By Jeannine Williamson
Riviera River Cruises newest ship has officially been christened.
Omega World Travel founder Gloria Bohan officially named the new 167-passenger vessel, MS Robert Burns, April 3 in the Austrian capital of Vienna.
In a landmark ceremony, she became the line's first U.S. godmother after Riviera - the U.K.'s largest river cruise operator founded more than 30 years ago - introduced its five-star product to the North American market in 2017. Bringing the Riviera fleet to 13, the all-suite ship will sail on five itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube, the most popular waterways in Europe for river cruising.
Bohan, who founded Omega World travel in 1972 and transformed it into a global brand and the largest woman-owned and -operated travel management company, was introduced to guests by David Clemson, Riviera River Cruises CEO.
"This is a great moment and an opportunity for us in the U.S. to learn about how the British do river cruising, and they do it very well," she said before smashing the traditional bottle of champagne against the hull.
In a further display of its commitment to the U.S., the christening was devoted to North American travel agents and VIPs who joined Riviera officials for a three-night fam cruise from Vienna to the Hungarian capital of Budapest. MS Robert Burns has 88 suites on three decks, all with marble bathrooms. Staterooms on the middle Diamond and upper Ruby decks have panoramic floor-to-ceiling sliding windows and measure from 183 to 269 square feet. Suites on the lower Emerald Deck are 172 square feet and have fixed windows.
Five Emerald Deck cabins on each cruise are available for sole occupancy with no supplement, subject to availability.
In addition to the main dining room, is a second restaurant, the Bistro, offering a more casual dining experience. To keep its prices competitive, Riviera charges for alcoholic beverages and this year, introduced an optional drinks package available at $159 per passenger, per seven-day cruise.
The new Swiss-built ship marks Riviera River Cruises' ongoing expansion. Last year the operator debuted four new ships and this year it is also launching the 121-passenger MS Douro Splendour in Portugal. In 2019, it will launch the 167-passenger MS William Wordsworth and the boutique-style MS George Eliot, which will carry 132 guests.
The line's "price promise" guarantees no hidden surcharges, extra fees or discounting, enabling agents to sell with confidence whenever their clients book.
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