"Is that your only luggage?" asked my butler, looking askance at my carry-on suitcase and backpack.
I had just arrived on board Riverside Ravel for a four-night Rhône River cruise, and yes, those were my only bags. Unlike the folks staying on board for seven nights or longer, I didn't need much clothing — especially with complimentary self-service laundry on the ship.
Riverside Luxury Cruises is one of the newest river cruise lines around, but it's fast becoming an advisor favorite. The line rose from the ashes of luxury brand Crystal's short-lived river cruise arm, and it currently operates three former Crystal ships on the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Rhone, and Saone rivers.
Your clients might be asking for other river lines by name, but if they're younger, cruise-curious travelers hesitant to commit — or high-net-worth clients used to the quality and service of luxury ocean ships and hotels — consider steering them toward Riverside. Luxury and customization are the line's twin hallmarks, and they set it apart from the more established brands that dominate the rivers.
After all, it only took four nights for Riverside to become my new favorite river cruise line.
All the Luxuries, Big and Small
Most river cruises are solidly premium, with intimate ships, regional cuisine, and nicely appointed cabins that are fine but don't always wow. Riverside goes the extra mile to make guests feel pampered.
It's hard to know when I first fell in love with the line. It might have been the moment my personal butler opened the door to my spacious 258-square-foot Riverside Suite (the most common size on board), and I found a king-sized bed, a walk-in closet, a full coffee and minibar setup, and a gigantic bathroom with a glass-enclosed rain shower. The smaller Melody and Symphony Suites are just shy of 200 square feet and perfect for solo travelers; the lower-deck Melody Suites don't carry a single supplement.
Or perhaps it was the first morning, when I was dazzled by the breakfast buffet: multiple types of French croissants and pastries, bowls of fresh berries, a full spread of charcuterie and French cheeses, and a luscious lemon tart I was too self-conscious to cut into at 8 a.m. Maybe it's just me, but who wants to be the first to break into a decadent dessert at the start of the day? When the lunch buffet showcases a whole roasted pig and afternoon snacks at the Atelier run to lobster rolls and creamy eclairs, it's clear you've blown past premium straight to luxury.
It didn't hurt that the bartenders always showed up right when I needed a refill of a Hugo Spritz or a basil martini made with fresh herbs plucked from the potted plants at the aptly named Botanist Bar. Crew members even greeted us with cold towels and refreshing mocktails when we returned from a tour in 100-degree heat.
The indoor pool alone would have converted me after a blazing hot hike in the Ardeche. Its cool water was a vast improvement over other river ships' top-deck, sunscreen-slick pools heated past bathwater temperature in the direct sunlight. I never took advantage of the spa or gym, but I did use the self-service laundry twice. (Why is it always on the luxury cruises that DIY laundry is the most popular amenity?)
The service on board was excellent from embarkation to disembarkation. As I staggered into the main reception area before my 5 a.m. airport transfer, a cheerful crew member was waiting with an enormous takeaway breakfast box customized to my preferences. He insisted on wheeling my small carry-on out to the waiting van, though I could have easily handled it myself.
Choose Your Own Adventure
I booked Riverside's four-night Rhone Sampler cruise from Avignon to Lyon because I was short on time. Also boarding in Avignon were guests sticking around for the seven-night itinerary that extended onto the Saone River. When I disembarked, new guests would arrive to sail seven or 10 nights back to Avignon. Travelers even more time-limited than I was could join the ship for a three-night round-trip cruise from Avignon.
Riverside offers this kind of flexibility on most of its rivers. Board a Danube River cruise in Budapest, and you have options to stay four, eight, 11, or 14 nights. The Rhine itineraries have fewer options, but several embarkation dates offer choices for shorter or longer sailings.
These modular itineraries allow a three-ship line to offer your clients a long list of options, from leisurely trips of a week or more to three- and four-night sailings they can combine with pre- and post-cruise city stays. New cruisers hesitant about a weeklong commitment can opt for a shorter sailing to satisfy their cruise curiosity. Odds are they'll book a longer one next time.
The pricing is equally customizable. The base package, Full Board, includes daily meals, Wi-Fi, port and service charges, room service during restaurant hours, and water, tea, and coffee at meals. Most of Riverside's American guests choose the most comprehensive package, Premium All-Inclusive Including Excursions, which covers all dining, drinks, tours, and Wi-Fi. In between are two add-ons to Full Board: one adds the premium beverage package, and the other adds excursions.
If your clients dislike group excursions and prefer to arrange private tours or explore independently in port, they don't have to pay for the included excursions. Likewise, if they drink little to no coffee, soda, or alcohol, they can pay for beverages a la carte.
Once on board, the choices continue. Every suite comes with a butler who can help guests craft their ideal trip. Mine stocked my mini-fridge with my drinks of choice and brought a tea kettle, a tea selection, and a small pitcher of milk for my wake-up and wind-down sips. The truffles, little cream puffs, and homemade marshmallows left under a small glass cloche during turndown service felt far more elegant than pillow chocolates.
Riverside Ravel also offers dining choice. On a four-night cruise, I never had the same dinner experience twice. At the main Waterside Restaurant, two-tops abound, and the dishes are tasty and beautifully plated. At the 12-course Atelier Dinner, meant for sharing, my group was plied with small plates of French cuisine, from snails and foie gras to chateaubriand and tarte tatin. I ate on the top deck twice: first at an outdoor barbecue buffet complete with local lavender centerpieces on each table, and later for a Waterside menu served alfresco in Lyon. Guests can also order room service or book a wine-pairing menu in the intimate Vintage Room, the ship's private dining space.
I was surprised when I headed to dinner immediately after the safety briefing and found no one there. Unlike other river cruise lines with one set dinner seating, Riverside offers open seating and doesn't force guests to dine with strangers. The post-briefing rush to the dining room doesn't exist here.
The ship also serves food nearly all day long. When the Waterside Restaurant is closed, the Atelier is open for a late riser's breakfast and the swankiest afternoon light-bites buffet I've ever encountered, plus made-to-order bubble waffles with ice cream.
Because not everyone on board has the tour package, I felt less tour pressure on Riverside than I have on other river cruise lines. The evening tour talks were quick and sparsely attended rather than the focal point of the night. Some days offered morning, afternoon, and evening options, so I could join a half-day tour and explore on my own for the rest of the stop. On the Rhone, we docked in the heart of town nearly every day, which made it just as easy to head out solo as it was to follow a guide.
And when I did join a tour, I opted for a food tour of Les Halles Market in Lyon or a hike along the Ardeche River near Viviers rather than a lollipop walking tour. Many of Riverside's options were experiential — wine tastings, e-bike tours, and visits to lavender and truffle farms — and the more typical walking tours were jazzed up with a musical performance or a game of petanque.
Steer your clients toward the Uniquely Riverside excursions, developed exclusively for Riverside guests, or the complimentary Signature Events, such as a private concert in Vienna's Lower Belvedere Palace or a silent movie accompanied by live music at Rudesheim's Mechanical Music Museum.
Riverside Ravel can carry 110 guests in 55 suites, but my sailing was less than half full. That's the trouble with being river cruising's best-kept secret. Travelers who want a river experience closer to a boutique hotel than a multicity bus tour need an advisor to point them toward a line they've likely never heard of, and your clients only need to carve three or four nights out of a longer vacation to see what customizable luxury looks like.
Tell them to pack light. The laundry is free.
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