Highlights of CLIA RiverView Conference in Budapest 2025

In March, my colleagues Jill, Isabella and I were lucky enough to attend the CLIA RiverView Conference in Budapest. I already knew I loved river cruising before my trip but I was truly reminded why it is such a beautiful way to cruise and experience various cities and countries in one go. 

We were hosted on board each evening by a different river cruise line, which included AmaWaterways, Scenic and Riviera Travel as well as attending conference sessions during the day to expand our knowledge on the wider river product and brands. 

I thought I would use this as a chance to reveal my highlights from the event, what we learnt and hopefully inspire you to take the leap on to a river cruise or even get your next one booked!

Have you ever wondered what is it like to stay in a Royal Panorama Suite onboard Scenic?

On Saturday evening I was lucky enough to stay in the Royal Panorama Suite onboard Scenic Opal, right at the aft of the ship with panoramic views of the river or city behind you. I can honestly say this was the nicest suite I have ever stayed on on board any ship, let alone on a river ship and there are a few reasons why. 

From the opulent lounge area within our suite to the large balcony and panoramic windows, in suite mini-bar, and of course not forgetting our wonderful butler who took such great care of us- every detail was executed to perfection. Each suite onboard Scenic has their own butler, which is an extra added luxury within the experience. Our butler had prepared our suite with a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and various other snacks for us to enjoy as we explored our suite and got ready for our evening onboard, which was a lovely touch, not to mention our luggage waiting for us in our suite without having to even think about it. 

In the Royal Panorama Suite there is both a living room area and a large balcony with a drop down french window, perfect for watching the world go by for example during a scenic afternoon sailing through the Wachau Valley. In the living room area there is a television where information about the following day's activities and sailing schedule can be found, along with many films and TV shows for a relaxing evening after a day exploring a new city or when getting ready for dinner. 

As we know, river cruises can be quite active, if you choose, meaning that more often than not you are more than ready for a good sleep before waking up in the next city or country the following morning. So, if you were looking for an extremely comfy bed you can collapse in to after a day of exploring a new city, I can tell you that the bed on Scenic, with accompanying pillow menu, was truly incredible. Each suite is designed with the guest in mind and from trying and testing one of the nicest suites on the ship myself, I can most definitely concur. 

The attention to detail both on board and more specifically in our suite was second to none and was a luxurious experience from start to finish.  After being lucky enough in the past couple of years to travel on both ultra-luxury and luxury river cruises, Scenic was most definitely up there with the best! 

Exclusive Cruise News from CLIA!

Over the weekend, we were lucky enough to be the first ones to find out some exclusive and exciting cruise news, and we wanted to share it with you too!

Firstly, with APT’s newest ship Estrela on the horizon and soon to make her maiden voyage down the beautiful Douro river, it was only right that the Godmother was announced at the conference. Lucy Huxley, already Godmother of Azamara Pursuit and editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly, is going to christen the ship in Porto next month and be named as Godmother. The preview of images that we were given of the ship looked simply stunning

Next, there is fantastic news for all solo travellers out there who are already avid river cruise lovers or are ready to take on the world of river cruising for the first time. Solo cruising is on the rise and to make sure it is as accessible as possible ,for single passengers or those waiting a solo escape, many of our river cruise line partners have released sailings with either no or very low solo supplements. These cruise lines include Uniworld, Riviera Travel, AmaWaterways, RIverside and much more. 

Last but not least of course, some more exciting news was that the interest in exotic river destinations is higher than ever! We heard from cruise lines such as Uniworld and AmaWaterways who shared their new and upcoming exotic itineraries and that customers have shown greater interest than ever! Ama shared the first images of their brand new ship with us, which entered Colombia earlier this month, as the first ever river cruise to sail the Magdalena river. The time and care that Ama has put into launching in Colombia, taking care of the local communities and ensuring the very best for their customers is amazing. After hearing Kristin speak at the conference, it is apparent that these exotic destinations are certainly not to be missed and are filling up quickly! Whether it is the Amazon, the Nile, the Chobe, the Magdalena or the Mekong that you have been thinking about, then I would definitely recommend making the dream a reality. 

Food

A particular element of river cruising that I have always loved since first traveling onboard a river ship has to be the food. Over the course of the three evenings, we were treated to some absolutely incredible food and drink. From BBQ shrimp, to perfectly cooked beef and salmon, endless courses when you can’t decide what you quite fancy and desserts that include two courses- a sweet and savoury- the food really is an experience within itself. If you prefer something more simple, there are always options that remain the same every evening, usually including steak, chicken, caesar salad and more, and I can certainly say you will never go hungry! 

My personal highlight of the trip

For me personally I always come away from a trip with a stand out moment and although I could have picked many from this trip there is one that I couldn’t not share.

As it was International Women's Day when we were aboard Scenic Opal for the evening, when we entered the restaurant for dinner, we were greeted with a fresh red rose as a celebration of this special day. Despite being a small gesture, this really was a perfect way to start our evening and the attention to detail with this was greatly appreciated by all. Details like this are always noticed on river cruises and the staff always go above and beyond to make the experience extra special and memorable for all onboard - another reason reminding me why I love river cruising!