The Rhine and the Danube rivers have fallen to unusually low levels amid Europe’s summer heatwaves. The majority of Riviera's programme continues to operate as normal, with four of its seven ships currently sailing on the affected Rhine and Danube rivers.
Since July, Riviera has successfully operated 27 departures on these rivers using tailored contingency measures where required.
However, eight sailings have been cancelled, making up less than a quarter of the programme. Riviera decided to pull these cruises after it was deemed alternative arrangements would not have met the company's customer experience standards.
Riviera has launched a dedicated incident task force and a new Travel Updates Hub, which is updated twice daily with the latest operational information and sailing updates.
Working closely with operating partners across Europe, the specialist task force monitors river conditions, coordinates contingency plans and ensures agents receive timely, transparent communications to support their customers. All guest updates are mirrored to travel agent partners, providing a single, consistent source of information.
Riviera has also increased call centre capacity and deployed additional Cruise Directors and head office colleagues on affected sailings, while guests receive proactive updates at 14 days, seven days and 72 hours before departure.
Vicky Billing, Director of Trade and Partnerships at Riviera Travel, said: “Supporting our travel agent partners has been a key priority throughout this period. Alongside our dedicated response team, we've launched a Travel Updates Hub… so they [agents] can support customers with confidence.”
To ensure every guest receives appropriate care, the line evaluates every impacted departure individually. Where a cruise cannot go ahead as planned, guests are offered three clear options.
The first is price-matched rebooking onto the same itinerary, cabin type, and departure airport for an alternative date in 2026 or 2027 at no extra cost; or a transfer to any alternative Riviera Travel holiday departing in 2026 or 2027 (including Douro, Seine, or Rhone cruises, or European/Worldwide escorted tours). If the new holiday costs less, Riviera will refund the difference; if it costs more, it will contribute £250 per person toward the balance.
Clients can receive a full refund where significant itinerary changes occur and a guest prefers to cancel. For sailings that proceeded with necessary mid-trip modifications, the team assesses compensation or goodwill options on a case-by-case basis following travel, offering either future travel vouchers or cash alternatives.
The line insists quest confidence remains strong, with July Rhine and Danube departures achieving an average Trust Score of 8.6/10 and an overall positive sentiment score of nearly 88%.
James Golding, Chief Guest Experience Officer, said: “Transparency and communication are critical during periods of disruption. Through our dedicated response team and close collaboration with our operating partners we're ensuring agents and guests have the latest information and support at every stage of their journey.”