MS Lord Byron

The 2012-built MS Lord Byron cruise ship primarily operates voyages along the Moselle River (in the Netherlands) and also sails on the Rhine and Danube rivers. Additionally, she is deployed in France for cruises on the Rhône River. The riverboat is owned by the Swiss company Scylla Cruises. Between 2012 and 2020, the vessel was operated under charter by the UK cruise tour company Riviera Travel. Since 2020, she has been chartered to VIVA Cruises, a Scylla-owned subsidiary and travel brand.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The MS Lord Byron features an elegant Lobby (entrance hall on Diamond/Upper Deck) with a Reception Desk providing 24-hour assistance, information, and purser services. The Lobby also includes a Travel Desk offering details on tours and excursions, as well as a Boutique Shop. From the Lobby, guests enter the Panorama Lounge (Bar Lounge), which boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable seating, a full-service bar, and access to the bow-located Lido Terrace with outdoor seating.

Aft on the Diamond Deck is the Bistro – Lido Restaurant, an alternative to the main Dining Room Restaurant. The Bistro has its own bar and also serves as a library. It features an open kitchen and an outdoor terrace, where early breakfast, light lunch, and dinner are served. In good weather, the floor-to-ceiling glass doors open fully onto the terrace for al fresco dining. Bistro dining is complimentary, though dinner reservations are required due to limited capacity (10 tables seating 2 or 4 guests). The main Dining Room Restaurant (on Ruby/Middle Deck) offers single-seating service with buffet-style breakfast and waiter-served lunch and dinner.

On the Emerald/Lower Deck, guests will find the ship’s Wellness Centre, which includes a Beauty Salon (hairdresser, barber, and nail studio), Fitness Room, and Spa offering massage treatments. All cabin decks are fully air-conditioned and accessible via a passenger elevator and staircases located forward, midship, and aft, including a grand staircase in the Atrium.

The Sun Deck offers a variety of leisure options, including a deck games area (Giant Chess Set, Mini-Golf Putting Green), shaded seating areas with retractable awnings and a surrounding walking track, and an aft Pool Deck with a splash pool, Jacuzzi whirlpool, and sunbathing area furnished with loungers and deckchairs. Forward on the Sun Deck is the Alfresco Lounge, offering full bar service from the Panorama Lounge below. The navigation bridge (called the “Wheelhouse” on riverboats) is also located forward, is accessible to passengers, and is telescopic—allowing it to be lowered when passing under low bridges.

Cabins

MS Lord Byron has a total of 74 staterooms accommodating up to 148 passengers.

Most staterooms feature wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to a railing (French Balcony). The only exceptions are the Emerald Deck cabins, which have fixed, non-opening quarter-height windows located near the ceiling.

All passenger staterooms feature standard amenities including hotel-style twin beds (convertible to double), an en-suite bathroom (with WC, shower, single-sink vanity, towels, premium bath toiletries, and large mirror), a 40-inch HDTV (with satellite reception, infotainment system, and real-time bow camera views), mini-bar, tea/coffee-making facilities, glass-top round table with two armchairs, mirrored dressing table with pouf chair, wardrobe, electronic safe box, hairdryer, phone, individually controlled air conditioning, and evening turndown service.

All bathrooms feature marble countertops, glass-enclosed showers with large rain showerheads, and luxury bath products by Crabtree & Evelyn. Some staterooms are available for single occupancy (without a single supplement, subject to availability). Deluxe Suites (on Diamond Deck) offer additional amenities, including larger interior space, a step-out balcony furnished with a table and two chairs for al fresco dining, and premium cotton bathrobes and slippers.

The vessel’s hull and superstructure were constructed at the Vahali Shipyard in Belgrade, Serbia. The Dutch shipbuilding company Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek Vahali BV, founded in 1923, owns and operates shipyards in Serbia (Belgrade and Zasavica) and the Netherlands (Gendt). The Vahali Shipyard in Zasavica officially opened in 2013. After construction in Serbia, the cruise ship was towed to the Netherlands for final outfitting at Scheepswerf Vahali in Gendt.

In 2020, the vessel’s flag state and registry were changed from Malta (MMSI 229346000, registered in Valletta) to Switzerland (MMSI 269057570, registered in Basel).

In 2024, an extensive refurbishment project was completed, featuring redesigned and renovated public areas, passenger cabins, and the aft Bistro. The upgrades included new furnishings and carpeting throughout the vessel.

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the “Itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub, where all companies and their fleets are listed.