Riverside Luxury Cruises

Riverside is owned by a German family with a long background in hotels, and it runs its ships accordingly. The vessels were designed with unusually large suites for river craft, many with windows that lower to form an open-air balcony, and with a high ratio of crew to guests. Butler service, a choice of dining venues and a proper spa are part of the arrangement.

Life on board is quiet and polished. Meals are a central pleasure, with regional produce and wines taken on along the route, and there is room to dine privately or late. Flexible fare structures allow travellers to decide how much to include, and shorter sailings can be joined together into longer journeys through Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and France.