Viva Cruises said it will extend its winter cruise program to six ships in 2026 and offer January and February departures on the Seine River for the first time.
Viva first began to operate outside of the traditional European river cruise season in 2022. It said it will have five ships on the rivers in January 2026, the Viva One, Viva Two, Viva Enjoy, Viva Moments and Viva Gloria. In February 2026 those ships will be joined by the Swiss Ruby.
The line said the expansion would "ensure that guests have the chance to experience some of Europe's finest rivers at quieter times of year."
The Viva Gloria will be deployed to the Seine with three-night city stays (Paris only) and four-night cruises, which can be easily combined into a seven-night Seine experience, Viva said. The 116-passenger Viva Beyond, the first ship in the line's Viva Boutique sub-brand, will launch on the Seine in May 2026.
Viva said the number of seven-night cruises on the Danube is being expanded. The Viva Two and the Viva Enjoy will offer year-round cruises out of Passau, Germany, and Vienna, respectively. Also, with 13 departures on Viva Voyage in 2026, the line said it would have its biggest offer on the Rhone since 2018.
The 152-passenger Viva Tiara will be deployed on the Rhine, Moselle, and Main rivers, while the Viva One and Viva Moments will continue to offer a variety of shorter cruises on the Rhine, "ideal for guests new to river cruising," according to Viva.
In Portugal, its ship the Porto Mirante will offer additional departures on the Douro River to meet increasing demand.
The Swiss Ruby will be fully integrated into the Viva Cruises fleet in 2026 and will continue to offer unique itineraries on smaller rivers and canals aimed at what Viva said was well-traveled guests who have "seen it all" from February to December.
Viva also said that starting in 2026 all cruises will run exclusively on HVO fuel, or hydrotreated vegetable oil. The fossil-free, alternative fuel is produced from renewable resources such as vegetable oils and used cooking oils.