Boutique river cruising from The Travel Corporation: one-of-a-kind, antique-filled ships of 68 to 152 guests, drinks, dining, gratuities and excursions included. Australians fly to Europe, Egypt or Vietnam to join one.
Uniworld is the all-inclusive boutique river line of The Travel Corporation, known for one-of-a-kind ships filled with antiques, original artwork and handcrafted furnishings rather than a repeated corporate look. Ships carry as few as 68 and rarely more than 152 guests, with one of the higher staff-to-guest ratios on the rivers. It suits culturally curious couples, solo travellers and empty-nesters who want fine dining and a slower, more personal way to see a region than a coach tour allows.
Australians fly to join a Uniworld ship rather than sail from home: Amsterdam or Basel for the Rhine, Budapest for the Danube, Cairo for the Nile, Ho Chi Minh City for the Mekong, and Porto for the Douro. The European season runs roughly April to December, with Christmas market sailings each northern winter, while Egypt and the Mekong sail for most of the year. International flights are booked separately, though Uniworld runs an air credit offer most seasons.
Every fare includes all meals, unlimited drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities on board and on shore, transfers and a programme of included excursions, from village walks to private after-hours museum visits. Staterooms range from a compact Classic cabin to a Royal Suite with its own living room and butler. Onboard, expect one main restaurant, a signature lounge and bar such as Bar du Leopard, and design details that differ from ship to ship rather than a repeated template.
Starting-from fare per person, twin share, as listed on Uniworld’s Australian site on 14 September 2026. Fares are set per sailing date and rise as staterooms sell, so ask us for your preferred departure.
S.S. Maria Theresa · from Fly to Budapest, cruise Budapest to Passau · 8 November 2026, cruise only
S.S. Sphinx · from Fly to Cairo, cruise Cairo to Cairo · 2 January 2027, cruise only
Mekong Jewel · from Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, cruise Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi · 1 April 2027, cruise only
Want the total for two on a specific date? Our experts check availability and every extra before you commit.
Call a Cruise Expert · 1300 214 840 Enquire TodayFour of Uniworld’s 17 ships, across the regions Australians book most.
Maria Theresa pairs the Baroque Restaurant and a Viennese Café with the Habsburg Lounge and Bar du Leopard, which opens onto an enclosed, heatable pool. There is also a small Lipizzan Cinema and a Serenity River Spa, all in the ship’s 18th-century Habsburg styling.
Beatrice carries artwork by Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder and Pino Signoretto through its public rooms, and four dining spots named for Austrian composers: Mozart’s main restaurant, Wolfgang’s bar and lounge, and the newer Schubert’s and Max’s Steakhouse. The 2018 remodel added connecting cabins for friends and families, plus a Serenity River Spa and fitness room.
An all-suite ship of just 42 staterooms, finished in Egyptian artwork, fabrics and hand-carved furnishings. Sphinx has two dining venues, a swimming pool, a gym and a massage room, sailing the Nile on the 12 day Splendors of Egypt and the Nile itinerary, which runs Cairo to Cairo.
The newest and most luxurious ship on the Mekong, all-suite with a main restaurant and an al fresco eatery on the upper deck. The Royal Suite has a fixed four-poster bed, and there is a library and an open-air lounge on the sun deck for watching the delta go by.
Also in the fleet: S.S. Antoinette, S.S. Catherine, S.S. Elisabeth, S.S. Joie de Vivre, S.S. La Venezia and S.S. Victoria across the Rhine, Danube, Seine and Rhône; S.S. São Gabriel on the Douro in Portugal; Ganges Voyager II in India; Aqua Blu in Indonesia; and Aria Amazon in Peru, plus new ships arriving through 2028.
What each cabin type gives you. Fares vary by ship, sailing and date, so ask us for the rate on the departure you want.
Tell us where and when. A Uniworld specialist comes back with sailings, cabins and prices in Australian dollars.
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A taste of the restaurants, bars and spaces. Anything marked Included carries no extra cost.
S.S. Maria Theresa’s main restaurant, open-seating with a menu that changes through the cruise and always a lighter option.
The signature lounge and bar found on several Uniworld ships, usually with a pool alongside and a pianist most evenings.
A full-service bar and the room for port talks, local performers and after-dinner drinks on S.S. Maria Theresa.
S.S. Beatrice’s main restaurant, one of four dining spots on board named for Austrian composers.
A specialty steakhouse added to S.S. Beatrice in its 2018 remodel, alongside the smaller Schubert’s sharing-plates room.
One of two dining venues on the all-suite Sphinx, with Egyptian décor and views over the Nile as you eat.
Loungers, shade and open-air seating on the top deck, the best spot to watch temples and desert cliffs slide by on the Nile.
Mekong Jewel’s upper-deck lounge and al fresco eatery, shaded for the tropical climate with river views on both sides.
Uniworld’s active excursion line: guided walking, hiking, cycling and kayaking outings included on most itineraries.
A small fitness room found on most ships, generally with a river view to take your mind off the treadmill.
A quiet corner for reading or a game of cards between ports, found on Mekong Jewel and several other ships.
Sun deck training sessions offered on sailing days, an alternative to the gym while the ship is under way.
S.S. Maria Theresa’s small onboard cinema, used for film screenings and destination talks through the cruise.
Uniworld sells one all-inclusive fare: the meals, the drinks, the excursions, the gratuities and the Wi-Fi are all in the price.
In a suite? Butler service, unlimited laundry, a stocked mini bar and daily treats come with the top categories.
Inclusions vary on the Egypt, India, Southeast Asia and Peru itineraries.
You fly to the start of the cruise rather than sail from an Australian port: Amsterdam or Basel for the Rhine, Budapest for the Danube, Cairo for the Nile, Porto for the Douro, or Ho Chi Minh City for the Mekong. International flights are booked separately from the cruise fare, and Uniworld runs an air credit offer on most seasons that we can price against your dates.
All meals on board, unlimited beer, wine and spirits, Wi-Fi, gratuities for the crew both on board and on shore excursions, airport transfers on the cruise dates, and a full programme of included excursions at every port. Optional extras are limited mainly to the Masterpiece Collection, a small menu of premium experiences at an additional cost.
S.S. Maria Theresa and S.S. Beatrice both sail Central Europe and carry around 150 guests with similar inclusions, so the choice usually comes down to itinerary and departure date rather than the ship. S.S. Sphinx on the Nile and Mekong Jewel on the Mekong are smaller, all-suite ships built specifically for their rivers.
Couples, solo travellers and small groups of friends who want fine dining, included drinks and a slower pace than an ocean ship or a bus tour. Uniworld is not aimed at young families: there is no kids’ club, and the atmosphere on board is quiet and adult-focused rather than built around activities for children.
Sections of the Rhine, Main and Danube can run low for the time of year, and Uniworld monitors conditions closely rather than guessing weeks ahead. If a sailing needs adjusting, its own published approach is alternate embarkation points, a different ship, a hotel stay or motorcoach transfers, always aiming to keep every planned destination in the itinerary. We will pass on any known change before you book.
European rivers are prettiest from late spring to early autumn, when water levels are usually at their most reliable, and Uniworld also runs a well-regarded Christmas markets season in November and December. The Nile and the Mekong are warm most of the year, though Egypt’s cooler months from October to April are the more comfortable time to be out at the temples.
Tell us the river and dates you are considering in the enquiry form on this page, or call 1300 214 840. We are an independent Australian cruise agency: you get Uniworld’s advertised fare, we confirm the total for two in AUD with taxes and fees, and one specialist looks after the booking from quote to homecoming.
Call 1300 214 840, message us on WhatsApp, email, or tell us what you want and a Uniworld specialist will come back with a quote.
Enquire TodayLuxury Cruises Guide is an independent Australian cruise agency operated by Orange Ninja Pty Ltd, ABN 17 682 640 713. It is not owned or operated by Uniworld. Uniworld and its ship names are trademarks of their owner and are used here to identify the cruise line. Fares shown were published by the cruise line at the time of writing and change with availability.