Riviera Travel Might Be Up for Sale Soon

Riviera Travel, the UK-based river cruise and tour operator that has been aggressively targeted the North American market for the past several years, might soon be up for sale. Silverfleet Capital, the company’s private equity backers are apparently weighing selling the brand, according to reporting from UK publication The Times.

Per The Times, Silverfleet Capital has hired an investment bank to look at options for the brand, which could include a sale. Silverfleet has owned a majority stake in Riviera since 2017, when it purchased the company from another equity company Phoenix Equity Partners.

Riviera Travel was founded by Michael Wright in 1984 as tour company. It launched its river cruise division in 2009. Today the fleet numbers about a dozen ships and brings in more than £255 million in annual revenue.

This would not be the first time that Silverfleet has selling considered the company. Reporting back in 2024 indicated Silverfleet had hired bankers at Baird to look at options. Rather than a sale, the investors decided to purse expansion instead.

According to The Times, “current discussions are said to be in early stages and there is no guarantee a formal sale will launch.”

Meanwhile, the brand continues to raise the bar on its offering. Last month, the brand launched “The Riviera Moment,” a collection of exclusive, included river cruise excursions available onboard the Riviera Moment. In August, Riviera introduced onboard cruise hosts across its fleet.  

Sales of river cruise operators by investment companies to other investment firms is not unusual. For instance, global investment firm L Catterton acquired a significant stake in AmaWaterways from a consortium of investors led by Certares LP in March 2024.