On European rivers there is a maximum length, width and height for cruise ships to fit through locks and under bridges. As such, riverboats all look pretty similar from the outside: long, low and skinny.
What cruise lines do with their interiors is another matter. The many riverboats I have been on have varied from boring beige to downright louche. So I was instantly struck by the smart design of Riviera Travel’s new 178-passenger Riviera Radiance. It was a freezing December day in Budapest but my first impression was one of warmth, space and light.
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The front area of the ship is open plan, which gives a wonderfully spacious feel. The lobby area on Ruby Deck is overlooked by a gallery with wrought-iron railings and a sparkly chandelier. The gallery flows into the Panorama Lounge, a serene space of artfully placed greenery and tastefully muted colours.
Steps curve down from here to a forward-facing cocktail bar, which provides a separate area for a digestif if you want to avoid the hubbub of the after-dinner quizzes and musical entertainment in the Panorama Lounge. And you can wander straight into the light-filled main dining room either from the bar or the lobby.
Although Riviera isn’t the cheapest river cruise line, and does not claim to be, nor is it aiming at the ultra-luxury river cruise passenger. But the food is easily on a par with some of the poshest lines on Europe’s rivers.
Every meal on my two-night preview was outstanding, from a delicate curry soup to a perfectly cooked piece of halibut with a tangy citrus crust. Mosaic, located on the lower-level Emerald Deck, does tapas-style dishes inspired by the cuisines along Europe’s rivers: a bacalhau (salt cod) salad from the Douro, creamy coquilles St Jacques from the Rhône and a spectacular riesling soup — that’s right, a wine soup — from the Wachau, which I followed with white asparagus drizzled with hollandaise. A third restaurant, Riverview Kitchen, at the aft of Ruby Deck, does pizzas and grills — with river views. And then there’s the calorific afternoon tea, at which I felt compelled to try a gleaming chocolate cake and scones with jam and cream.
There’s a tiny spa area with a sauna and steam room: you can book this for exclusive use, so no squishing up against strangers. It would be the perfect remedy after a day of trudging round Christmas markets in the snow. For sunnier cruises, the ship has an expansive upper deck with hammocks as well as deckchairs and a tiny, heated plunge pool that would just about fit four.
Of the 89 cabins, all apart from the 14 on the lower deck have a step-out or French balcony. Cabin decor throughout is silver and pale gold, marred slightly by a rather startling mauve carpet, while each room comes with honey-fragranced Nuxe toiletries, a Nespresso machine and a kettle with a British plug socket, both nods to the line’s loyal UK following.
Who will you meet on board? Mainly well-travelled couples over 60, with a couple of cruises dedicated exclusively to solo passengers. Riviera is now making a push for American customers, who may take to this gentler style of river cruising, with a sense of being looked after rather than herded and over-scheduled. I would certainly be tempted.
Sue Bryant was a guest of Riviera Travel, which has seven nights’ all-inclusive from £1,749pp, including tips and some excursions, sailing round-trip from Budapest on October 23 (rivieratravel.co.uk). Fly to Budapest
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With new ships launching on waterways across the world, 2026 could be the perfect time to try a river cruise. Sue Bryant has ten of the best.
With the recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt is in the spotlight for 2026 — and the ships plying the Nile just keep getting better. Expect next-level opulence with the forthcoming launch of A&K Sanctuary’s new Nile Seray. The boat has 32 suites, done out in calming neutrals, with a French or step-out balcony, while the smartest two have outdoor hot tubs. There are two restaurants, a spa, a gym and a gorgeous pool deck where the day beds are shaded by canopies shaped like the sails of the Nile’s traditional dahabiya boats. Nile Seray will sail between Luxor and Aswan on four-night voyages, each accompanied by top-notch Egyptologists who will interpret 5,000 years of history in riverside temples and lavishly decorated tombs.
Details Seven nights — four full board on the ship and three B&B in a Cairo hotel — from £7,395pp, including domestic flights, transfers and excursions, with various departures in November (abercrombiekent.com). Fly to Cairo
The touring specialist Trafalgar is entering the busy river cruise market in 2026 with two ships, Trafalgar Verity and Trafalgar Reverie, both of which operated previously for its sister company Uniworld. So while you will be sailing on an older ship (Verity was refitted in 2010 with an art deco theme), the vessel was built for ultra-luxury cruising and only carries 128 –— for context, the biggest European river cruisers take 190. On board there are yoga sessions, while you can borrow Nordic walking poles and bicycles to explore ashore. Expect some imaginative excursions; on this cruise from Basel to Amsterdam, you will have lunch at a family farm near Breisach, where seasonal produce includes asparagus, courgettes and pumpkin, and taste artisanal fruit vinegars at the cellar of a sustainable producer near Speyer.
Details Nine nights — seven full board on the ship and two B&B in an Amsterdam hotel — from £3,299pp, including flights, transfers, excursions and drinks with meals on board, on a Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam itinerary, departing from Basel on July 28 (trafalgar.com)
Australian-owned Emerald Cruises has always dared to be different in its ship design, with a stylish boutique feel to its European river fleet. The new 180-passenger Emerald Astra has an almost yacht-like vibe thanks to various collaborations with European art galleries and pops of colour from its Missoni furnishings. Clever design includes an indoor pool and bar that doubles up as a cinema when a cover slides over at night — and this being a ship carrying mainly Aussies, you can expect a decent deck barbecue. This cruise takes in the Rhine Gorge and the sheer-sided Moselle Valley, visiting Cochem, Bernkastel and Trier, where you will find impressive Roman remains.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £1,995pp, including a choice of excursions and drinks with meals on a Legendary Rhine & Moselle itinerary, departing from Mainz on August 17. Fly to Frankfurt
Take in the beauty of rural Australia on PS Australian Star, a new paddlesteamer that sails the Murray River. The boat, which carries 38, is powered by an original 1907 wood-fired steam engine, although there is nothing vintage about life aboard, where regionally inspired cuisine and proper coffee, Aussie-style, are just two highlights. The ship sails from Echuca, just over three hours by train from Melbourne, passing landscapes of towering red gum trees, wetlands and rolling vineyards. Adventures along the way include a candlelit barbecue on the riverbank, complete with campfire, a visit to the quirky Australian Great Aussie Beer Shed & Heritage Farm Museum, and a wine-paired lunch at St Anne’s Winery.
Details Three nights’ full board from £1,356pp, including train travel from Melbourne, drinks with meals and excursions, departing on December 4 (murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.au). Fly to Melbourne
AmaWaterways is adding to its ever-expanding fleet with the new AmaSofia, launching in spring and carrying 156 in considerable luxury. Don’t miss the chance to dine in the excellent reservations-only Chef’s Table restaurant, which does wine-paired seven-course dinners with dreamy river views. Several cabins have the luxury of both a French and a step-out balcony. There’s a strong emphasis on wellness too, with fitness, massage and a fleet of bicycles. On this December cruise you’ll celebrate Christmas aboard, with stops to visit the festive markets along the Danube between Budapest and Vilshofen.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £3,341pp, including flights, transfers, drinks with meals, daily cocktail hour and excursions, on a Christmas Markets on the Danube itinerary, departing from Budapest on December 20
Swiss-owned Viva has launched an upmarket, all-inclusive arm to its river cruise business, with the 112-passenger Viva Beyond making its debut on the Seine in May. Half the cabins are suites, while there are three places to eat, wellness facilities and a pool deck from which you can watch the bucolic scenery of Normandy drift by. You will sail from Paris to Le Havre and back, and while excursions cost extra, they are reasonably priced: a whizz around Montmartre in a vintage Citroën 2CV is £122pp, an art-inspired walk around Rouen is £26pp and Monet’s house and garden is £86pp.
Details Seven nights’ all-inclusive from £2,925pp in a junior suite, on an In the Footsteps of Impressionism itinerary, departing from Paris on July 12 (viva-cruises.com). Take the Eurostar to Paris
Uniworld’s vessels are famed for their lavish interiors and the line’s latest “Super Ship”, the 154-passenger SS Emilie, is unlikely to disappoint. Launching on the Danube in spring, the ship, named after Emilie Flöge, the muse of Gustav Klimt, is inspired by the work of the Viennese painter, with art nouveau decor and details of shimmering gold throughout — particularly in places where you would least expect it, such as the massage room. Excursions on this cruise between Nuremberg and Vienna include cycling along the Danube, a visit to a hop farm with beer tasting, an apricot tasting in the Wachau Valley and vineyard hikes.
Details Seven nights’ all-inclusive from £2,999pp, including flights, transfers and excursions, on a Vineyards & Palaces along the Danube itinerary, departing from Nuremberg on June 28 (uniworld.com)
Follow in the footsteps of the early 18th-century explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark — whose mission was to discover a waterborne trade route from Illinois to the Pacific — on a voyage along the remote Columbia and Snake rivers in the far northwest of the US. Sail on the new 180-passenger American Encore, launching in May, from Portland, Oregon, to Clarkston in Washington state through landscapes of dense forest, towering mountains, gorges and waterfalls. There are masses of excursions, including brooding Mount St Helens, an alpaca farm, wine tasting, kayaking and jet boat rides. Because ships on these rivers do not have the height restrictions of their European cousins, you will have plenty of space: there is a reading lounge, a games room, and a lovely cocktail bar. Every cabin has a balcony too.
Details Eight nights — one room only in a hotel and seven all-inclusive in a balcony cabin — from £6,799pp, including flights, transfers and some excursions, on a Columbia and Snake River itinerary, departing from Portland on November 3 (fredholidays.co.uk)
The ultra-modern ships in the Amadeus fleet are chic and stylish, with plenty of thoughtful touches. The new Aurea, for example, has an alfresco bar, a coffee shop inspired by Vienna’s grand cafés and, on the sundeck, a heated pool and putting green. Several of the cabins have panoramic windows that drop down to let the river breezes in. This round-trip cruise from Passau includes overnights in both Vienna (complete with a lesson in the Viennese waltz) and Budapest. Unusually, excursions cost extra but are reasonably priced — and you will be given an allowance towards them. Don’t miss the astonishing display of horsemanship at Puszta, on the edge of the steppe beyond Budapest (£78pp).
Details Seven nights’ full board from £2,513pp, including flights, transfers, drinks with meals, and €200pp onboard credit, on a Danube Rhapsody itinerary, departing from Passau on October 10 (amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk)
Travelmarvel is the four-star division of the Australian-owned APT brand and, as such, has some competitive pricing if you’re not looking for all-out luxury and free-flowing drinks. This itinerary on the new 178-passenger Travelmarvel Rigel takes you from Basel to Amsterdam via some of the prettiest spots on the Rhine, including Breisach, gateway to the Black Forest, Strasbourg and the Rhine gorge, with a detour along the Moselle to pretty Cochem. Notable features on board are the large volume of cabins with drop-down panoramic windows, the sunny rooftop bar and pies, pizzas and pints in McGeary’s, the ship’s Irish pub.
Details Seven nights’ full board from £1,995pp, including flights, transfers, drinks with meals and excursions, on a Rhine and Moselle itinerary, departing from Basel on August 4 (travelmarvel.com)
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