SS Emilie

The 2026-built SS Emilie cruise ship is owned by Uniworld (officially "Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection"), which is an asset of The Travel Corporation (TravCorp). The newbuild riverboat, representing some fleet-first design features and amenities, is part of Uniworld's fleet of "super ships" (abbrev S.S.). Emilie's sisterships are the 2027-launched SS Audrey and SS Marlene.

This is Uniworld's 14th European boat, expanding the global fleet to 19. With SS Emilie, Uniworld's "Super Ships" fleet grew to 10 units. SS Emilie's launch coincides with the company's 50th Anniversary (1976-2026).

Uniworld's SS Emilie cruises on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers departing from homeports in Holland (Amsterdam), Switzerland (Basel), Germany (Frankfurt am Main, Nuremberg), Austria (Vienna) and Serbia (Belgrade).

The vessel (ENI number tba) will be Switzerland-flagged (MMSI tba) and registered in Basel.

In November 2025 was announced the name of SS Emilie's godmother - Julie Higgins (Uniworld's Director of Hotel Operations and the company's first/2025-appointed Sustainability Officer). The ship's christening ceremony is currently scheduled for March 21, 2026.

The riverboat is named after Emilie Louise Floge (1874-1952), an Austrian/Viennese fashion designer and businesswoman, and the life partner of the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (1862-1918).

Decks and cabins

SS Emilie has a total of 77 cabins (in 6 grades), including 2x Grand Suites (38 m2/410 ft2), 8x French Balcony Suites (27 m2/285 ft2), 55x French Balcony cabins (18-21 m2/195-225 ft2), and 12x Classic cabins (16 m2/175 ft2, each having one large Upper Window at water level).

All passenger staterooms provide as standard/complimentary amenities handcrafted Savoir Beds of England with luxury bedding sets, a built-in wardrobe, digital safe (in the closet), individual thermostat, TV with infotainment system, marble bathroom (WC, single sink vanity, Asprey brand bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, heated LED mirror, backlit magnifying mirror, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers).

Additional Suite amenities and services include butler service (dining, packing and unpacking, in-cabin breakfast, daily served fruit and cookie plate and evening snacks, shoeshine, free laundry service), Nespresso coffee machine, specialty teas, fully stocked mini bar, bottle of wine (upon request).

The largest accommodations (both Grand Suites) also feature a larger bathroom with a two-sink vanity, a rain shower and a bathtub.

The boat has 4 decks, of which 3 have cabins.

Ship review (facilities and amenities)

SS Emilie is a boutique hotel-style riverboat featuring the classic elegance of the Art Deco style of the golden 1920s-1930s.

The large riverboat provides gourmet dining options, modern wellness facilities and contemporary staterooms to reflect Uniworld's global standards for luxury hotel amenities, professional services and exciting voyages.

One Elevator (midship passenger lift) interconnects all cabin decks.

Next are reviewed all venues and amenities by deck.

DANAE DECK (1st floor)

All staff and crew cabins, along with the crew lounge/dining facility, are located after the midship passenger staterooms. Aft are located the engine room and propulsion units.

All service and storage spaces are forward (before passenger staterooms), including the ship's water storage and ballast tanks.

The Laundry Room is a self-service facility with a washing machine (detergent is supplied), dryer, and ironing board.

Adjacent to the Guest Laundry is The Gold Room, a private dining room/event space that can be reserved for celebrations and other special events.

Danae Deck houses Classic Cabins from 201 to 212.

ATHENE DECK (2nd floor)

Gustav's Restaurant is an open-seating Main Dining Room with single-seating capacity, classic European, and also regional cuisine specialties. The food is high-quality, with locally sourced ingredients from markets and suppliers. The decor features floor-to-ceiling windows, an impressive chandelier, and comfortable leather booths. The Dining Room is waiter-served and operates with preset dining times depending on the daily scheduled port activities. Breakfast (7-9 am) is buffet-style (a large station is located in the center) with cereals, a selection of bread, cheeses, cold meats, fruits, yogurt, smoothies, and sausage. There is a designated chef for made-to-order eggs, omelets, and other dishes ordered separately (at no extra charge). Lunch (12:30 - 2 pm) includes soup station, carvery, salads bar, hot dishes, pasta and sandwiches, desserts, with local delicacies also provided. Dinners (7-7:30 pm /starting after the Main Lounge's cocktail hour) are waiter-served (until 9 pm). The 4-course dinner menu has several starters, 2 soups, 3 entrees (fish, meat, vegetarian), desserts, and cheese plates. At dinner, the complimentary wines are itinerary-based (reflecting the sailing region), and steaks and chicken are always offered on request. At breakfast and lunch, an a-la-carte menu is also provided. All meals include a selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes.

The dining room also hosts the ship's formal events, including the Captain's Welcome and Farewell dinners. On those, the dress code is elegant casual - jacket and tie (men), cocktail attire (women).

Boutique Shop sells luxury brand jewelry and watches, Trafalgar-logoed merchandise, and local/itinerary-based goods (gifts and souvenirs).

The Lobby area has the Reception Desk providing 24-hour assistance, information on the daily program's scheduled activities, Sauna/Spa reservations, and also serves the shore excursions and onboard cruise booking programs. Guests can find here the ship's Cruise Director, who often schedules culinary-themed onboard activities, such as galley tours or cooking demonstrations by some of the chefs.

The Lobby also has a 24-hour open tea/coffee station providing complimentary teabags, hot and bottled water, and light snacks (cookies, candies).

The Lobby Hall is part of the Atrium - an open-floor designed space connecting decks 2 and 3 via a grand staircase.

Athene Deck houses French Balcony cabins from 301 to 337.

ADELE DECK (3rd floor)

Belvedere Lounge (Main Lounge & Bar) has a dance floor and evening entertainment program with live music (by resident duo pianist/singer) and also local guest performances. The Lounge hosts Uniworld's enrichment program, which includes cooking demonstrations and guest lectures (themed food and wine, art and music, culture, architecture, etc). A traditional pre-dinner event here is the Cruise Director's talks providing information and tips on the next-day scheduled excursions (complimentary) and optional tours (cost extra) ashore.

Aft is the boat's wellness complex that consists of the Serenity River Spa (room for massages and beauty treatments) and the Fitness Center.

The Brocade Bar is an intimate aft lounge served by its own Bar. The venue has both indoor and outdoor seating (an open-air terrace facing the stern).

Adele Deck houses French Balcony cabins from 401 to 431, including the two Grand Suites and the eight Suites.

SUN DECK (4th floor)

The fore-located Navigation Bridge (called Wheelhouse on riverboats and smaller ships) is passenger-accessible and telescopic (can be lowered for passing under low bridges).

There is a bike station with complimentary bicycles and Nordic walking sticks available for passengers on shore excursions, town tours, or individual land tours. All bicycles have locks, and helmets are provided on request.

The Sky Lounge (added during the 2010 refurbishment) is designed as a conservatory cafe - with retractable roof and glass walls, live plants, and outdoor seating. Depending on the weather, the whole structure can be opened or closed. Sky Lounge doubles as an alternative dining venue with waiter service and a light food menu - oven-baked pizzas, pasta, salads, soups, and sandwiches. The sundeck lounge also serves brunches and cocktail parties.

Sun Deck is an outdoor relaxation and sunbathing area (accessible only by stairs). There are three retractable awnings (midship location shaded seating zones) that can be lowered when the boat passes under low bridges. The sundeck is furnished with sun-loungers and small square tables with chairs. There is a deck games zone with a shuffleboard and a giant chessboard. The sundeck is the ship's smoking area, and the best vantage point to enjoy the unobstructed countryside views along the cruise itinerary route. Weather permitting, here are held morning exercise classes (complimentary, including Zumba, Yoga, Aerobics).

Uniworld cruise deals

Uniworld River Cruises' fares cover the stateroom (a riverview cabin), all shipboard meals (buffet-style breakfast and lunch, and a la carte dinner), beverages (drinks with lunch and dinner, including wine by the glass, local beers, soft drinks/non-alcoholic, tea/coffee, water), complimentary access to shipboard facilities and amenities (bars/lounges/social spaces, sun deck, wellness/gym/fitness centre), current itinerary-based guided shore excursions/land tours and curated experiences), and ship crew gratuities.

For the land portion of the voyage, passengers are provided with audio headsets (for guided tours), bicycles and walking sticks (during local visits/excursions), and staff support (Cruise Director/Tour Manager, ship crew).

Uniworld river cruise prices are per person and based on double occupancy. These are only indicative rates. They might be different when you book your cruise-only or cruisetour deals, influenced by travel agency promotions, special offers and discounts, group travel booking or last-minute deals rates.

Optionally, Uniworld offers air-inclusive cruise deals and pre-/post-cruise hotel packages as extensions (at additional cost).

Itineraries

Next are reviewed SS Emilie ship's itineraries (duration, homeports and rivers) scheduled by Uniworld for the inaugural cruise season (2026-2027).

(Danube) 8-day "Vineyards & Palaces along the Danube" itinerary from Vienna to Nuremberg

(Danube) 10-day "Vineyards & Palaces along the Danube with Prague" itinerary from Vienna to Prague

(Danube) 8-day "Capital Cities of the Danube" itinerary from Belgrade to Vienna

(Danube) 10-day "Vienna & Capital Cities of the Danube" from Belgrade to Vienna

relocation (Moselle and Rhine) 10-day "Castles along the Rhine & Amsterdam" itinerary from Basel to Amsterdam

relocation (Rhine and Danube) 15-day "European Gems" itinerary from Amsterdam to Vienna

(Mein and Rhine) 8-day "Classic Christmas Markets" from Nuremberg to Frankfurt

(Danube) 15-day "Danube Grandeur" from Belgrade to Nuremberg

(Danube) 17-day "Danube Grandeur & Prague" from Belgrade to Prague

Xmas (Danube) 8-day "European Holiday Markets" from Nuremberg to Vienna

Xmas (Danube) 13-day "Grand Christmas & New Year's" from Nuremberg to Budapest

Springtime (Rhine) 10-day "Tulips & Windmills" itinerary from Amsterdam to Antwerp