Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Australasia announced Riverside Luxury Cruises has become the newest member of, elevating its brand within CLIA’s growing community of travel agents, cruise lines and industry partners.
As a River Cruise Marketing Affiliate, Riverside Luxury Cruises will showcase its trio of all-suite ships to CLIA’s 6,000-strong travel agent membership across Australia and New Zealand. The partnership puts Riverside among CLIA’s leading cruise operators from around the world, as well as its network of executive partners representing ports, destinations, tourism operators, and industry suppliers.
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Joel Katz, CLIA Managing Director in Australasia said Riverside Luxury Cruises was at the heart of a thriving river cruise sector in Europe, making it a welcome addition to CLIA’s community.
“River cruising has developed a phenomenal following among travellers from Australia and New Zealand, and the diversity of experiences now available on the world’s inland waterways is greater than ever,” Katz said. “Riverside Luxury Cruises brings its own distinct sense of luxury to this environment, making it an excellent addition to our cruise community at a time of enormous innovation.”
Last month, Riverside Luxury Cruises appointed Susie Coughlin, as its Commercial Sales & Marketing, representative in Australia and New Zealand. Katz said the cruise line would enhance its profile within the region’s travel trade and CLIA community.
“Riverside Luxury Cruises is an exciting new face in the river cruise sector, and our CLIA partnership will provide an important platform for our business as we increase our presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets,” Coughlin said.
“We will be a familiar sight at CLIA events and training initiatives, and our travel agent partners will be an important part of our vision for growth in this region.”
Riverside Luxury Cruises commenced sailings in 2023 and operates three all-suite luxury river ships in Europe – the Riverside Mozart, Riverside Ravel and Riverside Debussy. Each ship operating on the Rhine, Danube, Main, Moselle, Rhône and Saône rivers.
The cruise line has been developed by its founding owners, the Gerlach family, incorporating well-known vessels from the former Crystal fleet. Two other all-suite luxury river ships – the Riverside Bach and the Riverside Mahler – are currently on charter and will return to the Riverside family in 2027 and 2028 respectively.
