River Cruise Expert

I attended my first CLIA River Cruise Conference in March 2026, and wow, what an experience it was!

Not least learning that River cruising is THE fastest growing sector in the travel industry market currently!

There are such a diverse range of river cruise ships from 4* to 5* and 5*+ (or some like to be rated as 6*) There really is a river cruise ship to suit every budget and client type, with ships ranging from modern and contemporary to traditional and luxury river cruise vessels, and even some geared to “adults only” too.

After a one pre-stay night at the Mövenpick Amsterdam City Centre (which is a great location and attached to the conference centre), I had three nights' stay on three different river cruise ships, these were:-

- Viva Enjoy – night one
- Avalon View – night two
- Riverside Debussy – night three

I also had the opportunity to look around the following river cruise ships too:-

- Uniworld - Emilie – a brand new ship!
- AMA - Serena
- Emerald - Luna
- TUI - Maya
- Amadeus -
- Riviera - Geoffrey Chaucer

Having never even stepped on board a river cruise ship previously at all, I had no idea what to expect, so this was a great opportunity to experience a large amount of the ship firsthand.

Staying overnight on three different ships enabled me to have a much better understanding of what the river cruise experience really is like, for guests and on different ships.

After staying at the Mövenpick hotel in Amsterdam on the first night, my second night was on a river cruise ship, which was the:-

Viva Enjoy ship – This is a modern European river cruise ship and a premium-style vessel carrying around 190 passengers, designed to offer an intimate, hotel-like experience with contemporary interiors and high service levels and trust me, this ship had all that and more.

Onboard, Viva Enjoy features multiple dining venues, and the bar was a fabulous venue in its own right. Viva Enjoy also has wellness facilities (like a fitness area, yoga space, bikes with free hire and sun-deck pool), and comfortable cabins, many of which have French balconies, whilst others have fixed windows.

Overall, this ship is aimed at relaxed, upscale river cruising on routes such as the Danube and Rhine, combining scenic travel with good food, comfort, and a calm atmosphere.

Avalon View ship – This ship's features large Panorama Suites (these make up 80% of the accommodation) with a wall of glass and beds facing the river; that glass wall opens to two-thirds of the room’s width, effectively creating an inside balcony feel.

Onboard, it offers a relaxed, upscale experience with multiple dining options, a fitness centre, observation lounge, and a spacious sun deck with a whirlpool, barbecue, walking track and much more.

Overall, the Avalon View ship is aimed at comfortable, scenic cruising on Europe’s rivers, combining modern design, generous cabin space, and a more flexible, activity-oriented travel style.

My fourth night's stay and third on a River Cruise ship was on the:-

Riverside - Debussy – This is a truly stunning luxury river ship often described as offering a six-star experience, and trust me, the “welcome” on board and my initial impressions really did back that up.

The décor is elegant and refined, with beautifully designed suites, excellent à la carte dining and an atmosphere that feels more like a boutique hotel than a cruise ship.
Wellness facilities include an indoor swimming pool, gym and treatment room.

Alongside my three ship overnight stays, I was also able to visit a range of other river cruise ships, each offering something slightly different.

Ama - Serena offers a classic river cruising experience with spacious cabins, welcoming public areas and a relaxed onboard atmosphere, with a heated pool on the sun deck, a gym, massage rooms and free bike hire too. For anyone with more limited mobility, my advice is to book a cabin on the Violin or Cello deck, as there is no lift to the lower passenger deck.

Emerald - Luna has a sleek, modern design and a particularly clever feature, a heated indoor pool with 270-degree views and a retractable roof, which converts into a cinema in the evening too!

TUI - Maya – This is an adult-only ship for ages 18+ and over and offers a contemporary and relaxed style of river cruising and great value for money for travellers looking to explore Europe’s rivers comfortably. In summer 2027, a new sister ship, TUI Elara, is also scheduled to launch on the Rhine.

Riviera Travels - Geoffrey Chaucer – Geared to UK guests rather than European or other nationalities, this ship offers a very comfortable and traditional river cruise experience, known for excellent food and thoughtfully designed itineraries. There is a splash pool and putting green on the sun deck, a small gym, a massage room and a hair salon too.

Amadeus - Riva – I was really impressed with its sleek, modern styling and sophisticated atmosphere, creating a contemporary boutique feel onboard. It has options of suites with step-out balconies to lower deck cabins with fixed windows. Most cabins have panoramic windows that open halfway. There is a gym onboard, and you can rent an e-bike to explore ashore.

I was also super privileged with just 3 of my other colleagues to be allowed on board the new Emilie ship, from the luxury river cruise line Uniworld. This ship was still having the “finishing touches” made to her, ready for her launch the following week. Emilie is a beautiful new ship, which immediately stands out for its stylish, boutique-hotel décor and elegant design and a much more subtle décor approach than other Uniworld river cruise ships too.

So why should you take a River Cruise?

1. Ever-changing scenery
You’re constantly sailing through picturesque landscapes—vineyards, castles, and historic towns—without long sea days. Routes like the Danube River or the Rhine River are especially famous for this.

2. Dock right in the heart of cities
Unlike ocean cruises, river ships often dock in central locations, so you can step straight into places like Vienna or Budapest without long transfers.

3. Smaller, more relaxed atmosphere
River ships typically carry under 200 passengers, making the experience quieter, more personal, and less crowded than large ocean liners.

4. All-inclusive convenience
Many river cruises include meals, drinks, excursions, and even guided tours, so it’s easy to budget and just enjoy the trip without constant extra costs.

5. Cultural immersion
You get more time in destinations and often join guided excursions, local tastings, and walking tours, giving a deeper connection to each place you visit.

How can you find the “right” River Cruise for you?

1. Start with your destination and where you want to go

2. Pick the right time of year

3. Decide on your budget for the cruise and the style of cruising you would like

4. Think about the pace and itinerary

5. Choose the right ship and cabin/suite type

Or contact me and speak to a “River Cruise expert!”

If you are interested in taking a river cruise and would like to find the perfect itinerary or ship for you, then please feel free to get in touch for an informal chat, and I can assist with your travel plans.

There are such a diverse range of river cruise ships from 4* to 5* and 5*+ (or some like to be rated as 6*) There really is a river cruise ship to suit every budget and client type, with ships ranging from modern and contemporary to traditional and luxury river cruise vessels, and even some geared to “adults only” too.
After a one pre-stay night at the Movenpick Amsterdam City Centre (which is a great location and attached to the conference centre), I had three nights stay on three different river cruises ships, these were:-
- Viva Enjoy – night one
- Avalon View – night two
- Riverside Debussy – night three
I also had the opportunity to look around the following river cruise ships too:-
- Uniworld - Emilie – a brand new ship!
- AMA - Serena
- Emerald - Luna
- TUI - Maya
- Amadeus -
- Riviera - Geoffrey Chaucer
Having never even stepped on board a river cruise ship previously at all, I had no idea what to expect, so this was a great opportunity to experience a large amount of the ships first-hand.
Staying overnight on three different ships, enabled me to have a much better understanding of what the river cruise experience really is like, for guests and on different ships.
After staying at the Movenpick hotel in Amsterdam on the first night, my second night was on a river cruise ship, which was the:-
Viva Enjoy ship – This is a modern European river cruise ship and a premium-style vessel carrying around 190 passengers, designed to offer an intimate, hotel-like experience with contemporary interiors and high service levels and trust me this ship had all that and more.
Onboard, Viva Enjoy features multiple dining venues, the bar was a fabulous venue in it’s own right. Viva Enjoy also has wellness facilities (like a fitness area, yoga space, bikes with free hire and sun-deck pool), and comfortable cabins, many of which have French balconies, whilst others have fixed windows.
Overall, this ship is aimed at relaxed, upscale river cruising on routes such as the Danube and Rhine, combining scenic travel with good food, comfort, and a calm atmosphere
Avalon View ship – This ships features large Panorama Suites (these make up 80% of the accommodation) with a wall of glass and beds facing the river, that glass wall opens to to two-thirds of the room’s width, effectively creating an inside balcony feel.
Onboard, it offers a relaxed, upscale experience with multiple dining options, a fitness centre, observation lounge, and a spacious sun deck with a whirlpool, barbecue, walking track and mucg more.
Overall, the Avalon View ship is aimed at comfortable, scenic cruising on Europe’s rivers, combining modern design, generous cabin space, and a more flexible, activity-oriented travel style.
My fourth nights stay and third on a River Cruise ship was on the:-
Riverside - Debussy – This is a truly stunning luxury river ship often described as offering a six-star experience and trust me the “welcome” on board and my initial impressions really did back that up. The décor is elegant and refined, with beautifully designed suites, excellent a la carte dining and an atmosphere that feels more like a boutique hotel than a cruise ship.
Wellness facilities include an indoor swimming pool, gym and treatment room.
Alongside my three ship overnight stays, I was also able to visit a range of other river cruise ships, each offering something slightly different.
Ama - Serena offers a classic river cruising experience with spacious cabins, welcoming public areas and a relaxed onboard atmosphere, with a heated pool on the sun deck, a gym and massage rooms and free bike hire too. For anyone with more limited mobility my advice is to book a cabin on the Violin or Cello deck as there is no lift to the lower passenger deck.
Emerald - Luna has a sleek, modern design and a particularly clever feature, a heated indoor pool with 270 degree views and a retractable roof, this converts into a cinema in the evening too!
TUI - Maya – This is an adult only ship for ages 18+ and over and offers a contemporary and relaxed style of river cruising and great value for money for travellers looking to explore Europe’s rivers comfortably. In summer 2027 a new sister ship, TUI Elara, is also scheduled to launch on the Rhine.
Riviera Travels - Geoffrey Chaucer – Geared to UK guests rather than European or otthe nationalities, this ship offers a very comfortable and traditional river cruise experience, known for excellent food and thoughtfully designed itineraries. There is a splash pool and putting green on the sun deck and a small gym and massage room and hair salon too.
Amadeus - Riva – I was really impressed with its sleek modern styling and sophisticated atmosphere, creating a contemporary boutique feel onboard. It has options of suites with step out balconies to lower deck cabins with fixed windows. Most cabins have panoramic windows that open half way. There is a gym onboard and you can rent an e-bike to explore ashore.
I was also super privileged with just 3 of my other colleagues to be allowed on board the new Emilie ship, form the luxury river cruise line Uniworld, this ship was still having the “finishing touches” made to her ready for her launch the following week. Emilie is a beautiful new ship, which immediately stands out for its stylish, boutique-hotel décor and elegant design and a much more subtle décor approach than other Uniworld river cruise ships too.
So why should you take a River Cruise?
1. Ever-changing scenery
You’re constantly sailing through picturesque landscapes—vineyards, castles, and historic towns—without long sea days. Routes like the Danube River or Rhine River are especially famous for this.
2. Dock right in the heart of cities
Unlike ocean cruises, river ships often dock in central locations, so you can step straight into places like Vienna or Budapest without long transfers.
3. Smaller, more relaxed atmosphere
River ships typically carry under 200 passengers, making the experience quieter, more personal, and less crowded than large ocean liners.
4. All-inclusive convenience
Many river cruises include meals, drinks, excursions, and even guided tours, so it’s easy to budget and just enjoy the trip without constant extra costs.
5. Cultural immersion
You get more time in destinations and often join guided excursions, local tastings, and walking tours, giving a deeper connection to each place you visit.
How can you find the “right” River Cruise for you?
1. Start with your destination and where you want to go
2. Pick the right time of year
3. Decide on your budget for the cruise and the style of cruising you would like
4. Think about the pace and itinerary
5. Choose the right ship and cabin/suite type
Or contact me and speak to a “River Cruise expert!”
If you are interested in taking a river cruise and would like to find the perfect itinerary or ship for you, then please feel free to get in touch for an informal chat and I can assist with your travel plans.

There are such a diverse range of river cruise ships from 4* to 5* and 5*+ (or some like to be rated as 6*) There really is a river cruise ship to suit every budget and client type, with ships ranging from modern and contemporary to traditional and luxury river cruise vessels, and even some geared to “adults only” too.

After a one pre-stay night at the Movenpick Amsterdam City Centre (which is a great location and attached to the conference centre), I had three nights stay on three different river cruises ships, these were:-

- Viva Enjoy – night one
- Avalon View – night two
- Riverside Debussy – night three

I also had the opportunity to look around the following river cruise ships too:-

- Uniworld - Emilie – a brand new ship!
- AMA - Serena
- Emerald - Luna
- TUI - Maya
- Amadeus -
- Riviera - Geoffrey Chaucer

Having never even stepped on board a river cruise ship previously at all, I had no idea what to expect, so this was a great opportunity to experience a large amount of the ships first-hand.

Staying overnight on three different ships, enabled me to have a much better understanding of what the river cruise experience really is like, for guests and on different ships.

After staying at the Movenpick hotel in Amsterdam on the first night, my second night was on a river cruise ship, which was the:-

Viva Enjoy ship – This is a modern European river cruise ship and a premium-style vessel carrying around 190 passengers, designed to offer an intimate, hotel-like experience with contemporary interiors and high service levels and trust me this ship had all that and more.

Onboard, Viva Enjoy features multiple dining venues, the bar was a fabulous venue in it’s own right. Viva Enjoy also has wellness facilities (like a fitness area, yoga space, bikes with free hire and sun-deck pool), and comfortable cabins, many of which have French balconies, whilst others have fixed windows.

Overall, this ship is aimed at relaxed, upscale river cruising on routes such as the Danube and Rhine, combining scenic travel with good food, comfort, and a calm atmosphere

Avalon View ship – This ships features large Panorama Suites (these make up 80% of the accommodation) with a wall of glass and beds facing the river, that glass wall opens to to two-thirds of the room’s width, effectively creating an inside balcony feel.

Onboard, it offers a relaxed, upscale experience with multiple dining options, a fitness centre, observation lounge, and a spacious sun deck with a whirlpool, barbecue, walking track and much more.

Overall, the Avalon View ship is aimed at comfortable, scenic cruising on Europe’s rivers, combining modern design, generous cabin space, and a more flexible, activity-oriented travel style.

My fourth nights stay and third on a River Cruise ship was on the:-

Riverside - Debussy – This is a truly stunning luxury river ship often described as offering a six-star experience and trust me the “welcome” on board and my initial impressions really did back that up.

The décor is elegant and refined, with beautifully designed suites, excellent a la carte dining and an atmosphere that feels more like a boutique hotel than a cruise ship.
Wellness facilities include an indoor swimming pool, gym and treatment room.

Alongside my three ship overnight stays, I was also able to visit a range of other river cruise ships, each offering something slightly different.

Ama - Serena offers a classic river cruising experience with spacious cabins, welcoming public areas and a relaxed onboard atmosphere, with a heated pool on the sun deck, a gym and massage rooms and free bike hire too. For anyone with more limited mobility my advice is to book a cabin on the Violin or Cello deck as there is no lift to the lower passenger deck.

Emerald - Luna has a sleek, modern design and a particularly clever feature, a heated indoor pool with 270 degree views and a retractable roof, this converts into a cinema in the evening too!

TUI - Maya – This is an adult only ship for ages 18+ and over and offers a contemporary and relaxed style of river cruising and great value for money for travellers looking to explore Europe’s rivers comfortably. In summer 2027 a new sister ship, TUI Elara, is also scheduled to launch on the Rhine.

Riviera Travels - Geoffrey Chaucer – Geared to UK guests rather than European or other nationalities, this ship offers a very comfortable and traditional river cruise experience, known for excellent food and thoughtfully designed itineraries. There is a splash pool and putting green on the sun deck and a small gym and massage room and hair salon too.

Amadeus - Riva – I was really impressed with its sleek modern styling and sophisticated atmosphere, creating a contemporary boutique feel onboard. It has options of suites with step out balconies to lower deck cabins with fixed windows. Most cabins have panoramic windows that open half way. There is a gym onboard and you can rent an e-bike to explore ashore.

I was also super privileged with just 3 of my other colleagues to be allowed on board the new Emilie ship, form the luxury river cruise line Uniworld, this ship was still having the “finishing touches” made to her ready for her launch the following week. Emilie is a beautiful new ship, which immediately stands out for its stylish, boutique-hotel décor and elegant design and a much more subtle décor approach than other Uniworld river cruise ships too.

So why should you take a River Cruise?

1. Ever-changing scenery
You’re constantly sailing through picturesque landscapes—vineyards, castles, and historic towns—without long sea days. Routes like the Danube River or Rhine River are especially famous for this.

2. Dock right in the heart of cities
Unlike ocean cruises, river ships often dock in central locations, so you can step straight into places like Vienna or Budapest without long transfers.

3. Smaller, more relaxed atmosphere
River ships typically carry under 200 passengers, making the experience quieter, more personal, and less crowded than large ocean liners.

4. All-inclusive convenience
Many river cruises include meals, drinks, excursions, and even guided tours, so it’s easy to budget and just enjoy the trip without constant extra costs.

5. Cultural immersion
You get more time in destinations and often join guided excursions, local tastings, and walking tours, giving a deeper connection to each place you visit.

How can you find the “right” River Cruise for you?

1. Start with your destination and where you want to go

2. Pick the right time of year

3. Decide on your budget for the cruise and the style of cruising you would like

4. Think about the pace and itinerary

5. Choose the right ship and cabin/suite type

Or contact me and speak to a “River Cruise expert!”

If you are interested in taking a river cruise and would like to find the perfect itinerary or ship for you, then please feel free to get in touch for an informal chat and I can assist with your travel plans.

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