Paul Mellon, sales development manager at Riviera Travel, explains why, despite the progress in on-board amenities, he still believes there is a market for classic river cruises.

This year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of two ground-breaking aircraft – Concorde and the Boeing 747. These two planes redefined international travel and moved the airline industry on leaps and bounds. Something similar could be said of today’s ocean cruise ships; now there are on-board facilities that just five years ago would have been unthinkable.

The cruise sector has changed beyond anyone’s imagination, as ships get bigger and bigger and more specialist vessels are introduced. Today, every need is catered for. Changes range from technical improvements such as ice-breaking hulls or ‘greener’ engines through to fun items: think go-kart tracks and rollercoasters. However, when it comes to river cruising I believe it’s a case of evolution rather than revolution.

There’s still a huge market for customers who want classic cruising. At Riviera Travel we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead are introducing new sister ships that continue to offer the highest levels of luxury while cruising through the heart of Europe and beyond. Our two new ships – MS William Wordsworth and MS George Eliot – both keep to the theme of our other ships with a classic, contemporary look that appeals perfectly to the British market.

Next year, the MS Geoffrey Chaucer joins the fleet along with our new itinerary – Vienna, Bohemia and Treasures of the Danube. This is being introduced as a result of listening to customers. They wanted a journey that was an adaptation of our classic Blue Danube cruise but began in Vienna and travelled to the western end of the Danube at Regensburg. The itinerary is a fine example of the aforementioned evolution in river cruise.

It is imperative for the new ocean ships to bring in new levels of entertainment and more dining choices, especially for ships that take families due to the number of sea days, but with river cruising it is important to remember that it is the itinerary that is number one. Riviera Travel’s extensive choice of itineraries, coupled with our five-star ships, fine dining and inclusive shore excursions, make it the perfect combination for our core market.

A final thought – we all appreciate that Brexit has caused many clients to think twice about booking their holiday. However, our bookings to date this year have shown that the retired and semi-retired are still happy to book and travel. After all, they feel that river cruising is the perfect holiday for them.

Visit rivieratravel.co.uk/ for more information.