European river cruise operator Riviera Travel is launching four new ships in 2017 and a fifth ship in the spring 2018, doubling the size of its five-star fleet. The all-suite MS Emily Brontë, MS Thomas Hardy, MS Oscar Wilde and MS Robert Burns will sail the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers, as well as tributaries, while the Douro Elegance will sail the Douro River. Each Riviera Travel ship is a floating boutique hotel with luxuriously appointed cabins and suites, sumptuous on-board meals, captivating excursions, a relaxed atmosphere, dedicated cruise directors and tour managers, and exceptional value. For more information about Riviera Travel and its new ships, visit https://www.rivieratravel.com/ships, or call 888-838-8820 or your travel professional.
Launching in 2017 are the MS Emily Brontë, MS Thomas Hardy and MS Oscar Wilde, all built by Scylla AG, and the MS Douro Elegance, built by DouroAzul. Following in 2018 will be the MS Robert Burns, also built by Scylla AG. Specifications and highlights of the new ships:
MS Emily Brontë, MS Thomas Hardy, MS Oscar Wilde and MS Robert Burns:
- 88 suites
- 169 guests, 44 crew
- 442.9 feet
- Christenings: Brontë and Hardy, Feb. 24, 2017; Wilde, August 2017; Burns, spring 2018.
- Rivers: Rhine, Main and Danube, as well as tributaries (Moselle and Netherlands waterways)
- Highlights: The Emily Brontë, Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde and Robert Burns are state-of-the-art, all-suite ships. They feature a unique yet exquisite blend of understated style, taste and elegance, with rich, sustainable hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass, intricate wrought iron and beautiful illumination. Suites are a minimum of 183 square feet with upgrades available to Superior and Deluxe accommodations. Diamond and Ruby Deck suites bring the French balcony inside with stunning views from panoramic floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass windows. A second restaurant on each ship, the Bistro, offers a more casual dining experience, featuring an open kitchen where the chef presents signature dishes to a small number of diners from menus that vary according to the season. When the weather allows, the panoramic windows may be fully opened on to the terrace to allow a delightful al fresco dining experience.
MS Douro Elegance:
- 63 cabins/suites
- 126 guests, 36 crew
- 262.5 feet
- Christening: March 25, 2017
- River: Douro
- Highlights: The Douro Elegance is a world-class ship constructed with the latest technology and a strong environmental ethic in mind, purpose-built to fit the unique size limitations of the Douro’s five locks. Its crisp, contemporary yet classically stylish décor includes polished marble and hardwoods, sparkling surfaces and discreet lighting. Cabins and suites are a minimum of 161 square feet. Upper and Middle Deck cabins and suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows that slide down halfway so you can watch the river scenery drift past; Deluxe and Superior Suites also include Juliet balconies. At the christening for the Douro Elegance, builder DouroAzul named English soul and R&B singer-songwriter Joss Stone godmother for the ship.
Riviera Travel is the United Kingdom’s leading river cruise operator, known for its highly rated five-star product and exceptional value. With an independent Reevoo score confirming 97% of clients would travel with them again, Riviera Travel puts its customers first. It was voted as one of the UK’s finest Holiday Companies by Which?, winning the coveted “Recommended Provider” for four years in a row. In the most recent 2016 survey, Riviera Travel was the highest scoring escorted tour company and was awarded five stars for customer service.
In 2017, Riviera travel is expanding to the U.S. market, launching a new national sales office in Fairfield, Connecticut. For more information about Riviera Travel’s new U.S. operations, visit https://www.rivieratravel.com or call 888-838-8820 or your travel professional.
