September 16th marks 100 days to Christmas, and Riviera Travel is giving agents a timely sales hook for customers planning ahead for this festive season, with savings of up to £500 per person on selected 2026 festive river cruises.
All details correct at time of publication (16 September 2026)
Festive river cruises are already gaining momentum through the trade, with agent-booked festive passengers up 10% year-on-year, said Riviera Travel in a statement. The company said that almost one in three (30%) festive cruise bookings for 2026 departures have been made through travel agents, highlighting the clear sales opportunity for the trade this holiday season.
Agents can use the 100-days-to-Christmas milestone to inspire customers with stress-free festive getaways, swapping out the busy high streets and crowded pubs for a fully planned river cruise experience gliding past fairy-lit riverbanks and stepping straight into Europe’s Christmas markets.
Available on new bookings made between August 27 and November 6, the savings, which have automatically been applied to the advertised online price, reduce the price of 7 festive itineraries across 9 select departure dates, featuring:
- Enchanting Rhine and Yuletide Markets River Cruise
- Christmas on the Rhine River Cruise
- New Year on the Rhine River Cruise
- The Danube’s Imperial Cities and Yuletide Markets River Cruise
- New Year River Cruise on the Danube
- Magical Paris & Festive Seine River Cruise
- Enchanting Rhine and Yuletide Markets River Cruise for Solo Travellers
For agents, the campaign provides a clear seasonal reason to re-engage customers who are considering Christmas shopping breaks, winter-market holidays, solo festive travel or a memorable New Year celebration.
With Christmas week already heavily booked on some departures, Riviera Travel is encouraging agents to promote remaining mid-December cabins and late-December New Year options while customers still have a choice of dates and decks.
Vicky Billing, Director of Trade, Partnerships, and Loyalty UK & Ireland at Riviera Travel, said:
“The 100-days-to-Christmas milestone gives agents a brilliant reason to start festive conversations now. Customers are already thinking about magical Christmas market escapes, but many still leave booking until later in the year.
“By speaking to them earlier, agents can help secure their preferred sailing while availability remains and position a festive river cruise as an effortless, memorable alternative to the pressures of Christmas at home.
“Whether customers want to browse Europe’s iconic markets, enjoy a sociable solo departure, return home refreshed before Christmas Day or ring in the New Year on the Rhine or Danube, this campaign gives the trade a strong, timely message to take to market.”
Agents can secure the festive offer on bookings now! For full details, itineraries and departure dates, visit RivieraTravel.co.uk.
Terms and Conditions
Save up to £500 per person on select Riviera Travel Festive River Cruises departing on selected dates between 8 December and 29 December 2026. Valid on new bookings made between 27 August 2026 and 6 November 2026.
This offer may be combined with other promotions unless stated otherwise and is subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis for individual departures. The saving has already been applied as a price reduction to the advertised online price. Riviera Travel reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time without prior notice.
All bookings are subject to Riviera Travel’s standard booking terms and conditions.
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