Uniworld Adds Three Ships and Eight Itineraries for 2028
The 2028 European program includes a 30-day Amsterdam to the Black Sea voyage, while S.S. Clara is named for Flemish painter Clara Peeters.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will introduce three ships and eight new itineraries in 2028, taking its fleet to 22 vessels. S.S. Helen will operate on the Danube, S.S. Clara on the Rhine and Mekong Mystique on the Mekong in Southeast Asia.
The expansion will follow another three-ship introduction planned for 2027, when Uniworld expects to complete its transition to an all-Super Ship fleet. The 2028 program includes extended European journeys across multiple rivers and countries, along with additional holiday-season sailings.
“We’re giving our guests the opportunity to see more, travel farther and experience some of our favourite destinations in entirely new ways,” said Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
Longer journeys and new holiday routes
The two new European ships will operate four new itineraries, led by the 30-day Amsterdam to the Black Sea voyage and the 25-day Eastern Europe Exploration. Their schedules will also include the 18-day Danube East & West and the nine-day Empires of the Lower Danube.
S.S. Clara will additionally operate Dutch & Flemish Treasures, an eight-day itinerary through the Netherlands and Belgium. Its winter program will include the eight-day Moselle Holiday Markets voyage, sailing between Dusseldorf and Trier in Germany with a Christmas-market focus.
Two existing vessels will operate the new 15-day Grand France Holiday, combining the Rhone and Seine. S.S. Catherine will handle the Rhone portion, with S.S. Joie de Vivre operating on the Seine. S.S. Catherine will also sail the eight-day Rhone Winter Holiday between Arles and Lyon.
The European newcomers continue Uniworld’s use of historical and cultural figures in ship naming. S.S. Helen takes its name from Helen of Troy, while S.S. Clara is named for Flemish Golden Age painter Clara Peeters.
Consecutive years of fleet expansion
The 2027 ships are Audrey, Marlene and Sao Rafael. Audrey and Marlene will sail in Europe, with interiors inspired by Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich, while Sao Rafael will operate on Portugal’s Douro River. Bettridge described the Douro as one of Uniworld’s strongest-performing destinations.
That expansion follows Emilie’s 2026 debut, which Bettridge identified as Uniworld’s first newbuild since 2020.
“Paired with our 2027 expansion, this represents one of the most significant periods of investment in Uniworld’s history,” Bettridge said of the 2028 additions, speaking to Cruise Industry News for its 2027 European River Market Report.
Uniworld’s 2027 itinerary program will also bring six new routes across Europe and Asia. Pre- and post-cruise land extensions are planned in cities including Paris, Prague and Zurich.
