Phil and Paula Nuttall have pledged Travel Village Group’s continued support to the river cruise industry as exceptionally low water levels create widespread disruption across some of Europe’s major rivers.
The Travel Village Group CEO and Managing Director have written personally to our river cruise operator partners, reaffirming our commitment to the sector and calling for travel agents and operators to work together to help customers, protect bookings and rebuild displaced business into late 2026 and 2027.
With low water levels particularly affecting the Rhine, Main and Danube, operators are facing an incredibly challenging period as itineraries are amended and some sailings are cancelled.
As a travel agent, we are seeing the impact through disrupted holidays, cancellations and lost revenue. However, we are also very conscious that this represents only a fraction of the operational and financial challenge facing our river cruise partners.
Phil and Paula’s message to them was simple:
“We want you to know that we stand with you.”
Helping customers keep their holiday plans on track
Our first priority is making sure affected customers feel supported and, wherever possible, still have a holiday to look forward to.
Where a 2026 sailing can no longer operate, we want to work closely with our operator partners to understand what matters most to each customer and find the best possible alternative for them.
That could mean moving to another departure later this year, choosing a Christmas Markets sailing, considering a different river or itinerary, or transferring their plans into 2027.
A cancelled sailing doesn’t necessarily have to mean a cancelled holiday. By working together and having those conversations early, we can give customers reassurance, clear options and something new to look forward to.
As Phil and Paula explained:
“We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do believe that working intelligently and strategically together will protect considerably more business than any of us working independently.”
Our commitment to river cruising hasn’t changed
River cruising is incredibly important to our family business.
We were pioneers in the sector when we acquired RiverCruising.co.uk and made the decision to invest in specialist knowledge and build a dedicated river cruise business.
Since then, the relationships we have developed with our river cruise partners have become some of our most valued.
Those relationships don’t become less important when circumstances are difficult. They become more important.
Our family business has been trading since 1959. During that time, we have navigated recessions, volcanic ash clouds, supplier failures, terrorism, a global pandemic and many other challenges affecting the travel industry.
Phil and Paula said:
“One principle has remained constant: when things get difficult, we don’t walk away. We stand up and are counted.”
That is the approach we are taking now.
Supporting the people behind the industry
The impact of Europe’s low water levels reaches much further than cruise operators and travel agents.
River cruising supports guides, attractions, shops, restaurants and communities throughout Europe whose livelihoods benefit from the visitors arriving throughout the cruising season.
We also recognise the enormous pressure currently being placed on teams within our operator partners.
Many are working incredibly long hours managing circumstances entirely outside their control while continuing to look after guests and support travel agents.
Phil and Paula personally thanked those teams for their work and asked our partners to pass on the Group’s appreciation.
Standing together for river cruising
There may be some difficult weeks ahead, and none of us can control when the rain finally comes.
What we can control is how we respond.
Travel Village Group and RiverCruising.co.uk remain absolutely committed to river cruising, to our customers and to the operator partnerships that have helped us build such a successful specialist river cruise business.
We will continue working with our partners over the coming weeks to help customers, protect bookings wherever possible and rebuild displaced business into late 2026 and 2027.
As Phil and Paula concluded in their message:
“This isn’t the time to retreat from river cruising. It’s the time for all of us who believe in it to stand together.”
