VIVA Cruises Outlines 2028 VIVA Boutique Deployment Including New Itineraries
by Dori Saltzman
VIVA BEYOND is first vessel in the VIVA Boutique fleet. Photo: VIVA
VIVA Cruises has unveiled its 2028 deployment for its upscale VIVA Boutique collection that operates on the rivers of France and Italy.
The 2028 season brings an even greater focus on wine, with a program led by Romana Echensperger, one of only a few Masters of Wine worldwide. Echensperger will curate the wine selection for both ships in the fleet, pairing wines with the onboard menus and the regions visited, and will train the crew on provenance, grape varietie,s and food pairing. She will also join select sailings in person to host exclusive tastings and masterclasses.
On the Seine, VIVA BEYOND will debut its first Champagne & Sparkling Cruise, sailing July 29 to August 5, 2028. Guests will explore Champagne, Crémant, and cider alongside Romana through tastings, masterclasses, and specially paired menus, with excursions to the Champagne region, Monet’s garden in Giverny, and the Normandy coast. On board, a French-inspired dine-around experience and the art of sabrage (opening Champagne with a saber) on the sun deck add a taste of French joie de vivre.
In Italy, VIVA UNIQUE will introduce a new Gourmet Cruise departing October 1, 2028, sailing from the Venetian Lagoon through the culinary regions of Veneto and Emilia-Romagna. Guests will sample Italian specialties such as Amarone, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, with tastings at wineries and local producers and paired menus and wines on board.
Select VIVA UNIQUE sailings from Venice can also be paired with a two-night extension in Verona. The package includes two nights at an exclusive hotel with breakfast, a guided walking tour, dinner, and tickets to Verona’s world-famous opera.
Other 2028 itinerary highlights include Italy for all the Senses (RT Venice) and La Grande Cucina (Venice to Cremona), both aboard VIVA UNIQUE, and A Taste of Normandy (RT Paris) and In the Light of the Impressionists (RT Paris), both aboard VIVA BEYOND.
All VIVA Boutique fares include full-board dining at three onboard restaurants, including a fine-dining restaurant with Michelin-star-level cuisine, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, an excursion in every port, transfers, gratuities, Wi-Fi throughout the ship, welcome Champagne, a daily-replenished minibar, and a reusable water bottle for the voyage.
