Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will charter two ships from Riverside Luxury Cruises for sailings in Europe.
Uniworld will charter the Riverside Bach and Riverside Mahler under three-year agreements, with Uniworld hiring its own crew to run the vessels. The Bach will sail as the S.S. Victoria and the Mahler as the S.S. Elizabeth, entering service for Uniworld in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The ships are sisters and used to sail for the defunct Crystal River Cruises. Riverside acquired the ships last year. Each vessel can accommodate 110 guests in 55 suites and staterooms.
A Royal Suite on the S.S. Victoria. Photo Credit: Uniworld
The Victoria will begin sailing in March 2024 on Dutch and Belgian waterways as well as on the Rhine River. The ship will sail a number of itineraries in the region, such as the eight-day Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time and the eight-day Castles Along the Rhine between Basel and Amsterdam. It will also sail the Moselle River on the 10-day Magnificent Moselle & Rhine itinerary as well as Christmas market cruises.
Before joining Uniworld as the S.S. Elizabeth in 2025, the Mahler is slated to sail in 2024 for startup Transcend Cruises under a charter agreement.
Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge said the river line was "thrilled to add two stunning new ships to the Uniworld fleet, beginning with the S.S. Victoria on the beloved Rhine, fulfilling our promise to maintain the best and most luxurious ships on the rivers.
"The S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth are unique vessels that we know our guests will love, featuring a modern design, some of the largest suites on the rivers, and an ambience that exudes contemporary luxury," Bettridge added.