UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruises

Uniworld

What more could you ask for in a river cruise? Luxury interiors, cushy cabins with amazing beds, all-inclusive fares and a fleet of bicycles on board for pedaling in port whenever the whim strikes.

Uniworld operates river cruises in many parts of the world with a heavy concentration on the rivers of Northern, Southern, and Eastern Europe. The river cruise line is one of the 40-plus brands of The Travel Corporation that operates family, youth, guided, independent, safari and adventure travel, as well as river cruising, and hotels in 70 countries on six continents.

Considered to be at the top of the market, Uniworld is known for being truly all-inclusive.

A “Generations” program designed for families has specific Europe river departures for children, tweens and teens. The “U by Uniworld” program originally targeted travelers in the 18 to 40 age range, and now these river cruises are offered to all adult passengers upon two renovated ships — The A and The B — redesigned with a more contemporary look and features like communal tables for dining, creative cocktails and international DJs onboard while sailing on the major European rivers to exciting ports like Paris, Amsterdam and Budapest.

Uniworld also sails on the Nile in Egypt, on the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam, on the Ganges in India and on the Amazon in Peru.

The European fleet takes from 118 to 159 passengers, and the riverboats are new or recently rebuilt to provide many of the same amenities.

Fleet

Europe

River Duchess (built 2003; refurbished 2012 & 130 p)

River Empress (b. 2001; r. 2010 & 130 p)

River Princess (b. 2001; r. 2020 & 128 p)

River Queen (b. 1999; r. 2020 & 128 p)

S.S. (Super Ship) Antoinette (b. 2011 & 152 p)

S.S. Beatrice (b. 2009 as River Beatrice; r. 2018 & 152 p)

S.S. Bon Voyage (b. 2006 as River Royal; r. 2019 & 124 p)

S.S. Catherine (b. 2014 & 159 p)

S.S. Joie de Vivre (2017 & 128 p)

S.S. La Venezia (b. 2003 as River Countess; r. 2020 & 126 p)

S.S. Maria Theresa (b. 2015 & 150 p)

S.S. Sao Gabriel (b. 2021 & 100 p)

The A (b. 1993 as River Ambassador; r. 2018 and renamed The A & 120 p)

The B (b. 1994 as River Baroness; r. 2018 and renamed The B & 120 p)

Egypt

River Tosca (b. 2009 & 82 p)

S.S. Sphinx (b. 2020 & 84 p)

Vietnam & Cambodia

Mekong Jewel (b. 2020 & 68 p)

India

Ganges Voyager II (b. 2014 & 56 p)

Amazon

Aria Amazon (b. 2010 & 32 p)

Passenger Profile

While most river cruisers are 50 and older, several offerings will appeal to multi-generational families who like to vacation together. The latter are scheduled in the summer holidays and December. Extra bicycles (including child sizes) are brought onboard for guided and independent pedaling in port.

Guided biking excursions for the family in port. * Photo: Heidi Sarna

Solo travelers will find that a wide selection of European river departures have a waived or low single supplement.

For families, some departures offer 50% off fares for ages 4 to 18, and a few even offer free accommodations when traveling with two adults.

Price

$$$ Expensive

Included Features

A Uniworld river cruise is an all-inclusive experience:

All shore excursions at differing levels of activity
All gratuities onboard & for tour guides
Alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages (including premium spirits and wines)
Wi-Fi
Use of bicycles, fitness & wellness classes
Airport transfers

Itineraries

You can choose European river cruises-only and voyages with land and hotel extensions ranging from 8 to 15 days, with longer travel options lasting up to three and four weeks. Russian river cruises are not currently offered.

Uniworld’s map of European river cruises.

European itineraries cover the Rhine, Moselle, Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhone and Saone, Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne, Douro, Po and Venice Lagoon.

Exotic itineraries include a 12-day “Splendors of Egypt and the Nile” cruise tour aboard the 82-passenger River Tosca with hotel stays in Cairo.

A 13-day journey in India includes a Ganges River cruise aboard the Ganges Voyager II and a land tour visiting New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Kolkata.

In Southeast Asia, a 13-day adventure along the Mekong River cruise aboard the all-suite, 68-passenger Mekong Jewel sails from Ho Chi Minh City, to Siem Reap, Cambodia, or reverse.

Uniworld’s Peruvian Amazon program features two itineraries with sailing on the 32-passenger luxury, all-suite Aria Amazon ship: an 11-day cruise tour roundtrip from Lima includes in-depth exploration within Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve; the 15-day “Peruvian Amazon and Machu Picchu Exploration” combines time in the national reserve as well as at the Inca archaeological wonder Machu Picchu.

Why Go?

Uniworld offers an incredibly high level of luxury and service. Plus, your fare likely covers the most-inclusions of nearly any travel brand.

This is a special way to travel and see historic or exotic destinations in a hassle-free manner and a brilliant option for cruisers seeking an especially well-appointed experience.

When to Go?

River cruises are operated seasonally, and often not at all in November, January, February and often into March. Christmas markets cruises are the exception in December.

While there are fewer crowds in the spring, rain may also limit independent activities ashore, while the fall sees less tourists and often nicer weather.

Uniworld Activities & Entertainment

You have several choices for shore excursions: you might pick a tour to visit a less-touristed and quaint village, or an active outing of walking, hiking, biking, kayaking or golfing, or even immerse yourself in a more experiential “Do As the Locals Do” tour.

Also, “Special Visits” are arranged for instance to a noble’s property or an evening visit when a site is normally closed to the public.

Onboard the ships, you can visit the spa or simply relax. While underway or at the end of the day, onboard lectures feature art and cultural historians.

The “Generations” family program includes some supervised children’s activities aboard, from pastry-making demos to face painting and knot tying, and ashore, with excursions to places like interactive museums and forest adventure climbing parks.

Uniworld Dining

The main restaurants seat all at one open sitting, and dinner is from a menu, while breakfast (with eggs to order) and lunch are buffets. In addition, there is an early-riser breakfast, and light lunch options are in the main lounge and in the Sky Lounge or on the Sun Deck when weather permits.

Afternoon tea is served in the main lounge, and al fresco dinners in the Sun Lounge or on the Sun Deck, again weather permitting.

The food is very good and there typically at least one local option at lunch and dinner (i.e. Wienerschnitzel, sausages and sauerkraut on a Rhine cruise).

Beer, wine and soft drinks are included, of course.

Family departures offer children’s menus.

Uniworld Public Areas

The furnishings and original artworks are lavish for riverboats, and the newer vessels have two lounges with bars, while the very newest add heated swimming pools.

Nearly all but the oldest have a complimentary guest laundry room — unusual on riverboats — and all have a spa and fitness room, sun deck with open and covered lounge seating, life-size chess pieces and free Wi-Fi (though signals can be weak).

Uniworld Cabins

Cabins are attractively and individually furnished with private balconies for some of the top accommodations, and French balconies with small rectangular windows high in the room on the lowest deck.

A lovely standard cabin aboard River Empress. * Credit: Uniworld Cruises

Most standard cabins measure 150-160 sq. ft. with a few as small at 128 sq. ft., and suites 214 to 410 sq. ft.

Cabins offer TV, telephone, bottled water, and safe, while many suites have butler service, and all suites offer room service for breakfast, daily fruit and snacks, stocked minibar, bottle of wine upon arrival, and free laundry service.