River cruise line · 9 ships · sailing 1 regions — Great-value, escorted river cruising built for British travellers.
Riviera River Cruises (Riviera Travel) is a UK-focused value line and a perennial British travel-award winner. It carries mostly British guests on comfortable, contemporary four-star ships named for British writers, packaged as excellent-value, near-all-inclusive escorted holidays.
Best for mature, mainly British travellers who want fuss-free, well-organised, escorted river cruising at a keen price, with included excursions and often bundled UK regional transfers; it is also solo-friendly. Less suited to those seeking ultra-luxury suites or a livelier, younger crowd.
A fleet of chartered, near-identical contemporary 'all-suite' ships (built largely 2017-2021) named after British authors — including MS William Wordsworth, MS Jane Austen, MS Emily Bronte, MS Oscar Wilde, MS Thomas Hardy and MS Geoffrey Chaucer. They sail the Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Douro, Seine and Rhone, typically carrying around 140-169 guests with a low guest-to-crew ratio of roughly four to one.
The standout vessels in the fleet — and the amenities that set them apart.
One of the line's largest ships and a flagship for its all-suite standard
Compact ship favoured for Seine, Paris and Normandy sailings
Representative of the literary-named, near-identical fleet
A single open-seating restaurant serves all meals, with regional wine and beer included at lunch and dinner, plus afternoon tea and casual lounge options.
Understated and touring-led: a resident cruise director, expert local guides and occasional local performers, with the emphasis on guided excursions ashore rather than onboard shows.
Aimed at mature adults, with no children's facilities or programme.
Near-all-inclusive value: included shore excursions with expert local guides, all onboard meals, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, port charges and gratuities on many fares, frequently bundled with UK regional coach or rail transfers and flights.
Regions in Noura's Cruise Navigator, most sailings first. Tap a region for its ports and season.
MS George Eliot · from Cologne
Cologne, Germany → Koblenz, Germany → Boppard → Rüdesheim, Germany → Mainz, Germany → Miltenberg, Germany → Wertheim → Würzburg, Germany
MS Geoffrey Chaucer · from Cologne
Cologne, Germany → Koblenz, Germany → Cochem, Germany → Bernkastel-Kues, Germany → Traben-Trarbach → Braubach (for Marksburg) → Rüdesheim, Germany → Mannheim (for Heidelberg)
MS Thomas Hardy · from Lyon
Lyon, France → Mâcon, France → Chalon-sur-Saône (for Beaune) → Vienne, France → Tournon / Tain l'Hermitage → Viviers, France → Avignon, France → Arles, France
MS Lord Byron · from Cologne
Cologne, Germany → Koblenz, Germany → Boppard → Mainz, Germany → Mannheim (for Heidelberg) → Strasbourg, France → Rüdesheim, Germany → Cologne, Germany
Noura turns this intelligence into a real itinerary — flights, hotels with perks, and timing dialled in — at no planning cost to you.
Compare Riviera River Cruises with other river lines — or read how the tiers differ.
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