Riviera Travel forms incident task force

Riviera Travel said on August 5 that it had set up an incident task force and launched a Travel Updates Hub as drought-driven low water levels continued to disrupt river cruising on parts of Europe’s Rhine and Danube. The U.K.-based operator said the measures were designed to help travel agents and customers manage itinerary changes, cancellations and rebookings. Cruise Trade News first reported the move on August 5. Riviera’s website says water levels on parts of Europe’s river network are at historic lows in some areas and can change quickly. ### Why did Riviera create a task force now? Riviera Travel said low water levels began affecting European waterways in early July, prompting the company to expand its response as conditions persisted. The company said its specialist team is working with operating partners across Europe to monitor river conditions, coordinate contingency plans and communicate changes to agents and guests. (cruisetradenews.com) Cruise Trade News reported that the operator had increased call-center capacity and deployed additional cruise directors and head-office staff on affected sailings. Riviera said the aim was to give agents faster access to operational information and help customers facing disrupted departures. ### What exactly is the Travel Updates Hub? Riviera Travel said the new Travel Updates Hub is refreshed twice daily with the latest information on affected sailings, itinerary changes and cancellations. (travel-pursuit.co.uk) The company’s agent login page also directs users to its river-cruise travel updates page for the latest information on Rhine and Danube water levels. (cruisetradenews.com) Vicky Billing, Riviera’s director of trade and partnerships, told Cruise Trade News that supporting travel agent partners had been a priority during the disruption period. She said the hub was intended to give agents current information so they could support customers “with confidence.” ### Which cruises are affected? Riviera Travel’s public update says the main concern is on the Rhine and Danube, where water levels can shift from one day to the next and sometimes during a cruise itself. (cruisetradenews.com) The company said most of its program remains operational, but some sailings may still require changes close to departure. Cruise Trade News said Riviera had seven ships in total, with four sailing on the affected Rhine and Danube rivers. (cruisetradenews.com) A separate report citing the company said Riviera had operated 27 departures on those rivers using contingency plans since the disruption began. ### What is Riviera offering passengers whose trips change? Riviera Travel said customers on sailings that cannot go ahead as planned can choose a price-matched rebooking, a transfer to another holiday departing in 2026 or 2027, or a full refund. (revive-staging.rivieratravel.co.uk) The company also said guests on affected departures would receive updates 14 days, seven days and 72 hours before departure. (byteseu.com) James Golding, Riviera’s chief guest experience officer, told Cruise Trade News that “transparency and communication are critical during periods of disruption.” He said the company was trying to give guests clear and timely information as conditions evolved. ### How broad is the wider river-disruption problem? Associated Press, cited by Cruise Industry News on August 5, reported that a prolonged drought had pushed the Danube and other waterways to record low levels in parts of Central Europe. (cruisetradenews.com) Insurance Journal reported the same day that the Danube had hit record lows, adding to disruption beyond tourism. Riviera Travel’s next step is to keep updating its river-conditions page and Travel Updates Hub as Rhine and Danube conditions change. The company said guests on affected sailings should continue checking for notices in the 14-day, seven-day and 72-hour windows before departure. (cruisetradenews.com) (cruiseindustrynews.com)