River Duchess
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Decorated in stylish comfort, the River Duchess provides an assortment of river cruises through eastern and western Europe, with some that cover both. Its longest itinerary, a 28-day Grand European Serenade, sails more than 2,200 miles through the heart of Europe, allowing passengers to enjoy the natural beauty of pastoral landscapes, the vineyards of the romantic Rhine, and the Danube’s famed Iron Gates.Read More
Founded in 1976, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is a California-based company offering luxury European river cruises. Operating 13 ships in Europe, Uniworld offers itineraries from 7 to 30 days on the Rhône, Mosel, Danube, Seine, and Saône rivers, as well as in the Netherlands and Belgium. Uniworld is the only North American river-cruise company to tour Portugal and Spain on the Douro River, from Lisbon to Porto. Its 128-passenger Douro Spirit was added in 2011. By 2012, awards showered down with the introductioin of the opulent SS Antoinette, where 18th-century French design meets 21st-century technology, including electronic balcony windows, Wi-Fi, underwater music, a movie theater, and heated swimming pool. Spending over $100 million in five new ships, Uniworld commissioned partner Red Carnation Hotels to provide passengers a five-star experience. Expect sumptuous bedding and decor in first-class rooms that make you feel like royalty. Joining in 2013, the 118-passenger Queen Isabel will also sail Douro routes. Expect equally regal appointments.
On Russia’s Volga, Svir, and Neva rivers, the 206-passenger River Victoria cruises between Moscow and St. Petersburg.