MS William Shakespeare

MS William Shakespeare cruise ship (built 2014) is a sistership to MS Charles Dickens (2015) and is operated under charter by the UK cruisetour company Riviera Travel on 7-night Rhine River itineraries. The riverboat is owned by the Swiss company Scylla Cruises. The three cabin decks are named after Shakespeare’s most famous characters: Romeo, Othello, and Hamlet.

Shipboard amenities

The riverboat features a spacious Lobby (entrance hall on the Upper Deck) with a Tour/Reception Desk providing 24-hour assistance, information, purser services, and details on tours and excursions, as well as onboard cruise bookings. The Lobby also includes a Library and a Boutique Shop. From the entrance hall, guests access the forward Bar Lounge, which offers floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable seating, and a full-service bar.

Aft on the Upper Deck is the Bar Bistro (Lido Restaurant), an alternative to the main Dining Room Restaurant. The Bistro is served by its own bar and features an outdoor terrace. Early Breakfast, light Lunch, and Dinner are offered here. In good weather, the floor-to-ceiling window doors are fully opened onto the terrace for al fresco dining. Bistro dining is complimentary, but Dinner requires reservations due to the venue’s limited capacity (24 seats). The main Dining Room Restaurant (on the Middle Deck) provides single-seating capacity for buffet Breakfast and waiter-served Lunch and Dinner.

On the Lower Deck is the ship’s Wellness Centre, which includes a Hair Salon (hairdresser and barber services, nail studio), Fitness Room (Gym), and Sauna. All cabin decks are fully air-conditioned and accessed via both lift and staircase.

The Sun Deck offers an aft games area (Giant Chess Set, Mini Golf/Putting Green), retractable awnings providing shaded seating, a forward Pool Deck with Jacuzzi, sunbathing area with loungers and deckchairs, and an open-air lounge with four-seat tables and full bar service. The forward-located Navigation Bridge (called the “Wheelhouse” on riverboats) is passenger-accessible and telescopic, allowing it to be lowered for passing under low bridges.

Cabins

Most William Shakespeare staterooms feature wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a railing (French Balcony). The only exceptions are Lower Deck cabins, which have one fixed, non-opening quarter-height window positioned near the ceiling.

• All passenger staterooms include hotel-style twin beds (convertible to double), en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity, towels, bath toiletries, large mirror), 40-inch flat HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system, real-time bow camera views), mini-bar, tea/coffee-making facilities, glass-top round table with two armchairs, mirrored dressing table with pouffe chair, wardrobe, electronic safe box, hairdryer, telephone, individually controlled air conditioning, and evening turndown service.
• All cabin bathrooms feature marble tops, glass showers with large rain shower heads, and branded bath cosmetics by Crabtree & Evelyn.
• Some staterooms are available for single-occupancy bookings without a single supplement (subject to availability).
• Deluxe Balcony Suites (on Diamond Deck) additionally offer larger interior space, a step-out balcony furnished with a table and two chairs (suitable for al fresco dining), and premium cotton bathrobes and slippers.

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the “itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.