Amadeus Riva

The 2023-built Amadeus Riva cruise ship (also branded as Riva by AMADEUS) is a 160-passenger riverboat (the fleet’s 18th and newest) owned by the Austrian company and shipowner Luftner Cruises and operated through the Luftner-owned travel brand Amadeus River Cruises.

Riva's sisterships include the fleet’s newest vessels — Amadeus Cara (2021), Amadeus Nova (2024), Amadeus Amara (2025), Amadeus Aurea (2026), and Amadeus Mira (2027).

Amadeus Riva operates cruises on the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Moselle rivers, including Danube Delta voyages (to the Black Sea), as well as on the inland waterways of Belgium and the Netherlands.

The vessel (ENI number 2339896) is currently flagged in Germany (MMSI 218006380) and registered in Cologne.

Amadeus Riva's propulsion is hybrid (diesel-electric). The battery system is from EST-Floattech's series Octopus High Energy, based on high-density, lithium-ion batteries. It adds 520 kWh of electricity to the propulsion and results in fuel savings and reduced emissions.

Decks and Cabins

MS Amadeus Riva features 79 staterooms and 4 decks - the open-air Sun Deck and 3 cabin decks named after the Austrian composers Haydn (1), Strauss (2), and Mozart (3).

The ship offers 12 Amadeus Suites (27 m2, all midship on Mozart Deck with step-out balconies), 51 French Balcony cabins (18 m2, featuring drop-down panoramic windows), and 16 Window cabins (16 m2, with non-opening windows, all located on Haydn Deck near the aft staff and crew quarters).

All staterooms are equipped with twin beds (convertible to queen-size), a mirrored vanity with chair, wardrobe, electronic safe (in the closet), direct-dial phone, TV, seating area (two armchairs with a round coffee/dining table), wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows (French Balcony cabins), and an en-suite bathroom (toilet, single-sink vanity, shower, hairdryer).

Suites offer additional features including fully-stocked minibars (extra charge), a corner sofa (daybed), walk-in wardrobe, and step-out balcony.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

All meals are served in the Panorama Restaurant (forward on Strauss Deck 2). The venue offers early breakfast and buffet breakfast, with lunch served buffet-style or à la carte. Dinners are multi-course gourmet meals accompanied by complimentary regional wines. Locally-sourced, seasonal produce is used. Guests also enjoy Afternoon Tea & Cake service, midnight snacks, and a 24-hour coffee/tea station.

The Sun Deck (deck 4) is the prime relaxation area, offering panoramic views, deckchairs, sun loungers, shaded seating (with retractable awnings), a putting green (mini-golf course), Giant Chessboard, Shuffleboard, and Pickleball Court.

The Sun Deck Lounge & Bar (Lido-style venue) serves light snacks and beverages. The Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge) is telescopic (lowerable for low bridges) and accessible to passengers.

• (Mozart Deck 3 forward) Panorama Lounge & Bar – the show lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable seating, a full-service bar, and enrichment programming (port talks, destination-themed lectures, media presentations, themed parties, crew shows, and live music/dance performances).
• (Mozart Deck 3 aft) Amadeus Club – a stylish wine bar with Internet stations that also functions as the ship’s library.
• (Mozart Deck 3 midship) Cafe Vienna – a patisserie/coffee house offering Austrian specialty coffees, homemade cakes, tarts, pastries, and gourmet desserts.
• (Mozart Deck 3 bow) River Terrace – a glass-shielded, wind- and rain-protected outdoor lounge accessible from the Panorama Lounge or via stairs from the Sun Deck.
• Additional facilities include a Spa (massage room), Hair Salon, and a Gym (fitness room).

The ship has no swimming pool or outdoor Jacuzzi. All cabin decks are connected via one passenger elevator. Wi-Fi is available shipwide for an additional fee.

Complimentary bicycles (stored on the Sun Deck) and wireless audio systems are available for use during all shore excursions.

Itineraries

Amadeus Riva's cruise itineraries are mainly based on homeporting in Passau, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Most Danube River departures are from Passau, with some itineraries also starting in Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), or Bucharest (Romania, via Fetesti).

The Maiden Voyage — a 7-night/8-day “Three-Rivers Cruise” — departed Amsterdam on May 12, 2023, and concluded in Nuremberg on May 19th. Prices started at EUR 2000 (~GBP 1690) per person (double occupancy). This cruise was also part of a 14-night B2B itinerary (Amsterdam to Budapest).

Amadeus Riva’s 2023 inaugural season included the following themed cruises and ports:

• (May 12 – MAIDEN VOYAGE) 7-night "Three-Rivers Cruise": Amsterdam–Utrecht–Cologne–Rüdesheim–Miltenberg–Wertheim–Würzburg–Bamberg–Nuremberg
• (May 12 – MAIDEN VOYAGE) 14-night "Across Europe: Amsterdam to Budapest": Amsterdam–Utrecht–Cologne–Rüdesheim–Miltenberg–Wertheim–Würzburg–Bamberg–Nuremberg–Regensburg–Passau–Emmersdorf (Melk Abbey)–Dürnstein–Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest
• 7-night "Blue Danube": Nuremberg–Regensburg–Passau–Emmersdorf/Melk Abbey–Dürnstein–Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest
• 7-night "Classical Danube Cruise": Budapest–Bratislava–Vienna–Dürnstein–Emmersdorf/Melk Abbey–Linz–Regensburg–Passau (and reverse)
• 7-night "Danube Rhapsody": Passau–Emmersdorf/Melk Abbey–Dürnstein–Vienna–Budapest–Bratislava/Hainburg–Linz–Passau
• 9-night "1200 Miles on the Beautiful Blue Danube": Vienna–Bratislava–Esztergom–Budapest–Vukovar–Belgrade–Iron Gates–Svishtov–Rousse–Danube Delta–Sfantu Gheorghe–Fetesti/Bucharest (plus a reverse 10-night cruise from Bucharest to Vienna)
• 15-night "Beautiful Blue Danube and Danube Delta": Passau–Vienna–Esztergom–Budapest–Belgrade–Vidin–Oltenita–Fetesti–Danube Delta–Sfantu Gheorghe–Hirsova–Fetesti–Rousse–Svishtov–Iron Gates–Novi Sad–Vukovar–Mohacs–Kalocsa–Budapest–Bratislava–Dürnstein–Emmersdorf/Melk Abbey–Passau

For the Christmas season (November–December), a 4-night "Magic of Advent on the Rhine" itinerary is offered between Strasbourg–Speyer–Rüdesheim–Koblenz–Cologne, and the reverse from Cologne to Strasbourg.

Amadeus Riva is Luftner's 18th vessel (ENI number 2339896) and was built by TeamCo Shipyard BV in Heusden, North Brabant, Netherlands. The hull and superstructure were constructed by Severnav in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania. After completion, the ship was moved to Holland for outfitting at TeamCo's Shipyard.

The ship's name, Riva, has Hebrew origins and translates to "Maiden."

Luftner Cruises signed the shipbuilding contract for Amadeus Riva in February 2022. The riverboat was delivered in May 2023 and christened dockside in Cologne, Germany, on May 17th by godmother Doris Heger. The Maiden Voyage departed from Cologne on May 20th.

During her inaugural cruise on the Rhine River, Amadeus Riva was accompanied by fleetmates Amadeus Queen (built in 2018) and Amadeus Imperial (built in 2021).

Note: For a complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats, visit the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All cruise companies and their fleets are listed there.