- Uniworld will partner with Luxury Gold to offer longer luxury river cruising with small group land excursions.
- Uniworld will offer five new and longer itineraries across Europe from next year.
- It will also debut a 28-day itinerary from Amsterdam to the Black Sea in 2028.
When Uniworld sent out an email to clients telling them about the longer Cruise and Tour itineraries, they immediately got half a million dollar’s worth of business, said Ellen Bettridge, President and CEO of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
“We put out one email and it just went out and we’ve already gotten over half a $1 million in business and it was most from past guests,” she told a media lunch today.
Uniworld which marks its 50th anniversary this year, will launch longer cruise and tour itineraries with its partner Luxury Gold which blends luxury river cruises with small group land excursions.
Uniworld will also launch a 28-day itinerary from Amsterdam to the Black Sea in 2028, Ms Bettridge revealed. It will be an “awesome” journey which Uniworld first launched in 1976.
“By pairing our boutique river cruises with some of Luxury Gold’s most popular land itineraries, we’re offering our guests more expansive way to explore Europe – one that feels seamless and never asks them to compromise on service, comfort or ease,” she said.
“What we know is that Aussies and Kiwis tend to travel for longer and enjoy boutique hotels, excellent food and they love travelling in small groups of like-minded people,” said Alice Ager, Uniworld managing director for Australia and New Zealand.
Uniworld will debut five new and longer cruise and tour itineraries next year.
There will be a 17-day voyage from Geneva to Budapest which combines a luxurious land tour of Switzerland with an all-inclusive Danube River cruise. Highlights of the holiday will include a panoramic ride aboard the Glacier Express, a private after-hours visit to Lucerne’s Rosengart Collection, alpine hikes with a Swiss mountain guide and a Michelin-starred dining experience.
Uniworld will also offer a 17-day Edinburgh to Paris itinerary which blends a regal journey through Scotland and England with a Seine River cruise through Normandy. Guests will be able to enjoy a private high tea at Castle Howard, the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London and a river cruise calling at Giverny, Rouen, the Normandy beaches and a behind-the-scene tour of Versailles.
There will also be an indulgent 19-day round-trip from Venice combining a Venetian lagoon cruise with an immersive small-group land tour of Italy. Guests will be able to experience truffle hunting in Tuscany, Pompeii’s ancient ruins and after-hours access to the Doge’s Palace.
For those interested in Portugal and Spain, Uniworld has a 20-day exploration of Iberia and a scenic Douro River cruise. Highlights include hands-on cooking classes, a private flamenco experience in Seville and visits to Portugal’s royal palaces.
There will also be a 19-day voyage from Geneva to Amsterdam which blends Switzerland’s alpine grandeur with a Rhine River cruise through France, Germany and the Netherlands. Highlights include a ride on the Glacier Express, private, after-hours museum visits in Lucerne before cruising past medieval castles, vineyard-lined hills and historic cities such as Strasbourg, Cologne and Amsterdam.
Uniworld will launch a new ship S.S. Emilie this year with S.S. Audrey and S.S. Marlene to join the fleet in 2027. Another new ship, S.S. Sao Rafael will debut on the Douro next year.
Despite rival lines offering more river cruises, Ms Bettridge said that Uniworld will maintain its boutique and more luxurious offering with guests limited to about 140 guests.
“We’ve got more sweets, more dining venues and more luxurious finishes and that will not change. So the monster chandeliers will still be there. You know, we have to have something that is ours, right? And I think, it makes a big difference,” Ms Bettridge said.
