Nicole Edenedo
Oh, how do I luxe thee? Let me count the ways.
That's the question I imagine Uniworld Boutique River Cruises asked itself when the river cruise line was trying to figure out how it should go about upping its luxury game for guests in 2024.
Launch an around-the-world river cruise that visits 10 countries on three continents in 55 days? Been there. Partner with a luxury rail line to create new cruise and rail itineraries? Done that. So what more is there to offer the luxury guest?
Uniworld's answer was to introduce two ships to its fleet.
In October, it said it would charter two former Crystal Cruises ships, the Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, from Riverside Luxury Cruises, the line that launched last year after purchasing Crystal's entire river fleet after it went out of business during the pandemic.
Uniworld will charter the Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler, now called the S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth, respectively, for the next three years for sailings in Europe.
Travel advisors who were familiar with the Crystal brand know that Crystal's river cruise ships set a particular standard of luxury, from service to ship designs to amenities.
And Uniworld said its team immediately noticed the ships' potential to become outstanding additions to its fleet, especially because of the unique touches and layout.
Both ships feature floor-to-ceiling windows, king-sized beds, and leather, velvet and marble accents throughout the rooms -- the kind of luxury qualities one might find on Uniworld ships. The ships have a pool, a massage room, gym, bistro for snacks, a rooftop bar and grill for cocktails and light bites, and a fine-dining restaurant for breakfast, lunch and gourmet dinner.
There are also cabin categories on both vessels that feature more extravagant options, such as walk-in closets, fireplaces and up to 759 square feet of space in a two-bedroom accommodation with adjoining suites, which would be a first for Uniworld.
The extra square footage and adjoining cabins would likely be of great use to families; a Family Travel Association survey this year found that families want more options for adjoining or connecting rooms, or larger rooms that are designed with families in mind.
Additional luxury touches
While the Elisabeth won't set sail until 2025, the Victoria will debut in Amsterdam in March, sailing on Dutch and Belgian waterways, as well as the Rhine and Moselle rivers.
The quick turnaround is due to the relatively few changes Uniworld will need to make. The line will only be adding the Uniworld logo and the new name of the ship to its exterior.
Inside the ship, the company will add its signature touches -- aptly called Tiny Little Touches. These features include installing original artwork, adding fresh flowers and filling cabins with in-room amenities such as Asprey bath and body products, handcrafted Savoir Beds of England.