Riviera Travel has launched three brand-new 10-night European river cruises, available to book from January 31, 2023.

A total of 15 new departures will be on offer, sailing from April to October next year. They join an additional 13 European river cruise itineraries, which went on sale late last year.

Riviera Travel is enjoying a period of growth – last year saw the line return to profitability since the Covid pandemic. At an event earlier this week, chief customer officer Simon Michaelides told guests that January bookings are up by a third, river passengers are up 5 per cent since 2019, and the average selling price is up 45 per cent compared to last year.

The new itineraries are enhancements of three of Riviera’s most in-demand, shorter seven-night sailings. They follow the popularity of the 10-night Lyon, Provençal Rhône and the Camargue cruise, introduced by the river specialist for this year, which has already sold out its first three months of departures.

New for 2024:

* Cologne, the Rhine Gorge & Medieval Germany. Includes ten guided tours of Cologne, Andernach, Rüdesheim, Mainz, Miltenberg, Wertheim, Würzburg, Ochsenfurt, Bamberg and Nuremberg. It also features a visit to Braubach, a drive along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg and a sailing through the Rhine Gorge. Prices from £2999.

* Paris, Normandy & Historic Treasures of the Seine. Comprises seven guided tours to Paris, Auvers-sur-Oise, Rouen, the D-Day Normandy Beaches, Honfleur or Étretat, Abbey Jumièges and Abbey St Wandrille and the Château de Malmaison, plus two visits, to Caudebec-en-Caux and Claude Monet’s house and garden. Prices from £2699.

* The Moselle, Luxembourg & The Majestic Rhine. Nine guided tours to Koblenz, Luxembourg, Trier, Cochem, Rüdesheim, Worms, either Heidelberg or Schwetzingen Palace Gardens, Marksburg Castle and Cologne. Plus three visits to Andernach, Speyer and Bonn and a sailing through the Rhine Gorge. Prices from £2899.

Prices include return flights with regional airport options available at no additional cost; Eurostar travel on select itineraries; full board; and all scheduled visits and tours.

Excursions are available every day, while sailings also include on-board lectures, port talks, entertainment and authentic regional menus plus the services of a Riviera Travel cruise director and concierge throughout.

An optional on board drinks package is available to purchase, which offers a selection of drinks during lunch and dinner. The package for the 10-night sailings starts from £219pp.

Katja Hildebrandt, Riviera Travel’s head of product river and ocean cruise, said: “It’s very exciting to be introducing these new 10-night river cruise sailings. The additional time they offer on board will allow guests to experience and explore an incredible range of eye-catching destinations, such as Versailles, the Rhine Gorge and Schwetzingen Palace Gardens.

“Europe has so much on offer and these longer cruises are perfectly tailored to see the highlights and hidden gems of each itinerary. When combined with our luxury, five-star ships and outstanding onboard service, there really is no better way to sail these beautiful waterways.”

The three new sailings form part of Riviera’s early booking campaign, which offers guests a 10% saving when booking their 2024 river cruise before February 28, 2023.