As Riverside Luxury Cruises continues to expand its presence in the luxury river cruise market, the company is focusing on growth through travel advisors, enhanced advisor tools and a client experience inspired by boutique luxury hotels. In this week’s Take 5, we catch up with Peter Ouzounov, Senior Director of Sales, Canada, to discuss the ideal Riverside client, evolving luxury travel trends, the company’s latest advisor initiatives, and why strong advisor relationships remain at the heart of its strategy.

1. Riverside doesn’t have the fleet size or history of some of the legacy river cruise brands. When an advisor is trying to figure out which client to introduce Riverside to, what does that client actually look like?

“I get this question often, and it’s usually framed in the context of, ‘Which river cruise clients should I be introducing to Riverside?’ I understand why, but I think that’s the wrong starting point.

“The advisors having the most success with Riverside aren’t focused on converting clients from other river cruise brands. They’re introducing Riverside to clients who’ve never considered river cruising as a way to travel through Europe before.

“Of course, that includes luxury ocean cruisers looking for an equally elevated, immersive and intimate way to experience Europe. But it also includes clients who don’t see themselves as cruisers at all. They’re the people who gravitate toward boutique luxury hotels because they value design-forward spaces, highly personalized service, exceptional dining, flexibility and a quieter, more intimate style of travel.

“That’s the Riverside client. Everything we do, both onboard and ashore, is shaped by the deep-rooted hotel heritage of our parent company, Seaside Collection. Their philosophy of luxury hospitality influences every aspect of the Riverside experience, creating an atmosphere that feels more like a luxury boutique hotel that’s sailing through the heart of Europe.”

2. Luxury travel is evolving quickly. What’s one shift you think travel advisors should be paying more attention to over the next few years?

“One shift I’ve noticed is that affluent travellers expect more flexibility than they used to. They’re less interested in fitting themselves into a predefined experience and more interested in shaping the experience around how they like to travel. That’s changing how people define luxury.

“I think that’s a real opportunity for travel advisors. The advisors who’ll stand out won’t necessarily be the ones who know the most products. They’ll be the ones who know their clients the best. They’ll understand what matters most to them, what’s worth celebrating, how they like to travel and what they’ll still be talking about long after they get home.

“Product knowledge gets you into the conversation. Understanding people is what earns their trust.”

3. If you could listen in on one client consultation, what’s the one question you’d hope the advisor asks but usually doesn’t?

“I actually hope they ask two.

“The first is, ‘What do you want this trip to feel like?’

“The second is, ‘What do you hope you’ll be talking about when you get home?’

“Every advisor has to cover the practical questions first: budget, timing, who’s travelling and where they want to go. That’s the foundation.

“The difference is that the best advisors don’t stop there. Once they understand what success looks like for that client, the right recommendation becomes much clearer. A couple celebrating an anniversary, a family reconnecting across generations, and a foodie planning their dream trip through Europe may all have the same budget, but they shouldn’t take the same vacation.

“The best advisors I’ve worked with don’t start by selling a product. They help clients make better travel decisions. They ask thoughtful questions, they listen carefully, and they’re confident enough to say, ‘I have an idea I think you’ll love.’

“People may forget the details of an itinerary, but they’ll always remember how a trip made them feel.”

4. Since your last Take 5 with us, you’ve rolled out a new Star Rewards tiered program, an AI-powered support tool for advisors, and most recently launched a new advisor incentive. That’s a lot within a short span of time that advisors may have missed. Tell us about them, how can advisors leverage these new programs and tools, and what should advisors do differently now?

“That is a lot, and we’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve introduced this year. Every new tool, resource and program has been designed with one goal in mind: to help our advisor partners become more successful with Riverside while recognizing and rewarding the business they bring us.

“We recently refreshed and enhanced our advisor certification program to help advisors better understand the brand, learn how to position Riverside with the right clients, and feel more confident talking about us. We also introduced an AI-powered virtual advisor assistant within the same training platform that gives advisors accurate answers in real time, so they can spend less time searching for information and more time focusing on their clients and closing bookings.

“That naturally leads into Star Rewards, our new tiered recognition program that rewards advisors who consistently support Riverside with benefits that grow alongside their business.

“Most recently, we launched our Book More, Sail Free incentive. As of July 1, advisors earn one complimentary Riverside night for every $5,000 in new 2026 bookings, with no cap.

“Each initiative builds on the others. Together, they make it easier, more rewarding, and more fun for advisors to sell Riverside with confidence.”

5. You’ve spent years building relationships with Canadian travel advisors. What’s something they’ve taught you?

“They’ve taught me that the strongest relationships are built in the moments when nothing is being sold. They’ve taught me that partnerships aren’t built through promotions. Technology changes, consumer expectations evolve and products come and go, but trust is still what this industry is built on. The strongest partnerships are built by answering the phone, following through, being honest when something isn’t perfect and celebrating each other’s successes.

“The longer I’m in this industry, the more convinced I am that people choose to do business with people they trust. Everything else is secondary.”

For more information, go to https://riverside-cruises.com/en/ta.