Riviera Travel confirms order for two additional European river ships

Riviera Travel has signed a contract for two additional new-build river cruise ships to sail in Europe.

The new vessels are scheduled to be delivered in 2027 and 2028 and will be sister ships to Riviera Radiance, which launched in June this year, and Riviera Resplendence, due to launch in July 2026.

Riviera said the destinations and itineraries of the new ships are to be confirmed but will likely cover a combination of the Rhine, Moselle and Danube rivers.

Speaking to trade partners on board Riviera Radiance ahead of the ship’s naming ceremony in Budapest, chief executive Phil Hullah said: “I have something super exciting to announce: we have just signed a contract for two more new Radiance class ships, one for 2027 and one for 2028.

“They will take our river cruise fleet size to 16 by 2028, including Riviera Alba coming on the Mekong, so we will be a sizeable operation with lots of choices.”

Hullah told Travel Weekly: “We are investing and the new ships are a genuine opportunity for us to rethink things for what the next generation of guest wants, whether that is the experiences or restaurants or excursions, the whole thing, and how we talk about them.

“We now have the opportunity to help to reposition a little bit.”