A Journey on the Mekong
A Journey on the Mekong
A Journey on the Mekong
15 Days Starting and ending in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Visiting: Ho Chi Minh City, Mỹ Tho, Cái Bè District, Tân Châu, Phnom Penh, Chong Koh Village, Wat Phnom Daun Penh, Angkor Ban, Krong Kampong Cham, Krong Siem Reap, Angkor Wat
Tour operator:
Ship Name:
RV Mekong Prestige IIGuide Type:
Fully Guided
Ship Capacity:
64
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
12-99
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Activities:
From:
$4807 (USD) including Flights from the UKTour Overview
Cruise along the mighty Mekong River through the heart of South East Asia. Step back in time as our journey unfolds through stunning countryside: farmers with conical hats work in fields that disappear into the distance, whilst water buffalo plough the paddies until the sun sets in a blood-red explosion of colour. Observe riverside life and the wooden houses balancing on stilts, as giggling children watch us go by. Â
We visit Cambodia and Siem Reap, gateway to one of the great wonders of the world - Angkor, once the world's largest city with a staggering one million inhabitants and an incredible 200 temples. We also stay in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, beautifully located at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap and considered the most beautiful of the 'French' colonial cities of Indochina.
In Vietnam, the people and landscape are different, and the pace of life is faster. See the legacies of past rulers - the Chinese, Khmers, Portuguese, Japanese and French - in an eclectic mix of temples and pagodas, along with palaces, mansions and neo-classical buildings. Today, the motorcycles and western dress of the industrious youth happily co-exist with orange-clad Buddhist monks and political posters from a bygone era. Now is the time to visit these captivating and colourful destinations while so much of this distinctive heritage remains; and the best way to experience them is from the beautiful arterial waterway, the stunning Mekong River.Â
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Departure
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
You should arrive at the airport for your overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
Day 2 : Arrival In Saigon
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: four-star superior Pullman Saigon Centre
Meals Included: Breakfast
After your morning arrival you will be met and transferred to the four-star superior Pullman Saigon Centre to stay for two nights with breakfast. Breakfast is available at the hotel this morning after checking in.Â
We’ll take an introductory tour of the city. Highlights include the Reunification Palace where famously in 1975, a tank burst through its gates in the final defining moment of the Vietnam War. We also see the War Remnants Museum and the lively Ben Thanh market - a fascinating insight into Saigon's daily life, you can find anything here, all at extremely good prices! The colonial-style central post office is a marvellous photo opportunity. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 3 : Saigon
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: four-star superior Pullman Saigon Centre
Meals Included: Breakfast
This will be a day to remember. We visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a complex underground network stretching for 124 miles, which included hospitals, meeting rooms, sleeping quarters and kitchens. Begun during the last years of French rule and vastly expanded during the 1960s, the tunnels provided a base for the Vietcong from which to attack US forces within just 30 miles of Saigon. Our visit here is a fascinating insight into these troubled times: we see the tunnels themselves and examples of the many mantraps and stake pits which protected them. Despite being carpetbombed, the tunnels were never really penetrated and should you wish, you may even try out real period weapons on a firing range. We continue through rural farming communities back to Saigon in the afternoon.
Day 4 : Board The Ship
Location: Mỹ Tho
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Expectations rise during our drive to the Mekong Delta, its coconut groves swaying with the breeze, the countryside studded with pagodas and an amazing network of paddy fields, tended by farmers bent double and almost completely covered by their iconic conical hats; these are some of Vietnam’s most enduring images. Originally called Mae Khong, ‘Mother of all Rivers’, huge volumes of water drain from the hinterland plains and the snow-clad Chinese Himalayas, surging along an epic 3,000-mile journey. Life here revolves around its waterways: the imposing sampans so typical of South East Asia for hundreds of years and the quintessential floating markets of longboats, which almost sink under the groaning weight of colourful vegetables.
Your cruise is the perfect way to discover and understand this fascinating and rapidly emerging corner of the world – a serene experience immersing you in its people and customs at a wonderfully gentle pace. After a stop at the picturesque Cholon market and a lacquer workshop, you board the superb four-star RV Mekong Prestige II. Your highly professional crew, imbibed by the unique service ethic you find everywhere here, ensure you settle in to your spacious and beautifully appointed cabin. After an excellent lunch, your journey begins. A wonderful reality soon sinks in with your first glimpses of the amazing stilted villages and teeming river traffic animating the scene seemingly at every turn. As darkness gently falls, take your seat in the restaurant for your first dinner, offering a choice of superbly executed Vietnamese or Cambodian cuisine or international classics.
The excellent cuisine is accompanied by tasty and included local wines, beers or soft drinks. Mooring at Cai Be, the day ends with a lovely performance of traditional Mekong music and perhaps a nightcap in the balmy late evening air, bathed by the unmistakable sounds of the East.
Day 5 : Cao Dai Temple
Location: Cái Bè District
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we sail by local junk along Cai Be’s waterfront and amazing floating market, where wily sellers dangle their wares from long poles to the myriad of smaller boats in a vibrant riot of colour and noisy bartering. We visit the remarkable French Gothic cathedral, a poignant reminder of Vietnam’s colonial past. This afternoon we cruise through Vinh Long to Sa Dec with a guided stroll through the colourful local market – an interesting comparison with this morning. The highlight of the day is the intriguing Cao Dai Temple, centre of a unique indigenous religion, a fascinating combination of Taoism, Buddhism and Chinese Confucianism plus elements of Christianity, Islam and spiritualism. Bizarrely, its saints include Joan of Arc, Napoleon, Shakespeare and Winston Churchill! The temple itself is a striking combination of western and oriental architectural styles and mesmerising brightly coloured statues, overlooked by the religion’s all-seeing Divine Eye – it’s sure to leave you something to ponder after your visit.
Another tropical night atmospherically falls as we cruise upstream whilst enjoying another superb dinner and the kaleidoscope of truly amazing sights, sounds and scents, accompanied by the gentle waters lapping peacefully against the hull.
Day 6 : Tan Chau
Location: Tân Châu
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
One of the great pleasures of river cruising is waking up somewhere completely different, and as dawn breaks, we are berthed in remote Tan Chau near Cambodia. One of the delights of Vietnam is that so many cottage industries still thrive, offering a fascinating insight into the past. This morning we explore Tan Chau, Vietnam’s leading silk centre producing extremely high quality and truly beautiful naturally dyed clothes. Slipping our moorings, Vietnam slowly recedes as we cross into Cambodia and continue into the evening with a chance to enjoy pre-dinner drinks in the lounge, before another tasty dinner. Take a stroll outside, look above and be dazzled by the luminosity of an amazing night sky, unfettered by streetlights and advertising as we cruise to Phnom Penh.
Day 7 : Phnom Penh
Location: Phnom Penh
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Called the ‘Paris of the East’ during colonial times, Phnom Penh has preserved much of its wonderful rustic charm, elegance and French allure. Sightseeing includes an exciting cyclerickshaw ride to the dazzling Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, followed by a chance to witness exceptionally beautiful Khmer craft in the National Museum. In homage to Cambodia’s tragic recent history, we next visit the haunting Tuol Sleng Genocide museum. Phnom Penh has some excellent markets offering fine silks, spices and high quality lacquer work, providing the perfect opportunity to hone your bargaining skills.
This evening you will be entertained by a traditional Apsara performance, where talented silk-clad dancers will dazzle you with their graceful poise and intricate hand movements, originally designed to entertain the gods. We moor overnight, enabling easy exploration of the city late into the evening, where the bustling markets, teeming street restaurants and hawkers sell literally anything, enhancing the electric ambience so typical of the emerging Far East.
Day 8 : Chong Koh / Oknathey
Location: Chong Koh Village, Phnom Penh, Wat Phnom Daun Penh
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we venture by bus to Kampong Tralach, discovering the charming monastery of Vat Kampong Leu Pagoda, renowned for its extraordinary beautiful frescoe wall paintings, located in the beautiful countryside in an area of rice fields.
We then continue to visit historic Oudong, the country’s former capital between 1618 and 1866, exploring the peaceful Vipassana Dhura Centre, a revered place of meditation, nestling at the food of Phnom Udong, a wooded hill with impressive Buddhist spiritual monuments towering above the rea, marking the final resting place of the Khmer Kings.
We return on board to Phnom Penh for lunch and in the afternoon we head to the hill Vat Phnom. Ascending the hill to 27 metres you see the picturesque sanctuary dedicated to Mrs Penh who gave her name to the city.
Day 9 : Upper Mekong - Angkor Ban
Location: Angkor Ban
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we navigate to visit Chong Koh, a delightful silk weaving village, where we discover fascinating workshops. Then, back on board we sail on the Upper Mekong a naturally preserved area.
Day 10 : Wat Hanchey – Kampong Cham
Location: Krong Kampong Cham
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we cruise into the heart of Cambodia which this vast river astonishingly changes its direction of flow between wet and dry seasons. A remarkable ecosystem here is home to 20,000 plant species, 1,200 birds, 800 of reptiles and amphibians, plus 430 mammals – with 1,300 new species having been discovered since 1997.
We arrive to Angkor Ban, one of the very few villages that survived and was not burned or destroyed during the Khmer Rouge period. We see traditional houses some more than a century and absorb the peaceful atmosphere where time stands still here as you witness a slice of Cambodian rural life.
Back on board we continue navigation to Kampong Cham, discovering this afternoon by bus the temple of Wat Nokor. This twelfth century Buddhist temple built on the ruins of an ancient temple is unique to Cambodia.Â
Day 11 : Kampong Cham – Siem Reap
Location: Krong Siem Reap
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Four-star superior Borei Angkor Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Early this morning our river cruiser glides to a final halt, berthed in Siem Reap at the head of this stunningly beautiful lake. We say our fond farewells to the splendid crew as you continue your exploration of Cambodia where you stay for three nights at the four-star superior Borei Angkor Hotel on the Privilege floor with breakfast. An all day breakfast is available upon check in today. The hotel is extremely comfortable with two restaurants, a pool and the Mudita Spa. The rest of the day is at leisure, you may relax, take a refreshing swim or enjoy the spa.
Day 12 : Angkor Wat
Location: Angkor Wat
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Four-star superior Borei Angkor Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we see the haunting soft morning light over the eerie temples of Angkor. Encircled by verdant steamy jungle, shrouded in mist and with a tropical dawn chorus reverberating in the air, this is something you will never forget. We visit the huge, fortified 13th-century city of Angkor Thom with its five monumental gates and 91-metre wide moat; its centre contains one of Angkor’s most astonishing sites, the temple of Bayon. Crowned by over 50 towers, each with four colossal carved heads looking out in every direction, this is an extraordinary masterpiece of Khmer art. One of the most intriguing sites is the smaller temple of Ta Prohm which has been left in its natural, unrestored state, with giant tropical trees bursting through the ruins, their roots entwined like vast tentacles across the moss-covered, weathered walls and roofs.
Late in the afternoon we see the immense temple of Angkor Wat, one of the largest religious structures in the world. The main entrance faces west to catch the rose-red glow of the setting sun, a truly magical time of day.
Day 13 : Free Day
Location: Krong Siem Reap
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Four-star superior Borei Angkor Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our last full day in Cambodia is at leisure for you to enjoy the swimming pool and facilities of your hotel, or simply explore the excellent markets and restaurants of Siem Reap.
Day 14 : Return Flight
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation: Overnight Flight
Afternoon tea (including a glass of wine or a cocktail) is available at the hotel this afternoon, in the Damnak lounge, before taking a late afternoon transfer for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) from where you connect with your return overnight flight to the UK. See Personalise Your Holiday for details of late check-out and afternoon tea.
Day 15 : Arrive Home
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
You arrive home.
Ship Details
RV Mekong Prestige II
Ship Overview
One of the most popular river cruisers on the Mekong and operated by a French-Vietnamese joint venture, the RV Mekong Prestige II was launched in 2013 and features 32 spacious staterooms.
The décor is a fusion of contemporary Asian design with lots of polished teak, coupled with the intimate ambience and service of a boutique hotel. Just imagine yourself relaxing in the large plunge pool as the busy life of the river slips by or sipping a sundowner on the Sun Deck, leaning over the rail and being part of the ever-changing and fascinating life of the Mekong all around you.
Each stateroom features full-length panoramic sliding glass doors leading to your own private balcony. There is a luxury en-suite bathroom with shower, hairdryer and bathrobes, plus a writing desk, two armchairs with coffee table, personal safe and individually controlled air-conditioning. All staterooms are very spacious at 20 square metres (215 square feet) including the French balcony, and feature twin beds which may be pushed together to create a double bed. You have a choice of Upper Deck staterooms and Main Deck staterooms, as well as a small selection of suites as described below.
Ship Details
Ship Name:
RV Mekong Prestige II
Adults Only Areas:
no kids
Ship Children Facilities:
none
Ship Nursery:
none
Ship Size:
boutique
Ship Style:
luxury
Ship Type:
river
Ship Language:
en
Ship Capacity:
64
Ship Crew Count:
30
Number of Cabins:
32
Ship Launch Year:
2013
Deck Plans
Main Deck
Junior SuiteCabins
Sun Deck
Fitness CentrePlunge PoolSpa Bar
Upper Deck
RestaurantTerrace SuiteCabins
Cabins
Each stateroom features full-length panoramic sliding glass doors leading to your own private balcony. There is a luxury en-suite bathroom with shower, hairdryer and bathrobes, plus a writing desk, two armchairs with coffee table, personal safe and individually controlled air-conditioning. All staterooms are very spacious at 20 square metres (215 square feet) including the French balcony, and feature twin beds which may be pushed together to create a double bed. You have a choice of Upper Deck staterooms and Main Deck staterooms, as well as a small selection of suites as described below.
Terrace Suites (Grade TS )
Terrace suites are 27 square metres (290 square feet) with facilities as the Junior suites and are located on the Upper Deck.
Staterooms (Grade TS SM )
Main Deck and Upper Deck staterooms are very spacious at 20 square metres (215 square feet), including the French balcony and feature twin beds which may also be pushed together to create a double bed.Each stateroom features full-length panoramic sliding glass doors leading to your own private balcony. There is a luxury en-suite bathroom with shower, hairdryer and bathrobes, plus a writing desk, two armchairs with coffee table, personal safe and individually controlled air-conditioning.
Staterooms (Grade SP SU SM )
Main Deck and Upper Deck staterooms are very spacious at 20 square metres (215 square feet), including the French balcony and feature twin beds which may also be pushed together to create a double bed.Each stateroom features full-length panoramic sliding glass doors leading to your own private balcony. There is a luxury en-suite bathroom with shower, hairdryer and bathrobes, plus a writing desk, two armchairs with coffee table, personal safe and individually controlled air-conditioning.
Junior Suites (Grade JS )
Junior suites are 24.9 square metres (268 square feet). Located on the main deck at the bow of the ship there is a larger balcony and the bathroom features a separate bathtub and shower. All other facilities are as the main and upper deck staterooms.
Dining
Bright and airy restaurant serving traditional Cambodian and Vietnamese cuisine and also a selection of Western dishes and local specialities
Restaurant
The restaurant located on the Upper Deck is bright and airy with fine linen and excellent service, and can accommodate all guests in one sitting.
Entertainment
Local beers and wines served in the comfortable bar and lounge area.
Bar
More information coming soon
Souvenir Shop
Small boutique for you to purchase your special souvenirs
Enrichment
Excursions
On our river cruises we love to take you right into the heart of each town or city you visit along the way, and during your cruise local guides will offer a variety of guided walking tours, panoramic coach tours and/or visits to museums and local cultural favourites such as a wine tasting in Burgundy and a train journey through the Swiss mountains. You will have a good mix of touring and free time to learn about the history and the little quirks of each place, with plenty of time to explore at your own leisure. Please check the itinerary of the cruise for more specific details.
Kids and Teens
Please Note: There are no dedicated kids/teens facilities onboard RV Mekong Prestige II
Health & Fitness
Small spa and fitness room offering a selection of treatments such as luxurious massage.
Gratuities
Tips are not charged at a set percentage and are not included in the holiday cost, as we understand that giving a gratuity should be entirely at your discretion.
As a guideline we would recommend giving €8-12 per person per day should you feel that is appropriate. Usually, an envelope is left in your cabin on the final evening, for you to drop off at reception, if you choose to, the following morning. The tips are divided equally between the crew.
Should you also wish to give a gratuity directly to your Riviera Travel Cruise Director and Concierge, this is also at your discretion.
Useful Information
Age Restrictions
For holidays other than cruises, we are unable to accommodate children under 9 years old at the date of departure. For cruises, the minimum age limit is 12 years old at the date of departure. We reserve the right to limit the number of children on any particular cruise. Any minor must be accompanied by and share a cabin with an adult aged 21 or over. If the adult is not the minor’s parent, a “Parental Consent Guardianship Form” must be signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to sailing.
Dietary Requirements
We cater for most dietary requirements, please ensure you contact the reservations team when making your booking.
Disabled Facilities
Our ships are not adapted for wheelchair access; if you are intending to take a wheelchair with you please contact us.Due to popularity of river cruising when there is more than one ship in port the ships could be moored alongside each other. If our ship happens to be moored away from the landing pier disembarking could involve walking across gang planks and the sun deck of other ships.River cruises operate with a smaller crew than ocean cruises and do not have the crew available to personally attend to passengers with reduced mobility therefore a travelling companion would need to be able to help with any physical needs.The itinerary we include with our river cruises involves shore excursions visiting places with cobbled streets which can be on an incline making navigation of these streets difficult for anyone with reduced mobility.Cruising down the Rhine, Danube or any of the European rivers we offer gives you the opportunity to take in the spectacular scenery and there is a lot to enjoy from the comfort of the ship. If you can’t do many shore excursions, river cruising in Europe can still be very enjoyable and worthwhile, please contact us with any concerns you may have.
Dress Code
There is no requirement to bring formal dress; smart/casual is acceptable for both day and evening as there is no dress code enforced. However men are requested not to wear shorts for dinner or vest tops at any time in the dining room. Men may wish to wear a jacket and tie for dinner. The Captain’s Dinner offers the opportunity, should you wish, for more special attire.
Laundry Service
A limited laundry service is available on board, except on the day of disembarkation. A dry cleaning service is not available.
Medical Facilities
If you have any concerns about your health whilst on tour, please see your Cruise Director or Concierge. They will be able to advise you about chemists and availability of doctors, etc. In an emergency you could always phone our emergency number as issued on your itinerary. There are no on-board medical personnel, although specific crew members will have basic first aid training. However, the ship can stop at any time to transfer any passenger requiring emergency medical attention to local medical facilities.
Smoking and E-Cigarette Policy
Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted anywhere on board except for designated areas on the sun deck.More and more countries in Europe are adopting a stricter legislation on smoking in public places. Smoking is not allowed on any public transport and there may be other restrictions in hotels, bars and restaurants.
Special Dietary Requirements
We cater for most dietary requirements; please ensure you contact the reservations team when making your booking.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Five nights bed and breakfast in four-star hotels
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Airport Transfers at Destination
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Fully Guided
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
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International Travel
All flights as mentioned
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Seven nights full board, including non-alcoholic soft drinks, local beer and local wine at mealtimes
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Porterage of one item of luggage per person
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All transfers
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One day entrance and guided tour of Angkor
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All shore excursions as described whilst on the cruise
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Gratuities for the ship’s crew
What's Not Included
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Insurance
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Tipping and Gratuity
Check out our Q&As
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
All flights as mentioned
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
For cruises, the minimum age limit is 12 years old at the date of departure. We reserve the right to limit the number of children on any particular cruise.
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For almost 40 years
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I have reduced mobility; can I still travel?
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to contact us to discuss these concerns
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Do I require travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking that you carry suitable travel insurance.
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What is my luggage allowance?
You will receive details of your luggage allowance with your final travel documents, which are sent approximately 10 days prior to your date of departure.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Monday - Monday
Sep 30, 2024 - Oct 14, 2024Sunday - Sunday
Oct 06, 2024 - Oct 20, 2024Sunday - Sunday
Dec 01, 2024 - Dec 15, 2024Sunday - Sunday
Feb 23, 2025 - Mar 09, 2025Sunday - Sunday
Mar 23, 2025 - Apr 06, 2025Monday - Monday
Sep 29, 2025 - Oct 13, 2025Monday - Monday
Oct 13, 2025 - Oct 27, 2025Sunday - Sunday
Nov 02, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025Sunday - Sunday
Nov 16, 2025 - Nov 30, 2025Sunday - Sunday
Nov 30, 2025 - Dec 14, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Riviera Travel requires a minimum deposit of 500 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 101 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of riviera travel charges.
Up to 101 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 100 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions