Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Uniworld: the back story
The back story
About Uniworld: the back story
Uniworld has sailed Europe’s rivers since 1976 and describes itself as the first American company to do so. Its signature is design: each ship is individually decorated, many by the team behind the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, and the fare is generous enough that you can keep your wallet closed for the whole cruise.
Since 1976
Uniworld has been on the rivers since 1976, and its long familiarity with Europe’s waterways shows in the depth of its local connections and the length of service of its crews. It belongs to The Travel Corporation, the family of travel brands that includes Trafalgar and Insight Vacations, and it shares that group’s ethos of treating guests and crew alike as family.
The boutique hotel that floats
The idea that sets Uniworld apart is that no two ships should look the same. S.S. Antoinette, the first of the line’s Super Ships in 2011, has Brazilian marble, a 19th-century Venetian glass mirror and, in her two-storey foyer, a blue Strauss Baccarat chandelier that once hung in New York’s Tavern on the Green. S.S. Catherine greets you with a life-size Murano glass horse; S.S. Joie de Vivre borrows from Parisian design from the 1920s to the 1960s; S.S. Bon Voyage takes the emerald tones of Yves Saint Laurent’s Villa Majorelle for its champagne bar. Many interiors share a design team with the Red Carnation Hotel Collection.
No request too large, no detail too small.
Generous by design
The fare is as considered as the décor. Fine wines, local beers and premium spirits are included throughout the day, the bar stays open until the last guest goes to bed, and gratuities for the onboard staff are part of the price. On the European ships, beds are handcrafted by Savoir Beds of England; suites add a butler, a stocked mini-bar and unlimited laundry. Two local wines are chosen each evening by the ship’s sommelier, and every executive chef is a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.
New ships
The fleet is growing. S.S. Emilie, inspired by Gustav Klimt and named after his muse Emilie Flöge, joins the Danube in 2026; S.S. Marlene, after Marlene Dietrich, and S.S. Audrey, after Audrey Hepburn, follow in 2027, as does S.S. São Rafael on the Douro. S.S. Helen and S.S. Clara are due in 2028, along with Mekong Mystique in Vietnam and Cambodia.
Beyond Europe
Uniworld’s journeys reach far beyond the Rhine. On the Nile, the all-suite River Tosca and S.S. Sphinx sail with an Egyptologist; on the Mekong, the all-suite Mekong Jewel has a spa, sauna and steam room; in India, the 56-guest Ganges Voyager II is decorated with hand-painted murals. Partner ships take the line into the Peruvian Amazon and Indonesia.
Our advice:
Our advice: choose the ship as carefully as the river. For a first journey, a Danube or Rhine sailing on one of the Super Ships shows Uniworld at its most characteristic; for Paris, book S.S. Joie de Vivre, which docks in the city itself. If you travel as a family, look for the Generations departures, which add family hosts and activities for children from five.
Why it's on our list
- Sailing since 1976
- Part of The Travel Corporation
- Every ship decorated differently
- Gratuities and premium drinks included
- Five new Super Ships from 2026 to 2028
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Uniworld: the back story before you go.