Riviera Travel Launches 'Riviera Holiday Guarantee' for Customers & Agents

Riviera Travel has launched its new Riviera Holiday Guarantee, designed to give customers and travel agents greater confidence and reassurance when unexpected events significantly affect holiday plans.

The launch comes as early results from a Waterlogged River Cruise Watch traveller survey rank Riviera Travel first for how it handled and is handling changed or cancelled river cruises.

The early findings provide a timely backdrop to Riviera’s new Guarantee, which formalises its approach to looking after guests when circumstances outside its control, from low water levels and extreme weather to natural disasters and other unexpected events, significantly affect a holiday.

Built around five clear promises, the Guarantee puts personal communication, customer choice, fairness and the quality of the holiday experience at its heart.

The Riviera Holiday Guarantee

More confidence for you. More reassurance for your customers.

When your customers book a holiday with Riviera, you want to know they’ll be looked after from the moment they book until they return home.

We carefully plan every holiday to deliver the exceptional experience your customers expect. But sometimes circumstances outside our control, from low water levels and extreme weather to natural disasters or other unexpected events, mean plans have to change.

When that happens, we believe it’s how we respond that really matters.

That’s why we’ve created the Riviera Holiday Guarantee, giving you greater confidence when recommending Riviera and giving your customers reassurance that, if significant changes are necessary, they’ll be supported with clear communication, thoughtful alternatives and fair, practical solutions.

1. We’ll keep you and your customers informed

When plans change significantly, communication matters. We’ll make sure you have the information you need to support your customers. Our team will personally call you to talk you through what’s happening, their options and what comes next.

We’ll be there to support both you and your customers until everything is resolved.

2. Your customers stay in control

If we need to make a significant change to a holiday before departure, we’ll clearly explain the available options so your customer can decide what works best for them.

They can choose to:

· Continue their holiday: Travel on the revised holiday and receive a goodwill gesture, such as a future travel voucher.

· Move their holiday: Enjoy the same holiday next year, at this year’s price.

· Cancel their holiday: Receive a full refund, processed within seven days back to you, the travel agent.

3. If we can’t deliver a great holiday, we won’t compromise

Just because a holiday can operate doesn’t always mean it should.

If we don’t believe we can deliver the Riviera experience your customers booked and deserve, we’ll make the difficult decision to cancel rather than expect them to accept a holiday that falls short of our standards.

We’ll clearly communicate what happens next and support you and your customers through their options.

4. We’re there for your customers while they’re away

Once your customers are travelling with Riviera, they’re not on their own.

Our experienced Cruise Directors, Hosts and Tour Managers are there throughout their holiday. If unexpected changes happen while they’re away, our team will be there in person to explain what’s happening, answer questions and find the best possible solution.

That means extra reassurance for your customers and the confidence of knowing there’s a Riviera expert on hand to support them.

5. Their holiday matters to us, and their money is safe and secure

We know the trust your customers place in you when they book a holiday recommendation. We take our responsibility to both you and them seriously.

They can book Riviera with confidence, knowing we’re committed to being transparent, treating them fairly and putting their interests first when things don’t go to plan, backed by the appropriate financial protection.

The Riviera Holiday Guarantee gives you another reason to recommend Riviera with confidence, knowing that when the unexpected happens, we’ll be there to support you and your customers every step of the way.

Challenging the myths around river cruise disruption

The Guarantee is also designed to address some of the biggest concerns customers and travel agents may have when events such as low water levels affect river cruise itineraries. These points give travel agents the reassurance to pass onto their customers and keep them booking with Riviera.

Myth: “I’ll spend my river cruise on a coach.”

Truth: You booked a river cruise, not a coach tour.

When low water affects European rivers, Riviera’s focus is on keeping guests enjoying their holiday on the water.

Riviera works to create alternative itineraries and uses trains where practical to avoid lengthy coach transfers. If the operator believes it cannot provide enough time on the river to deliver a great river cruise experience, it will cancel rather than significantly compromise the holiday customers booked.

Myth: “I’ll find out at the last minute.”

Truth: Riviera keeps customers informed, not in the dark.

Riviera monitors 52 river gauges every day and publishes daily updates through its dedicated online update centre.

Customers are contacted 14 days and 7 days before departure with the latest information. Where a holiday will be significantly affected, Riviera will call customers personally no later than 72 hours before travel to explain their options.

Customers can also speak directly with the Riviera team through its dedicated Facebook group, while travel agents will be kept informed when their clients are affected.

Myth: “Other guests will get better compensation than me.”

Truth: Riviera’s approach is simple: the greater the disruption, the greater the compensation.

Riviera has established a consistent approach so guests experiencing the same level of disruption are offered the same compensation options.

The aim is to make the process fair and transparent, rather than the outcome depending on who a customer speaks to or who complains the loudest.

Myth: “You’ve cancelled my cruise, so why don’t I get compensation?”

Truth: Compensation recognises a significantly changed holiday, while a cancelled cruise receives a full refund.

Where customers continue with a significantly revised itinerary, Riviera may provide a goodwill gesture to recognise that the holiday has changed from what was originally booked.

If Riviera decides it cannot deliver a sufficiently strong river cruise experience and cancels the departure instead, customers will receive a full refund.

Giving agents greater confidence

The Riviera Holiday Guarantee has also been designed to give travel agents a clear and reassuring message to share with customers at the point of sale.

Rather than asking customers to simply accept major changes when the unexpected happens, Riviera is committing to proactive communication, clearly defined choices and a consistent approach to compensation, while keeping its agent partners informed throughout.