- Riverside Luxury Cruises is stepping up its presence in Australia with a campaign to reach our wealthiest cruisers.
- The line, owned by a German luxury hotel group, is operating some of the most high-end vessels in Europe.
- But the line openly admits its small, ultra-luxe ships are not for everyone.
One of Europe’s most exclusive river cruise operators has set its sights on Australia, launching a campaign to attract the nation’s ultra-high-net-worth travellers as it looks to establish itself at the very top of the luxury cruise market.
Riverside Luxury Cruises, the ultra-luxury line created from the former Crystal river fleet, is betting that affluent Australians are ready to trade larger ships and traditional luxury cruising for a more intimate, hotel-style experience on Europe’s waterways.
Despite carrying a fraction of the passengers of most river cruise operators, Riverside has quickly built a reputation for oversized suites, personalised butler service and a level of exclusivity rarely seen in the sector.
Now, as the company ramps up its presence in Australia, Cruise Passenger has been given rare access to the team behind the brand to discover why Riverside believes the country’s wealthiest travellers could become its next growth market — and why it has no intention of competing with the mainstream luxury cruise lines.
They’re not a brand-new cruise line. The Riverside Luxury Cruises brand was founded in 2022, making it four years old. The company officially launched operations in 2023 with the debut of the Riverside Mozart.Â
Riverside was created by German hospitality group Seaside Collection, which acquired the former Crystal Cruises river fleet. It was an organic shift that maintained that feeling of a luxury boutique hotel and award-winning restaurant, putting it on water.
They are, however, a relatively new name to the Australian market. And they’re being very specific about how they announce their arrival.
Yes, their ships are small. They carry a maximum of 190 guests – and a crew-to-guest ratio of 1-2. But that’s not why they’re staying mum. They dedicate themselves to providing an extraordinary amount of care for each guest onboard, noting personal preferences at every turn.
But that’s not why they want to fly under the radar. They even have the biggest beds and some of the largest suites for any river ship line in the world. But not even that is why they want to remain exclusively quiet.
Ultimately, Riverside is seeking only a particular clientele, and very few of them at that.
But with all this talk about luxury, sophistication and exclusivity, this doesn’t mean that your experience onboard will be formal, stuffy, or overly structured. Quite the opposite.
Riverside Country Manager Australia & NZ, Stewart Williams describes it well when he recounts how he experienced a Riverside cruise for the first time.
“I thought it was going to be far more formal, before I actually experienced the product. But the small number of guests onboard means the staff have the ability to provide a more intimate level of service. You have incredible wines, brought to you by the sommelier; the waiters take you through the menu in detail; you enjoy it all, not just in a way that’s relaxed – because you’re going from your hotel room to your in-house restaurant – and you’re relaxed and having a great time.
“It’s a home away from home. And as you walk around, everyone knows you. After the first evening, they know you like the negroni, and they know you like the Austrian wine and not the chardonnay, all of those little things. It is very special.”
UK, Ireland, Australia & NZ Managing Director for Riverside Luxury Cruises, Charlotte Hewitt-Davies agrees and says that the style of luxury with Riverside is not what most people would expect.
“The hardware of the ship is a given. The five-star elements of the ship are all there, and that goes without saying. But it’s in the additional elements – where the surprising and delighting happens, that’s where Riverside is exceptional. When we create luxury, it’s more about designing a home-away-from-home experience, where it’s not forced, it feels natural and fluid.”
Hewitt Davies adds: “We care more about creating memories. Our clients are often time poor and so we see their time with us as precious. In that we dedicate ourselves to understanding what the client wants. Every guest will have their own specific needs, whether it be for more privacy and quiet time, or if it’s their favourite table in the centre of the restaurant, and we build on that over time, as we continue to establish those long-term loyal relationships. We ensure that every guest onboard is made to feel special, to be seen.”
While Hewitt-Davies humbly bypasses the details of the ships, it’s worth pausing to consider for just a moment. If by ‘hardware’ we are referring to the king-size beds, with pristine linens and suites that range up to almost 900ft, then sure. But that is around one third the size larger than any other average river cruise vessel. Just saying.
The cuisine onboard is designed to evolve as the fresh produce changes from the regions the ships pass through, with access to the best local producers and providers, including local wines.
There is one personal butler on call for every cabin, ready to assist with everything you need to make your journey more relaxing, memorable, seamless and special.
Ashore, the Riverside DNA continues to deliver the personalised luxury uniquely.
Hewitt-Davies says: “Within a shore excursion, we do provide those experiences that are known and loved by most river cruisers, like an e-bike ride along the river or a stunning hike above the towns and villages we visit. But it’s what we do for our guests in addition to this that matters.
“Perhaps its an anniversary or a special occasion for our guests and they want to do something to mark the occasion and make it even more memorable. So its the smaller details that our crew would provide, that care for the smaller details – perhaps it’s a picnic hamper with champagne that would be packed for our guests to take with them, or the reservations for a lunch or dinner shoreside that will make this moment even more memorable.”
For more information about Riverside Luxury Cruises, or to book your next holiday, click here.
