Riviera Travel — which encompasses river and yacht cruises, as well as land products — is still working on raising its profile in the North American market, especially following its rebrand early this year from Riviera River Cruises.
But a recent sailing onboard its new Riviera Radiance river ship revealed a few things to know about the brand’s river cruise style, service and features.
The Scylla Connection
When I first embarked, Radiance looked very familiar to me. I had just wrapped up sailing on Viva Cruises’ newest vessel, Viva Enjoy, and picked up on the similarities quickly. The vessels are effectively sister ships in the Scylla fleet.
Scylla itself is a Swiss-based operator of European river vessels that, until recently, chartered solely to outside companies including Riviera and Tauck. (In 2018, Scylla started Viva as its in-house brand.)
Riviera Radiance’s design aesthetic features wrought-iron railings and chandeliers.
Credit: 2025 Jason LeppertEnjoy and Radiance are structurally identical with only a few subtle differences. Riviera’s wrought-iron railings and traditional chandeliers contrast Viva’s contemporary glass inserts and matching fixtures. On either vessel, guests can expect high quality from Scylla’s shared offerings.
Showcasing a split-level configuration, common to many riverboats in Europe, there are two public decks that span the front half of the vessel and meet at the mezzanine level. By shifting where this landing occurs, Radiance visually links its observation lounge, bar and main restaurant with an open-air atrium. This architecturally impressive element is no small task to achieve.
At 172 square feet, my Double Cabin on the Diamond Deck was not particularly expansive, but was perfectly configured for comfort and storage. The bathroom’s shower was sublime and featured premium rain and handheld heads. For guests seeking more space, there are also larger, 258-square-foot Superior Suites and 344-square-foot Grand Balcony Suites available for upselling.
Cabins are well configured for comfort and storage.
Credit: 2025 Riviera TravelClients should keep in mind that almost all outlets are European or British in style, and require prong adapters for U.S. equivalents.
The Riviera Difference
Other onboard offerings include wellness venues, such as a small gym that’s free to use and a separate massage room offering paid treatments. It’s complimentary for guests to reserve an extra dry sauna, steam room and shower for private use. There is also a sun deck with a heated pool.
In an effort to further appeal to American culture, the line is newly offering shore excursion options in the form of paid alternatives to the daily included tours. On-demand coffee stations are built throughout the ship, alongside self-service “American” (chocolate chip and double chocolate with chopped nuts) cookies.
The sun deck is home to a heated pool.
Credit: 2025 Riviera TravelRadiance features a fine-dining experience that needs to be applauded. From breakfast to dinner, standouts dishes were complimented by local flavors such as hearty Hungarian and Slovakian dishes.
Early and midday meals could also be enjoyed in the Riverview Kitchen or Mosaic. At night, both restaurants offer reservations for alternate dinners of regional specialties. Just a few examples include delicious Viennese schnitzel, richly sauced cuts of meat, seafood and vegan options.
Other features of Riviera’s service encompassed an attentive cruise director and personable cruise concierge, along with a robust folder of practical port maps and a keepsake itinerary pamphlet, plus the occasional bonus gift such as a magnet or a container of paprika delivered to staterooms (depending on the year’s Riviera Plus perks). And inclusions on my 2025 sailing extended to a superior drinks package featuring local wine and beer, as well as an evening cocktail of the day, house spirits and mixers — complimentary at lunch and from 6 p.m. to midnight. This benefit will soon be applied to extended hours of 10 a.m. through midnight for 2026 departures.
What’s more, Riviera positions itself as a one-stop destination where travel agents and clients can book flights, transfers, river voyages and pre- and post-cruise stays directly through the company. And exclusively for North Americans travelers, advisors can add the brand’s signature collection of shoreside Grand Tours to create an extended vacation experience.
