Riverside Luxury Cruises has opened bookings for its 2028 European river cruise season, which will feature an expanded range of itineraries thanks to the addition of the Riverside Mahler. The new ship will debut in May of that year and will sail alongside the Riverside Debussy on the Rhine, Main, and Danube routes.
The fleet expansion will allow the company to increase sailings on the Main-Danube Canal, a strategic waterway connecting the Rhine and Danube basins and enabling travel across Europe from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Riverside plans to operate 12 sailings on this canal in 2028, compared to four scheduled for 2026 and two planned for 2027.
The program also includes ten cruises from Budapest to Regensburg and another ten in the opposite direction, as well as two itineraries along the waterways of the Netherlands and three trips along the lower Danube.
As an incentive for early bookings, the cruise line is offering an 18% discount on the cruise price for bookings made until June 30, 2027. The promotion applies to all suite categories and package types.
Four boats to travel the European rivers
The 2028 season will run from early spring to late December, with voyages ranging from three to 23 nights. The fleet will consist of the new Riverside Mahler and the Riverside Debussy, Riverside Mozart , and Riverside Ravel, each with a program focused on different European regions.
The Riverside Debussy will open the season in March with cruises around the Netherlands and Belgium, showcasing the spring landscapes and tulip fields. Later, it will move to the lower Danube and continue with itineraries along the Rhine and Dutch waterways, as well as traditional Christmas market cruises.
New additions include nine- and ten-night itineraries between Amsterdam and Basel that will incorporate the Moselle River into the Rhine region tours. These routes will combine historic cities and riverside landscapes with stops in German towns linked to vineyards and winemaking traditions.
The Riverside Mahler will spend the summer connecting the Rhine and the Danube, with itineraries through Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and connections to Amsterdam and Basel. In September, it will sail along the lower Danube before returning to the Rhine in October. The ship's inaugural season will conclude with Christmas cruises on the Danube.
New routes along the Danube
The Riverside Mozart will maintain its programming along the upper and lower Danube and will incorporate a new seven-night route between Vienna and Budapest, with sailing through the Wachau Valley, one of the river's best-known regions for its landscapes, vineyards and historic towns.
The itinerary will also include a stop in Győr, a Hungarian city renowned for its Baroque architecture and historic center. The company will also expand its themed cruise offerings with three Riverside Active cruises focused on cycling, scheduled for July and August, as well as golf cruises under the Darlings of the Danube and an August itinerary related to the celebration of Hungary's National Day.
Meanwhile, the Riverside Ravel will continue exploring southern France along the Rhône and Saône rivers. Its itineraries will include cities such as Lyon, Avignon, Arles, Viviers, and Tain-l'Hermitage, as well as visits to sites like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Pont du Gard, and the Rhône Delta.
Greater capacity and operational flexibility
The addition of the new ship will allow Riverside to offer more dates on some of its most popular routes and expand the options for those who want to combine different regions during the same trip.
Expanding the fleet will also provide greater flexibility in the face of variations in sailing conditions, especially changes in water level, which can sometimes require changes in the allocation of ships.
With the 2028 season, Riverside Luxury Cruises reinforces its presence on the main river routes of Europe and combines classic itineraries with new connections and themed proposals, from the spring landscapes of the Netherlands to the Christmas markets of the Danube.
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