Arena River Cruises, formerly named The River Cruise Line, has rejoined the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).

According to a statement, it has made the move as it looks to develop and build relationships with travel agents across the UK and Ireland.

CLIA UK & Ireland director, Andy Harmer, said: “We are delighted to welcome Arena River Cruises back as a member of CLIA. Following the company’s rebrand and new website, this is an ideal time for Arena River Cruises to be able to engage with CLIA travel agents, guiding them through the benefits of the new changes.”

The River Cruise Line has been renamed and rebranded as Arena River Cruises, bringing it into line with the rest of parent company Arena Travel’s portfolio, ahead of the start of the 2020 cruising season. 

It comes as the company prepares to launch the latest addition to its river cruising fleet, the MS Arena, a four-star ship on an exclusive long term charter, which has undergone a refurbishment and will be formally launched in Amsterdam on 31 March.

Arena River Cruises managing director, Steve Goodenough added: “We’re very pleased to have re-joined CLIA and look forward to showcasing the new brand, as well as our new ship the MS Arena, over the coming months.

“The membership provides an excellent opportunity for us to develop our network of agents across the UK and Ireland and we’re very keen to hear from independent and like-minded agents who are interested in expanding further into the river cruising market.”

Accompanying the rebranding is the launch of the cruise line’s new website linked to the wider portfolio of ArenaTravel brands, which includes escorted holidays by rail, craft and bridge playing holidays, art history tours and other special interest breaks.

The new website has been designed to offer users a more streamlined experience, with improved search and booking functionality, as well as being packed with more content and live chat.

It has also promised a dedicated online booking portal for agents coming soon.

For more information on Arena River Cruises, visit arenarivercruises.com.