River cruising is one of the most romantic ways to see a city. Gliding down the world’s most iconic rivers—the Danube, the Seine, the Nile—or sailing on lesser-known rivers that cut through the idyllic European countryside is an incomparable travel experience. Uniworld just raised the luxury appeal of river cruising in Europe by offering private cruises on every one of their ships. Their vessels cruise Europe, Asia, Egypt, Peru, India, and Russia, and with their private cruising option, the itineraries (which run from eight to 25 days) are entirely customizable.
Uniworld has always described their ships as “floating boutique hotels”—and their private sailing option now gives travelers the opportunity to buy out the opulent vessels when they are ready to return to travel. Buying out the ship allows guests to customize the dining options and entertainment onboard, as well as the shore excursions at each port. And while these amenities are personalized for private sailings, they’re still all-inclusive.
RELATED: New Technology Bolsters the Future of Expedition Cruising
As for your buyout options, the hottest ticket is Uniworld’s newest vessel: S.S. La Venezia, who will debut this year to cruise northern Italy. Private sail rates start at $333,900 for the entire S.S. La Venezia—which, if you bring the maximum number of guests (126), factors out to $2,650 per person. The S.S. São Gabriel is also new this year and will explore Portugal on the Douro River with 100 guests. Beyond the ready-to-debut vessels, private cruisers still have their pick of ships like S.S. Bon Voyage (cruising French wine country), S.S. Maria Theresa (sailing the Danube River in Austria), and the S.S. Sphinx (sailing the Nile in Egypt).
Privately buying out a ship feels very much like a luxury vacation where every detail is already thought through and coordinated by someone else. Uniworld is known for high staff-to-guest ratios, every room has a view of the river, and onboard guests dine extremely well on farm-to-table cuisine. You could say it’s slow travel, but really, it’s travel at whatever pace you’d like. To book, travelers can email charters@uniworld.com or call 800-868-7905.
