Riviera Travel Reviews 

Our 8th Riviera tour, so we are not novices.
Always been very easy to book online, but not this time and we are not sure why.
We thought we had booked it, we had a booking reference and a note to say it may take up to 4 days to sort the flights, this has never happened before.
Then nothing. After a week as the phone was busy I messaged and 3 days later got a message back.
The response said our holiday was on hold as the price of the flights had gone up. No attempt from Riviera to inform us of this.
I rang to clarify and as the lines were busy again I asked for a call back which did not happen.
The day after I rang again and agreed to book with an increased price.
Amanda was very helpful, but could give no explanation for the above.
Normally the booking is instantaneous with no unexplained extra cost.
If we hadn't have used Riviera before we would probably have gone elsewhere.

I spoke with Laurie about a holiday booking which I couldn’t make online. He was so helpful and courteous. He followed up with an email to answer my questions and confirm my booking. He was a great ambassador for the company. This is my first time booking with Riviera Travel and I have been very impressed.

Riviera Travel - cruise
My parents and their friends booked the cruise many months ago to spend their 50th wedding anniversaries and celebrate a birthday this year. Prior to the trip they were watching updates regarding low water levels close to Switzerland.

Various cruises were cancelled however the company did not cancel their trip and stated a bus would take them to their final destinations including Switzerland this being their main goal.

5 days into the tour they have now been told they will not be heading to Switzerland and the train up in the mountains but in fact will be turning around and heading back.

Two parties now affected and their personal goals not met. If the water levels are low I would avoid continuing with your trips, reschedule if you can or get your money back.

Disappointing, disheartening and poor customer experience

Avoid at all costs with the lack of rain I’m sure more customers will be upset

Faced with low river levels on the Rhine, they emailed, “Should you choose to travel on the revised itinerary, we are pleased to offer either a 15% refund and 30% discount for a new European river cruise of seven nights or more departing later in 2026 or during 2027. Or 75% discount for a new European river cruise of seven nights or more departing later in 2026 or during 2027 As these changes are significant, you also have the right to cancel or transfer your holiday should you no longer wish to travel on this date. Thank you for your understanding and patience. We very much hope to welcome you aboard the MS Riviera Resplendence.”

This was the Wednesday before the Saturday we were to begin the cruise. In short, if I booked a cruise priced at £8,000, I’d pay only £2,000 (75% discount). On the following Monday, they added a qualification: they meant a 75% credit on the initial booking price, to be spendable on a new cruise, so if I’d spent £4,000 on that booking, I’d deduct £3,000 from an £8,000 booking: the second would be £5,000, not £2,000.

Either way, a generous offer, but my decision was based on their prior word. (The adjusted cruise also duplicated a fair bit of a cruise I had this spring.) I raised that point with them. They have doubled down on this breaking of their word, changing their rules mid-game. That’s not on. Hence my minimal rating.

Addenda: Riviera has contacted me and we are at one. Fair resolution has taken time and angst, but has come. I move my rating from 1 to 3 stars.

Booking was straightforward, each step clearly explained.

Very easy to book, as someone who doesn't book a holiday very often!

The agent was very informative and helpful and went out of his way to gain additional information for me. The booking process following this was straightforward.

The booking process was straightforward and fairly easy.

I telephoned to make my booking for our next holiday as I much prefer to talk through the details with a person rather than do it online. I spoke to Laurie who was friendly and helpful and arranged all the details. My booking was completed quickly and efficiently.

We booked the Switzerland, the Matterhorn and the Glacier Express trip and the service that we received and witnessed from this company was nothing short of dreadful.

We got a flight from Manchester but two other couples flew from Bristol and yet when they arrived at Zurich airport there was nobody to create them. They were walking around the airport for two hours waiting, eventually riviera sent a driver but this driver didn't speak English and they were forced to go searching with a car reg to locate the vehicle and driver themselves. They expected to receive a cooked meal that night as per the itinerary but instead when they arrived to the Hotel they were given sandwiches in their room, (not what they paid for).

We were due to depart on the 28th August from Zurich Airport to fly back to Manchester Airport. The tour guide said goodbye to us and we were left queuing. When we got to the front of the queue we were told that our flight had been cancelled. We were then forced to queue for the booking office and were stood in a queue for several hours with the other people from the coach.
We didn't receive any communication from the company and still to this day I can say that we have not had a single text message, phone call or email from them. I tried to call them on different numbers and trying to get through to speak to someone is very difficult.
On several occasions I have been provided with false and misleading information.

After waiting in the queue for hours eventually the tour guide came back but we were at the back of the queue and he never came and spoke to us to clarify what was happening. It is not for other people on the coach to relay information to others. On several occasions I approached Nicholas to ask what was happening and he either walked away or avoided my questions. At one stage I was told that we were getting a flight to Berlin, on another occasion I was told that we were getting a flight to London and then a flight to Manchester.

We were shoved into a coach and driven to Milan and didn't arrive at a Hotel until well after midnight and it wasn't until 1am that we made it to the Hotel room. We were then told that we needed to be down for breakfast at 6am. Yet it emerged that we didn't need to be down for 6am since we had been booked onto a later flight to Birmingham so could have stayed in bed for longer. Instead we were left shattered and confused as to what was happening. I was also told that a shuttle had been arranged to transfer us to an airport at Bergamo which was a one hours drive by the tour guide. After numerous phone calls it emerged that this was not the case and that we had to arrange our own transport plus pay the cost, that being 200 euros. Once we arrived at the airport we were told at the counter that we also had to pay 10 euros for the booking fee again Rivieras fault and this resulted in more queuing. We didn't arrive on British soil until after 8pm and this was in Birmingham when our car was parked in Manchester and we don't live anywhere near Birmingham.
I was also made aware that some members of the coach lived near Birmingham and yet they had been put on the earlier flight to London which makes no sense.

Also, I believe that the tour guide created more problems due to lack of communication and poor organisation. Three taxis were taking people to the airport in Milan and he took the first one. An elderly lady in her 80s was sat in the lounge of the Hotel very confused and didn't know where she was going or what she was meant to be doing. If it wasn't for a family explaining things to her then she would not have got the taxi to the airport and would have missed her flight!

The holiday was very expensive, there's other tour operators such as Titan travel that I have heard of that provide a much better service. I strongly advise against booking a holiday with this company based on everything that I have seen and witnessed.

My introduction to the RT booking experience was through Amanda. She was friendly, knowledgeable, understood what I wanted from the holiday and was very efficient. After thinking about the holiday, I went back to RT to make my booking. Laurie dealt with my booking very efficiently.
The whole booking experience with RT was excellent.

Riviera Travel have been amazing! I cannot praise and recommend them highly enough. We are already booked on a cruise for 2027!

My partner and I were booked on a Danube Cruise in July/August of 2026, which turned into a ‘Stationary in Bratislava’. But the holiday was awesome. All the staff went above and beyond to make every day as special as possible, given the very tricky conditions they were facing. The boat was a floating 5* hotel of loveliness, with superb food and drink and the hastily arranged trips were superb. We met wonderful people, had a fantastic holiday and will 100% travel with Riviera again. Their compensation offer for the lack of cruising was generous and much appreciated too.

Thank you, Riviera. Our first cruise might not have been what was planned … but it was very special indeed.

Phone answered promptly by Nicky C. She was professional and spoke very clearly.
The booking process was very easy. The details were all repeated to nake sure I understood the processes.

i wish i could have put 5 stars but we havent even gone on trip yet , we are going as 2 couples and requested that 1 couple get extra seat room , my friend Les is over 6ft and its a long trip , my wife has spent over 2 weeks trying to arrange this and all she hets when phoning is music and a promise if you press 1 they phone back (they dont) we have a number which was supposed to connect to Lewis aguy she spoke to at the vey beginning 3/4 weeks ago but his number goes straight to the main number and we can never speak to him or anyone else, sort your phone service out Riviera I will think twice about using you again,terrible service for a first time customer !!!!!!

Very pleasant customer service staff. Very helpful.

I needed to book by telephone and was answered very quickly. Nicky was friendly yet professional and dealt with my queries and subsequent booking very efficiently. She was also very knowledgeable about the holidays I was interested in . Well done again, Riviera.

We've recently returned from a short break to Stockholm & Copenhagen. We're independent travellers by nature - but based on recommendations from friends thought we would give a Riviera escorted tour a try. Very glad we did.

Two fabulous cities, excellent tour manager with some good company too. Trips included walk arounds in both cities. Tip - they are fast paced walk arounds so if you have any mobility issues, bear it in mind please.

Hotel room in Stockholm a little small, but well located and clean. Copenhagen was an upgrade on size. In both hotels, staff were all professional, courteous, helpful & spoke English fluently (so please, don't raise your voice in best British 'tradition' to be understood - it's embarrassing).

Also included trips to Roskilde Cathedral, Roskilde Viking Museum, Vasa Museum, Frederikshaven Palace & Swedish Royal Palace. Couple of others too. Tip - you have a free day and a couple of half 'free days'. I reckon cutting out a couple of trips and making room for more free time to wander about would really help Riviera (subtle nudge).

Flew SAS to Stockholm and back from Copenhagen. Very good airlines. But please note it takes a long time now we've left the EU to get through passport control and the walk to the gates is a trek. Also, you need to use the EES App on your phone when entering Sweden if you want as trouble free and speedy experience as possible. Also - the sign at Stockholm Arlanda passport control for those who've pre-registered entry is pretty small. So look for it and use it when pre-registered. Using the pre-registration and free App, by the way, is really easy.

Written 26/08/26
Would have given 4* but. . .
This was our 3rd cruise with Riviera - July 2026 - Douro, 2019 and Danube, 2024. We have always recommended Riviera, & until this trip would have been unlikely to travel with another company. Several people have booked trips with Riviera as a result of our endorsement. On this cruise there were too many instances where Riviera fell short. We have found ann alternative river cruise company for our next one. Major complaints are:
1. 13 days before departure I ‘phoned Riviera on an unrelated matter & was informed on day 8, all passengers with onward travel or flights departing at lunchtime or later would leave the ship at 10.45. I asked why we couldn’t stay on the ship until leaving for the airport - as on the Douro cruise in 2019. I was told Riviera changed their policy c. 15 months ago, & everyone had to go so cleaning could be completed for the next group.
I don’t understand why we couldn’t stay on the ship until being taken to the airport. My main complaint is: Riviera are selling an 8 day, 7 night cruise, with an all inclusive drinks package. I quote, ‘Enjoy your all-inclusive drinks package from 16.00 on embarkation day, and from 10.00 am until midnight on all other days. . .’
That is, except day 8, when everyone on the ship, irrespective of flight departure time, has to leave shortly after check-out, & be taken to a hotel in Cologne / wherever. Buy into an 8 day river cruise & get 7!
On day 8, we would be taken to the Hilton Hotel in Cologne, and kept supplied with ‘refreshments’. The manager I spoke with advised I should have been informed about hotel transfer when this booking was re-scheduled in March / April 2025. I wasn’t.
2. On day 1, we were told to attend a compulsory safety briefing, when the Captain made very misogynistic remarks about ‘lipstick, high heels and silly little girls’. I’m not on holiday to be insulted, and don’t appreciate - other passengers felt the same - insulting remarks, when we were all paying him to do a job.
All other staff - one we recognised from the Danube - were extremely polite and helpful.
3. Day 8, we got to the Hilton Hotel in Cologne. Underwhelming is an understatement. It was a rather pathetic attempt – being generous – at a ‘continental’ breakfast - i.e. that day’s breakfast leftovers. Given the amount of money Riviera charge per day, I expect better. 90 minutes before our transport to the airport, these ‘refreshments’ were withdrawn, apparently at Riviera’s specific written instructions. Riviera should be instructing any hotel to provide drinks - alcoholic or not - as this is the package their customers have bought into. If they aren’t given this, they are being short changed.
4. A company like Riviera should not be using low-cost no-frills airlines i.e. EasyJet, Ryanair, and Eurowings.It prides itself of being 5* so should not be cutting corners in this way.
5. When the time arrived for the airport transfer, 10 individuals had transport booked for the Manchester flight. As we went to the taxi, we found it full, with 8 people. We were on the pavement, wondering why a taxi for 8 people had been ordered when there were 10 requiring it. The transfer guide ‘phoned Riviera operations but no satisfactory answer was given. She called us another taxi, which she said we would have to pay for, but to get a receipt & we would be reimbursed by Riviera. The tour guide told me she was ‘speechless’ - it wasn’t the first time she had been put in an awkward position with this transfer group. Earlier in the day 2 groups travelling with Eurostar & on the Edinburgh flight had to wheel their cases to the train station as the taxis didn’t turn up at the hotel.
6. When we got to the airport, we asked the driver for a receipt. He informed me this had to be downloaded by the person who ordered the taxi. As I didn’t know who had done this, & had no means of communication with the local guide / the hotel, I said I couldn’t do that. The driver had 3 minutes to drop us off without a charge, so I hastily wrote a note, and asked him to sign it, so I had a receipt.
7. I communicated all the above to Riviera upon our return and asked for a half day refund given the shambles it was. All they did was quote ‘Terms & Conditions’ at me. However they admitted, ‘For those with later flights or onward travel arrangements, a complimentary hotel room is provided, together with light refreshments. . . .' Riviera did not provide this, so they are in breach of contract on this alone. But they won’t admit it.
It will be their loss. I have already sourced another cruise company for 2 years time.

Edit 27/08/26. Is this an AI bot reply? It was our 3rd not 4th cruise. I have been thanked for my ‘wonderful’ review. It is almost wholly negative!
Further edit 28/08/26. Riviera have responded and apologised, clearly via a human & not an AI bot.

The River Cruise as advertised didn't provide the full itinerary due to low water levels. While we appreciated that Riviera wasn't to blame for this, they should have offered a refund or future booking discount. We lost 75% of destinations and received a 15% future booking discount. I appealed and was told that is all they would offer. I had no issues with the boat or their cruise staff but the head office responses were very poor. I would not recommend Riviera Travel purely on their poor customer service.