Riviera Travel is a specialized travel company that offers award-winning European river cruises and solo vacations. With a focus on iconic rivers such as the Danube, Rhine, and Douro, the company provides a range of cruise options featuring spacious cabins and handcrafted itineraries. Riviera Travel also caters to solo travelers by offering cruises without single supplements on selected departures, allowing independent travelers to enjoy their journeys while connecting with like-minded guests.
In addition to river cruises, Riviera Travel features boutique small-ship yacht cruises and European Grand Tours that combine land and river travel for a comprehensive exploration of the continent. Their offerings target a diverse range of customers, including couples, families, and solo travelers seeking immersive cultural experiences and exceptional value during their vacations in Europe. For more information, visit their website at www.rivieratravel.co.uk.
Riviera Travel has a positive customer experience.
Riviera Travel receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many customers praising the straightforward and efficient booking process. Reviewers highlight the helpfulness and knowledge of the staff, noting that agents like Laurie and Ben provide excellent customer service, answering questions thoroughly and ensuring a smooth experience.
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The ability to communicate with a dedicated agent is also appreciated, as it fosters a personal touch in the booking process. However, some complaints arise regarding specific trips, such as the Blue Danube cruise, where issues with customer service and staff attitude have been reported. Despite these isolated incidents, the overall sentiment remains highly favorable, with many consumers expressing satisfaction and recommending Riviera Travel for their travel needs.
1,000 customer reviewsLatest review over a year ago
Where the score comes from
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
Rating, volume, share of the score, six-month trend and fake-review risk for each source
Source
Rating
Reviews
Weight
6-mo
Fake risk
★
Trustpilot
Imported Trustpilot reviews
4.7
1,000
100%
● Low
4.7 / 5 overall
=
1,000 reviews across 1 scored source
How fake risk works ⓘ
Reputation trend
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Jul 2025.
Last 3 months
4.7
12-month avg
4.7
All-time
4.7
Category avg
4.0
Monthly averageCategory average
Monthly average rating and review count
Month
Average
Reviews
Jan 25
4.8
155
Feb 25
4.8
180
Mar 25
4.8
138
Apr 25
4.7
125
May 25
4.6
119
Jun 25
4.8
143
Jul 25
4.7
140
What people praise & complain about
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 500 most recent reviews.
Top praiseof 465 positive reviews
Helpful support52%
242 mentions
Easy to use27%
127 mentions
Friendly staff22%
102 mentions
Customer service21%
97 mentions
“Booking was very easy”
On “Helpful support” · Jul 30, 2025
Top complaintsof 18 negative reviews
Customer service33%
6 mentions
Payment issues22%
4 mentions
Response time17%
3 mentions
Communication17%
3 mentions
“I have posted this response from Riviera Travel on TrustPilot to show the poor customer service, particularly the ru...”
On “Customer service” · Jul 29, 2025
How it compares
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Cruise Lines.
Overall rating and review count for this company and similar companies
The online booking was relatively straightforward - I had to stop and start a few times to check dates etc before completing the whole process.
The personal details section asked for my middle name -... See more
Ben made the booking experience really simple. He was very informative & answered all my questions e.g about the included optional excursions & I was relieved that not all involved a lot of walking b... See more
The ability to communicate with one particular agent who took a personal interest in my booking. It was never suggested that I 'go online'.
Able to make contact seven days a week
What types of travel services does Riviera Travel offer?
Riviera Travel is a tour operator that specializes in escorted group tours and river cruises, primarily serving mature travelers. They offer destinations across Europe, Asia, and other international locations with carefully planned itineraries and experienced tour managers.
How can I contact Riviera Travel for bookings or inquiries?
You can contact Riviera Travel through their website, by phone, or by visiting one of their offices. Their customer service team can assist with bookings, travel information, and general inquiries during business hours.
What is included in a typical Riviera Travel tour package?
Tour packages typically include accommodation, transportation, guided excursions, and the services of a tour manager. Specific inclusions vary by tour, so it's important to check the detailed itinerary for each trip to understand what's covered.
What is Riviera Travel's cancellation policy?
Riviera Travel has specific cancellation terms that vary depending on how far in advance you cancel and the type of booking. You should review their terms and conditions or speak with their customer service team for detailed information about cancellation fees and procedures.
All 12 questions →Show fewer questions
Do I need travel insurance for Riviera Travel tours?
While travel insurance may not be mandatory, it is strongly recommended to protect against unexpected circumstances like trip cancellation, medical emergencies, or lost luggage. Riviera Travel can provide information about insurance options available to customers.
What are Riviera Travel's office hours?
Office hours may vary by location and season. It's best to check their website or call ahead to confirm current operating hours for customer service and local offices.
How far in advance should I book a Riviera Travel tour?
Booking in advance is recommended, especially for popular destinations and peak travel seasons. Early booking often provides better availability and may offer certain advantages, though specific timeframes depend on the destination and time of year.
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The online booking was relatively straightforward - I had to stop and start a few times to check dates etc before completing the whole process.
The personal details section asked for my middle name - I don’t have one - and then didn’t enter my surname so I finished up having to ring and speak to an agent - who sorted things quickly.
I opened an online account so I can fill all the necessary information - passport details etc. However, although I had had my confirmation email, this hadn’t registered. I contacted the online assistant and everything was sorted quickly.
So, four stars as everything was booked - but not five as I had to contact Riviera twice - which was quick and easy.
Ben made the booking experience really simple. He was very informative & answered all my questions e.g about the included optional excursions & I was relieved that not all involved a lot of walking but utilised land trains or coach tours with adequate time to explore independently. I can make periodic payments before the final payment is due. I can contact Ben if I have any further queries but Riviera Travel Q&As pages are very informative. Confirmation of booking was emailed promptly.
The ability to communicate with one particular agent who took a personal interest in my booking. It was never suggested that I 'go online'.
Able to make contact seven days a week
Lots of to-ing and fro-ing and being on hold and ringing mw back. Took a long time but that was because we were doing comparisons between dates and ways of having the holiday (solo v travelling solo on a mixed ship) Shelley covered every detail very well. A bit disappointed that 10% discount came off of lowest base price rather than my price for date and cabin chosen.
Fantastic service today when booking our holiday from Laurie Mathieson.
He showed enthusiasm for the holiday and took me through the booking process with great efficiency.
Thank you for such excellent customer service. X
I recommend Riviera Travel for excellent customer service
Ringing Riviera travel you never have to wait long to speak with staff member. They are all so helpful. Just booked a third holiday with them. Laurie went above and beyond speedily responding by email and telephone to all my queries. So friendly and efficient. Good knowledge of all aspects of the holiday too. Thanks Laurie.
Great experience from start to finish.
We called last year to book a trip to South Africa and from then on they could not do enough.
Grand Tour of South Africa was amazing from start to finish. Sylvia Currie, our guide for the whole holiday was absolutely brilliant in coordinating everything. We literally did not have to think for the whole holiday. Our drivers Venus and Goodman did a great job driving us around and TK, our South African guide was full of knowledge about everywhere we travelled. Would highly recommend.
Didn't have to wait too long to speak to someone. Initially spoke to Melanie who was very helpful with all info, for me to then discuss with hubby. We finally booked with Laurie who too was very helpful and knowledgeable. I had to call back with a minor query which was dealt with immediately.
I have posted this response from Riviera Travel on TrustPilot to show the poor customer service, particularly the rudeness to my elderly mother.
The company’s response is patronising and does not value the customer
It totally ignores the health and safety issues of the cleanliness of the hotel, the coldness of the rooms with in-room air condition controls not adjustable and no opening windows if you wanted to switch of the air conditioning, the inappropriate in-room crockery and lack of space to adequately store luggage.
Having extensively travelled to many countries and stayed in a variety of hotels in city centres and I know what to expect and I would state I have stayed in better 2 star hotels which have the basic facilities expected in a room and are clean compared to this hotel.
Riviera’s response show they have not vetted this hotel and if they had they would have seen the large number of guest reviews about similar issues about this hotel have been raised, irrespective of it being a 4 star rated.
Either the tour director is lying they have submitted reports of the sub-standard issues of this hotel or Riveria are not listening to either their tour director or customer feedback.
Furthermore , when we originally booked this holiday, we were due to be staying at another hotel which provided all the facilities needed. But 2 months before the holiday we received notice the hotel had been changed but Riviera Travel’s communication provided no detail of what to expect and this lack of communication detail is a common occurrence by Riviera Travel.
I would recommend not booking the added Vienna extension on The Blue Danube river cruise.
From: Guest Relations
Date: 29 July 2025 at 11:54:30 BST
To: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: xxxxxx
Subject: Complaint re Mooons Hotel Vienna - booking ref 1524533
Dear Sue Joseph,
Thank you for making your recent booking on The Blue Danube (including the Vienna extension) aboard the MS Riviera Radiance, and for taking the time to share your thoughts following your stay at the Moons Hotel Vienna.
We truly value your feedback and are sorry to hear that the style of the hotel and its focus on local produce and vegetarian options did not meet your expectations. While many guests find the Moons Vienna a suitable base for the included excursions, we fully appreciate that its concept and culinary approach may not be to everyone’s taste, and we regret that it did not align with your preferences on this occasion.
We understand that transitioning from the luxurious surroundings and attentive service of a 5-star cruise to a more contemporary city hotel can feel like a stark contrast, and we’re sorry this impacted your overall experience.
Regarding the medical conditions you mentioned, please be assured that had we been made aware of these in advance, our team would have been more than happy to offer further insight and advice to help ensure your accommodation was both comfortable and appropriate for your needs.
In relation to you hotel stay in Malta, please do review the room inclusions at xxxxx and if you have any further questions we will be happy to assist.
Finally, four comments have been shared with the relevant teams and will be taken into careful consideration as we continue to review and refine our hotel partnerships and guest communications.
We look forward to welcoming you in September.
Best regards,
xxxxxx
Guest Relations Senior Advisor
Riviera Travel
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xxxxx @rivieratravel.co.uk
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rivieratravel
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328 Wetmore Road
,
Burton on Trent
,
DE14 1SP
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Riviera Tours Ltd is a company, registered in England, with company number 01869298 and having its registered address at New Manor, 328 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, Staffs, DE14 1SP. This message is sent in confidence to the addressee(s) only. The contents must not be disclosed to any person other than the addressee(s). If you believe that you have received this email in error, please inform the sender as soon as possible. For information about how we process your personal data, please see our Privacy Notice, which is available at: Privacy Policy | Riviera Travel
As always Nicki Foster, who answered my call was helpful. The holiday I was wanting to book was fully booked and she made several suggestions all from Birmingham Airport as I had said I preferred that. She then suggested a river cruise and I have booked that
Booked a call back and Laurie Mathieson rang within 10-15mins. Laurie was very helpful and dealt with the initial booking efficiently, giving positive advice.
On confirmation Laurie was very thorough making me aware of all aspects that I felt confident all areas had been clearly understood by us both.
Many thanks
We spoke to a lady, called Jane, and she was extremely patient with us and took the trouble to explain everything as we had not had a river cruise before. We can't wait for next year to come now!
Just to say that the representative I spoke to on the telephone (Laurie) was very helpful indeed. We have never been on a river cruise and I had a host of questions which he answered patiently and fully. He was very knowledgeable about small details. A very positive experience.
What documentation do I need for international tours?
You'll typically need a valid passport for international travel, and some destinations may require visas or specific vaccinations. Riviera Travel provides guidance on required documentation, but it's your responsibility to ensure all documents are valid and obtained in time.
Are Riviera Travel tours suitable for travelers with mobility issues?
Many tours involve walking and may not be suitable for travelers with significant mobility limitations. It's important to discuss any mobility concerns with Riviera Travel when booking so they can advise on tour suitability and any available accommodations.
How does Riviera Travel handle dietary requirements and special requests?
Riviera Travel can often accommodate dietary requirements and special requests when notified in advance. It's important to inform them of any needs during the booking process so they can make appropriate arrangements with hotels and restaurants.
What happens if my tour is cancelled by Riviera Travel?
If Riviera Travel cancels a tour, they typically offer alternatives such as rebooking on a different departure or providing a full refund. The specific options available depend on the circumstances and are outlined in their terms and conditions.
Can I extend my stay or make changes to my Riviera Travel booking?
Extensions and modifications may be possible depending on availability and the specific tour package. Changes often incur additional fees and should be arranged through Riviera Travel's customer service team as early as possible.
About Riviera Travel
Riviera Travel is a specialized travel company that offers award-winning European river cruises and solo vacations. With a focus on iconic rivers such as the Danube, Rhine, and Douro, the company provides a range of cruise options featuring spacious cabins and handcrafted itineraries. Riviera Travel also caters to solo travelers by offering cruises without single supplements on selected departures, allowing independent travelers to enjoy their journeys while connecting with like-minded guests.
In addition to river cruises, Riviera Travel features boutique small-ship yacht cruises and European Grand Tours that combine land and river travel for a comprehensive exploration of the continent. Their offerings target a diverse range of customers, including couples, families, and solo travelers seeking immersive cultural experiences and exceptional value during their vacations in Europe. For more information, visit their website at www.rivieratravel.co.uk.