One of the leading river cruise lines in Europe, Riviera Travel, launched a couple of new, 5-star cruise ships this month including the 169-guest William Wordsmith and 132-passenger George Eliot thus continuing Riviera’s tradition of naming riverboats after famous British authors.
The newbuild riverboats bring company’s fleet to 13 vessels, with another due to join the cruise line next year. Already the largest river cruise operator in the United Kingdom's market, Riviera Travel is in 2019 attracting 73% more Australian bookings in comparison with 2017.
Launched on April 4, the luxury newbuild George Eliot offers a restaurant, lounge, bistro, wellness centre and sun deck. The larger William Wordsmith began her service the day after and offers those facilities as well as a splash pool, putting green, and fitness room.
MS George Eliot is expected to ply the Moselle and Rhine rivers as well as Holland's canals in 2019-2020, with prices available from US$1249 per person, twin share, for a 5-day ‘Enchanting Rhine and Yuletide Markets’ itinerary and from US$2609 per person, twin share, for an 8-day ‘Rhine Cruise to Switzerland’. The fares are also available supplement-free for solo cruisers in a selected number of staterooms, subject to availability.
Meanwhile, MS William Wordsmith will sail Danube River in 2019-2020, with fares available from US$2059 per person, twin-share, or for solo cruisers, subject to availability, for an 8-day ‘Blue Danube’ voyage through Austria, Hungary and Slovakia.