Luxury European river cruise line, Riviera Travel River Cruises, has introduced to Australia its new ‘Holiday Happiness Guaranteed’ program – a flexible customer care policy which offers Australians reserving future cruises complete confidence and peace of mind when booking.
The new program offers free changes to new bookings, fast Covid cancellation and curtailment protection, a best price promise and a ‘happiness’ guarantee.
The new flexible booking policies for the multi award-winning cruise line complement the industry-leading Covid-safe health and safety protocols already locked in for Riviera Travel’s 12 luxury river ships when they start sailing the rivers of Europe again.
Riviera Travel International Sales Manager, Shelley Davey, says the cruise line knows there is pent-up demand for river cruising in Australia but understands there is trepidation to secure available cabins in advance.
“As we prepare to return to the great rivers of Europe, we have launched our new Holiday Happiness Guaranteed program to provide travellers and travel agents that extra level of reassurance and confidence for future bookings,” Ms Davey said. “As the UK’s leading river cruise brand in Europe, we have been delighting travellers for more than 36 years and have been consistently recognised for exceptional customer service, with 99 per cent of our customers vowing to travel with us again. We like to treat our guests like family. Therefore, Australians can certainly book with complete peace of mind and can rely on us to deliver an exceptional holiday that makes them happy.”
Under the new Holiday Happiness Guaranteed customer care policy:
* Bookings made before February 28, 2021, may be changed once for free up to 45 days before departure, for any reason.
* If a client isn’t able to travel specifically due to Covid-19, the booking can be changed for free with as little as 24 hours’ notice.
* A happiness guarantee means that if a client is not happy by day two of their cruise, Riviera Travel will refund the cost of the cruise, assist the client to make changes to their air-ticket to return home early and pay the change fees and any airfare increase
* Money paid by customers is safe and secure, with the cruise line fully bonded for protection at all times
* A best price promise means if the price of a cruise is reduced after a client books, Riviera Travel will automatically reduce the cost for the client as well. The cruise line also guarantees exceptional value, promising never to add hidden surcharges or fees. In addition, gratuities and drinks are not automatically included in fares, giving guest choice and flexibility
“Riviera Travel also wants to reassure Australian travel agents that we 100 per cent support them, with our no-direct bookings policy meaning reservations are only accepted from travel agents,” Ms Davey said.
Riviera Travel has also previously announced new rigorous hygiene and sanitation measures to protect passengers and crew and ensure the highest health standards are being met. These include health screening, baggage sanitisation, daily temperature checks, continuous cleaning processes, social distancing, fresh air climate control, full waiter service, deep cleaning and ventilation between cruises and quarantine periods and medical checks for all new crew.
Riviera Travel River Cruises recently fast-tracked the early release in Australia of selected departures across Europe for 2022. Now available are 114 sailings across 11 itineraries across Europe in 2022 – around one third of the entire 2022 program which will be released in full in the first quarter of 2021.
In 2022, Riviera Travel’s 12 luxury ships will offer a total of 20 itineraries across Europe including journeys along the Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Seine, Rhone and Douro rivers. Riviera Travel is also renowned for looking after solo travellers, with dedicated solo cabins and also solo-only departures with no single supplement. Riviera Travel’s fleet of 12 luxury ships is also one of the youngest in Europe, with no ship older than six years. Fares in 2022 start at A$1799 per person, twin-share, or also for solo guests (subject to cabin availability) for a five-day cruise. Fares include daily land excursions.
For bookings or information in Australia, contact Travel the World on 1300 857 437 or visit www.rivieratravel.com.au
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