Rivages du Monde, a French river cruise company, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, having been founded in 2001 by Alain Souleille. The company has achieved a turnover of 50 million euros and employs 45 people across its operations in France and its Belgian branch. To mark the occasion, Rivages du Monde is offering an event cruise on the Danube from October 19 to 30 aboard the M/S Amadeus Silver II. This special voyage is part of the company's efforts to celebrate its milestone while showcasing its continued presence in the river cruise industry. Souleille has navigated through several challenges over the years, including the 2008 financial crisis, the stop of cruises on the Irrawaddy after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the impact of the covid crisis, and the loss of the Russian market, which represented about 30% of the company's activity following the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Despite these setbacks, he has managed to bounce back and position the company as "much more stable" and "less dependent on a market." Souleille began his venture with what he knew how to do: Saint Petersburg-Moscow cruises. Two years later, he chartered five Russian ships and sent 10,000 passengers, capitalizing on the 300th anniversary of the old imperial capital of Russia. However, he quickly realized the danger of a single destination and diversified by offering cruises on the Danube, the Mekong, the Irrawaddy, the Brahmaputra, and the Ganges. Rivages du Monde focuses on small or medium-capacity ships, allowing it to position itself in the field of intimate, cultural, and 100% French-speaking cruises. The company's DNA emphasizes craftsmanship and a full immersion experience combining culture, encounters, and emotions. Customers are mostly seniors and from higher social and professional categories, motivated by discovery rather than navigation. In 2025, Rivages du Monde had sailed 13,000 passengers for an average price of 4,000€ per passenger. In 2026, the number of passengers will be 12,000 due to the loss of the World Explorer, but the average price will rise to 4,200€ per passenger. The company is not positioning itself on ultra-luxury but rather on "affordable luxury." Souleille plans to continue expanding by adding new destinations to keep regular customers engaged. The 2027 catalog includes cruises on the Congo River, the Rio Napo in Ecuador, and the Peruvian Amazonia, as well as new itineraries in Europe. The company also faces challenges such as climate change affecting river levels and increasing fuel prices, but Souleille remains optimistic about the future of the cruise industry. Souleille, who is 66 years old, feels "still full of energy" and believes there is "a little time ahead of him to find new things and continue to move forward, at the pace of his means." He has not yet decided on a successor, stating that his daughter will not take over the company.