Cruise line profile
No two ships alike.
About the line
Uniworld is the design house of river cruising — every ship is bespoke, from hand-carved Venetian headboards to curated art collections. The product is genuinely all-inclusive: premium spirits, every excursion, gratuities, even a complimentary bike and walking-stick fleet. Christmas sailings are sumptuous — themed dinners, a vegan menu, and Masterpiece Collection optional experiences.
Best for
Luxury travelers who want design-forward ships, included everything, and a fashion-forward, art-filled atmosphere.
Inclusions
A quick read on the standard Christmas-sailing package. Partial inclusions are marked with a half-circle.
Drinks
All drinks (all day)
Excursions
All excursions included
Flights
Flights extra
Gratuities
Gratuities included
Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Bikes
Bikes carried, free to use
The fleet
S.S. Maria Theresa
S.S. Joie de Vivre
S.S. Bon Voyage
River Empress
Christmas itineraries
Named itineraries this line runs for the Christmas-market season. Nights and rivers as published.
Classic Christmas Markets
Rhine River
Enchanting Christmas & New Year
Danube River
Brilliant Christmas Markets of the Danube
Danube River
Itineraries we feature
Real, published itineraries — shown as examples. Live availability via a planning expert.
Uniworld's Classic Christmas Markets runs the Rhine on the S.S. Joie de Vivre — a bespoke, French-inspired boutique hotel on the water. Every excursion, drink (including premium spirits), and gratuity is included. Optional Masterpiece Collection experiences add curated behind-the-scenes access.
Example pricing
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per person · example
Uniworld's Brilliant Christmas Markets runs the Danube on the S.S. Maria Theresa, a baroque-floating-boutique with hand-carved Venetian headboards and curated art. Every excursion, drink, and gratuity is included. The Masterpiece Collection adds curated optional experiences like a private Viennese concert.
Example pricing
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per person · example
Keep exploring
See how the rest of the field compares.
The thinking person's river cruise.
Viking revolutionized European river cruising with its fleet of identical, award-winning Longships. The Christmas-market season is one of their signatures: a daily excursion is included at every port, beer and wine flow free at lunch and dinner, and the Aquavit Terrace turns into a cozy winter lounge. The itinerary is packed but unhurried, with a resident historian and an included excursion in every stop.
from $2,499
per person · example
The heart of the river.
AMA Waterways is a family-run line known for generosity: a complimentary Sip & Sail cocktail hour before dinner every night, premium wine and beer throughout the day, and a chef's table restaurant included at no extra charge. Their Christmas sailings lean into the festive — gingerbread decorating, Glühwein tastings, and a special holiday menu. The AmaMagna on the Danube is nearly double the width of a standard river ship, with more lounge and dining space.
from $2,799
per person · example
Luxury, redefined on the river.
Riverside took over the former Crystal river ships and re-launched them as a genuinely all-inclusive luxury product. Nearly every excursion is included, drinks flow all day, gratuities are covered, and the service ratio is among the highest on the rivers. Christmas sailings feel intimate and refined — fewer passengers, more space, and a butler-style cabin service on the top suites.
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per person · example
All-inclusive, done right.
Tauck brings its land-tour pedigree to the rivers with a genuinely all-inclusive model: all excursions, all drinks, all gratuities, and a Tauck Director on every departure. Ships are among the newest and lowest-density on the rivers, with a scarcity of suites relative to standard cabins. Christmas sailings emphasize behind-the-scenes access — private evening market visits, exclusive concerts in Vienna.
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per person · example