much-loved ship is a stalwart of our fleet.
The cabins are very tastefully appointed, featuring a wealth of mahogany, leather, marble and Italian soft furnishings, which blend together to create an ambience of true quality and elegance. In keeping with this theme, spacious marble bathrooms have a washbasin with plenty of space for cosmetics and the provided bathrobes and slippers, a WC and a glazed shower with fittings by ‘Grohe’.