Riviera Travel Reviews

Decided to book by phone to allow us to ask questions as this would be our first River Cruise. All questions answered in detail and very politely. Additional help allowed us to book immediately.

Very helpful staff person

Navigating web site was easy as it was very clear. Had instant feedback. Clear breakdown of costs.

As usual when booking with Riviera the staff are always very friendly and extremely helpful. They are extremely knowledgeable about the holidays. What more could you want.

As already reported here by another Riviera Travel customer, I was also overcharged for an optional cooking experience that costs £26 if booked directly but £49 through RT. While I understand RT have to make money, if the surcharge is 88.5% I would have liked to see the experience details and cost breakdown in advance so I can either book through RT for £49, or directly for £26 and simply walk to the venue or take a shared taxi for £1 or so per person. RT clearly cater to a customer type who may not want or be able to make their own research and bookings, and therefore doesn't mind paying RT for that "service" (that's why there are so many positive reviews of the booking process here - remove those and RT feedback scores will look very differently). I do not fall into that customer category and have now asked 3 (THREE) times for the itemised invoice including the purpose of the 88.5% surcharge, and so far received no response other than a garbled voice mail which I didn't understand and subsequently asked RT to put in writing. This review and invoice request are not necessarily about a £23 refund but about lack of transparency, and the unethical practices of overcharging and ignoring customer complaints. UPDATE AFTER A RESPONSE FROM RIVIERA ON 2ND OF JUNE: I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AT ALL. NOT A SINGLE EMAIL IN RESPONSE TO MY 3 . WHY ARE YOU LYING RIVIERA TRAVEL? THIS IS NOW WITH ABTA - AND ESCALATED TO RIVIERA CEO WHO IS THE ONLY ONE WHO RESPONDED SO FAR TO APOLOGISE.

Just returned from a fantastic river cruise. We enjoyed it so much that we have booked the next one. The Riviera team are so easy to talk to and helpful. Just give them a call and have a chat.

Booked a Vietnam/ Cambodia tour - the travel consultant was very helpful , reviewed flight options, gave details on booking process visa requirements, medical requirements. Overall very satisfied with the level of customer care and information provided

Linda was super helpful and listened carefully to my needs. She answered my questions in an informed way. I felt confident in her knowledge and valued as a customer.

Polite, friendly and efficient. The member of staff was very helpful and returned calls just as she had said she would. All the paper work was produced quickly, accurately and efficiently. Thank you Riviera.

In good faith, a number of our tour group had booked a cooking class as part of our Marrakesh experience with Riviera Travel. The cost of the class had been set at £49. Little did we realise that Riviera Travel had charged nearly 90% in additional charges. We had not previously been informed of the venue and it wasn’t until later that we discovered the true cost, ie £26, of this particular class. We raised this discrepancy with the company who gave various reasons for the extra charges, inc the cost of transport. The venue was just minutes away from the hotel and a group taxi ride would have cost a tiny fraction of this. We asked repeatedly for a goodwill gesture, but were rebuffed, with the challenge to take this further. My personal action is this review in the hope that future guests will be warned and watch out for hidden, unjustified and extortionate surplus charges. It is a matter of principle.

Lack of communication and honesty We booked a gastronomy trip on the Douro River on the Douro Splendid and although the boat itself was good it was a great shame mechanically it was not operating properly from the start and the Riviera Cruise director was not doing his job in keeping us all informed. Riviera will not admit to any of this. They have already tried to silence one other passenger on this site that I know of. This could have all been dealt with much better by Riviera. The questions they will still not answer us is why they didnt have the coaches bought to where we had to moor to have the boat repaired that would enable us not to miss a complete day's planned excursions? Despite photographic evidence of maintenance men and parts being bought on board. The fact that this was sold as a gastronomy cruise we feel that they need to check out what is actually being delivered to their customers and make sure it is up to standard. We believe we were extremely unlucky as we know friends haven't had such a negative experience on other Riviera cruises. I would just like to add that I do not give bad reviews unless there is a genuine reason for this. In fact I much prefer to give credit where credit is due but on this occasion praise is not deserved

Our cruise was a journey we will treasure and made even more exceptional by the truly remarkable Cruise Director - Daniel. Together with Concierge Peter they set a tone of warmth, professionalism and effortless organization that stayed consistent throughout the trip. Each day was filled with meaningful excursions, led by knowledgeable Guides. Logistically, everything ran like clockwork—tours were well-paced, transitions were smooth and any adjustments or unexpected changes- not through fault of Riviera- were handled with calm and competence. Our Cruise Director had a unique way of making every guest feel seen and appreciated, creating a sense of community on board that made the journey feel personal and connected. Energy, humour and genuine care elevated the experience to something truly unforgettable. The ship was elegant and comfortable, recently refurbished and spotless. The crew - very hard working, polite and helpful. The food was another standout. Every meal felt like dining in a fine restaurant!! If you’re considering a river cruise through Normandy, go for it—and if you’re lucky enough to have a Cruise Director like we did, you’re in for something truly special. Thank you, Riviera Travel. Ray S (cabin206)

Very efficient and quick process for booking. My only grumble is that Riviera asks for a password which is at least 14 characters long and includes a special character !

Efficient and friendly Sharon made the booking aspect easy and reassuring that all our requirements were met. We have booked a holiday for 2026, to meet up with friends travelling from another part of the UK. We wanted to travel from different airports but meet in destination and undertake the same tour as our friends, Sharon has taken all our requirement's into consideration and made our bookings with ease.

I phoned and spoke to a to a lady who in a friendly manner obviously cared about making the customer confident booking a holiday.

Excellent. Karen was most helpful and very user friendly.

I can only speak for the booking procedure at the moment but this was so simple. So nice to be able to actually speak to a real person to discuss any issues. 10/10 for booking.

I got to the point of booking and stopped for tea. When I returned I could not book anything, just got a message to call the office. I tried a few times but got nowhere, thought it was sold out. Went back in anew a bit later and found the river cruise was available but the cabin I had selected earlier was no longer available. We booked the one next-door. The system nearly lost you the booking as it kicked me out. I used filters to select a Rhine Cruise, but the Medieval Germany Cruise is not on the Rhine. We assumed we were getting a Rhine cruise by using the filters. The system is very confusing. The itinerary we booked started with a flight to Frankfurt returning from Munich. The iternary sent to My Booking shows Day 1 at Mainz (transfer from Frankfurt) but Day 1 flights going to Munich! What a mess! Your customer service has told me our trip starts in Munich and goes to Mainz, so the flight are correct but the itinerary is wrong. this give a very poor impression of the quality of service. Disappointing before we start the holiday.

Melanie was so helpful and knowledgeable.

The assistant was very helpful and friendly when I made my booking