VIVA Cruises, a European river cruise specialist, celebrated its fifth birthday with a special anniversary cruise onboard VIVA ONE, their first build ship. They reflected on their company history and discussed their future plans during the event.
The CEO of VIVA Cruises, Arno Reitsma, established the brand under his Swiss shipping company, Scylla AG, in 2017. He partnered with COO Andrea Kruse, and together they developed the concept and business plan for VIVA Cruises before officially launching the brand.
The first exclusive river cruise ship for VIVA Cruises, named Savor, set sail on the Danube on November 3, 2018. Two years later, VIVA Cruises acquired Swiss Tiara and transformed it into VIVA TIARA, which became a beloved member of their fleet.
Despite the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, VIVA Cruises navigated through the crisis and resumed operations in the summer of 2020, offering short and themed cruises.
In March 2022, VIVA Cruises unveiled their first build ship, VIVA ONE, christened in Düsseldorf. They continued their expansion with the launch of VIVA TWO in April 2023, and another ship, VIVA ENJOY, is scheduled to join the fleet in autumn 2024.
To commemorate their anniversary, VIVA Cruises organized a special river cruise for key national and international partners from Düsseldorf to Andernach. The event featured a gala dinner, live music, and surprises, serving as an opportunity to celebrate their success and express gratitude to their partners.
Among their esteemed partners, Shiri Gordon from The Gordon Travel Group, Carolin Ecker from e-hoi, Robin Müller from Seereisedienst, Enrique Martin from Four, and Lothar Hörnig from Prinzengarde Blau-Weiss praised their collaboration with VIVA Cruises.
Looking ahead, CEO Arno Reitsma wants VIVA Cruises to become the leading river cruise operator in Europe within the next five years with innovative offerings, excellent service, and expanding fleet.
