Riviera Opens 2028 River Cruises — Here’s What’s Included

Riviera Travel has opened bookings for its 2028 European river cruises, giving customers an early look at departures across some of the continent’s best-known waterways. Selected sailings will come with new private cultural experiences included in the cruise fare, while bookings made by 9 October can qualify for a complimentary cabin upgrade. The key detail is that the new experiences are tied to specific departures rather than every 2028 cruise.

2028 Cruises, Experiences and Starting Prices

• The Blue Danube: from £2,049, with selected departures including private access to Vienna’s House of Strauss, a drinks reception and classical concert.
• Rhine Cruise to Switzerland: from £2,399, with selected sailings including a visit and private musical performance at Kloster Eberbach.
• The Seine, Paris & Normandy: from £2,199, with selected departures including exclusive access to the Giverny Museum of Impressionism and drinks with canapés.
• Burgundy, the River Rhône & Provence: from £2,149, with selected sailings including exclusive access to Villa Caroube, a drinks reception and live music.
• Free deck upgrade booking period: 2 September–9 October 2026.

The early-booking offer applies to eligible 2028 European river cruises and upgrades selected Middle Deck standard cabins to the Upper Deck at no extra charge. Availability is limited and varies by departure. To claim the upgrade, bookings must be made through Riviera Travel’s contact centre and customers need to quote "Free upgrade". Solo cabins qualify only where equivalent cabins are offered on both decks. The offer applies to standard cabins only and cannot be combined with another promotion. Standard booking and cancellation conditions continue to apply.

Anyone booking for the new cultural experiences should check the exact departure rather than the itinerary name alone. Only around a quarter of sailings initially feature a Riviera Moment. The programme also adds a new 14-night festive cruise through Germany and Austria, combining the Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal and Danube with Christmas-market stops, giving another option to travellers considering a longer winter itinerary.

The 9 October deadline matters if you want an Upper Deck cabin, because eligible bookings can get one for the price of a Middle Deck cabin. The cultural extras are also departure-specific, so a cruise may follow the same Danube, Rhine, Seine or Rhône itinerary without including the advertised private event. Before booking, check the exact sailing date, cabin category and included experiences, as availability and starting prices can vary between departures.