VIVA Beyond isn’t trying to be a traditional river cruise ship. The first ship in Viva Cruises’ new Viva Boutique brand, it’s smaller, more luxurious and much more focused on food, culture and personal service.
I sailed on the seven-night In the Footsteps of Impressionism itinerary from Paris with my friend, Katie. We usually cruise together on large ocean ships, so this was a completely different kind of holiday.
There were no huge theatres, packed pool decks or endless lists of activities. Instead, we had Michelin-level dining, Champagne whenever we fancied it, peaceful evenings and the constantly changing scenery of the Seine.
No cruise ship is perfect for everybody, and VIVA Beyond has a particularly clear audience. If you enjoy fine dining, all-inclusive drinks, quiet surroundings and travelling at a gentle pace, it could be exactly what you are looking for.
VIVA Cruises hosted our sailing. As always, the cruise line had no control over my opinions, and this review reflects my honest experience.
You can also watch my full VIVA Beyond video review here.
VIVA Beyond At A Glance
VIVA Beyond is the first ship in the premium VIVA Boutique collection. The newly renovated ship began sailing on the Seine in 2026 and combines a modern boutique-hotel feel with a distinctly French focus.
| VIVA Beyond Ship Detail | |
|---|---|
| Maximum guests | 112 |
| Cabins | 56 |
| Length | 110 metres |
| Width | 11 metres |
| Passenger decks | 3 |
| Crew | Approximately 30 |
| Restaurants | 3 |
| Main sailing region | The Seine, France |
Half of the cabins are suites, with the largest measuring up to 30 square metres. That is a generous amount of space for a river ship carrying only 112 passengers.
The ship also has a lounge and bar, a gym, massage room, bicycles, and a large sun deck with a small hot tub and putting green.
First Impressions
Once onboard, the first thing that struck me about the ship was how intimate it felt. With a maximum of 112 guests, it didn’t take us long to explore, but every area felt modern and carefully designed.
The ship has a calm, elegant atmosphere rather than the busy feeling you get on a large ocean cruise ship.
The most memorable part of our first evening came when VIVA Beyond sailed away from Paris at around 11pm. The timing meant that we passed the Eiffel Tower just as it began to sparkle.
Watching it glitter as the ship turned on the river was one of those travel moments I will remember forever. It was a spectacular start to the cruise.
The Cabins And Suites
VIVA Beyond has 56 cabins, with around half of them falling into one of the suite categories. The largest suites measure up to 30 square metres, which is particularly spacious by river cruise standards.
We stayed in a Panorama Balcony Suite (Category A). The design felt contemporary and premium, with a large panoramic window that brought the river scenery into the room. The balcony area was integrated into the cabin rather than taking up a separate outdoor space, so we could enjoy the view in comfort whatever the weather.
There was also a large selection of movies available through the television. That suited the peaceful style of the ship perfectly, and we enjoyed having a couple of relaxed movie nights after busy days ashore.
We were also thrilled to discover that the mini bar in our room was included! This is such a rare treat, as usually on a cruise, even when the drinks are included, you would be expected to pay extra for the mini bar.
Food On VIVA Beyond
While most river cruise ships have only one restaurant, VIVA Beyond had three! Fitting three restaurants onto a ship for only 112 guests is very impressive. And what’s even more impressive is that they’re all included in the cruise fare.
Riverside Restaurant
Riverside is the main restaurant and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast is served buffet-style, with additional dishes available to order from the menu. At lunch, starters and desserts are offered from the buffet, while the main course is ordered at the table. Dinner is a proper sit-down meal with multiple courses.
The menus have a strong French influence and the presentation is elegant. There was usually one meat, one fish and one vegetarian dish to choose from.
Dining times are more flexible than on some river cruises. We didn’t have to appear exactly at 7pm, and there was no fixed seating plan. Tables for two were readily available, which will appeal to couples and friends who prefer to dine privately.
VIVA’s Brasserie
VIVA’s Brasserie is a smaller alternative restaurant, open for lunch and dinner. It has its own menu with a selection of classic French dishes such as snails, onion soup and croque monsieur.
The Brasserie menu remained the same during our cruise, but it provided useful alternatives to the main restaurant. Having a second choice of restaurant at lunch was great, but as the menu was quite small, didn’t change throughout the cruise and didn’t have any vegetarian options at dinner, we didn’t eat here very often.
Moments
Moments is the culinary highlight of VIVA Beyond. The tasting menu was created by Michelin-starred chef David Goerne and takes guests through a long sequence of beautifully presented courses.
A vegetarian tasting menu was available, and the team could also cater for dietary requirements. Best of all, dining at Moments was included in the cruise fare rather than carrying an additional speciality restaurant charge.
The food across VIVA Beyond is refined and distinctly French. Depending on the menu, you may see ingredients such as oysters, caviar, foie gras or beef tartare.
If you love fine dining and enjoy trying elaborate dishes, food could easily become the highlight of your cruise.
Although everything was prepared to a high standard, this isn’t the type of food that I personally enjoy and I did find myself craving simpler options such as a pizza, curry or a hearty jacket potato.
The meals were quite light and I found the lack of snacks between meals to be a struggle, especially if we had lunch at 12pm and then dinner wasn’t until 7pm. Sometimes, there was cake at 4pm, but not every day. Usually I just had to ask for some nuts at the bar.
Drinks Are Genuinely All-Inclusive
Many river cruise lines include wine and beer only during lunch and dinner. VIVA Cruises takes a much more generous approach.
Wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks and hot drinks are available throughout the day. We were offered Champagne as soon as we walked into the bar, and the crew happily brought cocktails to us while we sat on the sun deck.
It creates a very relaxed experience because you don’t have to think about drinks packages, keep signing receipts or wonder how much will be added to your final bill.
The included drinks were a major strength of the cruise. If you enjoy good wine, Champagne or a cocktail while watching the scenery, the all-inclusive package adds real value.
Life On Board
The atmosphere on VIVA Beyond is quiet, elegant and unhurried.
In the evenings, there was usually live piano music in the lounge. On one night, a French guest singer came onboard to perform. There were also board games and card games, plus the movies available in each cabin.
This is not a ship with large production shows, nightclubs or a packed programme stretching into the early hours. The focus is on quiet conversation, drinks, food and, of course, above all, the destinations.
Many guests were happy to enjoy dinner, listen to the pianist and then have an early night before the following morning’s excursion. That rhythm works particularly well on a river cruise, where days often begin earlier than they do on an ocean cruise with excursions scheduled for as early as 8am.
On our sailing, most of the other guests were German-speaking. We had no difficulty speaking English with the crew, and there were some other English-speaking passengers onboard, but the passenger mix did make the cruise feel very international.
This will vary between departures, but it is worth remembering that VIVA Cruises attracts guests from across Europe rather than sailing exclusively for the British market.
The Sun Deck And Facilities
The sun deck is one of the best places to appreciate the Seine. There were plenty of loungers, chairs and tables, and the ship never felt remotely crowded. In fact, it often seemed as though there were way more seats than people!
There is also a putting green and a small hot tub which was a lovely place to sit while the countryside passed by.
VIVA Beyond also has a fitness room with a treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine and weights, as well as a massage area. Bicycles are available for guests who would like to explore ashore independently.
Our Seine Itinerary
Our seven-night cruise was called In the Footsteps of Impressionism. It sailed from Paris to Le Havre and back again, calling at places associated with some of France’s most famous artists.
The itinerary was:
- Paris
- Conflans
- Rouen
- Le Havre
- Vernon
- Paris
The theme connected the destinations with artists including Monet and Van Gogh. For anyone interested in art history, it gives the journey much more meaning than simply moving between a series of attractive French towns.
One VIVA Signature excursion was included on our departure. Ours visited Auvers-sur-Oise, with its connections to Van Gogh, and included the Absinthe Museum and a tasting.
The tour was on the first morning of the cruise and it started at 8am. It was fun, but nothing makes you regret last night’s cocktails quite as much as tasting the notoriously luminous green spirit that is absinthe at 9 o’clock in the morning!
Other excursions were available to purchase, but we chose to explore independently, as that was a little more cost-effective than the organised tours.
In Vernon, for example, we took an Uber to Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny, bought our own entrance tickets and returned to the ship when we were ready. That worked perfectly for us because we could move at our own pace rather than spending every day on an organised walking tour.
This balance is one of VIVA’s strengths. Those who want everything arranged can book excursions, while independent travellers don’t feel as though they are paying for a full package of tours they may not use.
The Joy Of Travelling Slowly
On an ocean cruise, Le Havre is often treated as the port for a day trip to Paris. On this river cruise, travelling between Paris and Le Havre was the holiday itself, and it took a full week!
The pace is much slower and gentler. There’s time to admire the elegant houses, small beaches, villages, swans and countryside as they pass the windows. Near Le Havre, the scenery becomes more industrial, which I found interesting in a completely different way.
The view’s always changing, and that’s one area where river cruising can beat ocean cruising. Rather than looking out at an empty horizon, there’s almost always something new to see.
You do need to embrace a couple of river cruise quirks. Ships occasionally dock alongside each other, so your beautiful river view can suddenly become a close-up of another cabin. (Don’t open your curtains while naked!) At other times, you might open the curtains to find a wall beside you.
It is simply part of how river ports operate, and the view may be completely different again by the time you return to your cabin.
The Service
The crew were consistently warm, friendly and attentive. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that they were some of the most lovely crew members I’ve ever met. I expect that the low number of guests onboard meant that they had more time to chat to us.
On such a small ship, it doesn’t take long for the team to recognise every guest and remember what they like. Drinks appeared without fuss, questions were answered cheerfully and the service felt personal without becoming overly formal.
That combination suited VIVA Beyond very well. The ship felt luxurious, but it never felt stuffy.
What I Loved Most
The standout feature of VIVA Beyond was how spacious and peaceful it felt despite being a relatively small river ship.
There was always somewhere to sit, the cabin was beautiful and the three restaurants provided far more variety than I expected. The included drinks made everything feel effortless, while the crew created a genuinely welcoming atmosphere.
The Seine scenery was another highlight. Even when we were doing very little, we could sit outside with a drink and watch France move slowly past us.
And nothing topped that first-night sailaway beneath the sparkling Eiffel Tower.
Who Should Book VIVA Beyond?
VIVA Beyond could be an excellent choice if:
- You enjoy fine dining and French cuisine
- You want wine, Champagne, cocktails and gratuities included
- You prefer a small ship with very few passengers
- You appreciate an elegant boutique hotel atmosphere
- You enjoy art, culture and thoughtfully themed itineraries
- You want the option to book excursions without having every tour bundled into the fare
- You like exploring independently at your own pace
- You prefer quiet evenings to busy nightlife
- You enjoy watching the scenery and travelling slowly
- You value attentive, personal service
Things To Know Before Booking
Choosing the right cruise is largely about matching the ship to the type of holiday you enjoy.
VIVA Beyond is deliberately calm. Evening entertainment is limited compared with an ocean cruise, and the food is more refined than casual. Breakfast and excursions can begin early, while sun deck access sometimes changes because of low bridges.
The passenger mix can also be international, so you may hear more German than English on some sailings.
None of these things is a problem for the right guest. In fact, they are part of what makes the ship so appealing to people who want peace, privacy and a more European style of river cruise.
If you arrive expecting late-night parties, large theatre shows and casual food around the clock, it may not be the best match. If you want to slow down, eat exceptionally well and immerse yourself in France, it makes much more sense.
Final Verdict
VIVA Beyond is a beautiful, luxurious river ship with a very clear personality.
It combines the intimacy of a small ship with three excellent restaurants, genuinely inclusive drinks, stylish accommodation and exceptionally friendly service. The themed Seine itineraries add depth to the destinations, while the flexible approach to excursions gives passengers valuable freedom.
The experience was very different from the lively ocean cruises Katie and I usually take together, but that is not a criticism of the ship. VIVA Beyond does exactly what it is designed to do.
For travellers who appreciate fine dining, art, elegant surroundings and a slower pace, this could be a wonderful way to experience Paris and Normandy.
If you’d like to take a closer look at this itinerary or see what else VIVA Cruises has to offer, visit the VIVA Cruises website.
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I also have a full review of this cruise on YouTube…
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