Speaking during a media briefing in London on Wednesday (17 May), head of brand and acquisition Sarah Fowler said the company has seen a 231% year-on-year increase in new customers.

"This is due to a strong campaign and brand message, but also because of the great support we’ve had from our travel agent partners," she said. 

Fowler described how bookings in 2023 had "got off to a flying start" and exceeded "all expectations".

Revenue generated by the brand’s river cruise arm, Fowler reported, is up 40% compared to pre-pandemic levels, with passenger figures also tracking above 2019.

"Another strong area of growth is our ocean and yacht cruise product, with passenger bookings up 72% compared with 2019 and revenue up 135%," Fowler added.

Riviera’s ocean cruise product, meanwhile, is 85% sold for this year, with 2024 departures already 70% full. 

"We’ve also seen a change in booking patterns, with a lot more late demand than previously," Fowler continued. "Conversely, we have seen customers book further out, so there is a real mix."

In 2024, customers are opting for longer duration trips at a higher price point, with popular destinations including Japan, South Africa, Egypt and Jordan. 

Riviera’s head of trade Tom Morgan echoed Fowler, detailing how agents are booking higher value products driven by the brand’s recently-launched Signature collection. 

"We’re also trying to listen to agents more, which is why we launched our agent committee, so we can have that direct contact with them."