Why Riverside Luxury Cruises Feels like an Ultraluxury Ocean Cruise on a River

Trip overview

We have just witnessed one of the most disruptive events the river cruise industry has seen in years: early priority booking slots for the new Celebrity river cruises sold out in just six minutes, and these will only set sail in 2027! Promising to be groundbreaking, Celebrity tells us they aim to bring the “elevated design and sophistication” that Celebrity Edge-class ocean ships are known for into the world of river cruising.

But is this really the case? Does the river cruising industry lack sophistication? Are river cruises poorly designed? Or is it all a problem with the way this market segment is being marketed and perceived?

I’ve just returned from an eight-day river cruise along the Rhône in France aboard Riverside Ravel. Having taken numerous ocean cruises, I never considered river cruising a priority—this was only my third—or at least not until I learned about the river ships once owned by Crystal and now sailing under the Riverside name. Crystal commissioned these ships—a total of five—right before Covid, but they never set sail under the Crystal brand. So if the Crystal background was anything to go by, I decided to give them a try and see if they lived up to the same level of luxury and service Crystal is known for.

My overall conclusion is that Riverside’s product belongs undoubtedly to the ultra-luxury cruise segment, only comparable to the likes of Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, or Silversea, albeit on river, and it certainly delivers “elevated design and sophistication”, in Celebrity’s own words.

Similarly to all of the big names in ultra-luxury:

• Riverside is truly all-inclusive—they do offer the possibility to opt out of the excursion and drinks packages.

• Ships are spacious and less crowded, especially when compared to their competitors (which can carry 150–190 passengers), with a total capacity of only 110 guests in the case of Riverside Ravel and her sister ship Debussy, one of the lowest on river cruises.

• Service on board is highly personalized, with dedicated butler service in all suites, and a 1:2 crew-to-guest ratio.

Here’s a more detailed comparison.

Ship’s design and spaces

Ship’s design is modern and elegant, with light and airy public spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows including the suites, with extensive use of luxurious materials such as wood and marble. I would say this is where the Crystal pedigree is most obvious.

Riverside Ravel interconnecting Seahorse Suite

Entry-level suites—averaging 180–190 sq ft—are clearly more compact than what you’d expect on ocean ships, but in line with most other river cruises.

However, the majority of suites on this ship—37 out of a total of 55 suites—belong to the mid tier categories, averaging 240 sq ft in size and featuring walk-in closets along with bathrooms with double-vanity sinks.

The ship features two top-tier suites at 500 and 760 sq ft respectively, each with a separate living area and one or two bedrooms.

Riverside Ravel suite

All suites are furnished with a king-size bed and a river-view French balcony.

Dining

This is definitely one of Riverside’s strongest selling points, offering a wide variety of venues and dining styles, impressive for a ship this size.

• Waterside Restaurant serves both buffet-style lunches and elegant four-course à la carte dinners.

• The Atelier serves casual breakfast and late lunch, complemented by all-day specialty coffees, freshly baked cakes and pastries—prepared by the ship’s dedicated pastry chef—and, on select evenings, a locally inspired dinner menu featuring multiple shareable dishes.

• Top deck barbecues on sunny days were a highlight for me, with high-quality meats, seafood, and a fresh salad buffet.

Riverside Ravel top deck BBQ

• Al fresco dinners were occasionally offered on the top deck, a welcome treat in good weather.

• The Vintage Room, seating just 10 guests, hosts exclusive wine-pairing dinners (for an additional cost). I didn’t join on this trip, but it’s a unique option for those seeking something special.

Riverside Ravel Vintage Room

Food & drinks

While ocean ships win on number of venues—multiple restaurants, specialty dining, etc.—Riverside delivers freshness and a truly gourmet experience.

• Food was freshly cooked daily, with the chef sourcing ingredients locally and weekly. During my cruise, beef and caviar were sourced directly from Lyon’s Paul Bocuse market on embarkation day.

• Ravel has one of the largest galleys of any river ship, and as the head chef explained, Riverside’s food budget is almost double that of most competitors.

• Drinks are equally strong: top-shelf spirits and Taittinger champagne are standard, with a long list of premium wines and champagnes, with three and even four-digit price tags, are available for purchase—either as part of the Vintage Room wine-pairing dinners or simply by the bottle.

Riverside offers, in my opinion, one of the best value drinks packages of any ship, ocean and river.

Excursions & pace

Riverside also stands out in its enrichment program, and in certain areas even surpasses the offerings on ultra-luxury ocean cruises.

• Wide range of included excursions and not limited to one excursion per port, as is the case on most other all-inclusive ultra-luxury cruise lines.

• Small groups, capped at 15 guests but often much smaller (my excursions never had more than seven guests).

• Broad variety of choices: walking tours, biking, hiking, picnicking, and even kayaking for those who want something more active.

• Onshore Riverside Signature events gave things a unique touch—during my cruise, I attended a wine tasting at Châteauneuf du Pape, and a farewell dinner party surrounded by acres of vineyards at Domaine de Panéry.

• Onboard, enrichment events included a food and wine pairing session led by a local expert, and a cooking demo with the ship’s head chef.

Riverside Ravel wine pairing session

Personalization & details

The high level of customization extended to many other aspects of the journey.

• Guests on inclusive packages enjoy complimentary transfers between the ship and airports, train stations, or hotels.

• Dietary restrictions are handled with care, with menus tailored in advance if needed.

• Room service is included for all guests, although some basic fares only include room service during restaurant hours.

• Natura Bissé toiletries are provided in all suites.

• Staff quickly learn and use guest names, while personal preferences are noted in passenger profiles.

• Other facilities include a complimentary self-service laundry room and a swimming pool.

Riverside Ravel swimming pool

• Excursions can be privatized for families or affinity groups (for a small extra charge).

• Groups of 10+ guests receive added benefits, including discounts and shipboard credits.

• Big selling point: up to five or six of the entry-level suites are generally reserved for solo travelers on each cruise, with no single supplement.

A few observations

While my overall experience was excellent, there are a few areas where Riverside could improve.

• Entry-level suites are on the small side. They’re cleverly designed, but guests used to larger ocean-cruise accommodations may find them a bit tight and, personally, I would only recommend them to solo travellers.

• Evening entertainment was limited, mostly centered around a resident singer-pianist, with just two guest acts across seven nights. A bit more variety would have been nice.

• While the onboard enrichment program was of a very high standard, I did find myself missing more destination-focused content, such as lectures on the history and culture of the places we were visiting.

• Cocktails didn’t always match the otherwise excellent standard of the drinks program.

• Having limited spa facilities with only one treatment room and one therapist could prove challenging during busy periods. In addition, the ship does not feature any sauna/steam room facilities, unlike the larger Riverside Mozart.

Who would enjoy this cruise

Based on my sailing, Riverside is ideal for:

• Clients of top-end ocean cruise lines such as Crystal, Regent, or Silversea, rather than seasoned river cruisers coming from the better known river cruise lines.

• Couples or solo travelers in their 50s and up, looking for an ultra-luxury cruise with a younger, more dynamic atmosphere than traditional river lines.

• Food and wine enthusiasts who appreciate fine dining and premium beverages.

• Active travelers who like the idea of small-group, curated excursions with more variety than the standard sightseeing tour.

• Solo travelers who want to enjoy a luxury product without the barrier of a single supplement.

Conclusion

While the Riverside brand may not yet command the same recognition as Celebrity, it already delivers elevated design and sophistication in abundance—the very qualities Celebrity is touting as the hallmark of its forthcoming river cruises. And unlike Celebrity, Riverside’s offerings are available today, not just on the Rhine and Danube, but also along the Rhône.

It will be fascinating to watch how these two brands position themselves against each other in the coming years, particularly as Riverside expands its fleet with two additional sister ships to Ravel, currently on loan to Uniworld.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Cruises page.