Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..
The 2025 CLIA RiverView Conference took place in Budapest, Hungary this March. This important event celebrates and informs the travel industry about all things river cruising and was a fantastic opportunity for several members of our staff to experience a selection of river cruise ships first hand, enabling them to compare different operators in order to better inform our customers.
The rise in popularity of river cruising globally is demonstrated by the recent announcement from ocean cruising global brand Celebrity Cruises, who will launch their own fleet of 10 brand new river cruise ships in 2027. Celebrity aspires to bring their ocean offering - small-ship service and atmosphere with big ship variety and excitement – to river cruising, and by tempting their ocean cruising customers into river cruising with keen loyalty programmes, they hope to actually grow the industry sector, rather than taking a slice of the existing market. As well as new operators in river cruising, conference delegates heard about new customer bases too, as Riviera Travel told of how solo travel has been a huge area of growth for them, and A-Rosa have seen success with their dedicated family ship, for multigenerational sailings. AmaWaterways have seen growth at new times of the year too, as sailings in winter gain traction for Christmas and New Year itineraries, as well as the customary spring/summer/autumn itineraries. All these factors point at river cruising being an exciting and dynamic holiday choice for more people, more often.
Following the trend in ocean cruising, there is a broadening range of entertainment onboard river cruise ships, with APT offering an Irish bar, silent discos and movies under the stars on some of their itineraries. Throughout the travel industry as a whole there has been increasing demand for more personalised, authentic travel, and the smaller, intimate river cruise ships are perfect to deliver this immersive experience, with tailored options at each port and new itineraries on lesser-known waterways. Themed itineraries are emerging, such as specific historical or cultural emphases, a focus on gastronomy, or on mental and physical wellbeing. Given all these factors, river cruising is undergoing a period of dynamic growth, and RiverView 2025 was not only an opportunity to look to the future, but also to experience what river cruising looks like right now. A total of six operators had ships moored in Budapest, available for delegates to visit across the conference’s two days, and our staff members enjoyed experiencing either overnight stays or visits on several of them:
Riviera Travel’s MS William Wordsworth greets you with a gleaming marble lobby, with light flooding in from the atrium above, making for a very warm welcome, as Clare from Ringwood confirms, “William Wordsworth was very luxurious with wonderful décor and a beautiful atrium - it all felt very spacious.” That warm welcome was felt by Jacqui from Tonbridge too, “From the moment you step on board it is the warmness, enthusiasm and friendliness of the staff that gives a great reassurance that you are in for a good trip. Nothing is too much trouble, and it all comes with a smile.”
“I really liked the set up onboard Riviera, the food was lovely, and the dining room felt homely.” confirms Laura from our Felixstowe shop. Sian from Eastbourne advises “With meeting guests at the airport and including transfers and excursions, I feel Riviera Travel are a particularly good option for solo guests.” Solo travel is indeed an area that Riviera are really embracing, ‘Travel solo, yet never alone,’ they say on their website, and they must be doing it well, as they received the accolade of 'Best for Solo Traveller' at the 2024 Wave Awards.
“Being onboard Scenic Opal was an exceptional experience,” says Tracey from Travel Norwich Airport. “The overall design, look and feel was of ultra luxury – we were welcomed with hot towels and a refreshing elderflower spritz, and I knew then that this was going to be an incredible stay! My accommodation was a Balcony Suite, which was very stylish, with floor-to-ceiling windows for stunning views. The public spaces were elegant and spacious, and the sundeck was a highlight, offering amazing views and a pool. The Salt Therapy Lounge was beautiful, with its’ glowing amber walls, it was totally zen!”
Little touches make all the difference, “As it was International Women’s Day when we boarded, all the ladies were given a red rose on the way to dinner, which made us feel very special.” says Joanne from Westbourne.
Scenic Opal offers five dining options and sources many of its wines and ingredients from local suppliers along the river route (you can even go shopping with the onboard chefs) giving a true taste of the region with every meal. “The beef tenderloin was incredible!!” says Tracey, “And the locally sourced Hungarian red wine was out of this world.”
Scenic have complimentary e-bikes available for guests to borrow for independent exploring, as well as a programme of inclusive excursions at every stop, ensuring you get the very most from your travels, both onboard and onshore.
AmaWaterways’ AmaSonata boasts the Signature Chef’s Table where the kitchen becomes part of the entertainment, as the chef prepares a multi course meal right in front of you. Joanne enjoyed a lunchtime visit, “The ship was so pretty in various floral prints and hints of pink, it felt very warm and comfortable. I loved the airy feel of the cabins, and the roof terrace was beautifully designed with a small pool, chess board and relaxing sun loungers.”
Clare was also very impressed with their cabins, “This ship by far had the best cabins, with most of the staterooms having twin balconies which included a French and an outside balcony.” Ama offers complimentary bikes, allowing guests to strike out on their own into the countryside when the ship docks, as well a selection of excursions, all included in the cruise price.
Once onboard Viva Cruises’ Viva Two, our staff were all really impressed by this Germany-based operator - especially the dining! “The food was excellent, it truly was a gourmet experience. They have three included restaurants, the main restaurant, Moments for Italian and the Bistro for alternating Asian and Mediterranean food. The best thing I ate the whole trip was the soup on Viva Two, which was white tomato and truffle, I have never tasted anything like it!” says Clare. Tom from our Christchurch shop agrees about this unusual dish, “If I had to choose one thing to eat or drink again, it’d be the white tomato cappuccino soup - no one expected it to be as nice as it was!” Sarah from Jarrolds was also a big fan of their food, “I especially enjoyed the Viva Two as the food was exceptional. It was incredible and very creative, with food combinations that I have never tried before, and everything was so well presented and tasty.”
Joanne was an overnight guest on Viva Two, “It was very luxurious and elegant, the little blue bow ties on napkins folded to look like shirts were super cute. There was a complementary bottle of wine in every cabin and the food was by far some of the best I’ve ever eaten, as a vegetarian I do sometimes find that I do not always get the best but on this occasion, everything was on an incredibly high standard and delicious.” And yet another fan was Gary from Chichester, “Viva Two was my favourite for design and décor.” he confirms.
TUI Skyla is for adults only and offers three dedicated single cabins. Gary summarises his experience onboard, “I think TUI are really good for their price point - they are not trying to be 5 star luxury, they are providing good value cruises for customers wanting a river cruise at an entry price-point. Everything was clean and worked well in the cabin, mine was a French Balcony cabin and it is so nice to open the doors and watch the river traffic go by.”
For mealtimes there is the elegant Erdastro restaurant or the more casual Bistro, “There was a great choice of food and it was good quality. The chef came to each table and asked if everything was ok, which was great service, and this was probably the best food of my trip. This ship really exceeded my expectations.” confirms Michaela from our Framlingham shop. Clare enjoyed the activities on offer, “Out of all of the ships, TUI Skyla had the most comprehensively organised activities onboard from Yoga & Pilates to silent discos!”
Riverside Mozart was also docked in Budapest, offering 5 dining venues and no solo supplement for guests staying in a Harmony suite, and although our staff did not visit their ship on this occasion, we have enjoyed Riverside’s hospitality before – follow the link at the end to this blog.
Known as ‘The Pearl of the Danube,’ Budapest was a fitting location for RiverView 2025, and this city is and is the highlight of many a European river cruise itinerary “Budapest is an absolutely beautiful city with a lot of historical sites to visit. It also has to be the cleanest city I have ever visited!” says Clare. Although the conference delegates’ focus was on the ships, they did get the opportunity to explore this beautiful city a little.
RiverView 2025 has helped our staff understand more about this sector and the fantastic opportunities it offers, “This trip reinforced for me just how wonderful a river cruise is for visiting several cities, all from the comfort of your floating hotel, and only having to unpack once. The food, service and itineraries are incredible and would appeal to both traditional ocean cruise clients as well as customers seeking a city break. You can do as much or as little as you wish… join in with port talks and tours, go wine tasting, learn about the history and culture of a port…or wander into the cities at your own pace, as ships dock so close to the centre. On a river cruise you will dine on the best foods and wine, often sourced locally, from the comfort of a small and intimate ship, with the staff looking after your every need.” enthuses Sarah. “As a general rule, many river ships are quite similar in layout,” she continues, “The differences can be found in the décor and what the individual cruise company includes in the cost of the holiday.”
Sian agrees that the difference is in the detail, “Each ship had a similar top deck layout, with open spaces for viewing and plenty of seating areas for guests, but each had their own features and personality. For example, Riviera Travel’s William Wordsworth has a whirlpool and putting green on the Sun Deck, whilst Scenic has a more open layout, with lots of seating options. I was happily surprised by the amount of room on each ship, with the number of people onboard, the public areas didn’t feel crowded, and I can imagine guests wouldn’t struggle to find a seat whilst the ships are travelling.”
Sian goes on to summarise the differences she saw between the various ships visited, “In my opinion, I would say VIVA and TUI are good for first-time river cruise customers and a mix of ages, with fantastic facilities and activities onboard, and competitive pricing. I see Riviera Travel as being a great option for clients looking to have everything included, with the all-inclusive drinks package being included on all 2026 European River Cruises. AmaWaterways are a great luxury option, and Scenic being an ultra-luxury option for those looking to travel in pure luxury, with exceptional food, drink, experiences and service.”
Joanne has also found a real benefit in attending the conference, “It was great to learn about the differences between the cruise lines, so now I feel I can match the right clients to the right operator. I have now become a river cruise fan and will be raving about them to anyone that will listen! I love that you dock in the heart of some beautiful cities to explore, as well as being able to cruise past castles and gorgeous scenery whilst you travel, it was a wonderful experience.”
And river cruises are fantastic way to explore beyond the bounds of Europe, “I really enjoyed learning about the long-haul itineraries that certain river cruise operators offer, such as the Mekong River, as this is such a bucket list destination.” says Tom. Gary elaborates on this, “River cruising is a great way to travel and see the world. If you’ve cruised the main European rivers, why not think of India, Colombia, Asia or Africa? Perhaps combine must-see land-based sights with a scenic train ride or a river cruise. There are so many great ideas and river cruises around the world.”
With so many operators offering an ever-expanding range of river cruise options - whether it’s for solos, families, couples or groups; for leisurely sightseeing, an active outdoor adventure or a journey centred around a specific interest – river cruising now has something that everyone would enjoy.
If you have been inspired to plan a river cruise, contact your local branch
