VIVA Cruises’ biggest-ever river cruise itineraries
VIVA Cruises will run its biggest-ever river cruise programme in 2028, featuring 332 departures across seven ships and major European waterways.
Available to book from October 15, 2026, the programme runs from January to December and includes four new itineraries, covering the Rhine, Douro, Danube and Dutch Waterways.
New sailings include a 14-night Grand European Journey to Budapest on VIVA ENJOY, a seven-night Meuse Moments in the Netherlands itinerary on VIVA TIARA, a seven-night Enchantment on the Ijsselmeer sailing on VIVA ONE and a 10-night Wine Journey Between Basel and Nancy onboard VIVA RUBY.
The 2028 programme also introduces four new ports of call: Bingen and Glückstadt in Germany, plus Medemblik and Lemmer in the Netherlands. New excursions include wine tasting at the Disibodenberg Monastery Ruins in Bingen and a visit to Giethoorn from Lemmer.
Michelle Daniels, Director of Sales, UK and Ireland and Australia and New Zealand at VIVA Cruises, said: “Our 2028 programme represents an important step forward, with more departures than ever and an incredibly diverse choice of itineraries designed to offer something for every kind of river cruise guest.”
Prices will be confirmed shortly.
VIVA has also announced its 2028 Boutique sailings on VIVA BEYOND and VIVA UNIQUE. VIVA BEYOND will cruise the Seine from February to December, while VIVA UNIQUE will sail the Po River and Venetian Lagoon.
New options include a seven-night Champagne and Sparkling Cruise on the Seine and a Venice City Stay, with the ship used as a floating hotel during Venice Carnival. VIVA BEYOND launched earlier this year, while VIVA UNIQUE is due to enter service in May 2027.
Crystal Serenity adds owner’s suite and four new penthouses
Crystal will expand the suite collection aboard Crystal Serenity after the ship’s 2028 dry dock, introducing a Crystal Owner’s Suite and four Junior Penthouse Premium Suites on Deck 11. The new accommodations will be available for sailing from May 5, 2028.
Midship, the 1,722-square-foot Owner’s Suite will offer two bedrooms and a 409-square-foot veranda. Designed by naval architect Paolo Piccione, it will feature wooden floors, custom wool carpets and handcrafted cabinetry.
The living room will include a library and fireplace, while the dining area will have panoramic ocean views, a butler pantry and personalised bar service. The marble-lined master bathroom will include a Jacuzzi, and a second bedroom with its own bathroom suits traveling family. A Technogym fitness area with ocean views and a Hi-Fi system with multi-zone music complete the suite.
The four Junior Penthouse Premium Suites, with layouts inspired by Crystal Symphony, will each offer 861 square feet of interior space and a 205-square-foot veranda. They will sit alongside the ship’s six existing Junior Penthouse Deluxe Suites.
New cruise terminal to open in Naha, Okinawa
Cruise travel in East Asia took a major step forward as the Naha Port Authority, Cruise Port Naha G.K., Royal Caribbean Group and MSC Cruises broke ground on a new cruise terminal at Naha Port.
Cruise Port Naha G.K., a joint venture between CTL Maritime and RCL Cruises Ltd., will develop and operate the facility under an agreement signed with the port authority in August 2026. Completion and the start of operations are targeted for March 2028.
The purpose-built terminal promises improved passenger facilities and smoother operations, and will be able to host some of the world’s most advanced cruise ships. Naha’s year-round accessibility makes it a natural gateway for itineraries across the region.
“We do not simply bring guests here, we also invest here,” said Jason Liberty, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. MSC Group’s Pierfrancesco Vago said Okinawa sits “at the crossroads” of Asia’s most exciting cruise destinations, with plans for MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests to sail there year-round.
The project follows Naha’s 2019 designation as an International Cruise Ship Hub Formation Port by Japan’s transport ministry.
