Viva Cruises appoints Michelle Daniels as country manager

Viva Cruises has appointed Michelle Daniels as country manager for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

She will be responsible for leading expansion of the European river specialist into these four markets.

Daniels has more than 20 years’ experience in the cruise sector, including as the UK and Europe commercial director for Light Blue Travel, global head of sales at Tripsmiths and the GSA for Nicko Cruises and American Queen Voyages.

She was most recently UK and Ireland sales director at A-Rosa River Cruises between April and July last year, but her role was made redundant following a restructure.

Her appointment to Viva Cruises comes after the line expanded its international sales team last year by bringing in Daryl Kornelsen to the newly created role of head of global sales to focus on the UK and Nordic markets.

At the Clia RiverView conference, the line hosted agents on board Viva Two and told them 50% of its customers are from Europe and 50% from other markets.

Viva Cruises will operate 325 river cruises throughout 2026, including six ships sailing year-round for the first time, in addition to the launch of its new “boutique line“.