Our 2026 River Academy Graduates!

At RiverView 26, we were incredibly proud to celebrate the graduation of our second River Cruise Academy cohort.

Following the success of the first academy, running the programme again was a natural next step. The aim has always been simple: to give our Holiday Village business owners a deeper, first-hand understanding of river cruising so they can share genuine expertise with their clients.

This year’s cohort officially graduated during a special ceremony aboard the beautiful Riviera Geoffrey Chaucer, marking the culmination of six months of learning, exploration and real-world experience.

Six Months of River Cruise Learning

Over the past six months, our business owners have taken part in a structured programme designed to build deep knowledge of the river cruise sector.

The academy combined online learning sessions, in-person training and industry insight, allowing participants to explore everything from river cruise itineraries and ships to the different experiences each river and destination can offer.

Throughout the programme, the focus has been on building practical knowledge that can help travel professionals confidently guide their clients when choosing the right river cruise.

Richard Cross, Travel Village Group Commercial Manager commented; 

“Following the success of our inaugural River Cruise Academy, we had no hesitation in launching the programme again for 2025/26. The feedback and the bookings from our first cohort speak for themselves. The Academy has helped our agents immerse themselves in the world of river cruising.”

Experiencing River Cruising First Hand

A key part of the River Cruise Academy is giving participants the opportunity to experience river cruising in real life.

Seeing the ships, walking through the cabins, exploring the public spaces and understanding how life on board works provides a completely different level of insight compared to learning about it from a brochure or presentation.

By experiencing these ships first hand, our graduates are able to offer clients genuine, informed advice based on what river cruising is truly like.

“All of this training and experience means I’m better equipped than ever to help clients find the perfect river cruise. River cruising is such a special way to travel – unpacking once while visiting multiple destinations, enjoying beautiful scenery along the way, and experiencing cultures in a more relaxed and intimate way.”

Stacey Lawrence, JetSet in Style with Stacey

“I found the cruise academy a great learning experience. I learnt so much from the online training sessions and the webinars. The trip we went on and the ship visits at CLIA provided wonderful insight into the different ships and what it is like to sail on a river. This brought the whole thing to life so I can now truly engage with my clients when selling river cruises. Without these experiences and training I would have struggled to do this.”

Claire Blackmore, Wendy Haines Travel

Celebrating the Graduation at RiverView 26

The programme concluded with a graduation ceremony held during CLIA RiverView 26, one of the key events in the river cruise calendar.

Celebrating aboard the Riviera Geoffrey Chaucer made the occasion even more special, providing the perfect setting to recognise the dedication and commitment of everyone who completed the programme.

Graduating from the academy represents not only months of learning, but also a deeper appreciation of the unique experiences that river cruising offers travellers.

“To take all the online training, take the River Cruise on the Douro and attend the Clia Conference where I got to visit at least seven ships has made me feel the ‘Expert ‘ I am now happy to call myself. To do all this also with a group of Holiday Village colleagues was so great too.”

Jo Collett, Jo – The Holiday Village

Looking Ahead to the Next River Cruise Academy

With the continued success of the programme, plans are already underway for the third River Cruise Academy.

The academy has proven to be a valuable way for our Holiday Village business owners to strengthen their knowledge and build first-hand experience within the world of river cruising.

“I just wanted to share how much completing the River Academy has helped me. I feel so much more confident selling river cruises now than I did before. Since finishing the Academy, I’ve delivered nine educational river cruise talks at retirement villages — something I would never have had the confidence to do previously. The knowledge and insight I’ve gained have made a huge difference.”

Sarah Robson, Sarah Robson Travel

We look forward to welcoming the next group of participants and continuing to grow our expertise in this exciting area of travel.