Cruise line · River

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: Our Cruise Line Guide

Uniworld calls its ships floating boutique hotels: each one different, filled with original art, Murano glass and Savoir beds, and run with a 2.4-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio. Its fare is among the most inclusive on the rivers, with fine wines, premium spirits and gratuities included, from the Rhine and the Seine to the Nile, the Mekong and the Ganges.

Plan your trip:Official website

The back story

Founded: 1976; part of The Travel Corporation (uniworld.com, About us) · Fleet: Super Ships and boutique ships in Europe, S.S. Sphinx and River Tosca on the Nile, Mekong Jewel, Ganges Voyager II; new S.S. Emilie (2026), S.S. Marlene, S.S. Audrey and S.S. São Rafael (2027), S.S. Helen, S.S. Clara and Mekong Mystique (2028) (uniworld.com ship pages, Oct 2026) · Guests per ship: 56 (Ganges Voyager II) to 158 (S.S. Catherine) (uniworld.com, Oct 2026) · Service: 2.4-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio (uniworld.com, About us) · What’s included: All meals, unlimited beverages including fine wines and premium spirits, excursions, entertainment, daily fitness classes, 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi, bicycles and gratuities for all onboard staff; inclusions vary in Egypt, India, Southeast Asia and Peru (uniworld.com, Oct 2026) · Age policy: Guests must be 5 or older in Europe, Asia, India and Egypt; under-18s travel with an adult (uniworld.com FAQ)

The back story

Uniworld: the back story

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·In depth

A river line since 1976 that decided every ship should be a one-off: Baccarat chandeliers, Murano glass horses and original art on the Rhine.

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The fleet

Who it suits. On a budget: Uniworld recommends a Danube cruise for a first river journey; a Classic stateroom (from about 15 m² on the Super Ships) gives you the same art-filled public rooms, unlimited drinks and included gratuities as every suite. Mid-range: A French Balcony stateroom on one of the Super Ships, or a Suite on S.S. Joie de Vivre, which docks in the heart of Paris, with butler service and a stocked mini-bar. Luxury: A 47 m² (506 sq ft) Royal Suite on S.S. Victoria or S.S. Elisabeth, which can be joined to the Suite next door to make a two-bedroom 759 sq ft apartment; on the Mekong, the Royal Suites of Mekong Jewel measure 85.8 m².

152 guests

S.S. Antoinette

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ship · Rhine·€€€€

Uniworld’s first Super Ship (2011): Brazilian marble, a Baccarat chandelier from Tavern on the Green, the Bar du Leopard and an onboard cinema.

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150 guests

S.S. Maria Theresa

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ship · Danube·€€€€

An 18th-century Habsburg palace afloat, inaugurated in 2015 and named after the empress, with original art by Frederik Bloemaert.

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158 guests

S.S. Catherine

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ship · Rhône and Saône·€€€€

The second Super Ship (2014), with a two-storey lobby, a Murano glass chandelier and a life-size glass horse.

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128 guests

S.S. Joie de Vivre

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Boutique ship · Seine·€€€€

Scaled to dock in the heart of Paris, with antiques, original art and Parisian design from the 1920s to the 1960s.

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110 guests

S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Boutique ships · Rhine and Moselle·€€€€

Sister ships that joined the fleet in 2024 and 2025, with the largest suites on Europe’s rivers: two 47 m² Royal Suites each.

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130–148 guests

S.S. Beatrice and River Duchess

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Boutique ships · Danube, Main and Rhine·€€€

S.S. Beatrice (148 guests, remodelled 2018) has works by Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder and Pino Signoretto; River Duchess carries 130.

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Remodelled 2019 and 2020

S.S. Bon Voyage and S.S. La Venezia

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Boutique ships · Bordeaux and Venice·€€€

S.S. Bon Voyage sails the Dordogne and Garonne; S.S. La Venezia, the former River Countess, sails the Venice Lagoon with 126 guests.

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94–98 guests

S.S. São Gabriel and S.S. São Rafael

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ships · Douro·€€€€

Azulejo tiles and polished wood on the Douro: S.S. São Gabriel (2021, 98 guests) and her new sister S.S. São Rafael (2027, 94 guests).

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154 guests

Uniworld’s new Super Ships (2026–2028)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ships · Europe·€€€€

S.S. Emilie (Danube, 2026), S.S. Marlene (Danube, 2027), S.S. Audrey (Rhine, 2027), S.S. Helen and S.S. Clara (2028), each for 154 guests.

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82–84 guests

S.S. Sphinx and River Tosca

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Nile ships·€€€€

On the Nile: S.S. Sphinx (2021, 84 guests, 42 suites) and the all-suite River Tosca (82 guests), each with a pool.

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68 guests

Mekong Jewel

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Super Ship · Mekong·€€€€

An all-suite Super Ship on the Mekong since January 2020, with a pool, spa, sauna, steam room and two dining venues.

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56 guests

Ganges Voyager II

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·River ship · India·€€€€

An all-suite ship on the Ganges (2016) with hand-painted murals and a French balcony in every suite.

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The suites

47 m² / 506 sq ft

Royal Suite (S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Signature suite·€€€€

The largest suites on Europe’s rivers, says Uniworld: 506 sq ft with a living room, walk-in closets and Asprey bath products.

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38.25 m² / 412 sq ft

Grand Suite (Uniworld new Super Ships)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Suite·€€€€

Two per ship on S.S. Emilie, S.S. Marlene, S.S. Audrey, S.S. Helen and S.S. Clara, convertible to a two-bedroom suite.

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85.8 m²

Royal Suite (Mekong Jewel)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Signature suite·€€€€

Two Royal Suites of 85.8 m² on the all-suite Mekong Jewel.

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55 m²

Royal Suite (S.S. Sphinx)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Suite·€€€€

Four Royal Suites of 55 m² on the Nile, each with a French balcony.

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Dining on board

Included

Uniworld wines and the onboard sommelier

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Wine programme·€€€€

Two local wines chosen each evening by the onboard sommelier, plus premium wines, beers and spirits included all day.

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Four-course dinners

Uniworld chefs of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Cuisine·€€€€

Every Uniworld executive chef is a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs; dinner is four courses of locally sourced cooking.

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Bordeaux

La Brasserie (S.S. Bon Voyage)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Bistro·€€€€

Traditional bistro fare in a room of natural green and yellow inspired by Paris’s Bouillon Pigalle.

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Bordeaux

Le Salon Champagne (S.S. Bon Voyage)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Champagne bar·€€€€

A bar in emerald tones inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s Villa Majorelle.

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Rhine

Bar du Leopard (S.S. Antoinette)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Bar·€€€€

A stylish full-service bar on S.S. Antoinette, the ship with the Baccarat chandelier in her two-storey foyer.

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Paris

Le Restaurant Pigalle (S.S. Joie de Vivre)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Restaurant·€€€€

The dining room of S.S. Joie de Vivre, the Uniworld ship that docks in the heart of Paris.

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Spa and wellness

Wellness on the Water

Serenity River Spa (Uniworld)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Spa·€€€€

Facials and massages in the Serenity River Spa, with sunrise yoga, TRX classes, a fitness centre and, on some ships, a heated pool.

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Mekong

Spa, sauna and steam room (Mekong Jewel)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Spa·€€€€

A spa with sauna and steam room, gym, hair salon and nail bar on the all-suite Mekong Jewel.

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Life on board

Ages 5 to 17

Generations family sailings

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Life on board

Selected departures with two Family Hosts, a Young Travellers’ Lounge and activities for Junior Cruisers (5–12) and Teen Cruisers (13–17).

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Walking, cycling, kayaking

“Let’s Go” excursions

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Life on board

Guided walks, hikes, bike rides, kayaking and golf ashore, or Brompton bicycles and Nordic walking sticks to go your own way.

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Smart casual

Dress code (Uniworld)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Life on board

Smart-casual by day and in the evening, with no shorts at dinner.

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Where it sails

Europe

Central Europe: the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Where Uniworld sails

Castles along the Rhine, Highlights of Eastern Europe and Danube journeys on the Super Ships.

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Seine, Rhône, Bordeaux, Venice, Douro

France, Italy and Portugal

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Where Uniworld sails

The Seine from Paris, the Rhône and Saône, Brilliant Bordeaux (8 days round trip, 2027), Rome, Venice & the Jewels of Veneto, and the Douro.

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Nile, Ganges, Mekong

Egypt, India and Southeast Asia

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Where Uniworld sails

Splendors of Egypt & the Nile, the Ganges on Ganges Voyager II, and Vietnam and Cambodia on Mekong Jewel.

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Partner ships

The Peruvian Amazon and Indonesia

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Where Uniworld sails

Uniworld sells journeys on the 32-guest Aria Amazon on the Marañón and Ucayali, and the 30-guest Aqua Blu in Indonesia’s Banda Sea.

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What’s included and how to book

All-inclusive

What the Uniworld fare includes

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Booking

All meals, unlimited beverages including fine wines and premium spirits, excursions, entertainment, fitness classes, 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi, bicycles and gratuities for all onboard staff.

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Minimum age 5

Age policy and gratuities (Uniworld)

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises·Booking

Guests must be at least five on Europe, Asia, India and Egypt sailings; under-18s travel with a parent or guardian. Onboard gratuities are included in Europe.

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Share your Uniworld Boutique River Cruises tips

Sailed with them? Share your ships, cabins and tips with other cruisers.

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