Riviera Pauses Sales of Rhine & Danube River Cruises, But Doesn’t Cancel Any Sailings

Due to ongoing problems with low river water, Riviera Travel is pausing sales of its Rhine and Danube river cruises through the middle of September, according to U.K. publication TTG Media.

As reported by the publication, a Riviera Travel spokesperson said the pause ensures “we’re only selling holidays that can deliver the authentic Riviera experience our guests expect.” TMR confirmed with Riviera Travel that the suspension is for all markets including North America.

Despite this, most of the cruise line’s upcoming sailings will continue to operate albeit with revised itineraries – and a promise that clients’ river cruises will not turn into bus tours.

“As with any river cruise, some coach travel may be included as part of excursions and transfers. We will do everything possible to keep coach journeys to a minimum… What we will not do is replace significant sections of your planned river journey with repeated, long-distance coach journeys simply to keep an itinerary running,” Riviera Travel states as part of its five-point promise.

(Travel advisors can find the five-point promise on Riviera’s River Cruise Update Center.

As per the Update Center, some improvement is expected over the next 72-hours and at least two sailings are predicted to operate as normal – the August 26 and Sept. 2 sailings of Medieval Germany, Bavaria, and the Romantic Road, both onboard the MS George Eliot. An additional eight sailings are operating with revised itineraries.

Some Rain in the Forecast

According to the line’s update center, rain is expected across parts of the Upper Rhine and Alpine catchments during the next 24 hours.

“The Rhine Gorge remains the section we are monitoring most closely, although conditions there have become more positive following recent changes in river levels.”

No rain is expected on the Danube over the next few days, but Riviera Travel said its focus is on “how water already within the system progresses downstream through Austria towards Bratislava, Komárom and Budapest. River levels can continue to respond for several days after rainfall has passed, so drier weather does not necessarily mean levels will remain unchanged.”